VILLAGE LUGGAGE AND GIFTS Posting Page

Friday, May 9, 2014

Explaining Luggage Warranties

We are always asked about luggage warranties. It is very important to read over the luggage warranty and see exactly what is included. Every company has their own warranty with their own wording. Some companies have different warranties for different collections. For instance the Travelpro Warranty shows a better warranty for the Platinum Magna luggage collection, and the wording is different from their other collections. If you think that is confusing, Victorinox has three different warranties covering their varied collections! Some warranties, like Tumi, have different coverage for the first year, the first five years, and years after. Most warranties will ask for your sales receipt, so be sure to hold onto them. You are also responsible in most instances to pay for shipping to one of their repair facilities.

Wording that you need to be aware of: Limited lifetime warranties are just that – “Limited”. They have exclusions, so read carefully. Most of them exclude airline or common carrier damage. That means if the cruise line or airline damages your bag, you must make an insurance claim with the carrier. And since many have a 24 hour restriction, it is best to make your airline claim right at the airport when you pick up your luggage. The airlines count on your being tired and not wanting to be bothered. Then when you try to have the bag repaired for free, you’ll find that the repair is excluded, and it will be too late to make a claim with the carrier.

There are generous warranties so just read and be aware. Briggs & Riley has the “simple as that” warranty and this does cover airline and cruise line damage. They do the repairs FREE of charge for the life of the bag. You are responsible for shipping costs to a repair facility if there is not one in your area, but they pay for the return shipping charges. Most travelers are aware of automobile warranties and how limiting they are. And a car cost a great deal more than even the most expensive piece of luggage! You can often have your luggage repaired at nominal charges, and the premium brands do last for years and years of travel!

by: VILLAGE LUGGAGE

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