BootsnAll Travel Community

Please tell me what you know....What do I do ?

In Venice Italy - and on my birthday ! my $2000 digital camera was STOLEN off my shoulder by a professional thief... there was no way to catch him...or get
my camera back. I later made a police report but since I did NOT have a USA 'homeowners' insurance policy to cover it, I dont know what else to do to recover any part of this
LOSS.

Any experiences like this ?

Any suggestions for how credit-card-purchases that are
stolen in out-of-country can be given any recovery assistance?
Anyone know anything about what to do other than
cry & cry and hate travelling with anything worth keeping?

Sure ruins any travel pleasures fast....no matter how
much I clutched, held close, watched, and was 'careful'
this Loss of Control of my prized possession [ as a
'real' good photographer...I am now w/o my main machine ]....

yep....this happened to me...tooo...
I am sure it happens to many, but I am seeking advice
and information for whatever can help me recover any part of cost or replacement of this special camera I just bought in Jan '08.

Thanks for sharing in my whimpering !

ohhhhhh....safety is never safe and stuff never stays
our own either. Life is not what I expected ! Especially
in EU urban cities. oh...............me oh my ...........

That's gotta hurt Alex. You have my sympathies. I take it by the comment about 'not having USA homeowners insurance' means that you did not take out travel insurance?

If that is the case while it will not help this time I'd consider insurance next time.

Not sure about what insurance schemes are like in the US but if they are anything like the ones here good luck with getting some money back.

I know my Credit Card has a certain amount of travel insurance with it if I purchase my airfares with it. Do you have any insurance at all that might stretch to cover the loss?

One other thing did you at least have some of your photo's backed up to another device or disk that said thief didn't get? let's face it you can replace the camera, you can not replace the images.

If you have homeowner's insurance-you might check with them-sometimes they will help out although if you did nota special rider for your camera,they will probably only cover about $500. However, that may raise your rates so you will have to weigh the advantages.

Alex,
I am so soooo sorry to hear about your camera!!! I just got back from Venice, so it just breaks my heart to hear that this happened to you on your birthday in such a beautiful city (tainted with damn thiefs!!!)

I've never been the recipient of theft, but I understand the pain of camera loss. In New Zealand, I was on a glacier hike with my new digital camera strapped around my wrist, and the ice broke beneath me, and I fell & slid into a glacier pool - I survived, but my camera didn't. As the guides pulled me out, all I could say was "My camera!! My camera!!" And I didn't have the proper insurance for it, so no compensation for me.

I totally feel your pain Alex and hope you can somehow recover your losses. Keep us posted!!

Jen

thank you both for your sweet, caring, sympathetic comments so promptly sent...and unfortunately hearing that others' too have had similar experiences reminds me that the "poor me" we fall into is not just me at all, but many many of us.

Yes, I will check on my traveler's insurance when I return to USA but I think it only covers trip ins., accidental death and injury/dismemberment, the minor things, not camera or stuff theft. I had search internet for such 30-day ins. but found none around then, so took a chance.

I appreciate being 'not alone' in my disappointment. So thanks for your friendly concern and connections, friends.

This is my first major trip and I went safely to Europe assuming erroneously that it would be more similar to my 'at home' experiences, and found this an 'error in thinking', of course. Away means "away" from what is usual and ordinary in anyone's life style. And LEARNING - not what I wanted or expected either ! - is the main part of travel or adventure or moving away from any well-worn-path we daily take. So the price may be high but it is cash and
since the dollar is becoming more worthless every day, I have lost perhaps a bit less than I paid for this precious camera. The 1,000 photos are floating in the eather or erased by now, with a new owner who bought a good camera cheap! probably. oh well...

Any further suggestions, ideas, that I might check out upon my return to recover any part of this theft is what I am looking to find from those who have similar experiences.

Thanks for writing here and caring ...what a gift this is !
alexxx

take heart Alex, if you have travellers insurance then you might be covered. Most of the policies I've seen do include your gear as well. Kinda depends on the fine print.

hope you at least enjoy the rest of your trip, as hard as that might be at the end of the day as disappointing as it is to have stolen. It's just a camera. It can be replaced.

Oh Alex you poor thing! I am so sorry for your loss....for in the end its not just the money but the memories lost too, seemingly. And the simple injustice of it all. You have every right and reason to be sad, angry, frustrated, hurt, everything! You have my sympathies too!

The only advice I can give is not regarding insurance or the money or the compensation but perhaps simply a peace of mind. Whenever I have experiences like this (and I have had many), I always try to think simply this: it is already done. To some it may not be consoling. It may be all the more frustrating. So if it is that for you I am so sorry and just ignore what I said! But when I remember that what is lost is already gone, and what is left is only now, then it reminds me that there is nothing I can do anymore, that the past is already over, that the present is all there is, and the longer I hold onto what cannot be undone the longer I feel that anger, and frustration, and sadness. But if I just say...whats done is done, and let it be done, often times it allows me to just...let it go.

Again, this might be the WORST advice to give, because sometimes we really have to just experience our losses completely before letting go. And if I am out of line, please forgive me and know that you have my full sympathy and support. But if it was helpful, I will be happy in that.

Take care, keep enjoying your present moments!

Erin

I am deeply touched by the caring, sympathy, kind words given so generously by so many and 3 is a lot ! I am also surprised because in my daily life "I dont expect this" as my tendency is to "buckle up" and "move on" with whatever practical means I can muster.

This proof of a virtual Community, from any every where is delightful and deeply appreciated. All the good advice and attempts to be of help to unknown-me is what we all need to remember exists....

especially with all the scary and fearmondering news all the time telling us we are alone, we are in scarcity and helplessness and we are to be afraid, thus conform, follow, buybuybuybuy and shop some more... and w/o money we are nothing important or valuable. WRONG ! WE ARE people with caring and internetted thoughts and words to share, and that is a lot more than any camera, pictures, and $$$$.

When I get home to California, I will check with my credit card vendor & travel ins. and see if there is anything at all that can be recoup'd ...if at all.....


we should somehow organize and find a way to buy 30 days travel insurance for expensive equipment in USA. I had searched the net before I left but could find none here, only in NZ & Australia, but not in USA. Not everyone has a home or homeowners ins. that in USA covers -if itemized only- equipment lost or maybe stolen too. So I had nothing tho I even thought to try to buy some short term ins.

If there is a place that sells this, we should share that info for everyone else to also know and use also.

thanx again to you alllllllllll

If you have a gold or platinum card and bought your camera within 90 days to 3 months(depending on the card) you may be able to get compensation.

Really sorry to hear about your camera Alex. I feel your pain.