TSA Theft Claims Often Rejected

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Claims of theft by TSA employees are a constant irritant for airline travelers so a jet charter company looked at how those claims are resolved and found that almost half were denied. Of the 7,900 claims filed with the TSA over the 14 months from January 2016 to February 2017, only 4,300 were resolved, says Stratos Jets, a charter company, which crunched the government data. Even among the claims that were resolved, payment was meager, with less than 25% approved in full and 12% settled for partial value. “In the case of denied claims or those that aren’t responded to promptly, travelers have the option to file a suit against TSA with the U.S. District Court,” says the Stratos report. “Processing of claims can take up to six months, according to information provided by TSA, and claims are generally denied if TSA determines your bag was not opened for ‘physical inspection.'”

Jewelry claims were most consistently denied, with three in four receiving an outright rejection and only 9% approved in full. Lost cash and cameras follow close behind—both denied in two-thirds of claims. Travel accessories (like headphones and chargers) were most likely to be reimbursed, with 48% of claims being paid in full. By dollar amount, travelers with stolen or damaged computers faired best, receiving an average of $460 per claim, though claims for computers and accessories were only approved in full for 16% of claims.

The full report by Stratos Jets is available here.

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