Travel insurer offers free security perk

Customers who buy travel insurance from American Express, from tomorrow until the end of the year, will be given the latest in label technology for free.

Anyone who purchases an annual travel policy will receive a set of i-Trak labels and will be signed up to use the system free for a year.

Each label contains a personal barcode and this technology allows someone who has lost their luggage to be found using the web, e-mail, text or the airline's Telex system.

One of the three most used reasons for claiming insurance from American Express is lost luggage and payouts average £580.

Joanne Field, marketing manager of American Express Travel Insurance said: "Losing luggage is more than a nuisance and we are delighted to be able to offer a modern, innovative solution.

"American Express designed i-Trak, with the aim to reunite passengers with their luggage quickly and easily."

Recently the Association of European Airlines declared that over one million bags were lost for at least 24 hours between April and June 2005.