A WOMAN revealed how she was left devastated after all of her family's belongings were stolen from their hire car while abroad on their dream holiday.
Evie Farrell was on holiday in Spain with her nine-year-old daughter Emmie when they stopped in Girona to have lunch.
However, they quickly realised that everything they owned had been stolen from the hire car which had both of their suitcases in.
She told Kidspot: "On our way back to Barcelona to catch our flight home to Sydney, we had decided to stop in Girona for lunch.
"We’d found a parking spot, set off for patatas bravas […] and were back at the car in less than an hour.
"I stared at the shattered glass trickling from the window and all I could think was – the boot. Everything was in the car boot."
She said not only was it all of their clothes and souvenirs but all of their cameras, kindles, laptops and her daughter's iPad.
Evie continued: "I knew there was no hope, but I popped the boot to check. It was empty except for a pair of sandals I’d chucked in on top of the bags.
"Emmie started crying as I flew into crisis mode."
Thankfully, she said they managed to get a letter confirming their identities from the consulate in Barcelona, which let them fly home without their passports.
She said the airline even gave them a free first-class amenities kit after they boarded with just a plastic bag each.
However, since the event, Evie shared advice on how to avoid having your stuff stolen while on holiday.
Checking your travel insurance is a must, as not all of them will cover theft from a hire car, while she also said to not hire a fancy car, but for a more standard, local car.
She explained: "I was not covered because it was in a car, even though the car was locked, had an alarm, and in a secure car park, it wasn't covered.
"When an insurance company says no, that might not be the final word as it's up to you to talk to them to try and resolve it. I eventually got back about half of what I claimed.
"And when hiring a car the less flashy the better, and try to use hire companies that don’t plaster their cars with advertising – it’s best not to alert thieves that you’re a tourist."
We've rounded up the best travel insurance to book for your holiday, as well as our top tips when hiring a car.
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