NEW YORK, Jan. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the Department of Transportation, complaints about lost, delayed and damaged luggage are at an all time high. In fact, figures released recently by the Department indicate that 2006 is on course to be the worst year for lost and mishandled baggage since 1991. And, these high levels of lost and mishandled luggage scenarios will likely persist in 2007 because airline restrictions regarding carry-on items, in place now and for the foreseeable future, mean travelers will continue to check their luggage. To help travelers protect their baggage and other possessions when flying, American Express, a leader in travel insurance benefits, offers some basic tips: Tag it - put your name inside as well as outside of baggage. This way, if luggage tags fall off in transit, airline employees will be able to identify your baggage. Also, putting a copy of your itinerary inside baggage will make it easier for an airline employee to find you if a bag does become lost. Take a photo - take a picture of your bags before you travel. Travelers will find that having a photo of lost baggage will be much easier than trying to describe what it looks like at the claims desk. Ship it - send luggage and other items normally checked in at the airport, such as sports equipment and baby accessories (carriage, car seat, etc.) directly to your destination. By shipping their luggage, travelers will receive several benefits, including eliminating the possibility of the airline losing it and bypassing long check-in lines and excess baggage fees. There are a number of luggage delivery services available. American Express Vacations, for example, offers a luggage delivery service to its customers that enables them to ship their luggage to any American Express Vacations destination. Customers can arrange shipping reservations by phone or online, and arrange a pick-up time and custom insurance amounts for each item shipped. Reservations can be made up to 180 days in advance or in as few as two business days prior to a required delivery date. For more information visit www.luggageforward.com/aev. Carry spares - pack a day's worth of clothes in your carry on bag. Including a few essentials such as a tooth brush, tooth paste and important prescription medications is also a good idea. This way, if your bags do become lost, you can minimize stress by not having to immediately run around an unknown city trying to replace essentials. If a bag is lost or stolen, there is hope. Baggage insurance will go a long way in helping to counteract that sinking feeling that comes with the realization that a bag is lost. Many charge and credit cards offer baggage insurance as a benefit to their customers. American Express, for example, provides a fee-free baggage insurance plan on many of its charge and credit Card products - as well as several insurance plans that offer added levels of protection for a nominal fee including: Baggage Insurance Plan. Available to Cardmembers who fly on a commercial airline flight when the ticket is charged to an eligible American Express Card. The Plan provides coverage for loss and damage to carry-on baggage up to $1,250 at no extra cost and also provides secondary coverage for checked baggage up to $500 (in excess of the carrier's coverage). Baggage Delay and Loss Protection. Provides coverage for checked, carry-on and delayed baggage when scheduled airline tickets are purchased on an enrolled Card. Coverage includes: up to $500 against loss or damage to checked baggage; up to $500 against loss or damage to carry-on baggage; up to $500 against loss or damage to personal property at a hotel; and up to $200 for the cost of replacing necessary personal articles when bags are delayed six (6) or more hours. Per-trip premium: $5.75 per trip. Executive Baggage Protection. Provides coverage for checked, carry-on and delayed baggage when scheduled airline tickets are purchased on an enrolled Card. Coverage includes: up to $500 against loss or damage to checked baggage; up to $500 against loss or damage to carry-on baggage; up to $500 against loss or damage to personal property at a hotel; and up to $300 for the cost of replacing necessary personal articles or business effects when bags are delayed six (6) or more hours. Per-trip premium: $6.50 per trip. Premium Baggage Insurance. Provides coverage for checked, carry-on and delayed baggage when scheduled airline tickets are purchased on an enrolled Card. Coverage includes: up to $1,000 against loss or damage to checked baggage; up to $2,000 against loss or damage to carry-on baggage; up to $2,000 against loss or damage to personal property at a hotel; and up to $500 for the cost of replacing necessary personal articles or business effects when bags are delayed three (3) or more hours. Fee is $9.95 per covered trip. Copyright (2007) PRNewswire. All rights reserved.