Temple stonework in Cambodia
Small claims, strict rules

Theft and belongings

Phones, cameras and bags - the most common claim travellers actually make.

In short

Bag snatching from passing motorbikes happens in Phnom Penh and, less often, Siem Reap. Baggage sections of travel policies are strict: most require a police report within a set window, cap individual items well below the headline figure, and exclude anything left unattended or in an unlocked room.

Checked

September 2026

At a glance

Theft and belongings in brief

Most common incident
Bags and phones snatched by a passing motorbike, usually at night and usually near the riverside in Phnom Penh
Police report
Nearly every policy requires one, often within 24 hours. Get it before you leave the country
Single-item limit
The per-item cap is what pays for your phone or camera, not the overall baggage figure
High-value items
Laptops and cameras often need to be declared separately
Unattended
Items left unattended, or in an unlocked room or vehicle, are routinely excluded
Cash
Cover is usually small and conditions are tight
Practical step
Photograph your passport and policy, keep a copy somewhere separate from your bag

This is the claim travellers actually make. Nobody wants to think about evacuation; almost everybody has a phone.

The pattern in Phnom Penh is a bag or phone taken by a passing motorbike, most often in the evening and most often along the riverside. It is opportunistic rather than violent, and it is largely preventable: walk with your bag on the building side of the pavement, keep your phone out of your hand near the kerb at night, and take a tuk-tuk rather than walk home late.

Where claims fail

Baggage sections are the strictest part of most policies. Three things trip people up. The first is the police report, usually required within 24 hours – the tourist police in both cities write them routinely, and you cannot get one once you have flown home. The second is the single-item limit, which is the number that actually applies to your phone. The third is the unattended clause: a bag left on a beach or on the back of a chair is, to most insurers, not stolen so much as abandoned.

Questions travellers ask

Is Cambodia dangerous for theft?
Violent crime against tourists is rare. Opportunistic bag snatching from motorbikes is the real risk, and it is largely avoidable: carry your bag on the inside of the pavement, keep your phone out of your hand near the road at night, and use a tuk-tuk after dark.
Do I need a police report to claim?
Almost certainly, and usually within 24 hours. Tourist police in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap are used to writing them. Do not leave the country without one.
Will my policy pay for a stolen phone in full?
Rarely. Look at the single-item limit rather than the total baggage limit, and check whether high-value items need declaring.
What if I lose something rather than have it stolen?
Loss and theft are treated differently by most policies, and loss is more often excluded. Read both clauses.
Travel insurance

Compare the alternatives

All of them
The one that matters most

Medical cover and evacuation

The single most important line in any Cambodia policy.

 The exclusion that catches people

Riding a motorbike or scooter

Anyone planning to rent a scooter, or ride pillion on a dirt bike tour.

 Check the list, by name

Adventure activities

Diving off the islands, ziplining at Angkor, kayaking, climbing at Kampot, dirt biking.

 The checklist

What to check before you buy

Ten minutes with the policy wording before you pay.