Worried about your bag being stolen in baggage claim?

Although airlines say they recover nearly all the bags that owners report missing, and that only a tiny percentage are truly lost — because they were misplaced, misrouted, stolen, abandoned or whatever — that's small comfort to victims.

Here from security experts are 10 steps you can take to protect your possessions:

1. Don't check bags. Instead, pack lightly. Use a carry-on, which will also spare you from ever-escalating bag fees.

2. Keep valuables with you. On domestic flights, the law usually caps compensation for lost or damaged bags at $3,300 per passenger, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. (On international flights, it can be even lower.)

3. Make your bag stand out from other black roll-aboards. "Criminals go after the nondescript, common bag ... because they don't want attention drawn to themselves," said Bruce McIndoe, president of iJET Intelligent Risk Systems, in Annapolis, Md.

Consider buying brightly colored or oddly shaped luggage, or add neon-colored tape or handle wrap-arounds to luggage that you already own.

4. Use cheap luggage. An $800 bag suggests to thieves that there probably are plenty of expensive goodies inside.

5. Get to baggage claim as soon as you get off the plane. If you let your bag ride the carousel over and over, chances of someone grabbing it increase.

6. Stay alert. An unguarded cart is tempting to a thief.

7. Avoid switching flights. If you check in for a flight and then take a later one, your bag may remain on the original flight and arrive at baggage claim hours before you do.

8. Fly nonstop. The more connections you make, the greater the chance that your bags may be misrouted, experts say.

9. File claims promptly. Airlines generally set time limits for filing reports of missing bags.

10. Consider insurance. The premiums vary; 5 percent to 8 percent of the trip cost is common. As always, read the fine print.