Are You Well Prepared For A Travel Emergency?
Most people dream of traveling the world to spend time with loved ones, learn about new cultures and get a break from everyday life. While traveling is one of the best experiences you can ever have in life, the truth is that sometimes things can go wrong. When you are abroad in a foreign country, it is absolutely essential that you are prepared for an emergency.
Of course, it is impossible to prepare for every single hypothetical emergency that could happen while you’re on the road but there are a few bases you should have covered. And please, don’t let yourself get carried away in worrying about what could happen! It’s most likely that things will be just fine but it’s good to consider the following things to put your mind at ease.
In this post, I’ll share with you three ways to be prepared for something to go wrong while you are traveling. If you need more advice on preparing for emergencies, a great place to visit is Prepared Bee for more information!
Learn the emergency services number for each country you visit
If you had a medical or legal emergency while you were at home, you’d simply call the emergency services line. If you’re American, for example, the number is 911.
When you leave your home country for new lands, it is easy to forget that, if an emergency did occur, you could find yourself without the knowledge you need. One piece of knowledge you need to know for certain is how to reach the police, fire station, or ambulance service.
When you book your trip and are close to your leaving date, make sure to look up the emergency phone number for the country you visit and write it down in your phone. That way, you’ll know exactly what to do if an emergency situation arises.
This is an easy step that many overlook. Of course, you most likely won’t need to use the number but at least you’ll have peace of mind knowing you have it just in case it’s needed.
Check out basic legal differences between your home country and the place you will be visiting
Most countries have very similar, if not identical basic laws - it’s not rocket science. Nevertheless, it has been known to happen that people from abroad might accidentally commit a crime in a foreign country, not realizing they were breaking the law.
When we visited Singapore a few years ago, I was surprised to learn that it’s against the law to chew gum. Yes, that is seriously a law. You can face a hefty fine or jail time if you are caught chewing gum.
Especially if you are going to a new continent where there are vast cultural differences between your home country and the one you are staying in, it is crucial to research the laws around alcohol, partying, and general public behavior.
A quick online search would be a great place to do a check on laws or rules in the place you are visiting.
Ensure you always carry your health insurance information when you are out on the road
Health insurance is a hugely important thing to have with you when you are traveling. By purchasing health insurance before you leave for your travels, you are giving yourself the assurance that if you became sick or injured while abroad, your insurance policy would cover it.
Most people know this already but what most people don’t realize is that they should have their health insurance information with them at all times. When you are out and about, hiking or visiting cultural sites, ensure you have the basic information about your health insurance provider. The last thing you want, if you need medical attention, is to be quizzed about your insurance policy and not be able to answer their questions.
You have a couple of options for health insurance while traveling. First, you may be able to use the insurance you use at home. Call before leaving and confirm that it will still work at places out of state or out of the country.
Second, you can purchase travel insurance that includes health coverage through a variety of places. When our family traveled for a month in Europe a few years ago, I purchased a plan through Insure My Trip that covered some health care since our plan from home wouldn’t work in Europe. There are many companies that offer travel health insurance and a quick web search will bring them up for you.
In conclusion, there’s no need to panic about your future travels or any potential emergencies. By taking a couple of extra steps before leaving home, you can have the confidence that you need to feel prepared and ready for your adventure.