Travel Safety

What To Do If Things Go Wrong

It's all gone pear-shaped. What do I do?

No one likes to think disaster is going to strike - but sometimes it does. It could be illness, robbery, injury - even arrest.

In these circumstances it is important to get assistance quickly. If you have bought a good travel insurance policy before you leave, your travel insurance company will be of great assistance when things go wrong.

Cheapest doesn't always mean best - you need to make sure you have travel insurance cover that gives you the following cover and services as a minimum:

• 24 hour, 365 day emergency medical helpline.
• Medical treatment and expenses cover.
• Personal liability claims and personal accident cover.
• Reimbursement for cancellation or delay plus lost or stolen baggage and possessions.
• Legal services and emergency repatriation.
• Abandonment and hijack.

Here are our travel insurance Top Tips:

• DO keep your policy number and the medical emergency helpline number with you at all times.
• DO make sure your travel insurance is right for your trip needs.
• DO ensure policy cover limits are adequate for your needs, particularly under the medical emergency, cancellation and baggage sections.
• DO check the exclusions.
• DO check it gives you cover for your destination(s).
• DO make sure the policy has a cooling-off period that allows you to cancel it at no-cost.
• DO phone your travel insurance company if you have any queries.
• Do make sure your insurance provider is regulated by the Financial Services Authority
• DON'T forget to let your friends or family know if you get in a jam while overseas.

For the really serious stuff, there's the British Consular Offices .

In 2005/06, British Consular staff helped 76,000* of us get out of a variety of scrapes. While there may be a cost to any assistance they give you, they're there to help. Few things match the relief of talking to a sympathetic and effective official right when you need it most.

* FCO Consular Services, 2007

British Consular Offices can help the following people:

• British nationals whether they live in the UK or not.
• British nationals with dual citizenship in limited circumstances.
• European Union or Commonwealth nationals whose country does not have a local mission, where the FCO has agreed to do so in lieu.

So whenever and wherever you travel, ALWAYS keep a note of which Consular Office to contact and its phone number.

• You can find the details for each office, by country, right here.

 

Travel Insurance from Norwich Union

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