The truth is travel, like life, is not all peaches and roses. Stuff goes wrong, more often that you’d think. A bus will fail to show in South East Asia, you might get your camera stolen in Los Angeles or your credit cards stolen in Paris. Things go wrong so you need to have a game plan of how to deal with it when it does so you can minimise the damage. Here are my tips for dealing with problems that crop up on the road:
1) Consider Legal Advice
If anything goes wrong – to a serious level – you might want to consider touching base with some compensation lawyers. I have heard of travellers damaging their rental cards badly and being out of pocket or some insurance companies refusing to not cover things that they should. When I was traveling I had to return home urgently because of a death in my family. My insurance company hesitated to cover me, quoting all these reasons why, despite there being a clause for any unforeseen reason requiring you to fly home. One of my friends, who is a compensation lawyer, helped me craft a pretty convincing email and they decided to fly me home in the end. Of course there will be a cost involved with professional legal advice, but depending on what the circumstance is you might find it to be the best route of action moving forward.
2) Alert Your Travel Insurance As Soon As Possible
With many travel insurance policies you can make the claim when you return home, but if you’re traveling long term that might not be soon enough. Whatever the issue, alert your travel insurance as soon as possible and before any medical treatment where possible. The travel insurance company often has to approve your coverage before it happens, so it is not wise to leave them out of the loop. The sooner you notify your travel insurance company, the sooner you’ll know what’s going on.
3) Keep Your Bank Up-To-Date
Want to be locked out of your bank account when you’re on the other side of the planet? Nah, not my idea of a good time either. You actually need to notify your bank before you leave the country where you’re going so they don’t freak out and lock you out of your account. Likewise, if your wallet gets stolen call your bank as soon as possible so they can minimise the damage the thieves can do with your account. There’s not much worse than being stuck far from home with no access to your money!
Despite all that can go wrong, travel is one of the most rewarding experiences you can enjoy. Just be smart and seek the help you need to ensure a safe and secure trip.
