Traveling is a time to relax and get away from the everyday routine of life, but traveling can also be stressful. Planning, packing, and preparing to take a trip (long or short) can often be frustrating, especially if you don’t want anything to go wrong.
However, even the most carefully planned-out trips can go wrong with unexpected events. Here are a few ways to prepare for emergencies when traveling.
1. Make sure to have travel insurance.
Travel insurance is one of the most important things to have in case of an emergency while you’re traveling (especially abroad) because travel insurance covers a variety of issues. It even helps you if you are unable to go on your trip because of a natural disaster or other unforeseen event.
In the same way, travel insurance covers your costs if you have to end your trip early due to similar circumstances. Trip delays, baggage delays, and even lost or stolen items can be covered in most travel insurance plans.
Another major emergency that travel insurance covers is medical emergencies. Serious illnesses can still happen while you’re on vacation (especially during these times), and for many U.S. residents, their domestic health insurance won’t cover them while they’re overseas.
Travel insurance also covers transportation that may be required to move you to a location to receive adequate treatment.
2. Carry a small first aid kit.
Traditional first aid kits have a variety of items packed inside, so this may be too much to carry around and is better left in your car. However, you can carry around the basic necessities when you may not have access to a drug store. These include things such as:
- Tylenol, or another preferred pain killer;
- Bandaids;
- Antacids;
- Antibacterial ointment;
- Hydrocortisone cream;
- Eye drops and ear drops.
Everyone has different medical needs so make sure to also carry things that you would normally need (allergy medication, an epipen, an inhaler, etc.).
3. Have a water bottle with you.
This may not seem like an emergency item to have, but many people become severely hydrated when they’re traveling. Maybe it’s the excitement of being in a new place and wanting to try different things, but many people forget to stay hydrated. Carry a small water bottle with you, especially if your trip involves you being active.
If your trip involves you exploring the outdoors, you may need to opt for a water bottle with a filter when you’re looking for water sources. Dehydration can lead to hospitalization, so remember to drink water both while you’re traveling and when you reach your destination(s).
4. Keep emergency cash on you/backup bank cards.
Having an emergency stash of cash set aside (whether hidden in your car, hotel room, etc.) can really come in handy in instances where your card won’t work or places that don’t accept cards. This is also helpful if your wallet gets stolen and you’ve stashed cash somewhere else.
The same goes for having a backup bank card or credit card. Sometimes banks will temporarily disable your account if they notice suspicious activity (this can happen if you don’t travel often), and it can take a while to contact your bank and approve transactions and unlock your account.
5. Expect the unexpected.
Don’t over worry and stress yourself out by anticipating something going wrong at every turn, but just understand that the same emergencies that happen while you’re at home can also happen when you’re traveling. For example, there have been accidents involving rideshare vehicles such as Uber and Lyft, due to the carelessness of the drivers.
This can happen while you’re using a rideshare service when you’re in your own town, but it can be more stressful when you’re abroad. Again, this is where travel insurance is good to have, as you’ll be covered for any injuries that require a hospital visit.
Fortunately traveling emergencies aren’t too common, as most people make it through trips without any major issues. However, it’s better to be overprepared and not have an emergency that to be underprepared for the unexpected.
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