General advice
Travel Insurance
Before you go make sure you have a valid passport and that it does not expire for at least 6 months after your return date.
Ensure that your travel policy is in place as soon as you have booked your holiday as you need cover for cancellation prior to your departure.
Visit the FCO (Foreign & Commonwealth Office) website for travel advice about the countries you intend to visit, at
Make sure you let your neighbours know when you are away so that
they can keep an eye on your property and possessions. Remember to
cancel the milk and papers if applicable.
Check your home insurance policy provides full cover if you are
travelling for more than 30 days as many companies
apply restrictions after 30 days unoccupancy. Check to see if you
have Personal Possessions cover under your House Contents policy as
this will provide valuable additional coverage for your goods which
you take away with you on holiday. Travel policies often have lower
limits for valuable and single items than your house insurance
policy.
Always take care of your possessions when you are out and about
by using a money belt or bum bag to keep your money safe and
secure. Ask the hotel to put anything of particular value in the
safe or use the safe facility in your hotel room if available. As
far as possible always leave high value items at home. When travelling in less affluent parts of the world, dress down to avoid drawing attention to yourself as a potential target for robbery.
It is wise to take several different payment methods with you. Debit and credit cards can be used to obtain cash via cash machines or travellers cheques can be cashed at banks and often hotels too - make sure you know what charges may apply prior to any transaction however. Keep a note of the telephone numbers separately in case you need to report your cards lost or stolen. Prior to departure check the expiry dates of all your cards and also consider if you wish to ask your card issuer to extend your credit limit. It is always worth letting your card issuer know you will be travelling abroad so that your card does not get blocked unnecessarily.
If you intend on taking any of your grandchildren with you and will be leaving the UK, make sure you have a letter of permission from their parents to avoid any unnecessary delays or problems at Customs. If you are travelling in the European Union (EU) make sure you take your EHIC with you as this allows you discounted or free emergency care in any of the member countries. Your EHIC is available from
http://www.nhs.uk/Healthcareabroad/Pages/Healthcareabroad.aspx
Children can be insured under our Annual Travel Insurance policy if they travel alone - all parties named on the policy are insured for individual travel.
Make sure you take your travel insurance policy with you in case
of an emergency so you know who to contact. Also, leave a copy of
it and any other important documents at home with friends or family
just in case you need copies if the real ones are lost or stolen.
Always report any loss or theft to the local police within 24 hours
of the event to ensure that you comply with the policy conditions.
Always look after your possessions and make sure that you use any
safe facilities in your hotel and be extra vigilant if you are
keeping expensive possessions and/or money and credit cards with
you. It is a useful precaution to scan in your vital documents and save them to a web-based email site, or a flash (pen) drive for reference. These can be purchased very cheaply from high street stores.
It is sensible to avoid taking a mini-cab from your home to the
airport if you can. Never put labels on your suitcases or bags
with your home address on until you are on the return journey, as
you do not want to advertise that your property is vacant.
Check what sports or activities your policy covers you for if you intend to participate in more than just sunbathing - sometimes you will need to pay an additional premium if you wish to have cover for winter sports, scuba-diving or paragliding.
Driving Abroad
If you plan to take your car abroad for a driving holiday or are simply returning to your foreign holiday home then remember the following key points:
- Never drive tired. If necessary stop and have a coffee and then a 20-minute nap before the caffeine kicks in
- Take your Certificate of Insurance with you - it should have written details on the reverse in French Spanish and German as a minimum, to help with any situations which may occur abroad
- Take your driving licence and check that any other drivers have theirs too - you may also want to take your log book (V5)
- Do you have GB plates on your car? Have you adjusted your headlight dipping settings? Simple kits can be bought at motor spares stores, or on the ferries.
- Have you got a first-aid kit ? A torch and a camera are also very useful in an emergency.
- Do you have high-visibility jackets ? Keep these inside the car for safety - some countries insist on this.
- Plan your route before you set off and advise friends or family of any unforeseen changes in itinerary.
- Check your tyre pressures, water and oil before setting
off; it is sensible to take a small spare can of the right oil for your car, plus water for windscreen cleaning and topping up.
- Check what additional products you may require in any particular foreign country. Some will insist that you have spare headlight/indicator bulbs or an emergency warning (hazard) triangle for example.
- Check your satnav (if applicable) works outside the UK. Update it before any major journey.
Flight Advice
- Always drink plenty of water before and during your flight and remember that alcohol affects people differently when in the air
- Wear your seatbelt at all times even if the "fasten seatbelt" sign is not illuminated
- Wear comfortable loose-fitting clothes and take your shoes off if your feet start to swell up slightly
- Take exercise around the cabin if possible - this helps the blood flow and follow any exercise suggestions from the airline to help avoid DVT (deep vein thrombosis)
- Make sure you take all your belongings off the plane when you reach your destination
- Check the weight of your baggage before you get to the airport.
Airlines usually allow between 15-25kg per passenger for their
baggage. If you exceed the overall weight limit you may be subject
to excess charges. if you know you are going to bring back
souvenirs etc. then allow for this extra weight and space in your
baggage before you travel. Check that your cabin bags will fit into the 'required dimension' box at the airport.
- Take a good book or an iPod with you for longer flights! Neck pillows are
very popular too - a toothbrush and toothpaste are welcome and easy
to carry in your hand luggage. Water and snacks can be purchased flight-side after check-in. Essential medication should be kept with you in the cabin, not in your case in the hold.
Duty-Free Limits
If you intend on bringing back any products such as cigarettes, alcohol or perfume for example please be aware that limits do apply and the following should be used as a guide:
