How to stay safe while vacationing far from home

1. Get traveler’s insurance
If you typically get travelers’ insurance when you take a vacation, make sure the policy you choose will cover your needs for that specific vacation. For instance, if you plan on driving during your trip, make sure your policy covers car accidents.

Not everyone carries car insurance, despite it being a legal requirement. And some states have no-fault laws, which means even when another party causes your accident, you’ll need to recover compensation from your own insurance policy.

Because of this, uninsured motorists might be one of the biggest threats travelers face. Having adequate underinsured/uninsured motorist coverage through your traveler’s insurance policy is a must.

2. Don’t post your vacation photos until you get home
It’s tempting to post a stream of photos to your social media accounts as you enjoy your vacation, but this might be a bad move. If you don’t have a housesitter and your home is vacant, posting photos that tell people you’re far away could be the catalyst for a break-in.

As a precaution, it’s best to keep your vacation plans and activities under wraps until you get back home. This may not apply if you only share photos with a few close friends and family members, but if you have a public presence online, wait until you get home to share your trip.

3. Understand and respect local customs
Customs can vary even between nearby cities, so make sure to brush up on the local customs for the area you plan to visit. Respect cultural norms even if you don’t understand or agree. This is especially important if you’re visiting another country. You will be subject to that country’s laws, and sometimes small things can get you arrested.

4. Research your accommodations
It’s crucial to know what you’re getting into before you secure your accommodations. Hotels and motels are fairly easy to research and verify in terms of safety. However, if you like to save money by using Airbnb, it can be a little harder to find a safe spot sight unseen.

These days, anyone can put their property up on Airbnb, but that doesn’t mean it’s automatically safe. There are risks involved with renting an Airbnb that don’t exist with hotels. For instance, some guests have reached their destination only to find out the Airbnb rental doesn’t even exist. Others have been unable to enter the property, and they’ve had to either go home or spend more money on a hotel. Worse than that, some Airbnb rentals are full of hazardous conditions that will put your health and safety at risk.

Choose your accommodations wisely, especially if you’re relying on short-term rentals over reputable hotels.

5. Don’t bring valuables on your trip
Leave your valuables at home while you travel to avoid any potential problems with theft. This includes expensive clothing, jewelry, and even wedding rings.

Where tech is concerned, many people have cheap phones and laptops they use just for traveling, so they don’t need to worry about losing their main devices.

6. Store cash and credit cards separately
Many travelers say money belts are the best way to carry cash, and that may be true. However, if you’re not able to wear a money belt, you probably need to rely on a wallet or purse to carry your money. Keeping your cash and credit cards in separate bags or pockets can minimize loss in case of theft.

7. Tell your bank about your travel plans
Having your bank account or credit card frozen while you travel can be avoided by informing your bank about your vacation plans. Tell them exactly where you’ll be going and when, so they can temporarily lift restrictions for international transactions. If you don’t inform them, your transactions will look like fraud, and your accounts will be shut down.

8. Carry a basic first-aid kit
It’s important to travel light, but make room for a basic first-aid kit with essential medical supplies to address common and minor health issues. At the very least, you should have bandages, gauze, scissors, sticky sutures, alcohol pads, and any medicine you might need.

Stay vigilant for a safe and enjoyable vacation
By staying aware of your surroundings and taking the precautions outlined in this article, you’ll be able to enjoy your vacation in peace.

The article How to stay safe while vacationing far from home first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.