By Emily Miller
As crazy as it seems, spring break is right around the corner but don’t let the excitement of your vacation get in the way of proper travel preparation. Everyone should follow the following tips to ensure a safe and fun vacation, regardless of your destination.
Purchasing Travel Insurance
A type of insurance that is intended to cover medical expenses, trip cancellation, lost luggage, flight accident and other losses incurred while traveling, either domestically or internationally. As like any other form of insurance, policies can be tailored to an individual’s specific needs.
Travel insurance steps in when life delivers unexpected events that may prevent you from fully enjoying your vacation.
Updating Important Documents
While having essential legal documents in place, such as a will or life insurance policy, it is always a good idea, it’s even a better idea to ensure all information is up-to-date prior to travel departure. Take some time before your trip to make sure all these document contain the most current information – such as beneficiaries and legal instructions.
Having all of this information up-to-date will ensure the safety and security of your loved ones in case something were to happen. In this case, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
Entrusting Important Documents with a Family Member or Friend
After ensuring everything is updated, it is also helpful to store all essential documents (i.e., personal, financial, insurance and legal information) in one safe place before you leave town. The storage of all your essential information should also be shared with a trusted family member or friend back home who can access this information in case of an emergency.
This step is especially important if you are leaving the country.
Organizing Travel Documents
To ensure that you have packed all of the essential travel documents prior to departure, create a checklist of all the items you will need. This list will vary depending on your destination.
If you are traveling locally, you will need less information than if you were traveling internationally. All airports will require a valid proof of identification. A state-issued driver’s license is considered valid at all local airports while a passport is required if traveling outside of the US. The application process for obtaining a passport can take approximately four to six weeks.
For more information about obtaining a passport, visit the travel.state.gov.
It is also a good idea to make a copy of all important travel documents to leave at home with a trusted friend or family member.
Complete Healthcare Forms for Minors
If you are traveling with children who are minors, it is essential that you complete a form called the “Medical Treatment Authorization for Minors.” With this form, medical personnel have the authorization to treat your child in the event you are not physically present, cannot be located or contacted, or unable to respond. The form includes information regarding your child’s medical history, insurance information and other important health information.
Review Rental Agreements Thoroughly
Are you renting a home, car, boat, etc. on your vacation? If so, make sure you understand all of the terms and conditions before signing anything. For example, if you are renting a home and it was broken into while you are staying there, are you responsible for valuable stolen or damaged property?
