Ways to be Prepared for Travel Emergencies

With the holiday season here and traveling increasing by 23% (according to the U.S. Dept. of

Transportation), it’s important to make sure you’re prepared to be away from home.  Below are a few tips to ensure you are as prepared as possible, courtesy of Shary Nassimi, creator of the UrgentCall emergency service mobile app.

·Give your loved ones your emergency contact information: 91% of adults in the U.S. own a cell phone, according to a June 2013 Pew Research Center study.  Of those cell phone owners, 74% of them use their phone in an emergency to get help.   You need to know if an emergency situation arises while you’re traveling, make sure people know how to reach you.  Give your loved ones your UrgentCall phone number, so you never miss a call again.  The emergency service mobile app will ensure that you’re only receiving an emergency call and your phone will not stop ringing until you answer the call.

·Carry your health insurance card.

·Setup & have Medevac insurance – This is so you can get airlifted to a medical center that can provide proper medical care.  Not having this can be costly.  Medevac insurance can provide around $500K-$1MM of coverage.  That’s saving quite a bit of money!

·Leave copies of your plans with someone at home & tell someone.

·Carry money wisely and in multiple forms.  Don’t just carry it all in your wallet or only as a card or cash.  Mix it up. Put some money in your suitcase; don’t just keep it on your person. Have a credit card on-hand for emergencies.

·Know the lingo - Be able to say, "I need help, Please call police" in the local language (or carry a card with the words in local script).

·Know yourself, know your locale. – If you’re traveling abroad, know where your embassy is & how to get there.  Know where the nearest hospital or police station is located.