How to Handle a Vacation Gone Wrong

How to Handle a Vacation Gone Wrong

August 21, 2019 Off By Helen Olsson

The last thing you want to think about before taking a vacation is all the ways it can go wrong. But everyone from novice travelers to digital nomads recommends this disaster brainstorming technique. Knowing how you’d handle an emergency abroad means you won’t be left in the lurch in case it actually happens. 

If you aren’t sure where to start, check out this list of precautionary measures for your next holiday.

Invest in Travel Insurance 

If you’re traveling on a budget, you might think of slashing costly insurance from your expenses. But many traveling experts recommend you spring for it no matter what your budget is. 

Travel insurance protects you from all the ways your vacation can go wrong — from relatively minor upsets like delayed flights and trip interruptions to considerable disasters that result in medical emergencies or evacuations. 

While each policy will vary from one to the next, most give you peace of mind over your vacation. It may help your vacation and your budget recover should disaster strike.

Covering cancelations 

Did you hear about WOW Air filing for bankruptcy in March? It left customers stranded all over the world.

Sadly, this isn’t an entirely unheard-of occurrence in the travel industry. Airlines and travel companies go under all the time, leaving people on the hook for non-refundable flights and accommodations.

At least with insurance, you’ll get some or all of these expenses covered depending on your plan. Without it, you’re stuck; you’ll have paid for a vacation you can’t take. 

Paying for medical care

You can pack sunscreen, a bathing suit, and a few pairs of shoes. But one thing you can’t bring along with you is your healthcare plan. Few healthcare policies extend to illnesses, injuries, or accidents that happen abroad — which leaves you covering any medical expenses on your own dime.

With insurance, you may be able to walk into a clinic and treat a nasty cough or a serious injury without worrying about the costs.

Read your policy carefully

In many cases, your travel insurance will cover these disasters and more. But it’s always a good idea to read the fine print of your policy to make sure you understand what you’re entitled to in an emergency.

Sometimes, your policy will require you to pay minor medical bills upfront and file a claim before they’ll reimburse you.

This may be challenging if you’re at the end of your trip — and your trip’s budget, too! 

If you wouldn’t know how to cover these expenses on your own, an online line of credit may bridge the gap between necessary medical attention and your policy’s compensation.

Everything involved with an online line of credit happens over the Internet — from the initial application to the direct deposit of funds. This means may request financing from anywhere in the world, even if you’re miles away from your home bank. There are plenty of online line of credit options when you need to borrow some money in an emergency, so make sure you research them carefully. 

Prevent Theft

Everyone has a story about a friend of a friend who got pickpocketed in Europe. But in actuality, it doesn’t happen all too often. It’s a rare downer to a trip because it’s so easy to prevent. 

The trick to prevention is managing your money wisely. As long as you follow these simple tips, you’ll probably avoid becoming a victim:

  • Never carry large amounts of money on you
  • Store extra cash back at your Airbnb, hostel, or hotel room behind lock and key
  • Stash cash-on-hand in hard-to-reach areas, like a theft-proof bag, wallet belt, or even your bra
  • Lock the zippers on your backpack or purse
  • Be wary of using out-of-network ATMs

A Little Proactive Thinking Goes a Long Way

Some trips can go off course, but you can prevent disaster from taking you off guard by preparing for the worst-case scenario. Even if you’re unlucky enough to face cancelations and other big emergencies on your trip, the work you do before take-off will help you and your budget arrive home safely.