Dealing with Emergency Abroad

News provided by

Thomas Cook

15 Aug, 2012, 13:00 GMT

LONDON, August 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Make sure you can relax properly on your well-deserved break by following our top tips on how to deal with an emergency situation.

Whether you're planning package Malta holidays or looking forward to living it up at Lake Garda, there are some simple steps you can take to make sure you're adequately prepared for any problems that may arise.

Before you go

Spend some time planning for unforeseen events and not just checking out which amazing beaches you're going to visit on your cheap holidays in Turkey:

  • Take out a travel insurance policy with a reputable brand and make sure you read the small print to see if the policy is right for you.
  • Make sure you have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) if holidaying in the EU. Check whether the country you're visiting has EU membership if you're not sure. For example, those on cheap holidays in Tunisia sometimes think it's in the EU because it's such a popular holiday destination for bargain package deals.
  • Make sure your mobile is set up to work in the country you're travelling to and take an adapter for your charger if necessary.
  • Ensure you memorise the emergency number of the country you're visiting - it's 112 for EU countries.
  • Consider taking travellers cheques as they can be replaced in 24 hours if lost.
  • You might also want to scan your passport photo page, your driving licence and any relevant visas and email them to yourself.
  • Take some spare passport photos with you.

Medical emergencies

Even the cheapest Turkey holidays will include, as part of your package deal, a rep that you can contact should you fall seriously ill or have an accident. If you can't get hold of them, then call the medical assistance number on your travel insurance policy (which you should have with you at all times).Do this before you select a centre for treatment, as a private clinic can be far more expensive than a state hospital, even with insurance cover.

Loss of passport, currency or bank card

The most common emergency on holiday, any instances of the above should be followed by a visit to the local police station to submit a full report.

Take the report along with your spare passport photos and the email containing your scanned documents to the nearest embassy or consulate to apply for a temporary passport.

Make sure you report card loss or theft to your bank immediately. Your bank can transfer cash to you at a local branch if you need it. If that's not possible, you can get a family member or a friend to 'wire' emergency money to you through Western Union or MoneyGram. Get advice from the local British consulate if you're unsure.