Travel Smart

Last year we talked a couple of times about safety and travelling. We gave you some Hurricane Evacuation Tips and Vacation Preparedness Tips. We also shared Holiday Safety Tips, Fun in the Sun Safety Tips and Tips for staying safe at Festivals.

As all of these tips revolve around travelling – even though that may not be far from home – I thought it would be great to condense the above-mentioned tips into one, easy-to-find article.
​

Planning a long road trip or vacation?

Put your mail on ‘vacation hold’ or have someone you trust collect it for you while you’re away.

If you’re not one to do your banking and bill paying online, along with your check book (and plenty of checks), envelopes and stamps, make sure you carry a list of account numbers, addresses and phone numbers in order to keep them current.

Turn off the gas and water to your home. If you leave the central AC/Heating unit running, make sure the thermostat is set at a level that won’t require constant attention. You don’t want to return to a sweltering or freezing home.

Put indoor plants outside where they can get water or have someone you trust assume the task while you’re away.

Make sure your Will and other Financial Information is readily available and easily accessible to your beneficiary/beneficiaries. This includes Insurance Policies (home, life, auto, burial, etc.)

Be sure you have all medications on hand and a list with you and plan ahead on how/where to refill in the instance you run out. Also, be sure your travelling companions know your medical history including allergies!

Have your Insurance/Medicare/Medicaid cards with you and be sure your travelling companion(s) know where these items are should you be incapacitated. Pack a first aid kit for minor injuries along the way.

Pack your pet’s vet records. This is especially important if you’re staying in parks or campgrounds where other people and pets are liable to be.

Pack healthy snacks and easy to eat food (peanut butter, bread/crackers fruit snacks, trail mix, etc.). Picnics along the way are fun, save you $$ and ensure your family’s normal eating habits don’t get too far off track. Include Baby/Disinfectant wipes and Hand Sanitizer in your first aid kit or picnic basket.

Books, card or board games, coloring books and crayons, etc. will keep the little ones occupied if you happen to run into inclement weather.

Laptops, I-Pads, and Electronic reading devices are easy to carry, don’t take up much room and will help keep the kids occupied while travelling. Make sure you pack car and home chargers! If you have a DVD player, be sure to pack a couple of family favorite movies for the instance the campground(s) you choose do not have satellite or cable.

Back up your home computer to an external hard (or flash) drive and carry it with you. Take pictures of your home and contents in case something happens while you are away.
Leaving loved ones behind while you travel? Write them a letter. Let them know how proud you are of them, make amends or simply voice your love. These words will last much longer than any harsh memories they have (or may have had) of you in the past.

These are just a few ideas on travelling smart. Hopefully they’ll help you plan a wonderful trip with the least amount of stress or worry.

Time for an Insurance check? Give us a call and let one of our licensed agents assist you.
​
Until next time, take care and remember…..traveling smart is the only way to go.
Tommy Curtis and Staff