Family Travels

Top tips for a memorable family trip

A family holiday trip to an overseas destination can be thrilling but it can also stretch your sanity to the limit, especially if you are travelling with young children for the first time.

From keeping the kids entertained and calm on a long flight to dealing with a bout of flu or worse in an unfamiliar territory - Chubb Travel Insurance provides some handy tips to keep your family travels happy and hassle-free, and your sanity safely on the rails:

• Leave the kitchen sink at home – As a parent, you may be tempted to pack everything ‘just in case’. Try not to overpack by making a list of essentials - and sticking to it. Check with any hotels you are staying in whether they provide items such as camp cots and prams to hire as this can be much more convenient.
• Official documents - Research is your best friend on this aspect to ensure that you have the correct travel documents in place for your child and yourself. Do officials and border control require a passport, unabridged birth certificates, immunisation records and so on? Leave enough time to acquire any of these before you travel. Also scan all your documentation and save it to your phone or tablet, or better still, save it in the cloud on your Google drive or Dropbox so you can access it from anywhere.
• Flights - Long flights are hard on children and even harder on parents when dealing with an inconsolable child who is completely out of routine. Try plan flights around your child’s sleeping habits if possible. Make sure you keep handy any required medication prescribed by your doctor. And remember to make the flight part of the journey - download plenty of apps and games on your phone or tablet to keep your little one entertained.
• Plan your accommodation - A picturesque chalet on the side of a cliff is enough to keep any parent awake at night, so spend some time on finding locations that will work for you and your family in terms of ease of access and safety and security.
• Transport - Consider the mode of transport that you will be using while on holiday. If public transport is readily accessible, consider a compact stroller to help when your little one can’t walk anymore or needs a nap. If you are hiring a car, make sure to include a car seat in your rental.
• Medication - Pack something that is a good all-rounder, making provision for fevers, runny tummies and coughs. A basic medical aid kit will also serve you well and should include antiseptic wipes, plasters, sting treatment and a thermometer. If the family needs special medication for the trip, such as malaria tablets, make an appointment with your physician with ample time to spare to make sure this is sorted before you leave.
  • Take care of medical emergencies - A medical mishap while travelling abroad could be a serious spanner in the works – and a very expensive exercise. To ensure the costs for any unexpected emergency medical treatment and possibly medical evacuation can be paid upfront and won’t be added to your travel budget, it is essential to have travel insurance in place that covers any medical emergencies and provides support and on-the-ground assistance in a time of crisis for you and your family. Get an instant Chubb travel insurance quote that can cover unforeseen medical emergencies while on your trip.
• Don’t assume your medical aid will cover you - It’s very important to check what level of cover your medical aid provides when travelling, if any, as not all medical schemes provide cover outside the borders of United Kingdom and Northern Ireland . In some cases, specific limits and exclusions subject to the local conditions of your cover will apply, so it’s important to understand what these limits and exclusions are and whether it is necessary to take additional travel insurance to cover any shortfalls. After the stress of planning your family holiday is done, it’s time to relax and cherish the quality time with your loved ones. Make your once-in-a-lifetime opportunity a holiday to remember that you can think back on with fond memories.