Travel Safety Tips from AIG Travel

Safety should be a top priority for every traveler. Travel, either domestic or international, poses risks for anyone. It is possible to become a victim of a crime, experience a medical emergency or become impacted by a natural disaster. Travelers may not be familiar with the language, culture, or security threats of a particular destination, leaving them vulnerable to potential harm.

AIG Travel recognizes that in addition to the safety, medical and security needs of all travelers, certain travelers may also have unique travel considerations. With a reputation for providing a complete range of travel insurance and global assistance services, we have products and options to help these travelers prepare for the unexpected when exploring the world.

Plan ahead and be prepared

Research your travel destination(s) to familiarize yourself with local laws and customs, security and health issues, transportation and accommodations, and getting around in order to be prepared.

• Know the security risk level of your destination and be vigilant about your safety at all times even if the destination’s risk level is low.
• Prepare a list of your emergency contacts including family, trusted friends and coworkers, as well as contact information for insurance and emergency travel assistance, local hospitals, police and your local embassy; bank or credit card; and office, hotel and transportation. Carry a hard copy and e-mail the list to yourself and save the contacts on your cell phone.
• Before taking off share your itinerary with a trusted family member or friend and establish regular check-ins, especially if traveling alone.

Be situationally aware while sightseeing, exploring and getting around

Know what is happening around you, know what is and isn’t normal and if you do not feel comfortable in the area – remove yourself from the situation. Being aware and mindful of what is happening around you is especially important for travelers who are outside of their normal environments.

• Keep your eyes and ears clear. Situational awareness is not possible if you are listening to loud music or looking down at your phone the whole time. Follow your intuition; if you feel a bad vibe from somewhere or someone, listen to your gut instinct and remove yourself from the situation.
• You might be tempted to look down at your phone for quick moments or extended periods, but keep in mind that in some cities pedestrians do not have the right of way and motorists in certain countries drive on the opposite side of the road. Be aware of your surroundings when crossing streets to help minimize any surprise collisions.
• Pay attention to your surroundings and exercise caution while taking pictures or selfies to help avoid injuries and accidents.

Be smart with your social media and digital safety

Be aware of social media posts, browser history and downloaded apps, as some destinations have stringent regulations on acceptable content. Strangers or social hackers connected to your social media network may obtain access to your social media accounts.

• Do not post photos of your boarding pass or travel documents to social media sites. This will help reduce the likelihood of personal information being made easily available to opportunistic individuals.
• Be cautious if using public and unsecured Wi-Fi networks, as hackers and scammers have been known to utilize these to take personal information from vulnerable devices.
• Travel with clean digital devices that have very limited banking information, sensitive data, personal photographs or compromising information.