Top Tips: Looking after your money & possessions on holiday

When you go on holiday you want to relax and enjoy yourself, but it's also important to have your wits about you and put a bit of thought into taking care of your money and personal possessions.

Your money and possessions definitely add to the enjoyment of your holiday, so it's important to keep them safe. If you lose your camera, you could get a new one, but how would you replace all the wonderful photographs of your holiday?

Losing your possessions or having them stolen can be upsetting and in extreme circumstances can cause major disruption to your holiday.

Thieves are known to target tourists in holiday resorts because they see them as an easy target; here are a few tried and tested tricks to help you take care of your possessions and reduce the chances of you becoming a victim of crime.

Top tips: Taking care of your money and possessions

  • Buy travel insurance to cover the loss or theft of your luggage whilst you are on holiday.
  • If you are taking expensive gadgets or valuable items with you, consider covering them on your household contents insurance - they can cover valuable items up to a much higher value.
  • Only carry small amounts of cash with you. It's also a good idea to stash some in a hidden pocket or money belt.
  • Sew hidden pockets into your clothing in places where thieves are least likely to look.
  • Buy some foreign currency in the UK before you depart so that you know it has come from a reputable source.
  • Don't buy foreign currency on the black market - you could end up with counterfeit notes.
  • Always carry valuable items in your hand luggage in case your hold luggage gets lost.
    Top tip: Valuable items will only be covered by your travel insurance if they are on your person or in your hand luggage.
  • Use a padlock to keep your luggage secure.
  • Put a colourful ribbon on your checked-in luggage so that you can easily identify it on the luggage carousel. It will also prevent others from accidentally taking your suitcase.
  • If your hotel provides a safe, use it. Store your credit cards, money or camera in the safe whenever you aren't using them.
  • Keep expensive equipment such as cameras and phones out of sight or close to your body when not in use.
  • Don't carry your valuable belongings in obvious bags - laptop bags and shoulder purses are crying out to be stolen.
  • Don't wear expensive clothing or jewellery as this could make you a target for thieves.
  • Carry copies of your passport, tickets and travel documents in case you lose them. Email copies to yourself so that you can access them at local internet cafes.
  • Sometimes thieves work in pairs, so keep an eye out for suspicious double acts.
  • If you do become the victim of a theft, alert the police immediately. You will need to obtain a police report in order to make a claim on your travel insurance.
  • If your possessions are not essential to your trip, the best way to look after them is to leave them at home

Travel insurance cover for money and possessions

Travel insurance policies from insurewithease.com can include cover for money and personal possessions up to £2500 with a single article limit of £500 and a valuables limit of £500 (Platinum Policies).

See our Full policy wording for details of cover.

The most important element of travel insurance is the cover it provides for emergency medical expenses, if you are taking particularly valuable items with you on holiday you should consider covering them on your home contents insurance which can provide higher levels of cover.

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