Travel safety tips: Traveling with jewelry

by Leigh Caldwell on

Jewelry is rarely at the top of my packing list. Truth be told, I’ve worn the same rings and earrings in nearly all my travels for the past several years. And other than the addition of a cheap, costume necklace or two for a night out, I generally don’t pack any jewelry.

But sooner or later, we all have to travel for some function where “the good stuff” needs to come along. Be it a family wedding where grandma’s pearls need to make an appearance or a gallery opening where that canary diamond you have (and I say “you” because I certainly don’t have one) begs to be worn, we all find ourselves packing some fine jewelry occasionally.

So, how do you keep it safe and secure? I went to the experts to find out.

The hotel security director

You can probably guess what Robert Brauner, the director of safety and security at the Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando, said when I asked him. “Don’t take your heirlooms and your favorite stuff with you.”

But, if you are going to take them, here are Brauner’s tips for traveling with jewelry:

  • Be sure you are staying in a hotel with a safe in the room or safety deposit boxes at the front desk. Most 3-star or better hotels have both.
  • Once you’ve checked into the hotel, use the safe or safety deposit box. “The hardest part is getting people to utilize them,” Brauner says. “We advertise that we have them, but then people don’t use them, and that’s where things can go wrong.”
  • Know the hotel’s policy if something should happen to your jewelry. In most U.S. states, an innkeeper is not liable for hotel losses, unless they are the direct result of the hotel’s negligence. For example, if a hotel employee is caught stealing it.

The insurance agent

If you own fine jewelry, you probably have insurance to cover it. But does that insurance apply when you are traveling? That’s the question I asked Thomas Trask, owner of Dennis Insurance Agency in Lutz, Fla.

He said you first need to ensure that you are insured. “A standard homeowner’s policy will not cover jewelry for disappearance, and it will only cover theft of jewelry up to $1,000,” Trask said.

The key is to purchase a rider to your homeowner’s policy or a separate policy to cover jewelry. Either one will cover your jewelry for theft, disappearance or other mishaps, including losing a stone from a setting or the old familiar dropping of your wedding ring down a garbage disposal.

Now you will need to be sure that you are following your specific policy’s rules for travel, and Trask said to check with your agent about that. Most standard policies will cover you for travel anywhere, but some might require that certain items be kept in a safe when you are not wearing them. And, if we’re talking about Harry Winston, red carpet-level jewels, your policy may limit exactly how much jewelry you can travel with.

And Trask, like Brauner, said it’s probably best to leave the heirlooms at home. “There is no way to insure sentimental value,” Trask said. “That ring that your grandmother gave you can only be insured for an appraised value,” and it probably means more to you than that.

Travel insurers pay mostly for Brits beaten up in Asia

by Tom Johansmeyer on

It’s a pretty specific trend, which makes you wonder just what the hell is going on. According to the latest data from travel insurance provider WorldNomads.com, more than 65 percent of all major claims submitted by UK travelers are for injuries sustained in Asia. North America, on the other hand, is only good for 25 percent … I guess there aren’t too many Brits twisting their ankles on the Times Square sidewalks. Nineteen percent of the claims involved road travel accidents, and there was a shocking increase in mosquito-borne illnesses, such as Dengue Fever and Malaria, which are responsible for 14 percent of claims.

“The rising increase in incidents relating to road traffic accidents and mosquito borne diseases is of great concern and traveler education needs to play a large role assisting to reduce this,” says Nick Pound of WorldNomads.com. “Travelers also need to understand that the rules of the road that apply at home in the UK are thrown out the window when traveling by road through Asia. Extra precaution when crossing roads, driving scooters and hire cars needs to be taken.”

Dengue is a viral illness spread by infected Aedes mosquitoes and is no longer confined to Southeast Asia. It’s now more common in Latin America, Asia, Africa, North America and even Australia. Nicknamed “breakbone fever” because of the muscle cramping it causes, Degue has no specific treatment and carries a case fatality rate of 40 percent to 50 percent if left untreated (and if it progresses to Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever).

“Travelers headed to areas with Dengue activity should travel prepared to do what they can to prevent mosquito bites. Caution should also be used when looking at the time of year traveling occurs, especially during rainy seasons,” comments Dr. Erik McLaughlin, WorldNomads.com’s roving medical expert.

“Dengue is a serious and persistent health risk and savvy travelers need to be aware of it and start getting used to taking proper precautions.”

Eight rules for renting a car in a foreign country

by Katie Hammel on

Renting a car can be a great way to see a foreign country. Having your own wheels allows you the freedom to take your time, to stop for long lunches in the countryside, to turn down that little lane that looks interesting, and to go where public transportation won’t take you. But, renting a car comes with its own set of challenges and dangers. Here are eight road rules to remember when renting a car on your travels.

If you can’t drive a manual, now is not the time to learn.

Outside of the US, many, if not most, cars have manual transmissions. Finding an automatic rental can be difficult, and the cost will be significantly higher. You may be tempted to save money by taking the manual and if you’re fairly comfortable driving one, that’s fine. But if you’ve never driven one before, took a crash course just before your trip, or haven’t had to step on a clutch in over a decade, get the automatic. You’ll be concentrating hard enough on trying to figure out where to go, decipher all the crazy foreign road sides, and possibly drive on the “wrong” side of the road, that you really don’t want to add learning how to shift into the mix. And if you screw up the car’s transmission while you try to learn how to drive a manual, you could be held liable for the damage.



Always spring for the insurance.
$10-$20 a day for insurance can add up, and it’s easy to figure that, hey, nothing will go wrong, so why not skimp a little on the full coverage. Don’t do it (unless your credit card offers some coverage). On the off chance that something does happen, even if it isn’t your fault, you’ll be kicking yourself when you are stuck with a hefty bill. In some countries it is common to be offered an additional coverage on your tires and windshield. If you’ll be driving on gravel roads, definitely take this option. It’s usually just a few bucks more over the course of your rental and well worth the cost.

Let your hosts know when to expect you.
When you head out for the day with your car, always let your hosts know where you expect to go and when you’ll most likely be back. If you are going from place to place, let the proprietors of your next accommodation know when you’ll be arriving and what route you will be taking. If you do get horribly lost or get stranded along the road, at least you’ll know that one person has noticed that you’ve gone missing and they will have somewhat of an idea of where to start looking for you.

Make sure you have a spare.
In the US, it’s easier to get help if you get a flat tire. Chances are you’ve got your cell phone on you and you may even be a AAA member, making it easy to arrange a tow. At the very least, you can call the rental company and ask for assistance. If you are traveling in another country without a cell, getting help is a bit more difficult. Always check to make sure your rental car has a spare tire, and before you set out on your trip, make sure you know how to change it.

Don’t forget a map.
If you’ve got the cash and the option is available, get the GPS, but also bring a hard copy map with you as well. As we’ve seen, sometimes there’s no substitute for an actual old-fashioned paper map. If GPS isn’t an option, don’t rely on vague directions, be sure to pick up a comprehensive map in case you decide to wander a bit or in the event that the directions you were given turn out to be less than accurate.

Know the rules of the road.
Stop at stop signs, don’t speed, watch out for children and livestock. These are rules we know and which tend to be consistent across continents. Other rules of the road are more localized and often unwritten. Not following them may not get you a ticket, but they may not earn you any friends along the way either. Always research the road culture in a place you will be driving and learn customs that are followed there. For instance, when I was driving in South Africa, I was glad my friends had told me that on two-lane roads I should move over to the far left so that faster drivers could pass me. Had I not known, I probably would have made some other drivers very angry as they tried to pass me while I drove in the middle of my lane.

Don’t make yourself a target.
If you are driving from place to place, you’ll be traveling with your luggage and you may have a GPS unit mounted on your window or a map spread across the backseat. All of this screams “I’m a tourist, come pillage the car!” Always put your luggage in the trunk and stow the GPS and maps in the glovebox. Lock your doors when you aren’t in the car and don’t give anyone a reason to break in.

Read the fine print.
Be sure to familiarize yourself with your rental company’s rules. Some don’t allow rentals with debit cards, and a few countries require than the driver have not just a driver’s license from their home country, but an international driving permit as well. If you’re told something different in person than what you’ve read, be sure to ask for clarification. A couple I talked to in South Africa thought they needed to sign a special form to take their rental out of the country, but the rental agent said it wasn’t necessary. When they hit a cow and totaled the car in Botswana, they were told that because they didn’t sign the form before crossing the border, they could be liable for the cost of the car – about $7000US! Always read the fine print and know the rental rules.

Travel insurance for a recession-plagued world

by Tom Johansmeyer on

The woes visited upon the travel industry this year have forced consumers to cope with a variety of risks that simply weren’t an issue a few years ago. With hotels struggling to pay their mortgages and airlines struggling to … well, exist, as usual … travelers need to think about what happens if one of these companies shuts its doors.

Direct Line travel insurance policies, it seems, are adapting to this new reality. If your hotel shuts its doors, car service can’t afford the gas to pick you up or airline calls it quits, you’ll be able to get some relief. The insurer also covers villa rental companies, theme parks and other travel service providers in the event of a financial failure.

And, it looks like the extremes are addressed.

If you are stranded someplace because an airline screws up while you’re on your trip, the company will pick up the tab for a flight home – a level of protection not currently included by credit card companies under the Consumer Credit Act.

Jennifer Thomas, spokesperson for Direct Line, said, “Holidaymakers are understandably looking to spend less on travel these days, and booking directly with airlines and hotels can be a good way of getting more while spending less.” She continues, “This means that it is now more essential than ever to have insurance in case these firms fail, as there is no protection from schemes such as ATOL or ABTA if booked direct. With our updated travel insurance policies, our customers can now travel with increased peace of mind, knowing that they will be covered in the unfortunate event of a supplier’s collapse.”

Tell your travel disaster story and win a $10,000 trip

by Katie Hammel on

Does misfortune seem to follow you when you travel? Ever been delayed on the tarmac for 10 hours, arrived to find your luggage was lost, your hotel had burned down, and you’d misplaced your passport? If you’ve got the mother of all travel disaster stories, Travel Guard insurance wants to hear from you.

On December 1st, they’re launching a contest to find the worst travel tale of woe, and the person deemed to be the “World’s Unluckiest Traveler” will be awarded a $10,000 dream vacation.

Every month, one winner will be chosen (by votes) to receive a Flip MinoHDTM camcorder. Another winner will be chosen at random from among the people for voted for that story as the worst. Each month’s “worst” winner will then be entered to win the fabulous grand prize, a (hopefully disaster-free) trip worth $10,000.

So if your travels have left you broke or beaten down, get your story ready and turn your travel disaster into something positive.