Make sure you’re prepared for your next holiday or business trip with our top ten travel tips.

1. Getting ready to go

Ensure that you have the right insurance for your trip including for any expensive items you might be taking with you. Is your home insurance policy up-to-date? Make a note of traveller cheques and make photocopies of important travel documents including airline or any other tickets, passport, visa and vaccination records. Don’t pack any valuables or breakables in any ‘check in’ baggage.

2. Safety

Ensure that your home is safely locked and secured when leaving. Invest in added locks or alarm system for added security. Get a friend, neighbour or relative to keep an eye on the place. Make sure you know where emergency numbers are in case of injury or damage or theft of personal belongings, most insurers have a 24-hour helpline. Do a bit research on the place and the type of culture and customs they may have. Leave information about your planned trip, places you will be going and staying, ect, with a relative or friend.

3. Business

Check that your company have insured you and that your itinerary is in place. In some countries foreign business people are at greater risk and can be targeted so keep a low profile when possible. Take any Foreign Commonwealth Office (FCO) advice about visiting countries. Try to avoid showing corporate logos of company.

4. Travel light

There’s an art to travelling light and its benefits should not be underestimated. Buy your holiday clothes abroad. OK, it will take half a day out of your trip but you will travel lighter, you might pick them up much cheaper than in the UK and anyway it’s fun unless of course you despise shopping!

5. To the airport

Make sure you leave yourself plenty of time to arrive at airport taking into account possible train delays or traffic jams. If leaving a car in car park write down exactly where you have left it.

6. Arriving

Familiarise yourself with the general flow of traffic, cars, trams, ect. Try to keep your wits about you and be vigilant on the way to hotel or apartment. Don’t be an easy target for thieves.

7. Emergency

If you are injured or need medical attention ring insurer helpline. If you intend to make a claim against your travel insurance policy, you must report the incident as soon possible and obtain an official report. If the loss or damage takes place on public transport or in a hotel, you must report the claim in writing to the carrier or hotel and obtain an official loss/damage report. Keep all receipts, accounts and documentary evidence. You will need these to make a claim against your travel insurance policy. Contact your travel insurer as soon as you return home.

8. Precautions

Avoid drinking untreated tap water and ice, local and uncapped bottled water and water. Avoid raw and rare meat/seafood - especially re-heated food. Watch the strong sun. Apply high factor protection suncreams frequently, wear a hat and drink plenty of fluids (non-alcoholic). Never leave your possessions unattended. Always take your room key with you. Avoid wearing expensive jewellery or watches. Only carry a minimum amount of cash.

9. Driving abroad

If you are thinking about driving on holiday make sure you are confident of doing so. Driving on the other side of the road and in other countries in what seems like organized chaos is not easy sometimes.

10. Local knowledge

It’s worth taking time to speak to hotel staff and other local people about the best places to go.