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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think it's important to leave info with someone trusted when you go abroad?

58 replies

TooHotAndHumid · 23/07/2023 10:35

I've just come back from Spain and I looking at the news reports from Rhodes in horror........ such a terrible situation for everyone.
I always leave insurance/ itinerary/ copies of passports/ EHIC cards with a relative and copy it all to a webmail account that me and Dh can both access. My brother just leaves and we are lucky if he tells us when he is due back. If he was in Rhodes now I would be worried sick.

Do you just jump on a plane without a second thought or do you share your itinerary with someone?

OP posts:
Mythicalcreatures · 23/07/2023 12:09

No and I travel frequently. This thread has made me consider sharing the travel insurance documents as if something happened to me my dp and dc would have no idea who we were insured with. You would think I would have learned as currently on holiday and not told anyone despite when away earlier this year dc's friends noticed our back gate was opened and let us know - nothing happened think it was next doors builders but still.

CuriouslyDifferent · 23/07/2023 12:12

We have an in case of emergency folder - which contains pictures or copies of important documents.

it’s shared on iCloud, so we all have copies on our phones (so cell or wifi signal isn’t an issue) and anyone remotely, has access.

never needed it - but we are all trained organisers and contingency planners.

JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn · 23/07/2023 12:22

I never give it a second thought. None of my family do this. We're not worriers. I have family in Rhodes at the moment. No idea if they're caught up in the drama or not. I'm firmly in the 'no news is good news' camp.

justtype · 23/07/2023 14:41

My dad has copies of all of our passports just because he is super organized. He likes to remind us when they are due for renewal (which is super handy!)
We don't live in the UK but all of our family is in the UK so the local authorities have our parents detail on record as part of our visa requirements anyway.

And our friends/family all know where ever we are headed. They know where the spare key is kept.
People are so connected these days, I don't feel that we need to do more than that.

Cheesusisgrate · 23/07/2023 15:18

We usually tell pelple the country, often the city, that's it.
Our families are abroad though so essentially we are in that situation all the time.
Few times a year I text mum and it turns out she is in Vienna or somewhere 😂

RoseMartha · 23/07/2023 15:28

Yes indeed. I went away in the uk and left information with a family member.

LadyOutside · 23/07/2023 15:40

We always tell PIL and my parents where we are going and details of the flights. But never thought to share insurance details or the name of the hotel. I will definitely do this going forward.

Although it’s looking unlikely we will go abroad any time soon!

Thefieldisfallow · 23/07/2023 17:48

I'm really shocked by these responses- I can't imagine telling my parents where I am/going to be all of the time I'm away! It would feel suffocating to me.

Gwenhwyfar · 24/07/2023 10:20

Thefieldisfallow · 23/07/2023 17:48

I'm really shocked by these responses- I can't imagine telling my parents where I am/going to be all of the time I'm away! It would feel suffocating to me.

It could also worry them unnecessarily.

Spendonsend · 24/07/2023 10:59

I started doing it when my dad was mugged and hospitalised abroad. It was a right pain trying to sort out his insurance as I didnt know who it was with and he couldnt tell me. All i got was an email from a hotel manager saying they had my name from the back of his passport and he was in hospital.
I rang the embassy for help and they said they supported british citizens who were accused of crime not victims of crime.

Its not a case of being a worrier, its just pragmatic.

endofthelinefinally · 24/07/2023 13:51

Hospitals will not treat you until they have contacted your insurers. If you are unconscious or otherwise unable to give them the information they will look in your passport for your emergency contact. It is just common sense to to give your emergency contact your insurance details.
I have needed emergency treatment abroad. The hospital were fantastic as soon as they had my insurance telephone number and policy number. But nothing was done until they had that information.

Gwenhwyfar · 26/07/2023 11:12

endofthelinefinally · 24/07/2023 13:51

Hospitals will not treat you until they have contacted your insurers. If you are unconscious or otherwise unable to give them the information they will look in your passport for your emergency contact. It is just common sense to to give your emergency contact your insurance details.
I have needed emergency treatment abroad. The hospital were fantastic as soon as they had my insurance telephone number and policy number. But nothing was done until they had that information.

I think the EHIC/GHIC cards still work in the EU for the moment. I carry that card in my wallet.

endofthelinefinally · 26/07/2023 11:52

Yes, in Europe they will, but not elsewhere. America is the absolute worst as is
Asia/SE Asia/Australia.

Peony654 · 26/07/2023 11:55

I would do this if I was travelling alone, but I wouldn't even think to do this for travelling with friends or DH. When we travelled for a year we had electronic copies of passport, insurance etc in Google Drive but only us could access

cinnamonfrenchtoast · 26/07/2023 11:57

It's genuinely never occurred to me to give anyone the details of my holidays and I know my parents certainly never bothered either.

Like a PP said I would find it incredibly suffocating and I also wouldn't want my parents worrying because I happened not to answer my phone 🤷‍♀️

cinnamonfrenchtoast · 26/07/2023 11:59

Cheesusisgrate · 23/07/2023 15:18

We usually tell pelple the country, often the city, that's it.
Our families are abroad though so essentially we are in that situation all the time.
Few times a year I text mum and it turns out she is in Vienna or somewhere 😂

Same with our family 😂

I have an aunt from Australia who would randomly ring and say she's at the local (UK) train station and can we come and pick her up!

TeamsInterview · 26/07/2023 12:03

I was involved in a serious accident abroad and was in no state to deal with insurance etc, so glad I had emailed my sister all our details- flight number, hotel and insurance docs.

Daisymay2 · 26/07/2023 12:36

Until we renewed our passports earlier this year, I had scanned copies of everyone's passports saved on my hard drive. Was useful when DC needed proof of ID when renting houses at Uni as I had them easily accessible and could email across.
We also had hard copies of passport in our travel folder, as we were recommended to have one in the safe on a cruise several years ago.
One usually sends me his insurance details when he takes out a policy, and flight detais - usually because he wants collecting from the airport!
Often get a clue where he is as sends lots of pictures to family WhatsApp.

CKL987 · 27/07/2023 21:18

I think leaving insurance details with someone else is the most important. If you've bought it online and have no policy documents and are then unconscious somewhere you are basically fucked insurance wise. Have always left details with someone.

ScarlettSunset · 27/07/2023 21:28

It's never occurred to me to send details to anyone else.

These days I wouldn't have anyone to tell anyway as the only people I could think of would most likely be coming with me.

Smidge001 · 27/07/2023 21:51

All you people with insurance details to hand out - I don't think I've ever taken out insurance and I've travelled loads...Blush oh i did get insurance when i went skiing actually, but that's it.

JessicaBrassica · 27/07/2023 22:04

Gosh! I usually travel with DH and we've always assumed that in an emergency the other would cope and sort stuff out. Pre kids, if we were in a fix I don't think there is anyone we could have asked to help us out. That's not changed, but we've not travelled since having kids!

ZeldaWillTellYourFortune · 27/07/2023 22:11

I always do.

EBearhug · 28/07/2023 01:06

I don't think I've ever taken out insurance and I've travelled loads.

Nor did a friend, until she had a very serious accident in South America. It cost very many thousands to pay her hospital bills and get her flown home in a hospital bed with an attendant nurse. Insurance should also cover hotel fees for relatives and their altered flights etc.

You don't know when you might need it. That's the whole point of paying for insurance.

Cheesusisgrate · 28/07/2023 05:59

Smidge001 · 27/07/2023 21:51

All you people with insurance details to hand out - I don't think I've ever taken out insurance and I've travelled loads...Blush oh i did get insurance when i went skiing actually, but that's it.

That's just plain stupid risk tbh