To get you up to speed in case you missed last week’s post Dr. McDreamy and I were riding on the elevator when I let it slip I was carrying his love child. He had no idea what I was talking about, but his evil twin Dr. McMeany had been in town four months ago… and then I was voted off the island. Ok, I was just practicing for my future career in writing for TV – so the real story – after more than 20 years of traveling for business, my number was picked and I had an accident on the road, who would have thought it could happen to me? Those of us who travel routinely often take for granted that the worst thing that can happen on the road is our flight is delayed or the airline was just sold to Arbys. And until now that included me. The last thing on our minds is an accident/illness or other type of emergency, but in reality anything can happen.

In Part One I dealt with the basics of preparing for a possible emergency as well as a few suggestions to help you get through a crisis. So as I sit here nursing a torn ACL, in Part Two I decided to deal with both frequent and infrequent problems you might need assistance.

Airline Mishaps. Do you know when you purchased your ticket you entered into a contract of carriage with your airline? That’s right my friends, besides the warnings of not making toast in your bathtubs, you have even more fine print to read. The rules in the contract of carriage differ from airline to airline, but include provisions such as check-in deadlines, refund process, responsibilities for delays, lost luggage information and other policies. These rules may not have come with your ticket, so look them up or make it a point to ask and educate yourself. (Please note, if you do not have a lawyer to interpret for you, none will be provided.)

If Your Flight is Delayed or Canceled, check your airline’s policy on putting you on another carrier or in a higher-class seat on another flight if your flight is delayed or canceled.

If you are bumped because your flight is overbooked, read the Overbooking Notice in your ticket, then ask for a copy of the rules mentioned in that notice. This information applies to over sales, this is when your flight operates but leaves you behind. It does not apply to a canceled or a delayed flight. If the flight is oversold and you arrive late the airline doesn’t vote you off the island, but decides you are the weakest link.

If your luggage is lost by the airline, go to the airline desk immediately. Present your claim checks (but hold on to them) and fill out a claim form. (This gets very exciting in foreign countries where you are besieged by fifty cab drivers fighting to take you to your hotel and all you have is a carry on bag with one pair of underwear and some mints.) If you need clothing or overnight supplies, ask airline personnel about reimbursement. The best plan is to avoid the two major causes of misplaced bags – late check-in and tight connections.

Now onto one of the more infrequent, but serious issues you may have to face (Please hum your favorite crime show sound track here – it will add to the experience.)

If you are the victim of a crime and theft is the most likely offense, your insurance may cover you. However, it usually means that you will have to pay for things up front and claim the costs back later. Nevertheless, thefts and losses should be reported to the local police as your insurer/credit agencies/financial institutions will want to see an incident report form or other written confirmation. The following tips should help you deal with these losses in the short term.

+ For Cash: Assuming your ATM card is gone, the next best option might be to ask family or friends to wire money to you via Western Union. You can usually pick up the money on the same day, you will normally be asked to provide ID, but if this was stolen, your sender can add a test question. The company has more than 170,000 agent offices in 200 countries worldwide.

+ For Debit Cards: Cancel them immediately in order to limit your liability to $50 per card. If you report the loss outside of a 2-day window, you may be subject to losses of up to $500 per day per card.

+ For Credit cards: In my tips on Traveling Safely, I noted that it was a good idea to keep copies of your credit card numbers and their contact information in several places such as in your luggage, at the hotel and in your briefcase. This situation is exactly why you should heed this advice. You should cancel any cards as soon as possible to limit your liability. You will also want replacements and most major providers usually try to get one to you within 24 hours assuming you are not in the Black hole of Calcutta or some place similar. Keep an eye out for fraudulent charges on future statements, you usually have 60 days to dispute these.

+ For Driver’s License: You’ll most likely need to visit your state’s driver licensing agency in order to replace your driver’s license. If they don’t issue a permanent one immediately, most agencies will issue a temporary license until you receive the replacement.

Be sure to follow up by getting copies of your credit reports. Once per year, you have the right to get a free credit report from each of the three credit reporting bureaus. You’ll want to keep a close eye on all your accounts. (A side note: you should check your statements every month. I know we’re busy, but small charges can pop up and the next thing you know you bought $900 dollars worth of seats to Carrot-Top’s come-back tour.)

I hope this series helps you feel more prepared for life’s surprising emergencies. As always, I welcome your suggestions and feedback on this topic – write to me at anne@wejetset.com. Travel safely and be prepared!