The essential checklist
for any trip

Travelling for business or pleasure? Going on a solo adventure or taking a holiday with kids or pets?  Consult this essential checklist and work through everything you need for a stress-free trip.

• Check for any official government advisories related to political instability, terrorism, crime, adverse weather, natural disasters, volcanic eruptions and others, for the destination to which you are travelling.
• Purchase travel insurance – think about your travel needs and consider both medical and cancellation insurance to protect yourself and your financial investment both before and during your trip. Once purchased, review your travel insurance policy in detail to ensure you understand what is and isn’t covered, and contact your travel insurance provider if you have any questions about your coverage.

• Passport - check that your passport is valid and isn’t going to expire within 6 months of your planned return to your province or territory of residence
• Ticket and Boarding Pass (or E-versions of these documents on your smartphone)
• Visas and other government documents providing you with access to the country you are visiting
• Your travel insurance policy and confirmation of coverage, including phone numbers for emergency travel assistance
• Cash, travellers’ cheques, and banking card

Keep these items with you at all times, and don’t place them at the bottom of any luggage that you might get separated from.

• Visit your primary care physician and discuss your travel plans to learn about the health risks relative to the trip you’re planning.
• Obtain updated prescriptions for your medications.
•  In case of a chronic illness or complicated previous medical history, ask your doctor to write a medical report, preferably in English, that summarizes your situation (background, description of your illness, past cases, results of recent tests, etc.) and mentions your usual treatment. Also be sure to review your travel insurance policy to understand any limitations of coverage and/or exclusions related to pre-existing medical conditions.
• Vaccinations
  
  -  Check for the types of vaccinations you may require for your destination and arrange for multiple injections spaced several weeks apart.
  - Update your immunization status with “booster” vaccinations.
• Pregnancy - Get a pregnancy check before leaving, or inquire about the risks or acceptable risks relative to your travel destination and your particular state of pregnancy. NOTE: While travelling early on in a healthy pregnancy may be acceptable, pregnancy may be considered a pre-existing medical condition subject to exclusions in some travel insurance policies.  Read your travel insurance policy for greater clarity.
  
• Visit your dentist for any dental care prior to your trip.
• Visit your pharmacist and have any prescriptions filled beyond the duration of your trip.
• If you have a particular illness or medical condition and should avoid certain situations like extreme cold, heat, humidity, high altitudes, or are at risk of Malaria or other infectious diseases, get advice about delaying, changing or even cancelling your trip.

• First, separate your daily medication (usual treatments, contraception, malaria pills) from the emergency medical kit (used less frequently).
• The medical kit is to be used in emergency situations. It should be small and compact so you can easily take it with you on all excursions.
• Any kind of self-medication administered without professional medical advice can be very dangerous. It’s essential to verify with your doctor their amounts, directions for use and compatibility with other medications before leaving on a trip.

• Select clothing, footwear and outerwear that is appropriate for the destination both in terms of climate, geography and culture
• Pack clothing that is easy to clean and ideally wrinkle-free
• Rain jacket
• Small umbrella
• Sunglasses
• Prescription glasses and/or contact lenses (plan on taking along a second emergency pair)
• Hearing aid (and extra batteries)
• Sun hat or cap or long scarf to protect from dust and strong winds

• Check one last time for any official government advisories for the destination to which you are travelling and pay attention to any warnings. If a travel advisory has been issued for your destination, contact Allianz Global Assistance immediately.
• Confirm that you have all your important documents and papers (see above)
• Share your travel plans with family and trusted friends. Give them a copy of each of:
  
  - Your trip itinerary, including tour operator or carrier information such as flight number departure and arrival information
  - Your travel insurance policy
  - Your passport information and photo
  - Any other documentation that might assist with validating and identifying you in the event of identify fraud.

Safe travels and bon voyage!