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HOLIDAY CHECKLIST

We can help you stay organised and hopefully give you peace of mind - meaning you can get on and enjoy your time away.

What to check before you go on holiday

We can help you stay organised and hopefully give you peace of mind - meaning you can get on and enjoy your time away.

Your passport

To travel abroad you must hold a full 10-year passport, even if it’s for a day trip. Apply in good time to the HM Passport Office – for information call 0300 222 0000 or visit the government’s passport information page. You should also ensure your passport is valid for the duration of your trip. Some countries insist that it must be valid for a minimum period (usually six months) beyond the date of entry to the country.

Do you need a visa?

Check if you need a visa to enter the country you’re visiting. For all visa enquiries, you should contact the Consulate or Embassy of that country.

What about travel insurance?

After booking a holiday or organising your trip, you should take out travel insurance to cover unforeseen events.

Have you got your documentation?

Make copies of important documents, especially passports. It’s worth keeping one set with you and leaving a second set with a friend, neighbour or relative back home. Make a note of emergency contact details for your travel insurer, as well as your bank and credit card providers and take them with you. Remember to check flight times on your ticket as minor flight changes may have occurred since you booked.

Don’t forget your mobile phone

If you have a mobile phone, contact your network provider to ensure that the handset has international roaming and can be used in any country you’re visiting. Check international call charges and, if your phone is ‘Pay as you go’, ensure you have enough credit. When calling the UK from abroad, dial 00 (International Access Code), 44 (UK Country Code) then the person’s number, remembering to omit the initial ‘0’ from the Area Code.

Have you organised transport?

Arrange transport to and from the airport, or car parking. If a friend or relative is picking you up, give them your flight number, details and booking reference number. If you need assistance at the airport, contact your tour operator or airline and they can make the necessary arrangements. Also, be aware that airlines now ask you to provide either a disabled badge or a doctor’s certificate confirming you need assistance.

Looking for more pre-travel tips?

Visit the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office website for a range of useful pre-travel planning tips, as well as country-specific advice.

Secure your home whilst you are away

  • Keep valuable items out of sight and avoid advertising your absence while away

  • Cancel your usual deliveries, such as milk and newspapers

  • If possible, ask a neighbour to remove any free newspapers/flyers that may be sticking out of your letterbox

  • If going away for a long period, it might be worth making arrangements to have someone take care of your garden. Overgrown lawns, beds and borders indicate that a house has been left unoccupied

  • Set any timers on lights, so that they go on and off at times that create the illusion you are home

  • Ask someone you trust to keep an eye on your home while you’re away

  • Try to arrange for post to be collected and ask for your curtains to be drawn at night – to generally make the place look lived in

  • If you’re planning to be away for more than 30 days, check that your home insurance allows you to leave your property unoccupied for that amount of time without the policy becoming invalid

Who underwrites Saga Travel Insurance?

Saga Travel Insurance is designed for people over 50 and is underwritten by Astrenska Insurance Limited, with claims administered on their behalf by Collinson Insurance Services Limited.

Get a quote for Saga Travel Insurance today