Preparedness is key to travel safety, so it’s important to discuss what happens in the event something goes wrong. Everything in this article just takes a little time before the trip to stay on top of things.
While part one of this travel series is about keeping your devices working, and part two is about devices to bring with you, this one is all about what to do to mitigate risk.
What if your phone is lost or stolen overseas?
We’re all reliant on our phones for travel for maps, wallet tasks, and our connection back to home. That’s why losing it could be one of the biggest events of your whole trip.
There are a few things you can do to help mitigate the risk if your device goes missing.
Before you go
- Confirm your device tracking is active. Find My for Apple devices, Find Hub for Android devices, and SmartThings Find for Samsung devices are helpful if you need to track your phone.
- Record your IMEI and serial number somewhere that’s not in your phone. This can help with a police report and insurance as a unique identifier.
- Consider setting a SIM PIN so your SIM card data stays safe. This way a thief can’t transfer your physical SIM to another device to intercept calls and messages.
- Enable Stolen Device Protection where available.
- Back up your device before you leave. This way you won’t have to worry about losing absolutely everything if you decide to remotely wipe it.
If your phone goes missing
- Retrace your steps, ring the phone, and check with venues you’ve visited. Many missing phones are simply misplaced.
- Track the phone from another device and put it in Lost Mode where available. If it’s showing somewhere unfamiliar, report it to the police rather than retrieving it yourself.
- Contact your telco to suspend the service, blocking calls and data charges and SIM swap attempts.
- Remotely wipe the device as a last resort. Once you erase the device, you will no longer be able to track it.
- Get a police report for insurance purposes, and notify your travel insurer.
- Change your passwords for sensitive accounts.
Trackers: A cheap insurance policy
It’s not just your devices that are trackable. You can also add trackers like AirTags, Moto Tag, and SmartTag to your luggage, passport wallet, and more, helping you find them easily if misplaced.
Most trackers today have precision detection that helps you pinpoint them to within a few metres, reducing the need to rummage through everything in the room to find your keys. AirTags have saved me time and stress on more than one occasion.
If you’re shopping for one, the best option matches your phone’s ecosystem. AirTags work best if you have an Apple device, while if you’re on Android you’re better off choosing one in Google’s Find Hub network.
Coin cell trackers are generally permitted in checked luggage, unlike Li-ion devices. Rechargeable GPS trackers with bigger batteries are often restricted, so be sure to check with your airline.
Some airlines are integrating with Find Hub and Apple Find My tracking. For example, Apple’s Share Item Location allows you to send a temporary tracking link to the airline when your bag goes missing. It currently spans over 30 airlines including Qantas.
What to track:
- Checked luggage is out of your sight for most of the flight, and it’s often the one that goes missing. If you can only track one item, I’d probably pick checked luggage.
- Daypack or carry-on is handy to track and can help if you misplace it at a venue.
- Passport wallets are one of the most catastrophic items to lose, and small enough that precision tracking can help save you from turning over your hotel room.
Your camera as a witness
Cameras and photos are great for putting a time and place back in mind after the trip’s over, but they can also serve as evidence in case of a dispute. We’ve had members of the team get into a dispute about a rental car condition before, so we unfortunately have first-hand experience with this issue.
Rental cars
Companies often try to claim on pre-existing damage that the lessee can’t disprove. Minor scratches and dings often go overlooked and come with an inflated repair quote.
Before you drive off, take a slow video around the entire car, plus close-up photos of every existing mark on the paint, windscreen, wheels and tyres, and the interior, plus the odometer and fuel gauge. Before you return the car, you may want to take another video.
If a claim comes through anyway, make them prove it. A company should produce photos of the specific damage, proof it wasn’t pre-existing, and an actual repair invoice rather than a quote. If they can’t, try disputing the charge with your card issuer.
Continuous footage of the condition is harder to accuse of being selective, but you’ll want to be sure the quality is good enough that you pick everything up.
Hotels and accommodation
On arrival, you may want to photograph or video existing damage, stains, and broken fixtures, either emailing them to the hotel or noting them in the booking app. The timestamp is a key piece of the puzzle.
On departure, a quick video or photo of the room can quell any post-checkout cleaning fees or damage claims, which we’ve heard are increasingly common.
Luggage and insurance
A photo of your packed bag and its exterior can help with insurance claims that may dispute what was inside the bag, and it can help provide a visual in case your checked bag goes missing with the airline.
Staying Safe Overseas
A little preparation ahead of time can save a lot of hassle in the long run. A simple photo snap or a stashed tracking device can be the difference between a ruined holiday and a close call.
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