If the disasters in Haiti and Chile have shown us anything, it’s that sometimes life takes us by surprise. But there may be ways to prepare yourself ahead of time.

The reality is, catastrophes happen—whether it’s a natural disaster, disease outbreak, or civil war.

Prepare by brushing up on political and social climate of your destination country.

Sure you can read the U.S. State Department’s warnings, but take it a step further.

Read travel alerts from the British and Canadian governments as well, and read the local newspapers online.

This may seem like a no-brainer, but leave your itinerary with friends and family, and give a copy to your travel insurance company.

Don’t forget to leave important contact names and phone numbers, as well as copy or scan of your passport.

For all electronic devices, pack an additional batteries. Otherwise if the power goes out, you may be out of luck.

Check with your phone company to make sure you have international coverage, or rent a local phone in your destination.

Make sure the phone has text capabilities, as text messages may go through when phone calls can’t.

Travel insurance and medical evacuation coverage can be important lifelines in times of disaster.

But remember, in terms of covered benefits, scenarios like natural disasters and acts of war may be excluded, so always, always, read the fine print.

Or visit our Natural Disasters & Travel section.

Or learn more about dealing with disasters in our Travel Insurance category.

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