Although the weather has been unusually sunny in Ireland lately, summer holidays abroad are still as popular as ever. People across the country are impatiently awaiting their sweet escape to somewhere exotic and sunny that offers a break from the norm.

While you’re packing up the sun cream and big floppy hat though, it can be easy to forget that travelling comes with the possibility of complications. Flights can be delayed or even cancelled. Your hotel may be different to how it was advertised. Your luggage can go missing and end up in a country you have not even heard of before. Therefore, it is always good to be prepared before you even set foot in the airport.

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has given us some handy tips on how to always expect the unexpected before flying off on your holidays.

Cancellations

Many people ignore the need for travel insurance. According to AA Ireland, fewer than half of all Irish people buy full travel insurance before heading abroad. This can be a risky game to play in case an emergency occurs and you have to cancel your trip. Check the terms and conditions of your travel insurance policy (that you have definitely purchased) to see what it says about claiming for a cancelled trip.

You should also notify your airline and hotel if you are cancelling your bookings. You’re unlikely to get a full refund, but it’s worth checking to see if they can accommodate you with flight vouchers or moving your hotel booking to a different date. There’s no harm in asking and it might even be worth your while.

Expiry dates

Your passport is the golden ticket to travelling abroad. This is not a shocking revelation, but the expiry date can often be forgotten about when booking a holiday. Those five or 10 years roll around faster than anyone expects, so it’s good to keep an eye on the expiry date of your passport, especially as renewal waiting times can be weeks long during the busy summer months.

Theft

Unfortunately, cancellations are not the only possible holiday disaster. Getting robbed is a huge issue and fear for travellers and not all of us keep our coins and documents stashed in a bum bag. If something is stolen from you, go back and check that insurance policy once again to see if it covers theft.

Read between the lines because some policies can have extremely specific instructions to follow when you are abroad that could affect your claim when you return to Ireland. For example, some companies insist that you contact their emergency assistance line as soon as possible after an incident such as stealing, to ensure your claim is accepted. According to a survey from insuremyholiday.ie, 16% of Irish people have been robbed while on their holidays, so always keep a close eye on your prized possessions.

Illness

Getting sick or breaking a bone on holiday is every traveller’s worst nightmare. Luckily, there are things you can do before your trip to prepare for this. Make sure you have a European Health Insurance Card that is in date and valid. These are free from the HSE for Irish residents and provide you with free or state-provided healthcare when travelling within the EU. Sadly, this won’t cover all ailments, so travel insurance may still be necessary to reduce additional costs.

False advertisement

If you do manage to make it safely to your destination and with all limbs intact, there could still be some problems lurking behind the hotel door. If your room is not up to standard or just plain dirty, take pictures and videos as proof before making a complaint to the hotel or the company you booked it through.

If you are on a package holiday, report the problem immediately to your local holiday rep or organiser. Ask them for a complaint form and be sure to keep a copy of any forms you submit.

If the hotel claimed it had a swimming pool and you found an empty hole in the ground on arrival, the operator must provide you with compensation.

Before jetting off this summer, just take a few minutes to prepare for the small problems that may arise and read the fine print on the travel insurance you really should be buying. After all that, it’s time to finally kick back, relax and enjoy your well-deserved break. CL

>> Consumer snippets

Are you missing out on your

New Zealand tax returns?

Moving to New Zealand and starting a new life has gained a lot of traction over the past decade. Almost 40,000 Irish workers have travelled to the kiwi country since the beginning of the recession when jobs were scarce at home.

However, many of these people have since returned to Ireland as our economy continues to improve and employment rises. Returning home, however, can be a hassle when you have to sort out bank accounts, bills and new accommodation leases.

Taxes can be pushed to the back of the agenda when moving, but leading tax refund specialists from taxback.com estimate that 50% of these workers could have left money behind in the form of tax refunds.

Taxbreak.com has made the Bullsh*t-Free Guide to New Zealand Working Holiday Taxes to help these workers reclaim their rightful cash.

This will help anyone in this situation ease their way through understanding the New Zealand tax system and how to claim their tax refund.

Considering the average New Zealand tax refund on taxbreak.com is $550, it’s worth taking a look into if you’ve recently moved back from down under.

View the online guide at www.taxback.com.