What To Do If You Get Sick Away From Home

In most cases, your existing health plan will provide the coverage you need. But double-check; you may want to buy travel medical insurance instead. Bring your insurance ID card with you when you travel.

If you suffer from a chronic illness, consult your doctor before your departure. For conditions like epilepsy, diabetes, or heart problems, wear a Medic Alert Identification Tag (tel. 888/633-4928; www.medicalert.org), which will immediately alert doctors to your condition and give them access to your records through Medic Alert's 24-hour hot line.

Pack prescription medications in your carry-on luggage, and carry prescription medications in their original containers, with pharmacy labels -- otherwise they won't make it through airport security. Also bring along copies of your prescriptions in case you lose your pills or run out. Don't forget an extra pair of contact lenses or prescription glasses. Carry the generic name of prescription medicines in case a local pharmacist is unfamiliar with the brand name.

If you get sick, consider asking your hotel concierge to recommend a local doctor -- even his or her own. You can also try the emergency room at a local hospital; many have walk-in clinics for emergency cases that are not life-threatening.

Staying Safe

The first thing you want to do is get on the Internet and access the Washington, D.C. Convention and Tourism Corporation's website, www.washington.org, which publishes travel updates, sometimes on a daily basis. The travel updates alert you to the general state of affairs in D.C., new security and touring procedures around town, and refers you to other sections of its website for information about restaurants, hotels, and attractions.

In the years following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the Pentagon, the federal and D.C. governments, along with agencies such as the National Park Service, have continued to work together to increase security, not just at airports, but around the city, including government buildings, tourist attractions, and the subway. The most noticeable and, honestly, most irksome aspect of increased security at tourist attractions can be summed up in 3 little words: waiting in line. Although visitors have always had to queue to enter the Capitol, the Supreme Court, and other federal buildings, now it takes more time to get through because of more intense scrutiny when you finally reach the door. Other federal buildings, like the Library of Congress, where you used to be able to waltz right in, now have lines. Besides lines, you will notice vehicle barriers in place at a wider radius around the Capitol building and new vehicle barriers and better lighting installed at the Washington Monument and at the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials. Self-guided tours of the Capitol are no longer possible, and public guided tours are less comprehensive than they used to be. (In 2006, a new, tightly secured underground visitors center opens at the Capitol that should help to streamline the process.) Greater numbers of police and security officers are on duty around and inside government buildings, the monuments, and the Metro.

Just because so many police are around, you shouldn't let your guard down. Washington, like any urban area, has a criminal element, so it's important to stay alert and take normal safety precautions.

Ask your hotel front-desk staff or the city's tourist office if you're in doubt about which neighborhoods are safe.

Travel Insurance

Check your existing insurance policies and credit-card coverage before you buy travel insurance. You may already be covered for lost luggage, cancelled tickets, or medical expenses. The cost of travel insurance varies widely, depending on the cost and length of your trip, your age, health, and the type of trip you're taking. Generally, you can expect to pay 4% to 7% of your trip's cost for insurance packages, and about $20 to $50 for medical coverage ranging from $50,000 to $100,000.

Trip-Cancellation Insurance -- Trip-cancellation insurance helps you get your money back if you have to renege on a trip, if you have to go home early, or if your travel supplier goes bankrupt. Allowed reasons for cancellation can range from sickness to natural disasters, like the December 2004 tsunami, to the State Department declaring your destination unsafe for travel. (Insurers usually won't cover vague fears, though, as many travelers discovered who tried to cancel their trips in Oct 2001 because they were wary of flying.) In this unstable world, trip-cancellation insurance is a good buy if you're getting tickets well in advance -- who knows what the state of the world, or of your airline, will be in 9 months? Insurance policy details vary, so read the fine print -- and especially make sure that your airline is on the list of carriers covered in case of bankruptcy. A good resource is found on Travel Guard International's (tel. 800/826-4919) website, www.travelguard.com, where postings of "Travel Guard Alerts" list travel agencies and tour companies Travel Guard considers high risk and whose trips it will not cover. Other recommended insurers include Access America (tel. 866/807-3982; www.accessamerica.com); Travel Insured International (tel. 800/243-3174; www.travelinsured.com); and Travelex Insurance Services (tel. 888/457-46022; www.travelexinsurance.com).

Protect yourself further by paying for the insurance with a credit card -- by law, consumers can get their money back on goods and services not received if they report the loss within 60 days after the charge is listed on their credit card statement.

Medical Insurance -- Most health insurance policies cover you if you get sick away from home -- but check, particularly if you're insured by an HMO. If you require additional medical insurance, try MEDEX International (tel. 800/527-0218 or 410/453-6300; www.medexassist.com) or Travel Assistance International (tel. 800/821-2828; www.travelassistance.com; for general information on services, call the company's Worldwide Assistance Services, Inc., at tel. 800/643-5525).

Lost-Luggage Insurance -- On domestic flights, checked baggage is covered up to $2,800 per ticketed passenger. On international flights (including U.S. portions of international trips), baggage coverage is limited to approximately $9.07 per pound, up to approximately 70 pounds, or $635 per checked bag. If you plan to check items more valuable than the standard liability, see if your valuables are covered by your homeowner's policy, or purchase baggage insurance as part of your comprehensive travel-insurance package. For example, Travel Guard International's (tel. 800/826-4919) policies include "BagTrak," a 24-hour bag tracking service that locates lost luggage and sends it directly to you. The best thing about this kind of insurance is that you can buy coverage for one particular trip or, if you travel a lot, for an entire year.

Don't buy insurance at the airport, as it's usually overpriced. Be sure to take any valuables or irreplaceable items with you in your carry-on luggage, as items such as books, money, and electronics aren't covered by airline policies.

If your luggage is lost, immediately file a lost-luggage claim at the airport, detailing the luggage contents. For most airlines, you must report delayed, damaged, or lost baggage within 24 hours of arrival. The airlines are required to deliver luggage, once found, directly to your house or destination free of charge.