The struggle of traveling with kids (and how to protect yourself from disaster)

Whether you’re heading out on a long road trip or getting there in an airplane, there’s no doubt that traveling requires a lot of thought and preparation. Add kids to the equation, and a simple trip can get pretty stressful. Don’t let your next vacation leave you feeling as though you need another one just to recover. Follow these simple tips to make traveling with children a lot easier on everyone.

Whether it’s a binkie or a teddy bear left on the plane or something more valuable like a suitcase or laptop forgotten at the hotel, it’s expected that something will go missing. While it may be impossible to replace your child’s exact stuffed animal, Mr. Snuggles, you can plan ahead and make sure that everything from your computer to jewelry and other valuables are insured. Knowing your valuables are covered before you go can ease the stress if they get lost during travel.

One of the number one questions guests ask at Walt Disney World is “What time is the 3 o’clock parade?” Saying that people check their brain at the gate while on vacation is practically an understatement. They try things like bungee jumping, water skiing, or walking around theme parks with a bad back, because for some reason people feel invincible on vacation. While that would be nice, it’s not the case. If you’re traveling overseas or anywhere in the country, having emergency medical protection can come in handy when you least expect it.

Driving with kids is no picnic. They want a snack every 15 minutes and your iPhone so they can watch Blippi videos. It can be helpful to keep children entertained by playing games to keep them calm and distracted. If you are driving to your destination or plan to rent a car when you get there, it’s important to make sure your car insurance is up to date and that you have plenty of fruit snacks and juice boxes with you.

When you’re away from home enjoying your vacation, the last thing you want to worry about is whether or not your toddler left the faucet running when you insisted he went potty and washed his hands. Having homeowners insurance and damage protection can help ease your mind if, you know, he did wash his hands like you told him to, but left the water running like you never expected him to.

Using unsecured WiFi, tampered debit card readers, shopping, dining, and the like, can all lead to trouble when you’re traveling. Your main focus when you’re at a restaurant should be whether or not their Kid’s Menu offers dinosaur shaped chicken nuggets, not if your credit card is going to be compromised. Having cyber protection will allow you to spend more time with the family, and less time on the phone closing accounts or worrying about the safety of your identity.

Wherever you’re headed on your next family vacation, you can rest easy knowing that your entire family is protected. Your vacation can truly be the relaxing, fun getaway that you planned. Chubb will take care of everything else.