--- title: "Falling ill on a trip: what to do step by step | Gigapass" description: "The first thing isn't going to a doctor: it is calling your insurer. The right order, what to document and how to find reliable care somewhere unfamiliar." url: https://getgigapass.com/en/blog/falling-ill-on-a-trip markdown: https://getgigapass.com/en/blog/falling-ill-on-a-trip.md lang: en site: Gigapass generated: 2026-10-24 languages: es: https://getgigapass.com/blog/ponerse-enfermo-de-viaje de: https://getgigapass.com/de/blog/auf-reisen-krank-werden it: https://getgigapass.com/it/blog/ammalarsi-in-viaggio fr: https://getgigapass.com/fr/blog/tomber-malade-en-voyage pt: https://getgigapass.com/pt/blog/adoecer-em-viagem nl: https://getgigapass.com/nl/blog/ziek-worden-op-reis ja: https://getgigapass.com/ja/blog/ryokosaki-byouki ko: https://getgigapass.com/ko/blog/yeohaeng-jung-jilbyeong zh-hans: https://getgigapass.com/zh-hans/blog/lvxing-shengbing pl: https://getgigapass.com/pl/blog/choroba-w-podrozy sv: https://getgigapass.com/sv/blogg/bli-sjuk-pa-resan no: https://getgigapass.com/no/blogg/bli-syk-pa-reise da: https://getgigapass.com/da/blog/blive-syg-pa-rejsen tr: https://getgigapass.com/tr/blog/seyahatte-hastalanmak ru: https://getgigapass.com/ru/blog/zabolet-v-poezdke zh-hant: https://getgigapass.com/zh-hant/blog/lvxing-shengbing ar: https://getgigapass.com/ar/mudawana/marad-athna-safar he: https://getgigapass.com/he/blog/lachalot-betiyul index: https://getgigapass.com/llms/en.txt --- # Falling ill on a trip: what to do, in what order and who to call > The first thing isn't going to a doctor: it is calling your insurer. The right order, what to document and how to find reliable care somewhere unfamiliar. [Home](https://getgigapass.com/en) › [Blog](https://getgigapass.com/en/blog) › Falling ill on a trip: what to do, in what order and who to call Money and insurance The first thing isn't going to a doctor: it is calling your insurer. The right order, what to document and how to find reliable care somewhere unfamiliar. **Claudia Ferrán** 10 Aug 2026 6 min Photo by Chalo Gallardo on Unsplash In this article › The right order › How to find reliable care › The basics that prevent half the scares › And the phone, which matters here When you feel ill in a country you don't know, the instinct is to find a hospital on the map and turn up. That is exactly the order that can cost you the reimbursement. ## The right order 1. Call your insurer's assistance number, which works at any hour and in your language. 2. Explain where you are and what is wrong. They will tell you which centre to go to, and that is what activates the cover. 3. If it is a serious emergency, call the country's emergency number or go straight there, and tell the insurer as soon as you can. 4. Keep every piece of paper: reports, prescriptions, invoices and proof of payment. 5. If you have to pay up front, ask for an itemised invoice in your name. Step two is the one almost nobody takes and the one that decides whether the insurer pays directly or you have to pay and claim. ## How to find reliable care - Your insurer has a network of approved centres: that is the fastest route. - Your accommodation usually knows where local people go, which isn't always what comes up online. - Your consulate can supply lists of doctors who speak your language. - And pharmacies handle far more than you might expect at home, in some countries. ## The basics that prevent half the scares Bottled water where it applies, care with ice and with raw food in the first few days, and rehydration salts in your bag. The number one cause of a lost day on a trip isn't exotic: it is your stomach. > You call the insurer first and go to the doctor second. The other way round, the bill can end up being yours. ## And the phone, which matters here This whole sequence depends on being able to call and on having data: the insurer's number, a translator to explain a symptom, a photo of the report to send on. It is the moment of the trip when being offline is least funny. How to call without it costing a fortune is in [how to call from abroad](https://getgigapass.com/en/blog/calling-from-abroad). Carry your medication in your hand luggage with its prescription or medical report, especially if it contains active substances that are restricted in some countries. Know where you're going? Pick your destination, days and data. Install it before you leave and pay once. [See destinations](https://getgigapass.com/en#destinos) Claudia FerránLong trips and remote work She has worked from wherever she happened to be for six years. She works out the data for a trip the way you'd work out the petrol, and she rarely gets it wrong. ## Frequently asked questions **What do I do if I fall ill on a trip?** Call your insurer's assistance number first; they will tell you which centre to go to. That is what activates the cover and avoids paying up front. **And if it is a serious emergency?** Call the country's emergency number or go straight there, and tell the insurer as soon as you can. **Which documents should I keep?** Reports, prescriptions, itemised invoices in your name and proof of payment. **How do I find a reliable doctor?** Through your insurer's approved network, by asking at your accommodation or by checking your consulate's lists. ## Keep reading - [Money and insurance](https://getgigapass.com/en/blog/airport-taxes) | Flight taxes and surcharges: why the final price isn't the advertised one | 5 min - [Money and insurance](https://getgigapass.com/en/blog/business-trip-expenses) | Business trip expenses: which receipts to keep and how | 5 min - [Money and insurance](https://getgigapass.com/en/blog/credit-card-travel-insurance) | Your card's travel insurance: when it's enough and when it's a trap | 5 min