Rental Car

• Confirm your firm or organization’s policy on rental car insurance. There are several types of insurance you can purchase in the event of loss or damage to the vehicle. Your personal automobile insurance policy or the credit card used to rent the vehicle may or may not provide coverage.
• Keep the rental car agreement and contract separate from the car itself. This way, you have immediate access to the car license plate, registration, etc.
• Remove all extraneous signs, hanging labels, or other advertisements identifying it as a rental car.
• If you are in an accident, follow the detailed instructions in your rental car contract for reporting, documenting, and following up on the process. Make sure to obtain complete information for all parties involved.
• If the rental car is stolen, make sure to obtain a police report and notify the rental car agency immediately. Provide an itemized list of all possessions that were in the car.
• Look into your personal homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy to cover the loss of your personal items that may have been in the car. Some credit cards also cover the loss/theft of goods purchased with that card.

Electronics

• Ensure you comply with your firm or organization’s policy on data storage and integrity. Back up all computer files and documents prior to travel. If possible, consider using a portable password-protected USB drive as secondary backup.
• If you use an iPhone or iPad, back up your device and consider installing the “Find my iPhone” application, which allows you to locate and remote lock or disable your device. Android phones have similar applications. If you use a BlackBerry, your corporate or company IT department may be able to remote lock or delete your device.
• Enable the “password lock” on your mobile device. It only takes a few seconds to unlock, it will shut down your device after several incorrect attempts, and it may be enough to deter or prevent theft.
• If you travel with a laptop, utilize password-protected screen savers and log-on screens.

Documents and Files

• If possible, avoid traveling with excessive paper files, notebooks, log books, or file folders. The more items you bring, the more likely you will misplace or lose an item. Paper items are also much harder to secure than electronic files.
• Consider scanning key items and papers into a PDF file and uploading to a central, secure location. Or, prepare executive summaries or abstracts of key information that you will need during business travel.
• If you must travel with paper files, consider purchasing a roller-board bag with a secure combination lock.

Above all, do not panic if a mishap occurs during your business travel and keep in mind the Golden Rule: People first—ensure you and those traveling with you are safe; property and possessions are always second, and in most cases, replaceable.