Five top tips on protecting your family abroad

Protecting your family when making the big leap abroad is no doubt top of the list of worries for any expat.

Here we bring you some tops tips to ease your concerns and keep everyone safe and sound!

Image courtesy of Anne Froelich

1. Ensure you’re insured

Comprehensive insurance is the first step to making sure that should anything happen – big or small – you’ll be in a good place to recover any damages. If you are unsure where to begin then expat forums are a great place to pick up tips and advice. Even better, talk to someone you know who’s living abroad and see what measures they put in place before moving.

2. Everybody needs good neighbours

Talk to people! There’s no better way to get yourself settled than to chat to your neighbours – especially those with their own children. Assuming they aren’t new to the area too they should be able to give you the low-down on everything from where to do your shopping to best playgrounds or social clubs in the area. Building up a close network around means that you will have people close by you can rely on should you need anything.

3. Stay healthy and happy

Organising healthcare for your family will help to give you peace of mind. Healthcare provision varies from country to country so it’s important to know beforehand what the set-up is in your host country. Knowing in advance will help you to make smart, cost-efficient choices where bills can quickly add up.

4. Funding education overseas

Like healthcare, education costs will be different depending on where you live. Fees can be expensive if you choose to put your child through a private schooling system so it’s important to factor this into your budget. If your child goes to a state school, you won’t have to pay for fees but school trips and socials can also be quite costly, especially if your child is keen to integrate with their new classmates.

5. Toy story

Perhaps less high on the agenda of an expat parent, but equally important, is the issue of toy safety. The EU has some of the toughest toy safety laws in the world so it’s important that you are aware where your child’s toys have been manufactured to avoid any accidents. All toys in the EU which have passed set regulations will have a CE mark on them. You can buy these toys in the safe knowledge that they follow strict safety guidelines.

Find out more about protecting your family overseas and other great expat guides, check out our Knowledge Centre.