Contingency Planning & Insurance

Contingency Planning and Insurance

Things going awry are an occupational hazard in journalism. So do put a flexible contingency plan in place and make sure you communicate this to someone responsible, preferably before deployment. Know whom to call if things go wrong or if you get detained. A carefully placed word by the right person often proves to be the quickest and safest solution.

Medical emergency

Think about what you would do in a medical emergency. Many experienced journalists often reply when I ask them what their medevac plan is: “We have a satellite phone.” But when I then ask them “Who are you going to call and what are they going to do about your medical emergency?” they are flummoxed. You can always tell those journalists who have actually carried out a medevac. It’s a complicated and expensive business that can take days depending on where you are. So, along the way it’s a good idea to take note of hospitals and places you could receive care if need be. If you are unlucky enough to require an evacuation, make sure you have the contacts for a reputable evacuation company and know what their capabilities are.

Insurance

Most importantly, take out the correct insurance. This means talking to brokers, not just buying travel insurance online which will probably not cover you. It’s expensive, but if you do not have it and something goes really wrong, you will kick yourself when your mother has to sell her car to fund your evacuation and subsequent treatment.