Contacting the police

It is advisable to contact the local police to file a first incident report (FIR).

This will help you apply for an emergency travel document and to claim back any cover by your insurance company.

You may be asked to write your own report, particularly for lost items, and the police will then stamp it.

It is strongly recommended to bring someone who speaks the local language if you need to go to the local police station.

Comprehensive medical insurance

It is essential to acquire comprehensive travel insurance before travelling to India. Your travel insurance policy should cover the entire period you are abroad until you arrive home. Always check the conditions and exclusions of your policy; most policies will not cover drink or drug-related incidents.

Your policy should at the very minimum cover the following:

• medical and health cover for an injury or sudden illness abroad, including medical evacuation/repatriation
• 24 hour emergency service and assistance
• personal liability cover (in case you are sued for causing injury or damaging property)
• lost and stolen possessions cover
• cancellation and curtailment cover
• cover for activities that are often excluded from standard policies (e.g. water sport activities such as jet skiing, scuba diving or mountain climbing)

An air ambulance could cost up to €145,000 to repatriate you to Ireland. This depends on the severity of your injuries.

Illness abroad

Illness/Hospitalisation

In an emergency, please go to the nearest private hospital. The large hospital chains such as Apollo, Max and Fortis often offer a similar level of care to western hospitals.

Expect to pre-pay for treatment or pay a deposit.

If you have run out of prescribed medication, bring your empty box of medication to a pharmacy to see if it can be filled. Most medication does not require a prescription in India.

If you become ill or require hospital treatment while in India, you or your friends/family can contact the Embassy/nearest Honorary Consulate for assistance if you need help in dealing with the situation.

The Embassy can:

• Offer general advice on the local medical services
• Assist in liaising with doctors or hospitals
• Arrange interpretation if necessary
• Advise relatives or friends about accidents or illnesses
• Assist in arranging repatriation to Ireland

It is important to stress that the Embassy does not have funds to pay hospital bills or meet other medical expenses on your behalf.

Also, the Embassy does not:

• Provide medical advice
• Pursue insurance companies about payment of or refund of the cost of medical treatment
• Pursue claims for compensation relating to negligence, injury or any other matter
• Pay for visits by relatives

Air Ambulance

Please be aware that a medical evacuation to Ireland from India can cost up to €145,000.

Comprehensive travel insurance is essential in order to protect yourself in the event of a serious medical emergency requiring medical repatriation to Ireland.

Death abroad

If a member of your family dies while abroad, the Irish Embassy will provide all possible assistance in dealing with the formalities that arise in these situations.

The Embassy can:

• Arrange to have the next of kin of the deceased informed by the Garda Síochána
• Assist relatives to appoint a local undertaker
• Assist with procuring documents such as death certificates or medical or police reports
• Assist relatives to communicate with the Police and other authorities

However, the Embassy does not:

• Investigate the circumstances of the death
• Pay expenses relating to local burial or cremation
• Pay the cost of repatriating the remains
• Pay for relatives to travel to where the death occurred or to accompany the remains to Ireland

If the deceased was covered by travel insurance, it is important for next of kin to contact the insurance company without delay. If there is no insurance cover, the cost of repatriation or burial will have to be met by the family.

Families should be aware that the time required to repatriate remains to Ireland varies depending on the circumstances of a death. A minimum of a week is quite usual from India. However, there may be circumstances where repatriation can be delayed for longer.

In cases of sudden or unexpected death an autopsy is normally required in India. Further investigation may be necessary before a decision as to cause of death is reached. If death was caused by a criminal act, the police may conduct a full investigation