I'm not sure what the answer to your question is, but I would suggest he has more than one card with him. My son is abroad and there have been times when he has been unable to use his debit card. He also has a credit card for emergencies. Is there time for him to open another account before he goes?

yes i think this is wise too i have said that to him thanks for the reply

His problem splits into two areas, not being able to pay for things and loss caused by illegal use by someone else.

In the case of the latter, this will be covered by the card issuers conditions so as long as he doesn't give away his PIN and doesn't leave the card somewhere it's bound to be stolen he'll be OK (eventually!!).

Still being able to pay is a bit more complicated, different cards will have different procedures. Some will rush out a replacement card and may even arrange a cash advance at a partner bank. Others might be less helpful. He needs to check the conditions of his and then work out how inconvenient it could be. And then check his travel insurance because some do offer assistance tagged onto the policy, they might be able to arrange a cash advance (which he'll have to repay) to keep him going. The actual insurance may pay for calls etc. in getting a new card issued.

It's wise to think ahead and have enough cash to cover a couple of days worth of necessities - there's always to possibilty that his card may not work somewhere or a power cut knocking out a cash machine.

I would recommend he takes both Visa and Mastercard, as some places will only take one and not the other. I found Barclaycard very helpful when I lost my cards in Tunisia once, as I simply made one call and they called me back immediately and arranged for me to pick up some cash at the nearest Western Union within a few hours to last until they got a new card to me. Co-op Visa on the other hand was a nightmare, as though they stopped my card immediately, I spent ages holding on expensive overseas calls from my mobile, listening to music and being told my call was important just to get the new card sent out (as I was out there for a month it wasn't a case of waiting until I got home.)