Hospitals and clinics in Algeria are available, but of doubtful quality. Doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for services. U.S. medical insurance is not always valid outside the United States. Supplemental medical insurance with specific overseas coverage, including provisions for medical evacuation, has proven useful. Serious crimes have been reported in which armed men posing as police officers have entered homes of occupants, held them at gunpoint, and robbed them.
Armed carjacking is also a serious problem.
Petty theft and home burglary occur frequently. Theft of contents and parts from parked cars, pickpocketing, theft on trains and buses, theft of anything left in a hotel room, and purse snatching are common. The loss or theft of a U.S. passport abroad should be reported to local police and the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. They are available from the Superintendent of documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. Travelers checks and credit cards are acceptable in only a few establishments in urban areas.