Within recent years there have been outbreaks of polio, cholera, and dysentery. Doctors and hospitals generally expect immediate cash payment for health services. U.S. medical insurance is not always valid outside the United States. Travelers have found that supplemental medical insurance with specific overseas coverage is useful. Albania has a high rate of violent crime.
Street crime is fairly common and occurs particularly at night.
Crime is generally directed at targets of opportunity, not at Americans in particular. The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to the local police and the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. It provides useful information on guarding valuables and protecting personal security while traveling abroad. Credit cards and traveler's checks are not accepted in Albania except at the major new hotels in Tirana. Personal checks are not accepted anywhere.