Compare travel insurance for seniors

Travel insurance for seniors are travel insurance policies from specialist providers that help travellers, aged 60 and over, travel with peace of mind. It’s important to stress that there are no specific policies for seniors, as the policy you buy depends on your circumstances.

 

However, these providers won’t have restrictive age caps. So you are more likely to get a competitive policy that suits your needs if you are aged 60 or older. These providers are often better than standard insurers at providing cover for pre-existing medical conditions.

 

Finding the right travel insurance policy for your trip can be challenging. To help make it easier, you can use PayingTooMuch to easily compare all the options available to you.

Many travel insurance policies designed for seniors usually cover the following: 

 

• Medical Expenses - This covers things like hospital stays and doctor visits. Covering any pre-existing medical conditions can help you avoid a large medical bill if one of these conditions flares up during your trip.

 

• Repatriation (sending someone back to their country) - If you become seriously ill or suffer a serious injury, you may need to be flown back to your home country for treatment. Depending on the country, this can cost tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands, of pounds. 

 

• Cancellation - This helps to cover any non-refundable costs if you’re unable to travel. This covers you if you can’t travel because of a range of reasons, including a medical emergency, a work-related issue, a home emergency, extreme weather or a transport strike.

 

• Baggage - You can cover the loss, or theft, of your luggage and other personal items such as laptops, jewellery and other personal items.

 

Travel insurance can protect you from unforeseen circumstances, no matter your age. You need travel insurance to protect yourself from unforeseen circumstances. It’s also important to remember that the cost and quality of medical care varies significantly by country.

 

For example, if you’re travelling to the United States, having travel insurance could save you a lot of money, if you did need to make a claim.

 

This is because it is the country with the highest healthcare costs in the world¹. Falling ill or getting injured here without the right cover can lead to a very expensive medical bill.  

 

Also, if you're planning to use either one of the following: 

 

• GHIC (Global Health Insurance Card) 
• EHIC (European Health Insurance Card)

 

Have a quick double-check that they are valid in the country you’re visiting. This is because, both of these cards do not cover repatriation. They are also only valid within the EU and in some overseas French territories².  

 

So if you are planning to travel outside the EU, it can be a good idea to get travel insurance to have peace of mind before and during your trip.

 

Travel insurance does not cover every situation imaginable. Below are some of the exemptions to most travel insurance policies.  

It’s vital that you tell us about any pre-existing conditions. If you were to leave out a pre-existing condition, your policy could be invalid. Your insurer could refuse to pay for any treatment; hospital stay or repatriation. Which could leave you with a large medical bill. 

Insurance providers also maintain firm boundaries regarding personal conduct and risk. You will typically not be covered for: 

 

• Alcohol and drug-related incidents - If you are injured or become ill when you are under the influence of alcohol or non-prescription drugs.  

 

• High-risk activities - Most standard policies exclude extreme sports or hazardous activities. So make sure you read the policy documents before you buy to make sure you’re covered for any activities you have planned while you’re travelling.   

 

• Travelling against medical advice - If you travel against the explicit advice of a doctor. 

The cost of travel insurance can vary depending on your travel plans. We’ve highlighted what these are below: 

 

• Your age - Insurance premiums can often increase at different age milestones such as 65, 70, 75, and 80. At 80+ you may find that the options become more limited. This is because many insurance providers might see you as a higher risk customer.

 

• Your destination - The destination of your trip is also an important factor. Places such as the USA, Canada, Caribbean, and Spain often require much higher premiums. This is due to the higher healthcare costs.  

 

• The length of your trip -The longer your trip, the higher the chance that you’d make a claim. So a 6-week trip would cost a lot more than a long weekend.

 

• Specialist add-ons - Some higher risk activities, such as winter sports, require specialist cover. These will cover things such as mountain rescue or piste closures. 

Here are some useful tips that could help you find affordable travel insurance for your trip: 

 

• Compare specialist providers - Some insurance providers have higher premiums for older travellers. You can use a price comparison website like PayingTooMuch to find specialist providers. They are more likely to cater better to your age group.

 

• Total medical disclosure -Always declare any pre-existing conditions you have. It can save you thousands of pounds if you end up making a claim.

 

• Annual vs. Single-trip -If you plan to travel more than twice a year, an Annual Multi-Trip (AMT) policy is usually more cost-effective. However, some insurance providers put age limits on these policies, which are often capped between 75 and 79 years of age. 

 

• Adjust your excess -Increasing your voluntary excess can significantly lower your price. Just make sure the total excess remains an amount you can comfortably afford if you need to claim. 

 

Take your time and carry out your own research when looking for travel insurance. This will help ensure that you have the right cover for your trip.   

¹https://www.weforum.org/stories/2023/02/charted-countries-most-expensive-healthcare-spending/

 

²https://faq.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/knowledgebase/article/KA-26802/en-us