Is It Too Hard To Get Travel Insurance If You Are Over 65?
Posted on | November 30, 2009 | 9 Comments
Travel insurers seem to think that people over the age of 65 are more likely to make a claim for medical care so the cost of travel insurance can be more than double the premium of someone under 65.
So, are travel insurance companies missing a trick? There are nearly 10 million people in the UK aged over 65 who, with no commitments and having cleared themselves of a mortgage and their children, are travelling more than ever. There are plenty of over 75s travelling too and this group is even more marginalised by major insurers.
Of course these people are not white water rafting, snowboarding or mountain biking and in most cases are relaxing in the sun or travelling to see parts of the world whey have an interest in.
Healthier lifestyle and medical advances means that age should not be regarded as the major risk factor it once was. There are a lot of people aged over 70 who are perfectly fit and healthy and many of these may now be fitter than the 25 year old binge drinking smoker who is riding his hired scooter in Ibiza or partying on the hotel balcony.
So if you are over the age of 65 and want to travel the world with peace of mind what do you do?
Some insurers won’t cover people over 65 at all, so always check the age limit before buying a policy and get quotes from providers who aim to offer older travellers a good deal. There are some insurers who in certain circumstances provide cover up to age 89.
There are some other factors to consider when looking for affordable over 65 travel insurance. If you plan to travel abroad more than once a year, it could be cheaper to buy multitrip or annual travel insurance policy rather than single trip cover. Not only is it often cheaper, but it also reduces the amount of paperwork involved as you only have to supply the information once, instead of several times.
Another way to keep costs down is to ensure that you don’t pay for cover you will not need. Many standard travel insurance policies for families include coverage for winter sports, for example. Try to get a travel insurance quote based solely upon your travel needs and personal circumstances rather than a one size fits all policy.
Insurers can refuse to cover medical expenses abroad if the treatment is for a pre-existing medical condition. This includes any ongoing medical condition or a condition you’ve had in the past. If you’re not asked about your medical history, so make sure you tell the insurer when you buy the policy, however irrelevant it may seem. Some insurers will cover you but may charge an extra premium or make certain exclusions.
Due to the fact that over 65 travel insurance is often more expensive, it is even more important to shop around when searching for the insurer and policy that will give you the best possible deal.
But whatever you do, make sure do not give up on protecting yourself whilst travelling and certainly dont be put off from travelling because of this, there are good companies who offer good rates that will make sure you are not counting the cost further down the line.
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Comments
9 Responses to “Is It Too Hard To Get Travel Insurance If You Are Over 65?”
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November 30th, 2009 @ 10:17 am
Try this site for a quick quote on travel medical insurance. TravelEx allows for pre-existing conditions. —> http://www.travelex-insurance.com/index.asp?location=07-0018
November 30th, 2009 @ 11:29 am
I think that you will find a great deal on Moneysupermarket.com thats where I got my travel insurance, and they actually had to pay out on my policy as I ended up in a French hospital.
My insurance was about 40pounds, and it was for annual insurance! I think from memory you could go away for up to 94 days at a time, or 17days at a time if you included winter sports.
Hope this helps – just remember to read the small print about how many consecutive days away from the UK you are covered for! Happy Travels!
December 1st, 2009 @ 12:05 am
healthquotes.awardspace.info – here is my health insurance plan. As I remember they can provide such a service.
December 1st, 2009 @ 4:54 am
There are some good travel insurance companies. Get ones that pay your expenses or pay you in cash. Dont get ones that make you take another trip or give you a voucher to travel again with them.
I only buy insurance if the trip is WAY more than I can afford to lose.
Read the fine print of the policies before you purchase.
December 2nd, 2009 @ 4:45 am
You can get a refund if your insurance covers illness as a reason for cancellation. Different policies cover different contingencies. The way you would prove illness is by a note from your physician.
InsureMyTrip.com is one site that has comparisons among policies. I'm sure there are others.
December 2nd, 2009 @ 3:07 pm
It could very well be true. Although they are different countries to where you are, we are in the UK and when we book to go to Ireland the company we book with insists on having our insurance details. Besides, as the first answerer says…they would be daft to travel without it as the cost of treatment is far more than the cost of the insurance. Accidents do happen…believe me, I broke an elbow last year, and a few weeks after that was healed I broke my foot…if I had been abroad I would have been in sh*t street without insurance!
December 2nd, 2009 @ 3:17 pm
Checkout their theft rider, and the link for a free quote. http://www.travelex-insurance.com/index.asp?location=07-0018
December 2nd, 2009 @ 10:25 pm
December 3rd, 2009 @ 12:54 pm
Here are some links-
I had a similar situation- I was living in the Caymans Islands, no longer a Canadian resident, and wanted to travel for the summer. But every policy required that Canadian citizens be insured in their home privince, which I no longer have as non-resident. IMG was the only one I found, but as you DO have Canadian insurance, this will be easy for you. There are lots of short-term plans.
https://www.imglobal.com/travelinsurance/index.cfm?show=&&CFID=1718830&CFTOKEN=d9392e2d0226f2d2-EC75C061-1143-EBE5-76B31862584AA777
http://www.internationalsos.com,
http://www.travelexinsurance.com,
http://www.ijet.com,
http://www.travelassistance.com,
http://www.wallach.com,
http://www.travelguard.com,
http://www.independenttraveler.com/resources/article.cfm?AID=48&category=8,
http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/insurance.htm.