Travelling as a senior can be an exciting and liberating experience, visiting new places, encountering rich cultures and taking in stunning landscapes. However, senior travel insurance cover could take a little more organisation than in previous years or feel a bit more complicated than it needs to be.
Researching price differences, changes in age brackets or navigating medical questions could seem challenging but it doesn’t have to be difficult if you know where to look for sensible options and how to find the right senior travel insurance provider.
Senior travel insurance is a type of cover that helps protect you at a certain time of life and provides the safeguards you’re looking for as you move into the senior years. At this point in life, having a decent travel insurance policy in place will provide reassurance and help you feel protected on vacation.
In this article, we explore travel insurance for seniors, the factors that impact senior travel insurance cover and what you need to know before you travel as a senior.
Contents
- Why is travel insurance important for seniors?
- What factors influence travel insurance cover?
- How essential is medical disclosure with travel insurance?
- What should seniors look for in a travel insurance policy?
Why is travel insurance important for seniors?
It’s true to say that travel insurance is important for travellers of any age, but particularly essential for people travelling who are over 70. As we get older, there is a larger possibility of accidents, illnesses or pre-existing medical conditions impacting our time away from home.
If you travel as a senior and don’t have an active travel insurance policy, this could be a substantial risk. Sudden illness or emergency medical treatment in another country can be extremely expensive and without travel insurance, you would have to pay out of your own pocket.
Another example of the vital nature of travel insurance for seniors would be in the event of a medical repatriation. If you have spent time abroad in hospital and need to return home with a medical escort or by air ambulance, the costs could be extortionate without the cover of travel insurance.
Learn more about travel insurance in our guide: Holiday Insurance: cover, costs and common questions.
What factors influence travel insurance cover?
Even though travel insurance policies are priced independently from one another, a number of factors influence the cost of the cover for the traveller, such as:
Typically, travel insurance policies increase in price in relation to age. An adult who is 80 might potentially pay more than an adult who is 40 or 50 due to the higher risk of a health issue.
However, as travellers advance in years, it is usually accepted that a travel insurance policy will increase in cost as insurers calculate the likelihood of a policyholder requiring medical treatment within the duration of the policy.
A trip to an area which is known to have higher medical costs, such as the United States of America or Canada, will usually increase the cost of a travel insurance policy to protect against the eventuality of a claim from one of these destinations.
Find more information about travelling far and wide in our article: Global travel insurance explained: worldwide cover made simple.
Your travel insurance provider will assess the policy on the basis of the length of your trip. If you plan to go away for a longer period of time, then your exposure to risk could be greater and this could increase the policy price.
A specialised holiday, such as a winter break, a golfing trip or a cruise, may also impact the costing of your travel insurance as providers calibrate the level of risk involved in your vacation.
How essential is medical disclosure with travel insurance?
There is no doubt that medical disclosure before you buy your travel insurance is essential for senior travellers. If you fail to disclose a pre-existing medical condition of any type, from minor conditions to more chronic illnesses, you risk invalidating your entire travel insurance policy.
What should seniors look for in a travel insurance policy?
Of course, you may have a list of priorities that you want to secure in your next travel insurance policy, but here is a checklist that could help you find the right cover for your needs:
Ask your travel insurance provider about:
- Emergency medical cover
- Repatriation compensation
- Trip cancellation or curtailment
- Lost baggage cover
- Personal accident cover
- Rental vehicle excess cover
You’ll find all of these essential cover elements with GasanMamo’s travel insurance.
Support your wellbeing with GasanMamo travel insurance
Here at GasanMamo, we take the time to ensure you gain the best possible travel insurance policy for the greatest value so you don’t have to worry while you’re away. Plus, we want to make sure you feel peace of mind during your holiday with cover that supports your health if something untoward happens.
In fact, we have amended our travel insurance policy to better align with senior traveller needs.
- People travelling aged 81-85 are now covered. We know that life doesn’t stop at 80 and neither should travel. We have extended our Basic Cover for travellers aged 81-85 without having to produce a medical certificate.
- Travellers aged 75-80 now qualify for Standard Cover, helping them access more benefits than ever before.
Get in touch with our friendly team to discuss your travel insurance needs. Plus, you can take a look at the competitive, comprehensive benefits and optional extras on our travel insurance page.
GasanMamo Insurance is authorised under the Insurance Business Act and regulated by the MFSA.
