by Being an older traveler has its perks, including free or reduced-price access to many European sights and attractions. But there are also disadvantages. In particular, the much higher prices that arise when arranging travel insurance and steep increases for pre-existing medical conditions.
We’re not just talking about travelers over 60 or 65 here. Over the age of 40 there is a steep rise and from then on premiums can go up every 10, or even five years. But when you reach 65, some companies won’t insure you at all. And if they do, premiums are doubled again, and then continue to increase as you get past age 70.
So, for example, the cost of a Columbus Direct Single Cash Trip policy covering a week’s holiday in France increases as follows:
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Aged 65 or under: £25.66
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66-69: £56.95
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70-79: £87.91
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80-85: £134.96.
These climbs and descents despite older travelers being wiser and more experienced are definitely far less likely to end up in hospital after falling off a balcony or diving into the side shallow after drinking too much sangria. The standard response from insurers is that the higher premiums reflect increased risk for other types of medical claims, which are also the most expensive to resolve. They say that older people get sick more often, are more prone to various types of accidents, have longer hospital stays and are more expensive to treat.
They ignore the fact that some 60-somethings (or even 80-somethings) are fitter than many much younger travelers. They’ll only look at the media, and they like to make sure they win both ways: an insurer won’t offer you a discount for being fit, but if you already have an illness or health condition there’s a good chance that – if they willing to cover you at all – they will charge you more, and will likely include an exclusion for treatment related to that illness or condition.
One problem with comparing premiums is that no two travel insurance policies offer the same levels of cover or terms and conditions. The best policy for you may not be the cheapest overall; it is the one that offers you enough coverage at the best price. So there is no shortcut to looking through the cover summary and checking that you are happy with the amounts offered.
Here are some tips to find more affordable coverage for older travelers.
1. Find a specialist insurer
Here is a selection of companies that offer cover for people aged 65 and over.
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All Clear Insurance (0330 173 4544; allcleartravel.co.uk) offers cover for “all ages”, “all destinations” and “all conditions”.
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Avanti Travel Insurance (0330 822 4448 avantitravelinsurance.co.uk) has no age limit for single or multi-trip policies. Trip length restrictions apply to annual policies by age and destination.
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Flexicover (0333 005 1071; flexicover.co.uk) offers single trip cover for all age groups and annual multi-trip insurance up to age 85.
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Holidaysafe Insurance (0333 005 1062; holidaysafe.co.uk) has no maximum age for single trips and 79 for its annual policy (although this may depend on destination).
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Insurancewith (0333 005 1066; insurancewith.com) offers no upper age limit on single trip policies, and a maximum age of 85 on multi-trip policies.
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JD Travel Insurance (0344 247 4749; jdtravelinsurance.co.uk) can arrange insurance with no upper age limit for individual and multi-trip annual policies.
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PJ Hayman (02392 419080; freespirittravelinsurance.com) does not apply an upper age limit for single or multi-trip cover.
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Columbus Direct (0800 0680 060; columbusdirect.com) offers single trip cover up to age 85, annual up to age 74.
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Saga (0800 056 9200; saga.co.uk) says the policyholder must be over 50, but can add up to nine family and friends of any age. There is no upper age limit.
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Staysure (0330 828 6371; staysure.co.uk) has no age limit for single trip or annual trip policies.
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World First (0345 908 0161; world-first.co.uk) covers those up to age 100 on a single trip, and up to age 79 on annual cover.
2. Buy a multi-trip policy
If you travel four or five times a year or more, it’s probably cheaper to take out an annual “multi-trip” policy, which will cover you for all the travel you do that year. Unfortunately, maximum age limits for this type of policy are usually much lower than for insurance covering individual trips (see above).
3. Cut cover
Many policies are now flexible. You can remove some cover – lost or stolen luggage for example – and reduce premiums as a result.
4. Confirm health problems
This is what worries insurers the most. If you are taken ill because of a condition you did not declare when you bought the insurance, your claim will not be paid. Even if you have an annual policy, you must inform the insurer if you develop a condition during the period covered by the insurance. Typical conditions may include high blood pressure, diabetes or cancer, even in remission, but if in doubt talk to the company before buying cover, and have all the details recorded in writing. It might not raise your premium much and the insurer might not care. On the other hand, it may result in a specific exclusion of treatment, or denial of coverage.
If you are having trouble finding such coverage, however, some of the insurers listed above specialize in this type of problem. Try: Avanti Travel Insurance; All Insurance Net; Insurance with; JD Travel Insurance; PJ Hayman; Staysure and First World.
5. Check activities
If you like to be active on holiday, check which activities are included/excluded or, again, you could be left without cover and an expensive hospital bill.
6. Check Covid coverage
Covid-19 has brought a whole new dimension to the risks of canceling or changing your holiday. Check what’s covered. No insurance policy covers your costs if you unilaterally decide to cancel your holiday but most will provide cancellation cover if you test positive in the 14 days before your trip or have to cut your trip short because due to a positive test result abroad. as a standard. Others offer “enhanced” Covid-19 cover as standard which may allow you to cancel or cut short a trip due to hospitalization or the death of a family member due to Covid-19. For more information, see our guide to Covid cover.
This article was first published in June 2023 and has been revised and updated.
Reader Service: Learn how to get travel insurance for people over 70 years of age with the Telegraph Media Group Travel Insurance Service.
