Too Old to Travel?

Retirement is supposed to be the most relaxing time of your life. This is the time where you are free to enjoy the finer things in life, and reap the benefits of the pension which you have worked hard for. What better way to celebrate this time by seeing the world, travelling and experiencing different cultures? All of this could be a dream, not a reality, for some pensioners, as many travel insurers refuse to cover people who are over 60, deeming them to big of a risk to offer them insurance.

Insurers claim that people over 60 are three times more likely to claim on their travel insurance than those under 50, which means their policy will cost them up to 3 1/2 times as much as a younger person. With the likelihood of elderly people claiming on their insurance, it is understandable that their policies would be higher, but many (perfectly healthy) older travellers feel discriminated against at these high prices. For some elderly people, the cost of travel insurance may not concern them- as many insurance providers will refuse to cover people at all if they are over 70. This has caused outrage in many pensioners as they feel as though they are attacked with ageism. Insurers claim that it is ludicrous to travel without insurance, even though they may not offer it to older people. Surely it is not ethical to confine the older generation to their home country?

Some companies specialise in offering different types of insurance to the elderly, but do come at a slightly higher price. Make sure you find a company who will insure you for any existing medical conditions that may affect you on your holiday. Again, this will probably add cost onto your insurance, but could be very useful if you do need to claim.

Remember to always shop around when buying holiday insurance Compare travel insurance online to get a good understanding of the market and the offers that some companies may include. If travelling more than once during a year, take out annual travel insurance, which will save you money rather than buying single travel insurance for each trip.