Travel Insurance for Seniors: Frequently Asked Questions

Once I was a younger backpacker, I didn’t suppose a lot about journey insurance coverage. I browsed a pair plans, purchased one, and went on my means. I imply, I most likely I wasn’t even going to even want it, proper?

Mistaken.

Whereas most of my travels over the previous seventeen years have gone easily, I’ve undoubtedly had loads of mishaps too, from missed flights to damaged gear to serious medical emergencies.

That’s why, today, I by no means depart house with out journey insurance coverage. Not solely does it supply peace of thoughts (to each me and my family members), however it ensures I’m made entire ought to one thing sudden occur.

Understandbly, I get a lot of questions about travel insurance. It’s a posh matter (and, if we’re being trustworthy, a boring one which most individuals don’t need to analysis).

The place issues get particularly sophisticated is when older vacationers attempt to discover a plan. Each week, I get emails from vacationers of their 60s, 70s, and past asking for enter on their coverage choices. This isn’t simply because insurance coverage is sophisticated (although it’s). It’s as a result of costs usually skyrocket when you hit 65, and lots of insurance coverage firms don’t even cowl vacationers over the age of 70!

So, that will help you plan your golden years of journey, listed below are a number of of the most typical questions I get about journey insurance coverage for older vacationers:

1. What Does Journey Insurance coverage For Older Vacationers Cowl?

Whereas each coverage is completely different, a very good plan will embody the next:

• Medical protection for a minimum of $100,000 USD ($250,000 USD can be higher although)
• Emergency evacuation protection (a minimum of $250,000 USD)
• Protection for misplaced, broken, or stolen possessions, like jewellery, baggage, paperwork, and so on.
• Some protection to your electronics
• Protection for cancelations for lodges, flights, and different transportation bookings when you have a sudden sickness, loss of life within the household, or different emergency
• Protection for political emergencies or pure disasters which will trigger you to go house early
• Monetary safety if any firm you’re utilizing goes bankrupt
• 24/7 buyer help

Briefly, you need a coverage that covers medical emergencies, your possessions and purchases, and gives 24/7 help.

Essentially the most bare-bones plans typically cowl medical emergencies, however not your bookings or possessions. In the event you’re a brilliant frugal younger traveler in your twenties, that is perhaps tremendous.

Personally, now that I’m older and journey with extra valuables (and typically e book nicer lodging), I prefer to have protection for my possessions and bookings too. Higher secure than sorry, if you happen to ask me!
 

2. What’s the Age Restrict for Journey Insurance coverage for Older Vacationers??

Sadly, journey insurance coverage firms normally have age caps on their insurance policies: 65–69 for many, although some supply insurance coverage for these 70–75.

For instance, SafetyWing, my private go-to journey insurance coverage firm, caps its plans at age 69. World Nomads, one other widespread firm I’ve used for many years, has an age cap of 70.

Consequently, costs skyrocket when you hit 65. Since older vacationers usually have extra well being points than youthful ones, and since journey insurance coverage is a for-profit business, coverage prices are greater for older vacationers. It’s not honest, I do know, particularly since lots of older vacationers are completely wholesome. However that’s simply one thing to bear in mind when evaluating plans.
 

3. How A lot is Journey Insurance coverage for Older Vacationers?

Costs fluctuate based mostly in your age, vacation spot, and the place you reside, so there’s no “one worth matches all” reply. Nevertheless, vacationers of their sixties and above must be ready to spend a minimum of $125 USD per thirty days for a really fundamental plan.

If you would like extra complete medical protection, in addition to “cancel for any motive” protection, costs can bounce to over $400 USD per thirty days.
 

4. I Wish to Go on a Cruise. What Journey Insurance coverage Firm is Finest?

If cruises are your main journey type, these three firms are value trying out:

Journey Guard – Travel Guard has particular cruise insurance coverage insurance policies, which makes it easier than looking for an add-on to a different non-cruise-centric coverage. It covers any emergency journey help, journey interruption, delay, and cancelation.

VisitorsCoverage – VisitorsCoverage is an insurance coverage market with a specific cruise section that compares completely different plans, together with the favored SafeCruise plan by IMG. This plan is designed for cruise vacationers and consists of every thing you may want, together with the add-on for “cancel for any motive” protection.

InsureMyTrip – InsureMyTrip is one other insurance coverage market with a cruise-specific part. You may put in your dates, vacation spot, and the price of your journey, and it’ll pull up quite a lot of plans with pricing and protection listed in a straightforward comparability format.
 

5. The Two Finest Corporations for Older Vacationers

Since older vacationers have completely different wants in relation to journey insurance coverage, it’s vital that you just discover a firm that covers these wants. Listed below are what I believe are the perfect journey insurance coverage firms for older vacationers:

InsureMyTrip
InsureMyTrip is an insurance coverage aggregator that lets you evaluate insurance policies from over twenty firms. That is the perfect place for older vacationers to buy round to get a quote. You’ll be capable of seek for insurance policies that cowl these your age, in addition to supply “cancel for any motive” plans (an vital perk for any older vacationers with well being issues or who’re reserving costly journeys and don’t need to danger dropping that cash).

Moreover, IMT additionally affords insurance policies that cowl sure preexisting situations (which is a big plus and one thing most different firms don’t embody).

Right here’s a fast overview of IMT:

• Comparisons of plans from over 20 firms
• Assured low costs
• Protection for vacationers over 65
• “Anytime advocates” ask the insurer to present your declare a re-examination if you happen to suppose it was unfairly denied

Medjet
Medjet isn’t an insurance coverage firm however quite a membership program that gives complete emergency medical transportation. As a member, you get 24/7 entry to lots of of air ambulances and knowledgeable medical transport escorts and workers, positioned all around the world.

Why do I believe it is a must-have for older vacationers?

First, whereas most insurance coverage firms be sure you get to the “nearest acceptable facility” after an harm, Medjet ensures you get house. Which means you gained’t should spend time in a overseas medical facility and might get again to your main care doctor instantly.

Second, most journey insurance coverage firms will solely evacuate it is best to there be turmoil or a pure catastrophe if the federal government says issues are unsafe. If the federal government doesn’t declare an emergency, journey insurance coverage doesn’t should evacuate you, forcing you to pay out of pocket if you happen to don’t really feel secure.

That’s not the case with Medjet. In the event you really feel you’ll want to be evacuated, they’ll be sure you get house safely.

Lastly, it has a excessive age cap (with protection as much as age 84), which is uncommon within the journey insurance coverage business.

Right here’s a fast overview of Medjet:

• Intensive medical transport protection
• Affords common protection as much as age 74 (with prolonged protection as much as age 84)
• Protection for COVID-19
• Restricted time spent in overseas medical services
• Each short-term and annual plans
• Accessible to residents of the US, Canada, and Mexico

I by no means depart house with out journey insurance coverage. It’s a lesson I’ve realized the onerous means, and one I’m extra adamant about as I become older. I believe everybody can buy journey insurance coverage earlier than they journey — no matter age. Nevertheless, older vacationers specifically ought to ensure that they’ve the protection they want in case one thing goes awry. Whereas the coverage choices are dearer (and typically much less sturdy), there are nonetheless loads of reasonably priced plans to make sure you are protected as you get pleasure from your golden years of journey.