Swinton launches travel insurance policy with no upper age limit
Get travel cover, no matter how old you are.
Swinton Insurance has launched a new travel insurance policy which has no upper age limit.
With this policy, travel disruptions including strikes, airline failures and missed connections are covered.
Additional protection for cruises is also included as standard, as well as baggage cover of up to £2,500.
If you’re a more frequent traveller, multi-trip policies are available for people up to 85 years old.
Both the single and annual multi-trip policies provide benefits as standard including medical expenses up to £15 million and cancellation and curtailment cover up to £5,000.
The new policy is available in-branch or over the phone.
Why older people struggle to get cover
As you get older, securing travel insurance becomes more difficult. And if you do get cover, it costs far more.
Essentially, older people are statistically more likely to fall ill on holiday. They’re also more likely to have pre-existing medical conditions.
Insurers price their policies on the basis of increased risk, so older people and those with pre-existing medical conditions are likely to be hit hard. And unlike their younger counterparts who grab short-haul holiday bargains, older people are more likely to travel further afield, posing more risks to their insurer.
To help keep things simple, older travellers are pushed into age bands of 55-65 and 65-74, making things that bit more difficult for those over 75.
Who else covers older travellers?
There are other providers out there who will give older travellers a quote. The following are based on single-trip insurance.
Up to 84:
- MRL Insurance
Up to 85:
- Freedom Insurance
- Flexicover
- Columbus Direct
Up to 100:
- World First
No upper limit:
- All Clear Insurance
- Explorer Travel Insurance
- Intune (Age UK)
- PJ Hayman
- Saga
- LV
- AA
- OK To Travel
- RIAS
- Holidaysafe Club
- Avanti Travel Insurance
- Goodtogoinsurance.com
- StaySure (unless you are travelling to the United States of America, Canada, the islands of the Caribbean, Bermuda, Mexico, Thailand, China or Hong Kong, where you must be 85 or under at the time of purchasing your policy)
However, if you travel abroad more than twice a year, it’s a better idea to go for annual or multi-trip policies which usually stipulate an upper age limit.
Get a travel insurance quote for free from lovemoney.com
Quick tips to minimise the cost of your cover
The first thing you should do is shop around. Pop into local providers’ branches or try comparison sites like lovemoney.com. You’ll always get the best deal online, but don’t assume that the cheapest insurance will offer all the cover you need. Check the small print first.
Check your existing insurance policies before you sign up to your travel insurance to avoid doubling up. Some of your valuables may already be covered on your home insurance, for example.
If you have a pre-existing medical condition it’s a better idea to get a specialised underwritten policy rather than a bog-standard one. When you're doing your research, try heading over to charitable organisations such as Macmillan or the British Heart Foundation for advice on travel insurance with your condition. Some even have tailored travel insurance policies, like Diabetes UK.
Opt for a Europe-only policy if you don’t plan to travel beyond the EU as they’re cheaper than worldwide policies. Part of the reason is that healthcare in the likes of the US is far more expensive than it is here, so this is taken into account when pricing up your policy.
If insurers don’t offer cover for your age range, they are obligated to ‘signpost’ you to an insurer or broker who does. This action was brought in under the Association of British Insurers and the British Insurance Brokers’ Association in April 2012.
And it doesn’t matter how old you are, an EHIC card is always a European travel essential.
Have a look at Top travel insurance for your holidays for more advice.
More on travel:
Holidaymakers putting themselves at risk on city breaks
10 mistakes that could void your travel insurance
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