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Travel Insurance for Seniors
Written by
Rachel Gregg
Edited by
Laura Crowden
Reviewed by
Adrian BennettSee our range of travel insurance providers
iSelect does not compare all providers in the market or all products offered by our partners in your area. Not all policies or special offers are available to all customers and some may only be available over the phone or on the website. Learn more.
Why might I need travel insurance as a senior?
There’s no age limit on fun, just like there’s no limit on who should get travel insurance. If you’re choosing to spend your well-earned retirement exploring the world, travel insurance can be a great safety net to pack to prepare you for anything unexpected that might happen. Travel insurance can go a long way to giving you invaluable peace of mind so you can focus on taking in the sights or claiming that lounge by the pool. For 31% of senior travellers, it’s not just the added reassurance that matters, but the health coverage that’s included in most standard travel policies.1Australian Seniors – The Australian Seniors Series: Senior Travel Report 2022
What will travel insurance for seniors typically cover?
Depending on your policy, your travel insurance can cover medical assistance, like having to go to hospital; damaged, lost or stolen luggage; cancellations; and even the excess on your rental car. However, some travel insurance policies designed for seniors could skip things like adventure activities that need extra cover (like skiing or scuba diving), breaking the law, or travelling to a ‘do not travel’ destination.
Do I need to take out a specific seniors policy?
Not necessarily. Seniors are welcome to take out many standard travel insurance policies, although the age limits on policies can vary significantly between insurers. Some policies may only cover travellers aged under 75 or 80 years of age, while those more tailored for seniors can cover you up until 99 years of age. As an older traveller, you may also find that a policy or insurer aimed specifically at seniors is better suited to your needs or provides better value for money.
What are the different types of travel insurance for seniors?
Domestic
Whether you’re planning on grey nomad-ing around the country or taking a shorter, more direct trip, domestic travel insurance could prove worthwhile. While emergency medical costs generally aren’t included (if you’re staying in Oz, then you’ll likely be able to rely on Medicare and health insurance for that), domestic travel insurance can still help save the day when it comes to cancellations, delays, rental vehicle excesses, and lost, stolen or damaged luggage.
International
An overseas trip is exciting but can come with increased risks, like needing medical treatment while in a foreign country. This could mean you come home with a bill bigger than any souvenir you can pick up – unless you’ve got international travel insurance. As a general rule of thumb, if the Smartraveller website has the country rated as a Level 1 or 2, there’s a good chance you can find a policy to cover your visit.
Annual multi-trip
If you’re a regular jetsetter or just happen to have a bunch of grandchildren planning destination weddings, a multi-trip travel insurance policy could mean you can purchase just one travel insurance policy for the year and get the cover you need for all your trips. Just make sure it includes all the locations you’ll be travelling to, and check limits to the duration of any one trip.
What types of holidays are covered by travel insurance for seniors?
Cruises
Cruising is a popular holiday choice for seniors; what’s better than relaxing on the waves and exploring tropical islands? But cruising comes with its own risks, like a higher chance of catching a virus someone else has brought aboard. You might even find that travel insurance which includes cruise cover is a requirement for boarding the ship. While some comprehensive policies will automatically include cruise cover, it is more commonly found as an optional extra to add on top.
Leisure
From sight-seeing to shopping to trying local delicacies, it all comes under leisure where travel insurance is concerned. Unlike more high-octane and adrenaline-spiking activities, if something were to happen to you while enjoying one of these low-risk activities, you wouldn’t need specialty travel insurance or have added-on any optional extras to be covered.
Cycling
Hopping on a bicycle can be a great way to explore a place, while helping balance out an indulgent lunch or two. Whether it’s self-guided or as part of a tour, a cycling holiday (as long as you aren’t getting too extreme or trying to race the Tour de France) doesn’t require special travel insurance; a standard policy should do the trick.
Fishing and water sports
If you’re happiest with a rod in your hand to reel in dinner, there are plenty of exciting fishing holidays to be had. From inland adventures to getting a taste of the sea, a standard travel insurance policy could be all that you need. However, if you want to add some other aquatic escapades to your trip, like jet skiing or water skiing, you may need to buy additional insurance to be covered.
What optional extras can I add to travel insurance as a senior?
Rental car excess
Hiring a car to see sights off the beaten track is a great way to travel, unless you get in an accident and have to pay an excess to get the car fixed. Of course, if you add rental car excess cover to your travel insurance, it’s your insurer who’ll be paying that excess for your rental car provider, not you (you’ll still need to pay your travel insurance excess).
Golf
Teeing off at your dream course? Adding golf cover to your travel insurance policy could foot your green fees, should you be unable to play, plus give you some peace of mind if something were to happen to your clubs. That way, you can focus on sinking a birdie, not another bill.
Adventurous activities
If you’re taking a holiday that’ll have your heart pumping or come with a little more risk, there are a range of travel insurance extras. Extras like snow sports and adventure packages can help keep you covered as you ski or hike to the summit of a local mountain. Just keep in mind that individual adventure activities may come with their own age limits.
Cruise cover
If the open sea and a multitude of destinations are calling, you may want to keep your feet on dry land long enough to pick up some cruise travel insurance. Cruise-specific cover is tailored with things like medical cover on board or medical evacuations, so you’re not stuck high and dry in a worst-case scenario.
Helpful tip
Not all cruises are in the same boat. Depending on the type of cruise you’re on, your travel policy could have different conditions. Whether it’s a river cruise or an ocean cruise, most insurers will want you to take out specific cruise cover as an optional extra. If you’ve booked in a shorter cruise (like a one-night trip from Marseille to Barcelona), make sure to check the definition of a cruise with your insurer. Some might include anything less than two nights differently to a long-haul trip across the ocean.
Adrian Bennett
General Manager for General Insurance
How much does travel insurance typically cost for seniors?
When just looking at age-based factors, senior travel insurance can be more expensive than for someone younger. Even still, 90% of senior travellers wouldn’t consider travelling without it.2As above
Other than your age, there are a few other factors that can nudge your travel insurance premium up or down. These will play out differently for everyone, but they can all have an impact:
- Where you’re travelling to and its risk factors
- How long you’re on holiday for
- Your level of cover (comprehensive, basic, etc)
- Your excess amount
- Pre-existing medical conditions
- Any optional extras or additional cover you need on top of a standard policy
What should I consider when taking out travel insurance as a senior?
Will my age affect my travel insurance?
Different travel insurance policies have different age limits – even when they’re from the same insurer. That said, it’s very possible to find options that provide cover for someone up to 99 years old. Just keep in mind that your premium and excess might climb as you get older, since your chances of claiming go up too. You might also see some restrictions pop up as you get older, like how soon you can purchase a policy before a trip and how long your trip can be.
Will my pre-existing medical condition affect my travel insurance?
While pre-existing medical conditions aren’t necessarily an indicator of age, the inescapable truth is we tend to collect more of them as we grow older. But even if you have a fair few to your name, you could still get travel insurance, but which conditions are covered will just depend on your policy. You might also need to pay an additional premium to have those conditions covered. Reading the policy document carefully can help you understand what’s in and what’s out.
Common myths about travel insurance for seniors
Travel insurance is unaffordable for seniors.
While your premium and excess might go up as you get older, travel insurance is still about covering what you need and not paying for things you don’t. So, you may find that you can adjust your premium by tweaking your cover. Comparing policies can also help you find one that offers better value. Plus, if something does go pear-shaped while you’re away, that policy could end up saving you big time.
You can’t get cover for pre-existing conditions.
While it can differ between insurers and policies, you might still be able to get cover for your pre-existing conditions. If it’s been a while since you were last treated or had a minor issue, it might not be considered a pre-existing condition by the insurer. Some minor conditions may be automatically covered, while others could be covered after a medical assessment and possibly paying a slightly higher premium.
You need to put down the age you’ll be when you’re travelling.
Nope, the age that applies to your policy is the age you are when you buy it. You can also check your policy document or speak with your insurer to confirm this. So, if you’re planning a special birthday trip, this might be an extra incentive to purchase travel insurance sooner rather than later.
Insurers only use one age limit.
Untrue again. Age limits for travel insurance can vary between insurers and policies. For instance, your insurer’s standard travel insurance policy may have a limit of 89 years of age, while their snow sports package has one of 69. Looking through your policy document for age details should give you a better idea of what limits apply.
Frequently asked questions
Which companies offer travel insurance for seniors?
There are many options out there when it comes to senior travel insurance. Here are a few insurers out there who can help protect your retirement vacay plans:
Some insurers that iSelect can help you compare include:
- Fast Cover
- Huddle Insurance
- Insure4less
- InsureandGo
- ReadySet Travel Insurance
- Southern Cross Travel Insurance
- Tick Travel Insurance
- Travel Insurance Saver
- Travel Insuranz
- Travel Protect
- WAS Insurance
- World2Cover
- Zoom Travel Insurance
Other travel insurers in the market include:
- 1Cover
- Allianz
- Blue Insurance
- Budget Direct
- Bupa Travel Insurance
- Cover-More
- Everyday Travel Insurance
- Medibank
- Nib
- RACV Travel Insurance
- Travel Insurance Direct
Note: iSelect does not compare all travel insurance providers in the market, or all products offered by our partners in your area.
Are my children or grandchildren covered under my travel insurance as a senior?
The finer details will change from one travel insurance policy to another. Generally, grandkids or children (dependents) under a certain age, like 18 or 20, can be included under your policy coverage. Just keep an eye out for any conditions, like needing them to travel with you 100% of the time or not being in full-time employment.
Does travel insurance for seniors cover COVID-19?
Most senior travel insurance policies will include some COVID-19-related cover, but what exactly is covered will change depending on your policy details. Some travel insurers might cover you for medical costs or any related cancellations, while others might exclude medical-related costs and just cover you for border closures or quarantine periods. It all comes down to your policy, so make sure to read through everything before packing your bags.
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iSelect does not compare all travel insurers or policies in the market. Travel insurance is only available through our website and not all policies are available at all times or in all areas. Not all policies available from our partners are compared by iSelect and due to commercial arrangements and customer circumstances not all policies compared by iSelect will be available to all customers. Click here to view iSelect’s range of providers.
iSelect General Pty Limited ABN 90 131 798 126, AFS Licence Number: 334115. Any advice provided by iSelect is of a general nature and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. You need to consider the appropriateness of any information or general advice iSelect gives you, having regard to your personal situation, before acting on iSelect’s advice or purchasing any policy. You should consider iSelect’s Financial Services Guide which provides information about our services and your rights as a client of iSelect. iSelect receives commission for each policy sold.