Monday 24 February 2020

Senior Travel Insurance

More and more seniors are setting out to do the travelling they never had the time to do when they were younger. If that’s you, you’re not alone. As a result, the travel industry is starting to pay attention to the senior traveler with special programs, amenities and discounts. The travel insurance industry is no different.

Most senior travelers want their trips to be as hassle free as possible. They plan ahead to make sure everything is taken care of the way they want it. More and more are realizing having the proper senior travel insurance plan is one of the best ways to make sure problems are minimized. But it not’s surprising that a lot of seniors don’t fully understand what travel insurance can do for them. As a result they miss out on the peace of mind they could have when they leave home.

The typical senior travel insurance plan will cover two very broad areas. First there is the trip cancellation and interruption coverage. This will cover the reimbursement of prepaid travel costs if your trip has to be cancelled for one of the reasons covered in the plan. If you’re taking a cruise and have paid a large up front cost this can save you a lot of money if something happens and the trip has to be cancelled.


In addition to a complete cancellation of your trip, a good policy will reimburse you a specified amount if you have to cut short your trip for any number of covered reasons. This could be family issues at home or issues with a tour or cruise itinerary.

The other major area of coverage is travel medical insurance. This provides hospital and doctor care if emergency illness or injury happens. It will also cover the cost of emergency return travel home. The medical travel insurance is especially important to seniors since it pays for medical services outside of your home country.

If something happens on your trip and you need medical attention or emergency help, finding the proper doctors and hospitals can be a challenge especially in a country where English is not a common language. A good senior travel insurance policy will provide 24 – hour telephone assistance to assist you in locating the best help.

There are many senior travel insurance policies available so to find the one that is right for you will require a little time and research. There a few things you can do to make this a little easier.

Check with your travel agent if you are using one. They usually know of reputable companies that cater to the senior market.
Check with your regular insurance agent to see if they handle travel insurance.
Ask friends who may have bought travel insurance recently.
Do some research and request some quotes.
Depending upon your own health you might need to look for one that covers pre-existing conditions. Many don’t. Some will cover them if you buy the policy within a specified time after paying for your trip and making a trip deposit. Still others will offer a waiver of the pre-existing condition exclusion for an added or separate fee.
When doing your research you may conclude that senior travel insurance is not cheap. But remember it is an investment in peace of mind. If you ever need to use the benefits of your policy, you’ll realize that it was the best investment you may have ever made. So be safe and enjoy your trip to the fullest.

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