The majority of policies researched were found to provide cover for worldwide travel, with golden gappers able to personalise their insurance cover for the destinations they plan to visit.
According to research by Azimo*, many Britons are now taking their own ‘grown-up gap year’, with 37% of 1,000 UK adults planning to tick off their bucket list on an extended trip abroad. For empty nesters planning a ‘Golden Gap Year’, Airport Parking and Hotels (APH) has put together a guide comparing travel insurance policies available to those aged over 65-years-old.
The research compares 25 policies for travellers aged over 65-years-old available with 11 insurance providers, including Aviva, Saga and Stay Sure, and highlights the age limit for insured travellers, the duration of cover, the maximum cover provided for medical expenses and lost possessions, as well as various activities covered.
The majority of policies researched were found to provide cover for worldwide travel, with golden gappers able to personalise their insurance cover for the destinations they plan to visit. However, JustTravelCover.com restricts cover to only the UK and EU for mature travellers over the age of 86-years-old and likewise most travel insurance providers will not cover travel to destinations against the advice of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO).
With regards to the age limit for valid travel insurance, there is no upper age limit stated by six of the travel insurance providers researched, including Explorer Travel Insurance, AA Travel Insurance and Saga. However, it’s worth keeping in mind that some companies do enforce age restrictions including World First, who will only insure travellers aged under 100-years-old and Saga, who states that single trip policy holders must be aged over 50-years-old.
When claiming for an emergency while travelling, the maximum cover provided for medical expenses ranges from £5,000 while travelling in the UK under Saga’s Single Trip policy to £10,000,000 with 13 other policies, including Travel Insurance 4 Medical’s Superior policies. The excess for medical emergency claims ranges from zero excess with Flexicover Travel Insurance’s Platinum Single Trip policy, to £150 for the Travel Insurance 4 Medical’s Economy Extra policies. Intrepid travellers should also keep in mind that medical fees may not be covered if an injury is incurred as a result of a hazardous activity such as hang gliding or rock climbing. However, all providers do cover for sports and activities, such as abseiling, snorkelling and mountain biking, and Sainsbury’s Bank also provides cover for pursuits such as hot air ballooning and boogie boarding.
The maximum cover for lost, stolen or damaged possessions also varies from no cover with Flexicover Travel Insurance’s Bronze policy, to £5,000 for single trip policies with Saga. The amount provided for each type of possession lost, stolen or damaged also varies – for example, Sainsbury’s provides cover for £250-worth of lost, stolen or damaged valuables, while Saga will cover for £1,000-worth of valuables.
Finally, travellers should keep in mind to always declare their pre-existing medical conditions when applying for travel insurance as this may lead to a medical screening over the phone or online in the form of a questionnaire.
* According to online money transfer company Azimo in October 2017, available at: www.express.co.uk/travel/articles/866000/travel-holidays-grown-up-gap-year-destinations
Angelos is the news editor for TravelDailyNews Media Network (traveldailynews.gr, traveldailynews.com and traveldailynews.asia). His role includes to monitor the hundrends of news sources of TravelDailyNews Media Network and skim the most important according to our strategy.
He currently studies Communication, Media & Culture in Panteion University of Political & Social Studies of Athens.
