How to choose the right senior travel cover
Just as you might choose different travel adventures at different stages of your life, you should look at different types of travel cover as well. While there aren’t specific travel insurance plans for senior travellers, certain benefits may be of more interest to more seasoned travellers.
Follow our list of the top five considerations you should remember before purchasing senior travel cover.
Identify age limits
Most travel insurers have an upper age limit for covering international travellers, and some age limits vary by destination. Cover-More New Zealand offers cover for seniors to most destinations up to age 84. Don’t purchase a policy that won’t cover you.
Review existing medical condition options
It is often possible to get travel insurance even if you have a pre-existing medical condition. Depending on the travel insurance provider you choose, there are often online or phone assessments available to help walk you through the process. Outcomes of these consultations usually fall into three categories:
- Your condition is covered for free
- Your condition is covered for an additional premium
- Your specific medical condition is not covered (though you may be able to still get travel cover).
In some cases, though, a company may not offer you cover. If that’s the case, shop around. There are plenty of options available and cover varies greatly by company. It’s better to find a policy that fits your medical criteria than not disclose your condition. If you are aware of a condition that you do not disclose, it could cause claim denial or policy cancellation.
Consider additional cover for specific items
If you’ll be carrying any jewellery or special camera equipment on your trip, review the per item cover limits. Some policies will allow to you to increase the limit for specific items. Just remember that you may have to prove the value with original receipts or appraisals.
Read the policy to understand benefits and exclusions
Different policies offer different benefit levels for delayed or missing luggage, travel delay, lost money or travel documents, etc. Get the level of cover that best suits your trip and what you’ll be taking with you.
For example, one policy may offer NZ$50 in delayed baggage cover, while another may provide NZ$500. This can make a huge difference in which of your purchases are covered as you fill in the gaps buying toiletries and clothes while waiting for your bags to arrive.
Look for available services
Review what is included with the plan that you might need if something should happen on your journey. Some services of special interest to seniors that you might need when travelling:
- 24 hour emergency assistance to help you replace lost travel documents or passports
- Medical referrals to help you find a local doctor that speaks English
- Emergency evacuation assistance
Remember to get receipts and reports from police, airlines or other providers to help process your claim quickly.
Now that you’re an expert on reviewing travel insurance benefits for senior travellers, get a quote from Cover-More New Zealand to cover your next trip.
Image courtesy of Flickr user Steven Depolo; cropped from original