Just as with other forms of insurance, travel insurance underwriters assess risk when they offer their products to potential customers. In many cases, this means not offering insurance coverage to some people based on the likelihood that they will use the insurance and cost the insurance company several thousand pounds to cover medical expenses. One category of travellers often refused coverage is the category assigned to people over the age of 50.
Why Coverage Is Refused
The main reason that travellers over 50 have issues finding travel insurance coverage is that they are more likely to have pre-existing health conditions. As people age, they are more likely to have medical conditions like diabetes, heart conditions, high blood pressure and other ailments that can cause them to take suddenly ill and require medical attention. When they are out of the country, this means visiting unfamiliar doctors or hospitals, which can be very expensive.
Fortunately, there are some travel insurance companies that do offer travellers 50 and over coverage, but the premiums are usually higher than they would be for younger travellers. In addition, they still may not be eligible for coverage if they have certain pre-existing conditions. These conditions may include diabetes, a previous cancer diagnosis or a blood clotting disorder. Even if cleared for travel by their physician, it can still be hard for them to obtain an insurance policy.
Finding Coverage at a Good Rate
Some travellers over 50, who are in good health, may find it difficult to get coverage just based on their age. However, there are travel insurance companies willing to offer travel insurance coverage, but at higher costs. While they may never use the coverage since they are in good health, it is still a good idea to buy a policy when travelling abroad in case an accident befalls them while on their trip or there are delays in transportation that force their plans to change.
Along with medical coverage, travel insurance will usually offer coverage for travel delays due to inclement weather or simply missing a flight. If the traveller needs to rearrange their flight plans or if they have ski lift tickets they can no longer use due to a closure, their travel insurance will usually reimburse them for these expenses. However, if travel insurance is too expensive, then many travellers may forego it and risk their life savings if there is an accident or if they do get sick on their trip.
Fortunately, travellers 50 and over can go online and compare travel insurance to find policies with the best rate possible by comparing them. However, instead of going to different websites, jotting down the information and then going to another site to compare rates, they can compare several policies at once by going to websites like Medical Travel Compared. This helps cut down on the time it takes to find a policy before they take a trip. Comparing rates allows you to save money to get the travel insurance coverage that you may need while travelling abroad.
