Travel Insurance That Doesn't Penalise Age

The number of travellers over 60 is increasing yet more than 97 per cent of travel insurance policies impose an upper age limit on them.

According to Intune, the provider of financial products and services for over 60s set up and owned by Help the Aged, some insurance providers may not provide cover over the age of 79, yet indications are that the number of travellers in this group is increasing year on year.

Added to this, many policies for the over 65s have low restrictions on the number of pre-existing medical conditions that they will cover.

Stuart Castledine, Managing Director of Intune says, "Customers over 85 are eight times more likely to make a travel insurance claim - and over 65s three times more likely - than customers aged 35 and under. However, the volume of enquiries we are receiving suggests they are travelling in greater numbers."

Intune’s own travel insurance policy has no upper age limit and covers many pre-existing conditions.

It has been designed to meet the needs of people over 60 and provide the reassurance that, whatever their age, they can travel with fast access to financial and medical help.

Intune provides single trip and annual policies, providing cover for travel in Europe or worldwide.

Customers who have pre-existing medical conditions that Intune has agreed to cover will not be penalised with increased premiums but will pay the same premium as customers with no conditions.

Intune’s oldest customer is 98 and currently the oldest person with winter sports cover is 81.

Stuart Castledine says, "We have found that older people holiday more widely than younger age groups, and for longer at a time - more than 121,000 trips of 3-6 months have been taken by this age group over the last year."

"The over 80s traveller has particular requirements which need accommodating, but they do not want a system which writes them off at a time when they should be enjoying life to the full."

Research conducted by Defaqto for Help the Aged 2007. Defaqto examined 495 single-trip and annual multi-trip travel insurance policies - 215 annual multi-trip and 280 single-trip.