Compare travel insurance quotes for over-60s: a simple guide

What will over-60s travel insurance cover? 

There are certain requirements you need to look for in any policy, but if you’re aged 60 or over, you need to pay more attention to what’s included as there is a higher risk you might need to claim.

Travel insurance should cover you for: 

• Medical expenses including bringing you back to the UK for treatment if necessary.
• Cancellation and delays – check the policy carefully to see exactly what’s covered.
• Lost baggage – compensation if your baggage is lost or stolen.
• COVID-19 – some policies can cover you for disruption to your holiday caused by coronavirus.

Should I declare pre-existing medical conditions? 

It’s vital that you declare any pre-existing medical conditions when you apply for travel insurance and give insurance providers all the information they need, otherwise your policy may be invalid if you need to make a claim. 

When you compare travel insurance with us, make sure you declare any medical conditions. We’ll then only show you quotes from providers who will cover those conditions.

There’s no getting away from the fact that prices might be higher if you have a health condition, but they’re likely to be a lot less than paying out for medical care while you’re abroad.

What factors can affect the cost of my travel insurance policy? 

A variety of factors go into calculating the cost of over-60s travel insurance, and they tend to vary between providers. However, the main ones are: 

• Pre-existing medical conditions.
• Your destination – over-60s travel insurance is usually cheaper for Europe than long-haul destinations, such as the USA and Caribbean, as medical care is typically more expensive in those locations.
• How long you’re going for – from an insurance provider’s point of view, the longer you’re away, the higher the chance of something going wrong.
• The type of policy you choose – if you’re planning to go away more than once in a year, an annual travel insurance policy can work out cheaper than separate single trip policies, but this isn’t always the case, so do the sums. The price of group policies is based on the oldest traveller, so an individual policy might work out cheaper.

It’s worth remembering that while price is important - you don’t want to pay for a policy that doesn’t provide the level of cover that you need - it’s not the only thing to look at. The priority is getting a travel insurance policy you can actually use, and finding an affordable one is a bonus.

Customers with more serious pre-existing medical conditions

If you have a serious health condition, the price you pay for travel insurance is likely to be more expensive. However, there are still many providers out there and you should be able to find affordable cover. Whatever happens, don’t be tempted to lie to an insurance provider, because if you do and then need to make a claim, it could be rejected.

When you declare medical conditions on our website, we’ll only show quotes from insurance providers who will cover all declared medical conditions, with no exclusions. 

MoneyHelper has launched a directory of insurance providers who may be able to provide quotes over the phone if you have more serious medical conditions. Find more information at MoneyHelper or by calling them on 0800 138 7777.