Traveling domestically or overseas can be a great experience when it goes off without any hitches. However, there are still a few risks that may sour the entire trip. Incidents such as lost luggage, robbery, misplacement of travel documents, or any medical emergency can jeopardize the entire trip.
Moreover, the efforts and costs related to recovering from these incidents can be high and may simply add to the misery. In case any such emergencies arise, senior citizens may not be in the right physical condition to deal with it efficiently. Thus, for travel with peace of mind, many are now opting for senior citizens’ travel insurance.
In recent years, the adoption of travel insurance has gone up. Insurance acts as a cushion against consequences of travel-related risks. An insurance policy explicitly aimed at the protection of senior citizens traveling domestically or abroad can be an excellent option for them to enjoy a relaxed travel experience.
Here’s all that travel insurance for senior citizens has to offer and how to choose the right one for your loved ones.
What Is Travel Insurance for Senior Citizens
As the name suggests, travel insurance for senior citizens is specifically aimed at senior citizens, i.e., people over the age of 60, and their travel plans. The age limit may vary depending on the insurance company. For instance, senior citizen travel insurance eligibility may begin at 71.
Travel insurers provide policies that can meet the requirements of the elderly and take care of age and health-related risks that may not be covered under a standard travel insurance policy. These travel insurance plans protect against flare-ups of pre-existing ailments and offer several medical and hospitalization benefits. The benefits include doctor visits, baggage loss coverage, ambulance services, intensive care treatments, surgical care, and more.
Why You Should Choose Senior Citizen Travel Insurance
One of the most significant risk factors related to the travel of older people is their ability to mitigate unforeseen or uncertain situations. This is not to demotivate the readers or older travelers but to state a well-established fact. However, we are witnessing quite an upturn in travel and related services, such as comfortable airlines, modern technology to break communication barriers, and reliable insurance plans to cover any additional liabilities.
Senior citizen travel insurance plans offer broader coverage than standard individual travel insurance plans. You can purchase these policies for elderly as old as 95 years, depending on the insurance company. Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, many insurance companies have started offering senior citizen travel insurance with additional covid coverage.
Features of Senior Citizen Travel Insurance
Here are some of the main features of the travel insurance plan for senior citizens.
Affordable Plans: Multiple plans with multiple variants to cover a broad range of senior citizens’ travel requirements are available. Due to the large number of options available, the affordability of these covers is also high. You can choose from a wide range of options and select the one that best suits your requirement.
Travel Assistance: Another critical feature of a senior citizen travel insurance plan is that it provides comprehensive travel assistance. The service providers give much-needed assistance to the elderly so they can easily navigate any emergency.
Protection Against Illness and Accidents: One of the biggest concerns for any traveling party, especially senior citizens, is to look after their health. It can be challenging to navigate your health problems in a completely new place without much knowledge about the medical infrastructure and facilities.
Moreover, treatment for accidents or illnesses can become very expensive if they travel abroad. These travel insurance plans for senior citizens typically offer coverage for all sorts of medical emergencies, including for pre-existing ailments. The insurance company through its partners takes care of any hospitalization, evacuation, or repatriation.
Covering for Personal Liability: If a senior citizen meets with an accident resulting in another party’s loss or bodily harm, the insurance plan will take care of the expenses required for compensation.
Baggage Loss or Delay Compensation: Loss of baggage or delay in the arrival of the same is one of the most common travel issues. The senior citizen insurance plan will help you with the reimbursem*nt of part cost of your luggage.
Assistance Across the Globe: If you purchase a senior citizen travel cover, the insurance company will provide all the required aid across the globe through its partners. There are several means to connect with them in an emergency, and the insurance company will provide the necessary help.
Factors to Be Considered Before Purchasing Senior Citizen Travel Insurance
Here are some factors you should consider before buying a senior citizen travel insurance policy:
Sum assured: Most insurance providers offer a complete break-up of the sum assured for different coverages. For example, insurance companies may have a cap on medical expenses or a different limit on dental care. While buying senior citizen insurance coverage, you should consider these sub-limits considering your circ*mstances.
Pre-existing medical conditions: One of the most important factors to consider before purchasing senior citizens’ travel insurance is that the plan covers all pre-existing medical conditions. There might be certain plans that will not provide such comprehensive coverage. Also, some plans may give very limited cover for serious conditions. As such, you should check that the company provides adequate coverage for such conditions.
Medical Tests: Insurance companies may require senior citizens to undergo relevant medical tests before offering a cover. It is recommended to undergo these tests to eliminate the chances of claim rejection or charging any additional premium, as the insurance company will have first-hand knowledge of the buyer’s health condition. Moreover, plans with mandatory medical tests are better as the insurance providers are likely to honor claims and reimburse expenses more promptly
Extension of the Policy: While purchasing this insurance plan, you need to check whether the insurance company offers extension of the policy in case there’s a claim during the policy term. At times, the company may not offer policy period extension for such cases. One way to address this issue is to opt for a maximum policy period.
Exclusions: While buying this plan, you also need to ensure that there are no additional exclusions or limitations that may be relevant to your needs. You can call the insurance company to check for these exclusions, and knowing these limitations will help you decide the best cover that suits your needs.
Coverage Under Senior Citizen Travel Insurance Plan
Pre-existing Ailments: The plan will provide coverage for any medical treatment and relevant expenses incurred because of pre-existing health conditions the insured suffered before their travel. It may come with certain limits or conditions which need to be checked carefully before purchasing the policy.
Emergency Medical Expenses: The policy will also take care of the expenses incurred because of any emergency. It may include major or minor medical emergencies, injuries, disorders, and even death. The plan also covers emergency medical evacuation in case the health condition worsens further.
Dental Cover: The plan covers and reimburses any expenses incurred due to visits to a dentist in a foreign country. Some companies may make dental cover optional instead of having it part of the regular offering.
Travel-related Reimbursem*nts: Just like individual travel insurance plans, this policy also offers protection against additional expenses incurred because of a flight delay, cancellation, or missing it altogether. It also provides standard baggage loss or misplacement coverage. Additionally, the plan may provide some sort of reimbursem*nt for any interruptions, delays, or cancellations during the trip.
Assistance for Personal Liability and Financial Emergency: Most of the insurance companies offering these senior citizen travel covers protect against personal liability caused by some emergency and any financial emergency they might face during their trip.
What is Not Covered Under Senior Citizen Travel Insurance?
Like all insurance policies, there are a few exceptions that the companies do not cover under any circ*mstances. For senior citizens’ travel insurance, the following are the exceptions:
- Life-threatening diseases that are not covered in the pre-existing ailments clause however it may vary as per the Insurance Company or the Plan variant selected.
- If the insured intentionally causes harm to themselves or commits suicide.
- If the insured travels against the medical advice of their physician. This is in direct breach of the insurance contract, so the company will not entertain any subsequent claims.
- Routine medical checkups
- Losses and injuries caused by or under the due influence of alcohol, drugs, or other intoxicants.
- Losses caused because of the insured’s involvement in illegal activities.
Bottom Line
A senior citizen travel insurance can be a great way to ensure your elderly family enjoys a relaxed travel experience. There are a variety of plans that you can choose from and get the one that best suits your travel needs.Thorough research can help you get a great deal.
