3K

TRAVEL PLANNING: Travel Insurance for Over 50’s

Updated: April 2025

Buying a travel insurance policy to cover you for any unforeseen medical expenses or financial losses while travelling is an essential part of travel planning and preparation for any trip but, as we get older, travel insurance for over 50’s can be difficult to find and confusing to understand.

But travel insurance is something we can’t afford to travel without at any age. Travel insurance is there if the unexpected ever happens. Travel insurance is there for you in an emergency situation while travelling outside of your own home country of residency and can provide a financial safety net.

Travel insurance can get you the support and assistance you need if you ever get ill or are involved in an accident, an incident, or worse, during travel and while on holiday or vacation abroad.

At the very least travel insurance should provide you with peace of mind. That’s why it’s so important we choose the right travel insurance policy for your needs especially travel insurance for over 50’s.

When we were younger, travel insurance was easy to buy and much easier to afford. But, once you are over 50, 60, 65, and older – and from what I can see reaching 70 is the biggest drop off point – travel insurance becomes ever more difficult to find, even more specialised, and ever more costly.

Especially, if there are existing medical conditions to report that can increase the travel insurance quotation.

It’s true that travel insurance for the over 50’s can be something of a major personal investment. We can do all we can to minimise risks while we travel. We can take advice. We can be cautious. We can get all our travel vaccines and be super careful.

BUT life is risky. Leaving home can be risky. We’ve all heard scary travel stories.

And accidents can and do happen when you least expect it and when you are least prepared.

For all these reasons – although I’ve read about older people advocating travel without insurance – claiming that medical care is an affordable out-of-pocket expense in lots of countries (in Asia, for example) I personally believe it’s important to get the right insurance cover for your AGE, for your EXISTING MEDICAL CONDITIONS, and for the specific DESTINATIONS where you intend to travel.

Your travel destination really matters, so verify that your policy provides adequate coverage based on your destination, especially for regions with political instability or higher healthcare costs.

To me, buying travel insurance always seems like a hassle and a chore. I know reading through the policy carefully to study the fine print and to be clear on understanding what is covered (and not covered) is time consuming.

But it’s down to YOU to choose responsibly and to buy the right travel insurance policy and spending money on a travel insurance policy that doesn’t cover you for all the things you’ll need in an emergency situation abroad is not only a terrible waste of your money but also means you’ll have no safety net while travelling.

I know – it’s daunting and scary and a huge responsibility – but don’t panic!

Let’s take a look at what kind of cover we need for travel insurance in our 50’s, our 60’s, and older.

And, importantly, where we can find it.

Table of Contents:

• TRAVEL PLANNING: Travel Insurance for Over 50’s
• Why do you need travel insurance?
• What kind of travel insurance do you need?
• How does travel insurance for over 50’s work?
• What IS covered and what is NOT covered?
• Who are the best providers of Travel Insurance?
• Important Things TO KNOW When Choosing Travel Insurance
• What does Travel Insurance cost?
• Conclusion

Travel Insurance for over 50’s

I’M SOMEONE WHO BUYS TRAVEL INSURANCE

But, first of all, I need you to know I am NOT an expert in travel insurance or for recommending specific travel insurance for over 50’s.

This article is meant as general guidance only. I’m just like you. I’m someone who buys travel insurance.

I’ve been buying travel insurance for decades for family holidays and while traveling extensively over the past ten years.

I’ve tried several travel insurance providers and types of policies – single trip and multi trip – and annual policies.

So, I do feel I have experience buying travel insurance that I can share with you, but I also need you to know that I’ve only ever claimed on a policy once in my life – and that was many years ago when one of my children had a suspected ruptured appendix in Florida USA.

When we used to travel with the kids on our annual holiday, we always bought single trip family travel policies to comprehensively cover medical and luggage and all and every eventuality for when we were on holiday.

It wasn’t his appendix. The MRI Scan showed it was too many compounded hotdogs – and I’m glad our travel insurance back then covered the $2,500 dollar expense – although I suspect you can add another naught to the figure these days!)

Since then and more recently, while travelling the world with my backpacking husband, we have (thankfully) never had a reason to make a claim on a travel insurance policy but we have always always travelled with travel insurance.

That’s not to say that while we have been travelling things have always gone to plan because we have on occasion experienced scary travel situations and a few travel mishaps and mayhem.

Sometimes we’ve needed to see a doctor or a dentist or a pharmacist or we’ve lost or mislaid stuff and (once) even managed to miss a flight. But, as our incurred costs during these incidents have never exceeded our travel insurance policy ‘excess’ we have never needed to make a claim.

To explain, an ‘excess’ is an agreed payment stipulated in your policy that your insurance company will ask you to pay towards any claim that you may make.

But I do believe all our less challenging situations so far have been down to luck rather than to anything else. But what about the next time? What if that time I had a toothache and went to see a dentist in South Korea had proven to be much more expensive?

What if the time I’d slipped on a wet footpath in Thailand and scraped the skin off my foot and had to go to the pharmacist had instead been a broken bone and a hospital admission?

What if that time we were in Central America and the backpacking husband was bitten by a mosquito and was feeling unwell had turned out to be Dengue Fever?

And, that excruciatingly painful time in Honduras, when I got stung by a scorpion – thankfully turned out not to be a life-threatening venomous type – that might have been a lethally dangerous scorpion elsewhere.

From all my experience of travelling I certainly wouldn’t want to rely on luck alone.

I’d much rather know that my insurance policy had me fully covered for emergencies.

Okay… let’s Get Back To Travel Insurance

Why do you need travel insurance?

What kind of travel insurance do you need?

How does travel insurance for over 50’s work?

What IS covered and what is NOT covered?

Buying a travel insurance policy can feel confusing and overwhelming and time consuming. But it’s really important to carefully read all the TERMS AND CONDITIONS and read THE SMALL PRINT and to be fully aware of what IS covered and what is NOT covered in the policy.

Travel insurance for over 50’s is often sold with a choice of different levels of cover. These levels of cover are often called something like Basic Cover for emergency medical insurance only, Premium Cover that will also cover you against any lost luggage and travel delays, and a Fully Comprehensive Cover that will cover you for most eventualities.

Some policies cover you for a single trip – a short vacation or cruise – and some offer ‘multi-trip’ options.

We discovered that most travel insurance companies require you to be in your country of residence during the time of purchase and they also require you to have a return ticket within the specified dates of the policy term.

But more recently, with the rise of digital nomad travel and in more people wanting to travel slowly and extensively and take much longer trips, insurance companies have realised there is a sizable – and lucrative – gap in the insurance market for Extended Trip and Nomad Insurance and travel insurance that you can renew while you’re still away from your home country.

Generally, you should always buy the policy that suits you best.

Check for age caps as some policies may state an upper age limit on cover.

Check for high coverage limits for medical expenses when traveling to countries where medical treatment is known to be expensive – like the USA, for example.

I can honestly say that I’ve never travelled without even the basic level of travel insurance.

Travel Tip: Take a note of your travel insurance policy number and emergency contact number and keep it somewhere where you can find and access it in the case of an emergency. Also share this information, your travel itinerary, and a photocopy of your passport with your loved ones back home as a back-up.

Who are the best providers of Travel Insurance?

Over the years, I have used several different travel insurance providers and I’m careful to choose travel insurance companies that offer a choice of excellent cover for those of us who are over 50 years old, that have a good standing in the industry, and a good reputation and authentic and positive reviews from people who have had cause to make a claim.

But how to source such travel insurance companies? Read on and I’ll let you know what I’ve learned.

Important Things TO NOTE When Choosing Travel Insurance

1. Choose a reputable Insurance Company and do your research

Read recommendations and reviews and Trust Pilot is a great website for consumer reviews and the UK’s Money Saving Expert and Money Supermarket websites are also a good resource.

Do note that your home country can affect your choice of travel insurance company but there are travel insurance providers now that don’t need you to have a home country as they offer a global service. I’ll be taking a look at this below.

I recommend you compare travel insurance providers and take advantage of a no-obligation quotation.

GLOBAL TRAVEL INSURANCE POLICIES

AUSTRALIA TRAVEL INSURANCE COVER

For our Australian residents, I’ve also heard very good things about the extensive cover and extended age range (cover available up to 89 years of age) offered by multi-award winning Australian FastCover Travel Insurance who calculate your travel insurance policy on the age you purchased it and not the age you’ll be on your departure date or during your holiday.

I recommend – if you are from Australia – that you get a fast no-obligation quote from Fastcover Travel Insurance.

FastCover Travel Insurance is offering a 10% Discount Code for my readers.

To claim your discount of 10% simply click link & enter code BACKPACK in ‘Apply a Voucher’ box on checkout page to apply coupon and get 10% OFF your Travel Insurance. Ends 31/12/25. *

*Applies to total undiscounted premium at checkout (Max 1 offer or discount can be used per policy). Underwritten by Certain underwriters at Lloyd’s. Consider PDS & TMD on fastcover.com.au. T&Cs apply.

GET A NO-OBLIGATION TRAVEL INSURANCE QUOTES

Notice: The Backpacking Housewife acts as a referrer only. If you buy a policy after being referred to World Nomads or Genki or FastCover Travel Insurance or Truetraveller Insurance from this website then The Backpacking Housewife will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you and I will be grateful to you as it helps support the costs of this website.

Decide on the type of travel insurance cover you need

Do you want cover for any cancellations to your travel arrangements and for your cash and personal property? Especially important if you have high-value items with you while travelling. Or, do you only want cover for accident and medical emergency and repatriation should you need to come home quickly or if you die abroad?

We set out buying comprehensive annual multi-destination global travel policies that covered us for everything but after a while it made financial sense for us to think about choosing to buy MEDICAL INSURANCE ONLY to cover us in the event of personal injury, accidents, and any unexpected illnesses, rather than for flight delays, travel interruptions, cancellations or material losses.

This meant our belongings wouldn’t be covered for damage or loss – but as we learned to pack less and travel light and how to be travel savvy and because we don’t actually travel with anything particularly expensive – this was a compromise we were prepared to make for our travel insurance policy to be more affordable.

Except, there was one time when we’d only bought medical cover only insurance – rather than one covering any trip interruption cover – that we got the news of a close relative’s grave illness back home in the UK.

Of course we had to fly home immediately – on the 2nd January – one of the busiest and most expensive times of the year and our travel insurance didn’t cover us for the cost of the extra travel.

On that occasion, we had to whip out our emergency credit card and accept the unforeseen costs.

In hindsight, the incident did make us wish that we’d bought the extra insurance cover.

We’d thought we were saving money but in the end it had backfired on us.

travel insurance before you set off on your travels

Buying insurance at the same time you are booking your trip is a sensible option as you will be able to include cancellation insurance. With a home start and a return ticket and a trip lasting less than 90 or 120 days you will also have lots of options regarding the company you choose as your travel insurance provider. As a referrer, I recommend getting a quote from Fastcover Travel Insurance if you are in Australia and from True Traveller Travel Insurance if you are based in the UK or Europe.

Travel Insurance when you are already travelling

There are not so many travel insurance companies to choose from when you want to buy or renew your travel insurance while you are already travelling. As a referrer, the best global ones I have personally found are World Nomads and Genki.

Single trip policies or annual policies?

Work out which will be best for you depending on the region and the countries included in the policy and the additional benefits to buying an annual policy. I have found travel to (even transiting through) the United States of America is often an optional extra on policies and charged at a premium.

During my last trip to central America, I managed overcome the additional expense of adding an overnight transit through the USA by buying an annual policy that allows for an allowance of days in the USA as part of the annual policy at no extra cost.

PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS

Declare all your pre-existing conditions and make sure the travel Insurance policy will cover emergency repatriation and check for Covid and any Covid related illness cover.

If you have travel insurance cover included through a credit card provider or a bank account are there any age restrictions to their cover?

Do you have to have actually purchased your travel with the card to qualify for travel insurance cover?

Does your card provider know about any pre-existing conditions, any prescription medications or any doctor or hospital appointments you’ve attended over the past few years?

If not, then you might NOT be as well covered as you think or not covered at all.

Understand Exclusions

Understanding these exclusions is crucial to avoid unexpected out-of-pocket expenses.

Carefully read the policy fine print and clarify exclusions with the insurer before purchasing coverage to avoid surprises during claims.

Exclusions in a travel insurance policy are specific circumstances, events, or conditions that are not covered by the policy. Common exclusions include:

Pre-Existing Medical Conditions: Some policies exclude coverage for medical conditions that existed before purchasing the policy unless explicitly declared and approved by the insurer.

High-Risk Activities: Adventure sports (e.g., skiing, scuba diving, or bungee jumping) or high-risk activities may be excluded unless covered under an additional policy rider.

Travel to Restricted or Dangerous Destinations: Destinations under travel advisories or war zones may be excluded. Insurers may deny claims if you travel to areas deemed unsafe by government authorities.

Self-Inflicted Injuries: Claims resulting from intentional self-harm, suicide attempts, or reckless behaviour are typically excluded.

Alcohol and Drug Use: Incidents occurring while under the influence of alcohol or drugs not prescribed by a doctor are generally not covered.

Negligence or Recklessness: Losses due to careless actions, such as leaving belongings unattended, may not be covered. Failure to follow safety guidelines (e.g., ignoring travel warnings) can void coverage.

Unapproved Medical Treatments: Medical expenses incurred for experimental treatments, cosmetic surgery, or procedures not deemed medically necessary are excluded.

Known Events: Policies usually exclude coverage for events that were already known at the time of purchase, such as a pre-announced natural disaster or strike.

Epidemics and Pandemics: Some policies exclude claims related to epidemics or pandemics although many insurers now offer specific coverage for these events.

Non-Travel-Related Incidents: Incidents unrelated to the trip, such as pre-existing legal obligations or personal disputes, are excluded.

Fraudulent Claims: Claims based on fraudulent information, misrepresentation, or deliberate acts to gain financial benefit are denied.

Acts of War or Terrorism: Injuries or losses caused by war, terrorism, or civil unrest are often excluded, though some policies may offer optional coverage for such risks.

Uninsured Events: Losses not explicitly covered in the policy, such as delays caused by airline bankruptcy or missed connections due to personal errors, are excluded.

Non-Compliant Behaviour: Failure to meet visa, passport, vaccination, or other legal travel requirements may void coverage.

TRAVEL INSURANCE FOR OVER 50’S ADVICE SUMMARY

Compare Policies: Use the comparison websites I’ve recommended to you to get a no-obligation quote or use online brokers to evaluate coverage and costs.

Look for Discounts: Seek discounts through senior organizations, loyalty programs, or travel clubs. Use my EXCLUSIVE 10% Reader Discount Code for FastCover Travel Insurance.

Review Age Limits: Check for upper age restrictions on policies and consider senior-specific insurers if needed.

Declare Pre-Existing Medical Conditions: Be honest about your health history to avoid denied claims. Choose insurers that accommodate pre-existing conditions.

Focus on Comprehensive Medical Coverage: Ensure the policy covers emergency medical expenses, repatriation, and prescription medications. Look for high coverage limits, especially for travel to expensive healthcare destinations.

Evaluate Cancellation and Curtailment Cover: Opt for policies that protect against trip cancellations due to health or family emergencies.

Consider Activity Coverage: Ensure the policy includes coverage for activities you plan to engage in, like hiking or golf, or higher-risk activity coverage, like scuba diving, if necessary.

Check Policy Excesses: Look for policies with manageable excess fees to avoid large out-of-pocket expenses.

Understand the Claim Process: Ensure you understand how to file claims, what documentation is required, and the time frame for submissions. Look for insurers with good reviews for customer service and claim handling.

Check for Destination-Specific Needs: Ensure coverage aligns with your destination’s healthcare costs, political stability, and required documentation.

Read the Fine Print: Understand exclusions, coverage limits, and claim processes to avoid surprises.

What does Travel Insurance cost?

Get a Quote from GENKI TRAVEL INSURANCE

Get a Quote from WORLD NOMAD TRAVEL INSURANCE

GET A QUOTE FROM FASTCOVER TRAVEL INSURANCE (AUSTRALIA)

GET A QUOTE FROM TRUE TRAVELLER INSURANCE (UK AND EUROPE)

Do leave a comment if you have any travel insurance stories to tell

Or information about travel insurance you’d like to share

Or recommendations you’d like to add that might help other travellers!