Looking for Seniors travel insurance?

There’s a travel insurance policy for everyone, no matter your age. You may find that a few brands won't offer travel insurance to people over the age of 65, a few more over 75, a few more over 80 and so on. But the good news is, many don't have an age limit at all. We saved you the work of researching policy age limits one by one. Just use the table below to quickly identify what policies you’re eligible for from the brands available on finder:

Looking for a specific brand?

	Brand	Standard age limit	Good to know	Get quote
	1Cover	79	If you're 80 or over, you need to complete a pre-existing medical declaration form for Comprehensive and Domestic policies. Comprehensive and Domestic policies are available to travellers under the age of 79, while Essentials and Basic policies are available to travellers under the age of 74.	Get quote
	AllClear	No age limit	There is no maximum age limit, and better still, AllClear considers all pre-existing medical conditions. That's right - they don't automatically exclude any medical issues you might have.	Get quote
	American Express	89	Cover is available to travellers under 89 years of age on the Comprehensive and Ultimate Single Trip policies.	Get quote
	Australia Post	N/A	The product disclosure statement (PDS) does not mention an age limit. It's a good idea to check with the provider prior to purchase. Also note that reduced limits may be applied to travellers over 70 years of age.	Get quote
	Blue Monkey	65	Cover is available to travellers under the age of 65.	Get quote
	Boomers	74	Travellers up to the age of 74 are eligible for the Multi-Trip Plan; the Non-Medical Plan is available for all ages, and the Essentials Plans has an age limit of 59.	Get quote
	Budget Direct	100	Comprehensive and Domestic policies cover you if you are 100 years of age or under on the date of application, while Last Minute, Essential and Annual Multi-Trip levels of cover are available for travellers under 75.	Get quote
	Columbus Direct	84	If you wish to take out Columbus Direct travel insurance, you must be no more than 84 years old on the date of purchase.	Get quote
	Cover-More	84	Cover-More offers travel insurance for people up to 84 years of age.	Get quote
	Downunder (DU Insurance)	120	Plans A Plus, A and B are available to travellers of all ages. Travellers over the age of 80 may be subject to different excess amounts and claim limits.	Get quote
	Easy	70	If you're over 70 years of age at the time the Certificate of Insurance is issued, you need to complete a Travellers Medical Appraisal Form. If your application is approved, you will be advised of any restrictions that apply, and you may have to pay an additional premium.	Get quote
	Fast Cover	89	Travellers 90 years and over are subject to various conditions, depending on the policy.	Get quote
	InsureandGo	100	This insurer covers people who are 100 years of age or under on the date of application for the Silver and Gold policies. In addition, it considers all pre-existing conditions.	Get quote
	Insure4Less	65	This policy provides cover for travellers aged 65 and under.	Get quote
	iTrek	65	Cover is available to travellers aged 65 years and under.	Get quote
	No Worries	84	Cover is available to travellers under the age of 85.	Get quote
	Online Travel Insurance	74	People under the age of 74 can access Comprehensive, Domestic, Basic and Multi-Trip Plans.	Get quote
	Professionals Travel Cover	65	Cover is available to travellers aged 65 years and under.	Get quote
	Simply	79	Simply covers travellers under 79 with its Comprehensive and Australia Only policies. Travellers under 74 can get its Budget policy, and those under 64 can get its Frequent Traveller policy. If you are aged 80 or over, you will need to complete a pre-existing medical declaration form to be considered.	Get quote
	Ski-Insurance.com.au	64	Cover is available to travellers aged 64 years and under.	Get quote
	Southern Cross	No age limit	Cover is available to travellers of all ages.	Get quote
	STA	74	Cover is available to travellers under the age of 74 with the Comprehensive, Standard and Cancellation & Luggage policies.	Get quote
	Tick	100	Travellers under the age of 100 are eligible for the Domestic, Standard and Top policies, while Budget policies are available to travellers under 79 and Basic policies are available to travellers under 69.	Get quote
	Travel Insurance Direct	81	Travel Insurance Direct offers cover up to the age of 81 for its Works and Domestic policies. The Basics policy is available to travellers under the age of 76.	Get quote
	Travel Insurance Saver	79	Travellers with pre-existing conditions and/or those over the age of 80 years will need to complete a Traveller's Medical Appraisal form.	Get quote
	Travel Insuranz	70	Travel Insuranz offers travel insurance for people under the age of 70.	Get quote
	Virgin	N/A	There does not seem to be an age limit for Plan A (Comprehensive) and Plan B (Australia Only). However, it is advisable to check with the provider prior to purchase.	Get quote
	Webjet	All ages	Comprehensive, Domestic and Non-Medical Plan are available to travellers of any age. Essentials, Basic and Multi-Trip Plans are available to people under the age of 74.	Get quote
	Worldcare	85	Worldcare provides Comprehensive and Australia Only (Plans A and B) travel insurance cover for travellers up to 85 years of age. Plans C, D and E (Budget Cover, International and Australia) have an age limit of 71.	Get quote
	youGo	99	YouGo provides cover for travellers up to the age of 99, depending on the area selected and duration of travel. Reduced limits may apply for travellers over the age of 70.	Get quote

Travelling can be beautifully unpredictable. That's great most of the time, but insurance is there to save your skin when unpredictable events turn sour.

If you're wondering whether or not seniors travel insurance is worth it, just consider the following possibilities:

• You slip and fall climbing the Eiffel Tower steps. If you have to go to the hospital for a broken bone, the out-of-pocket expenses could sting if you don't have overseas medical cover to help you out.
• You're needed back home for an emergency. The right policy will get you home immediately if there's an emergency (e.g. if your house gets flooded or a loved one dies). You'll also get some money back for the missed part of your trip and transportation costs, so you can pick up your trip where you left off later. This will save you a ton whether you're in Barcelona and need to get back to Melbourne or whether you're in Perth and need to get back to Newcastle.
• You're hospitalised and need someone for support. If you're hospitalised, your policy can pay for a family member to fly out to be near you. It can also pay for you to be with your travelling partner if they're hospitalised.
• Your flight is delayed and you miss the next day's activities. If you have to miss out on activities you've planned or accommodations you've booked and it's not your fault, your policy will give you back some of that wasted cash.
• You're injured in the middle of Kakadu and need to be life-flighted out. There's not always a hospital around every corner. If you need emergency air transport, most policies will cover it - potentially saving you thousands, if not hundreds of thousands.
• You realise an hour later that you've been pick-pocketed. Your policy will pay for and/or help you replace lost or stolen cash, lost or stolen goods (like your wallet) and lost or stolen documents (like your passport). They'll even cover dodgy credit card charges if your bank doesn't for whatever reason.
• Someone smashes out the window of your rental car. Many people don't know this, but the excess for a rental car can be upwards of $3,000 - which means that's the least you'll be out of pocket if your hire car is stolen or in an accident. The right travel insurance policy will reduce this to a much more reasonable level. This is especially useful on domestic trips where you're more likely to be renting a car.
• You get sick a week before the trip. If you're hospitalised or come down with an illness that keeps you from travelling, you can get your money back for everything you’ve already spent. This also applies to other emergencies like a death in the family or disaster striking your home.
• The airline loses your luggage. No dramas! Your policy will help you get the supplies you need until you get your luggage back. And if you never get it back? Many policies will offer replacement cover up to a certain dollar amount.
• You pass away while on your dream trip. If you happen to pass away while travelling, your insurance will take some of the burden off your family and pay to send your remains back home or for the costs to be buried overseas.

There’s really not much difference in what's covered by a seniors travel insurance policy and any other policy. However the amount you pay (premiums), the amount you pay out of pocket (excess), the maximum amount you're covered for (benefits) and limitations are based on an applicant’s circumstances, and seniors merely have a different set of circumstances than younger travellers.

Here are some ways your life circumstances as a senior might affect your policy:

• Pre-existing conditions. No matter what your age, insurers may charge extra for certain pre-existing conditions, place an age limit on them or not cover them at all. Seniors will probably be more affected by this than others, simply due to a longer medical history.
• Policy type. Some insurers have separate policies to account for commonalities among the senior demographic and to streamline the process. The end result doesn’t change though. You’ll be assessed based on your circumstances just as you would under a policy without the “seniors” branding.
• Price. You’ll pay more as a senior, because insurers take into account the likelihood that you’ll have to make a claim. Even without pre-existing conditions, older travellers are more likely to suffer serious (and potentially expensive) medical problems overseas - but that precisely why it's so important to get insurance that can give you peace of mind on your travels.
• Multi-trip policies. Most insurers have a maximum age limit on annual multi-trip policies, but that can be as low as 60 or as high as 120 depending on the insurer and the policy you choose.
• Benefit amounts. Many insurers will offer younger travellers higher benefit limits (such as unlimited medical expenses overseas) but reduce the amount covered for older travellers. Make sure you look at the benefit amounts when choosing a policy - particularly those pertaining to medical benefits.

There are many factors that affect the cost of a seniors policy, including:

• Your age. As a general rule, the older you are, the more you’ll have to pay for a policy.
• Your pre-existing conditions. If you have a pre-existing condition that isn’t automatically covered, the insurer may agree to cover it if you provide further medical information and pay an additional fee.
• Your travel plans. Where you’re travelling and how long you’ll be going for can influence the cost of cover. You may also need to purchase additional cover for your specific trip, for example if you want golf travel insurance or cruise travel insurance.
• The level of cover you choose. Comprehensive cover costs more than policies that only cover the essentials, but it also covers a lot more.
• Any discounts that apply. Many insurers offer discounted cover to seniors. You may also be able to access discounts for buying online, for using special promo codes and coupons, or for holding multiple policies (e.g. car insurance, home and contents insurance and travel insurance) with the same provider.

To give you an idea of how much a policy will cost, check out the examples below.

Cost is always a factor when considering which travel insurance policy to choose, but it shouldn't be the only factor you consider. It's important to look at what a policy covers before deciding whether it's right for you.

But once you've settled on the benefits you're after, you can apply the following tips to save a little money:

• Don't buy through a travel agent. Travel insurance policies purchased through travel agents and airlines cost two or even three times as much as policies bought from the insurer, compare your options and get cover straight from the provider.
• Buy online. Some insurers offer premium discounts if you choose to buy cover online rather than over the phone.
• Shop around. Instead of settling for the first insurer you find, compare seniors travel insurance quotes across a number of insurers to find the best value for money.
• Take advantage of discounts. Some insurers offer seniors discounts to customers over the age of 55. You could also benefit from a multi-policy discount if you hold another type of cover with the same provider like car or home insurance.
• Use promo codes. Search for online promo codes that you can apply at the checkout to enjoy discounted travel insurance premiums.
• Choose a higher excess. If your policy comes with a flexible excess, you can adjust your excess higher and receive a lower premium in return.
• Don’t pay for options you don’t need. If you’re paying extra for optional cover, such as adventure sports cover or valuable items cover, make sure you actually need it. If not, ditch it.
• Consider multi-trip cover. If you’re a frequent traveller and you’ll be taking more than one trip in the next 12 months, consider buying annual travel insurance. This policy covers all your trips for a year and is usually cheaper than buying separate cover for each trip.

You're not letting your pre-existing condition hold you back from travelling, so don't let it hold you back from getting insurance!

The most important thing to know is that you have a duty to disclose these conditions to the insurer during the application process, as this could have a bearing on their decision whether or not to offer cover, as well as help them calculate how much your premium will be. If you don't, the insurer can refuse to cover you when you make a claim, so it's better to be safe than sorry.

If you have a pre-existing condition, you can easily find out how insurers treat a bunch of common conditions just by checking out their PDS. Here's what you can find out when comparing policies:

• What conditions an insurer will cover automatically. Insurers will usually have a list of conditions they’ll cover for free and you don't even need to tell them about it as long as you haven't had any major complications recently. These are generally minor, easily manageable conditions like cataracts, glaucoma, osteoporosis and high blood pressure. They'll usually list these somewhere obvious.
• Which policies won't covering any pre-existing conditions past a certain age. A small number of policies will not cover any pre-existing condition past a certain age (usually around 75) even if it is on the "automatically covered" list mentioned above. You can still be covered for all other medical and non-medical claims. Luckily there are plenty of other insurers who do not have a blanket age ban like this.
• Which policies have age limits on specific pre-existing conditions. You're usually OK if your condition is on the "automatically covered" list, but it is common for policies to have age limits for certain individual conditions. For example, some insurers automatically cover asthma but stop covering it once you turn 60. You can still be covered for all other medical and non-medical claims, including other pre-existing conditions that do not have age limits.

Even if an insurer decides not to cover your pre-existing condition, in most cases they'll still cover you for everything else.

What about conditions that aren't listed?

Lots of conditions fall into a middle ground, and insurers won't necessarily list these publicly. That's when you have to tell your insurer about it. They'll consider it on a case-by-case basis and may have you take a medical exam. Their decision could swing one of three ways. They could:

• Agree to cover it for no additional cost. They'd essentially be treating it like they would the conditions on the "automatically covered" list described in the section above.

• Agree to cover it, but ask for a higher premium. You can pay the premium and have it covered, or you can decline the increased premium and be covered for all medical and non-medical claims except for that condition.
• Decline to cover it, but cover you for everything else. In this case, you'll be covered for all medical and non-medical claims except for that condition (similar to the above point, except that you won't have the option to pay more to have it covered).

Travel insurers handle pre-existing conditions every day, so don't fret. During the application process, you'll be asked if you have a pre-existing condition, and if they cover it, they'll tell you which policy you need, and how much it costs. Remember, even with a terminal illness, it's possible to find cover.

Here’s how to approach your insurer about a pre-existing condition (generally most of this is done online):

• Be up-front. Tell them about any condition you have or think you may have. If you make a medical claim and it's not related to a condition you've told them about, they will investigate to find out if it was pre-existing or not. It doesn't even matter if it was officially diagnosed. If they can prove you've had symptoms in the past 6 months and knew about them, they'll consider it to be a pre-existing condition.
• Take the assessment. If the insurer isn't sure how serious the condition is, they may want you to take an assessment before they can approve you. Sometimes this is as easy as answering a few questions online. In other cases, you may need to provide medical certificates and/or do a short physical.

• Keep your options open. Each insurer has different rules for different pre-existing medical conditions. For example, some insurers will not cover you for stroke if you had one within the last two years, while others say five years. If one insurer doesn't want to cover you, there's a good chance that another one does.

Travel insurance is not just for overseas trips. It covers all sorts of excursions, both international and domestic. Here are just a few types of trips it will cover:

It also covers the following trips, although these trips may require you to add a special “add-on” on top of your normal policy.

• Nature Treks. These may require an adventure add-on, depending on how remote the destination is and how dangerous the trekking and associated adventure activities are).
• Campervan and RV holidays. These will require additional campervan insurance to protect the vehicle.
• Golf trips. These may require a high-value item or golf add-on depending on how expensive your clubs are and whether or not you want greens fees covered.
• Ski trips. These require a ski-add on due to the dangerous nature of the sport and the high cost of equipment.
• Cruises. These require a cruise add-on due to the high cost of medical expenses at sea.

There’s no such thing as a single policy that’s better than all the rest. Every person has a different set of needs, so the right policy for your trip will vary depending on where you’re going, what you’re doing when you get there, your overall health and a range of other factors. To find the best policy for your trip, follow a few simple steps:

• Consider your needs. Do you want basic or comprehensive cover? Single or multi-trip? International or domestic? How much cover do you want for crucial benefits such as overseas medical expenses and unexpected cancellation costs? Do you need to add any extras to your policy, like golf or cruise cover?
• Work out your budget. The cost of cover varies widely between insurers and based on your personal circumstances, so it’s a good idea to work out roughly how much you’re willing to spend on travel insurance before hunting around for a policy.
• Do your research. Now it’s time to see what’s available. Research the different policies that are suitable for you, and make sure any policy you consider is backed by a reputable underwriter.
• Compare, compare, compare. It’s easy to compare travel insurance online. Consider not only costs, but also the policy's benefits and exclusions.

The short answer is no.

It’s possible to find travel insurance for people of all ages. As the table near the top of this page shows, policy age limits vary from one insurer to the next. However, there are insurers that offer cover for travellers up to the age of 90, 100 or even 120, and some providers that don’t impose any upper age limits on their policies at all. Check the relevant section for your age group below for more information on how to find cover.

• Over 60
• Over 65
• Over 70
• Over 75
• Over 80
• Over 85