Most comprehensive travel insurance policies cover you for unlimited medical expenses if you need to go to hospital. They also typically cover medical evacuations.
Delays and cancellations
29% of Australians, equivalent to around 5.8 million people, have had their flight delayed or cancelled in the last 12 months, according to Finder research. Travel insurance can cover you for cancelled or delayed flights.
COVID-19 expenses
Many travel insurance policies now cover COVID-related expenses. This includes if you need to cancel or rearrange your trip due to COVID.
Luggage and personal belongings
A good travel insurance policy should cover you for lost and delayed luggage, credit cards, traveller's cheques and personal items. This could be really helpful as according to Finder's latest 2023 research, almost 8% of Australians have lost personal items when travelling.
Accidental death
Overseas emergency dental expenses
Hospital cash allowance
Loss of income
Overseas emergency assistance
Overseas medical and hospital expenses
Permanent disability
Resumption of journey
Alternative transport for special events
Cancellation and amendment fees
Travel delay expenses
Daily delayed luggage allowance
Luggage and personal belongings
Theft of cash
Travel documents and bank cards
Personal liability
Rental car excess insurance
COVID-19 medical expenses
Rearrangement costs if you get COVID-19
How do travel insurers cover pre-existing conditions?
Several travel insurers will automatically cover you for certain pre-existing medical conditions. This can include diabetes, hypertension and skin cancer.
If you have any pre-existing conditions, you should always let your insurer know. You can do this by completing a medical assessment.
It may be able to offer you cover for your pre-existing medical condition – but it's likely to cost you more. Alternatively, it may agree to cover you but not for any claims related to your pre-existing condition.
It's tempting not to mention your pre-existing condition but it's not worth the risk. If you don't tell the insurer, it can deny any future claim you may make.
How can I find cheap travel insurance for seniors?
Regardless of how active you are, most insurers add age loadings to policies – meaning you will typically pay more as you get older, however, there are ways you can reduce your costs.
Use discounts. Take advantage of online discounts to save some extra money.
Choose a higher excess. A policy's excess is the amount you need to contribute towards a claim. All travel insurers charge an excess, typically around $100–$250. Some will allow you to increase your excess in return for a cheaper policy. The only downside is that if you do need to make a claim, the excess will be on the more expensive side.
Take your grandchildren for free. Lots of insurers can cover your grandchildren for free, sometimes up to the age of 25, so long as they're not in full-time employment.
Get more than medical cover. 29% of Australians have experienced a delayed or cancelled flight in the last 12 months, according to 2023 Finder research. It's tempting to save by getting medical-only travel insurance but it might not save you money in the long run.
As part of the 2023 Finder Awards, we collected data on almost 200 quotes for seniors. We had a look at a single 79-year-old travelling for 2 weeks in Australia (domestic) and a few other destinations like New Zealand, Bali, Europe and the US (international).
We found the average cost of a seniors domestic policy was $510 and an international policy was steeper at $786.
Senior travel insurance tips
Book early
Your cancellation cover starts as soon as you take out a policy. This means if something goes wrong and you need to cancel or rearrange your trip, you'll be covered.
Get COVID cover
"COVID still makes up 11% of all claims paid to customers," CEO of Southern Cross Travel Insurance, Jo McCauley, says. "On average we are paying out claims for cancellation and travel disruption due to COVID to the value of $1,500."
Disclose any pre-existing medical conditions
You can do this when you apply for a policy. Travel insurers have made this process much simpler these days. In most cases, you just need to fill out a short questionnaire.
Take documents with you
Keep a copy of your travel insurance policy as well as any medication you may take. This can make claiming simpler while you're overseas.
Why you can trust Finder's travel insurance experts
We're free
Our travel insurance engine is completely free to use. You pay the same as buying directly from the insurer. Better still, we regularly run exclusive deals that you won't find on any other site.
Unlike other comparison sites, we're not owned by an insurer. That means our opinions are our own and we work with lots of travel insurance brands, making it easier for you to find a good deal.
We're here to help
Since 2014, we've helped over one million people find travel insurance by explaining your options simply. We'll never ask for your number or email to see prices. We're here to help you make a decision.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Lots of travel insurers have no age limit. Even the ones that do typically cover you up to the age of 80.
Yes. Most comprehensive travel insurance policies can cover you for COVID-related expenses now. This includes medical expenses and cancellation and rearrangement costs. Before 2020, travel insurance didn't typically cover anything related to pandemics. Happily, this has since changed.
Though this can vary depending on the insurer, travel insurance usually doesn't cover the following pre-existing conditions:
Alcohol or drug dependency
Terminal illnesses
If you require oxygen therapy or home oxygen for the journey
If you're awaiting any type of treatment or medical procedure
If you've recently received medical treatment that required hospitalisation
Certain diseases such as cardiovascular disease
Certain types of cancer
Congestive heart failure
High blood pressure (hypertension) is considered a pre-existing condition for travel insurance but it's possible to get cover, typically if you haven't been hospitalised for that condition within a certain period of time (typically between 12 and 24 months).
You should tell your insurer if you have high blood pressure, including if you take medication for it. Even if it's being well-managed through medication, it may still charge you more for a policy.
Yes. Many insurers automatically cover type 1 and type 2 diabetes if you were diagnosed more than 12 months ago and you haven't had any recent health issues.
Yes, most travel insurance can cover you for cruises. When you take out a policy, you usually have the option to add on cruise cover. It can cover you for on-board medical expenses and emergency evacuation.
Gary Ross Hunter is an editor at Finder, specialising in insurance. He’s been writing about life, travel, home, car, pet and health insurance for over 6 years and regularly appears as an insurance expert in publications including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Guardian and news.com.au. Gary holds a Kaplan Tier 2 General Advice General Insurance certification which meets the requirements of ASIC Regulatory Guide 146 (RG146).
What you need to know about getting travel insurance when over 75 years of age.
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