Travel insurance for over 75s

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Some insurers will require you to take out comprehensive cover rather than basic policies. Don't worry, this won't make your search harder. Simply add your details to our search tool below and only your eligible policies will appear.

What types of cover are available for over 75s?

There are a variety of travel insurance options available to over 75s. First, decide between three levels of cover:

• Basic (or medical cover only). This no-frills level of cover provides 24/7 emergency assistance and covers overseas medical and hospital expenses.
• Essentials cover. This is a mid-range level of cover that includes 24/7 emergency assistance, medical and hospital cover, trip cancellations and delays, and lost, stolen or damaged luggage and personal belongings.
• Comprehensive cover. This is the highest level of cover for maximum peace of mind. As well as everything in Essentials cover, it includes cover for loss and damage to travel documents, luggage delay, theft of cash, rental vehicle excess, hospital cash allowance, personal liability, accidental death and more.

As well as three levels of cover, over 75s can choose from two types of travel insurance policies:

• Single-trip. The most common type of cover, which covers you from the time you take out your policy to the time you return home.
• Annual multi-trip. An annual policy offers cover for multiple trips within a year and provides a cost-effective alternative for those who travel frequently.

You can also choose between domestic and overseas cover, depending on your destination.

Can I get travel insurance for over 75s with pre-existing medical conditions?

That depends. Many insurers provide automatic cover for a range of minor pre-existing conditions as well as cover for more serious conditions subject to further assessment such as a medical examination.

Generally, a pre-existing medical condition is defined by insurers as a condition that meets one or more of the following:

• You are aware of it prior to applying for insurance
• You are having or have had treatment for it in the past
• You are treating it with prescribed medication
• You previously had surgery for it.

The Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) will list the conditions that are not covered under any circumstances, such as serious illnesses, heart disease and cancer.

It’s important that you declare any pre-existing medical conditions to your insurer at the time of applying for cover. If you don’t, any medical treatment you receive overseas in relation to that condition won’t be covered.

For travel insurance over 75, some insurers will require you to complete a medical questionnaire.

What are the age restrictions of different brands?

We've done the research and found the following brands that will cover you if you're over 75 years old.

Brand	Conditions	Apply
	Available to travellers up to 99 years of age.	Bonus Get quote
	Available to travellers up to 99 years of age.	Bonus Get quote
	Available to travellers up to 85 years of age.	Get quote
	Available to travellers up to 89 years of age.	Finder AwardBonus Get quote
	If you are aged 100 or under you may purchase your travel insurance from InsureandGo.	Bonus Get quote
	Tick Travel Insurance only provide online quotes for travellers under the age of 100.	Finder AwardBonus Get quote
	Available to travellers up to 99 years of age.	Bonus Get quote
	Available to travellers up to 118 years of age.	Finder Award Get quote
	Available to travellers up to 110 years of age.	More info
	Available to travellers up to 125 years of age.	Get quote
	Available to travellers up to 99 years of age.	Get quote
	Available to travellers up to 99 years of age.	Get quote
	Available to travellers up to 130 years of age.	More info
	Available to travellers up to 120 years of age.	More info

^{Note: This information was last updated April 2024}

Apart from my age, what else impacts the cost of my cover?

While age and pre-existing medical conditions are the main determinants in how much over 75s pay for travel insurance, there are other factors that influence price as well:

• Your trip. You will pay more or less for your insurance depending on the type of trip you are taking (such as a backpacker’s holiday or a guided tour), the duration of your trip, where you are travelling (some destinations are considered more dangerous than others) and what you will be doing while you are there (such as driving, riding a motorcycle or participating in risky sports or activities).
• Your policy. The level of cover you opt for will also determine the price you pay, as will the benefit limits you select (the higher the limit the more expensive the policy) and the options you choose to include (cover for expensive items will cost you an additional fee).

How can I get cheap travel insurance for over 75s?

It's likely that you will pay more for travel insurance because you are over 75, so it's important to save money on your policy wherever you can, without compromising your cover. Here are some ways you can achieve this:

• Buy online rather than through a travel agent or airline, as you'll probably get a discount, may find a coupon code and you won't have to pay the hefty commission that agents add to the price.
• If you're planning to take more than one trip in a year, consider an annual multi-trip policy rather than taking out a separate policy each time you travel.
• If you're travelling in a group, such as with family members, consider taking out a joint policy or ask your insurer about a group discount.
• If you already have home and contents insurance and credit card insurance, use them to supplement your travel insurance needs.
• Shop around on comparison websites for the best deal and get quotes from different insurers before settling on the best policy (not necessarily the cheapest, but the one offering the best value for money).

Compare policies that cover over 75 travellers

Frequently asked questions

• I'm heading on a cruise – what should I know about insurance?

  A handful of international travel insurance policies include cruise insurance automatically, but you should consider purchasing standalone cover if you want to take advantage of the unique benefits offered by a cruise-specific insurance policy.

  As well as overseas medical cover, trip cancellations and lost or stolen baggage, the benefits of cruise-specific insurance can include:

  • Cover for additional expenses if you miss your cruise due to circumstances beyond your control
  • Reimbursement for cancelled prepaid shore excursions
  • A daily allowance if you are confined to your cabin for medical reasons
  • Cover for replacement or hire costs if your onboard formal wear is lost, stolen or damaged
  • Cover for flights to your cruise departure destination
  • Cover for the days leading up to your cruise departure and the days following your return.

  One key thing to know is that, as soon as you leave Australian waters, you are typically no longer covered by Medicare. That means if you get sick and must be treated in the ship's sickbay, you'd be charged full private health care rates, which can be up to $5,000 a day. If you have to be airlifted to the nearest hospital on land, you could be up for tens of thousands of dollars.

• I have a pre-existing medical condition, what should I do?

  If you have a pre-existing medical condition, you may be able to get travel insurance by following these steps:

  • Read the PDS to see if your condition is automatically covered.
  • If your condition is not listed, tell your insurer about it. You will either be declined cover or you may be required to submit further medical evidence such as a doctor's report.
  • If the insurer agrees to cover you after further assessment, you may need to pay an additional fee or you may be offered cover at a lower limit or with a higher excess.
  • If your application for cover is refused, look around and see what other insurers are offering. Each insurer is different and some even specialise in covering pre-existing medical conditions, so shop around.
  • In the worst-case scenario, if you can't find cover anywhere, don't let it put you off going on holidays. You can still obtain travel insurance that covers everything except your pre-existing condition.

• What COVID-linked issues will my travel insurance cover?

  Around one in three travel insurance brands currently offer COVID cover. Most of these policies will cover you if you or a family member can't travel due to a positive COVID test. A number of other benefits could be claimed for, if they are listed in your policy.

  Read more on what covers apply in our guide to travel insurance for COVID.

This article was reviewed on 30 June by James Martin. James is the insurance editor at Finder and he's written on a range of insurance and finance topics for over 7 years.

Written by

Richard Laycock

Editor

Richard Laycock is Finder’s insights editor after spending the last five years writing and editing articles about insurance. His musings can be found across the web including on MoneyMag, Yahoo Finance and Travel Weekly. Richard studied Media at Macquarie University and The Missouri School of Journalism and has a Tier 1 Certification in General Advice for Life Insurance. See full bio

Co-written by

James Martin

Journalist

James Martin was the insurance editor at Finder. He has written on a range of insurance and finance topics for over 7 years. James often shares his insurance expertise as a media spokesperson and has appeared on Prime 7 News, Insurance News, 7NEWS and The Guardian. An experienced journalist, James' work has featured in publications including The Irish Times, Companies100 and In Business. He holds a Tier 1 General Insurance (General Advice) certification and a Tier 1 Generic Knowledge certification, both of which meet the requirements of ASIC Regulatory Guide 146 (RG146). See full bio

James's expertise

James has written 190 Finder guides across topics including:

• Car, home, life, health, travel and pet insurance
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