Traveling in retirement allows you to explore new destinations and make memorable experiences. However, trips also carry risks, especially for seniors who may face health issues or emergencies. Travel insurance can protect against financial losses and provide peace of mind. It covers costs like medical bills, trip cancellation, baggage loss, plus emergency assistance and other benefits.
But not all policies work for seniors. Some have age limits, exclude pre-existing conditions, or charge higher premiums. It’s essential to compare options and find the best travel insurance for your needs and budget.
This article discusses what to look for when choosing senior travel insurance, the top 7 providers in 2023, and how to select the right policy for you. The goal is to ensure you can travel with coverage suited to seniors.
Factors to Consider When Choosing Travel Insurance for Seniors
When choosing travel insurance for seniors, there are several factors to consider, such as:
1. Age Limits and Coverage Options
Some travel insurance policies may have age limits or restrictions on the coverage options available for seniors. For example, some policies may not offer trip cancellation or interruption coverage for travelers over a certain age, or they may limit the maximum trip length or trip cost covered. Therefore, it’s important to check the age limits and coverage options of each policy before buying.
2. Pre-existing Medical Conditions Coverage
Pre-existing medical conditions are any health problems that you have or had before buying travel insurance. Some common examples are diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and cancer. Many travel insurance policies exclude pre-existing medical conditions from coverage, which means they will not pay for any expenses related to those conditions if they cause you to cancel your trip or need medical treatment during your trip. However, some policies may offer pre-existing medical conditions coverage if you meet certain requirements, such as buying the policy within a specified time frame after booking your trip, having a stable medical condition, and disclosing your medical history to the insurer. Therefore, it’s important to read the policy terms and conditions carefully and look for policies that offer pre-existing medical conditions coverage if you have any.
3. Trip Cancellation and Interruption Coverage
Trip cancellation and interruption coverage is a type of coverage that reimburses you for the nonrefundable prepaid expenses of your trip if you have to cancel or cut short your trip due to a covered reason. Some common covered reasons are illness, injury, death of a family member or traveling companion, natural disaster, terrorism, or bankruptcy of a travel supplier. However, each policy may have different definitions and exclusions of what constitutes a covered reason. Therefore, it’s important to review the policy details and look for policies that offer comprehensive trip cancellation and interruption coverage with minimal exclusions.
4. Emergency Medical Coverage
Emergency medical coverage is a type of coverage that pays for the medical expenses incurred during your trip if you suffer an illness or injury that requires immediate medical attention. This can include hospitalization, surgery, ambulance fees, prescription drugs, and more. Emergency medical coverage is especially important for seniors who may have higher risks of health complications or need specialized care while traveling. However, each policy may have different limits and exclusions on what types of medical services are covered and how much they will pay. Therefore, it’s important to compare the policy limits and exclusions and look for policies that offer adequate emergency medical coverage with high limits and low deductibles.
Top 7 Travel Insurance Options for Seniors
Based on our research and analysis of various travel insurance policies available in the market in 2023, we have selected the following 7 options as the best travel insurance for seniors in the USA:
1. Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection
Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection offers versatile travel insurance for all ages. Their popular plans include AirCare for flight issues, ExactCare for comprehensive trip protection, ExactCare Extra with added flight benefits, ExactCare Value for budget coverage, WaveCare for cruises, AdrenalineCare for adventure sports, and AnnualCare for unlimited annual trips. If purchased within 15 days of trip deposit, their plans cover pre-existing medical conditions without age limits. 24/7 global assistance and straightforward claims are also provided.
2. Nationwide Travel Insurance
Nationwide Travel Insurance provides policies for varied travelers. Their key plans are Essential for basic coverage, Prime for enhanced benefits, Luxury for premium protection, Cruise for cruise-specific needs, and Annual/Multi-Trip for unlimited annual trips. Nationwide policies have no age limits and cover pre-existing conditions if purchased within 10-21 days of the initial trip deposit. 24/7 emergency assistance and easy claims filing are also offered.
3. Cat 70
Cat 70 compares travel insurance from top providers. Enter your trip info to instantly view quotes. Filter and compare quotes by price, coverage, ratings, and reviews. Side-by-side policy details allow comparison of benefits. Customer feedback and ratings are shown for each provider. Cat 70 offers policies from trusted companies like Allianz, AXA, Generali, IMG, Travelex, and Travel Guard. There are no service fees or commissions. Cat 70 guarantees the best price.
4. Seven Corners
Seven Corners provides international travel insurance for all ages. Their key plans include RoundTrip for comprehensive coverage, RoundTrip Choice with pre-existing conditions coverage, RoundTrip Elite for enhanced benefits, RoundTrip Economy for budget coverage, Liaison Travel Plus for international medical insurance, Liaison Travel Basic for lower limits, Liaison Travel Choice for higher limits, Liaison Travel Elite for maximum coverage, Wander Frequent Traveler Plus for annual multi-trips, Wander Frequent Traveler Basic for lower limits, Wander Frequent Traveler Choice for higher limits, and Wander Frequent Traveler Elite for maximum coverage. Most plans have no age limits. 24/7 multilingual assistance and easy claims are offered. Quotes and policies are available online.
5. Tin Leg
Tin Leg provides affordable, comprehensive travel insurance for all ages. Their key plans are Economy for basic coverage, Standard for enhanced benefits, Luxury for premium protection, and Adventure for sports coverage. Pre-existing conditions are covered when policies are purchased within 15 days of the initial trip deposit. There are no age limits. 24/7 travel assistance and fast, easy claims are offered. Quotes and policies are available online.
6. Travel Insured International
Travel Insured International provides various travel insurance plans. The main offerings are Worldwide Trip Protector for comprehensive coverage, Worldwide Trip Protector Plus covering pre-existing conditions when bought within 21 days, Worldwide Trip Protector Lite for budget coverage, Worldwide Trip Protector Preferred for enhanced benefits, and Annual Protector for unlimited annual trips. There are no age limits except 75 years for Annual Protector. 24/7 emergency assistance and customer-friendly claims are provided. Quotes and purchases are available online.
7. USI Affinity
USI Affinity provides customizable travel insurance for all ages. The main plans are Travel Insurance Select for comprehensive coverage, Travel Insurance Select Plus covering pre-existing conditions when purchased within 21 days, Travel Insurance Select Elite for enhanced benefits, Travel Insurance Select Basic for budget coverage, and Travel Insurance Select Annual Plan for unlimited annual trips. There are no age limits except 75 years for the annual plan. 24/7 emergency assistance and responsive claims service are offered.
How to Compare and Choose the Best Travel Insurance for Seniors?
After reviewing the top 7 travel insurance options for seniors in the USA in 2023, you may wonder how to compare and choose the best one for your specific needs and preferences. Here are some tips to help you make an informed decision:
1. Evaluate Coverage Options and Limits
First, assess how each policy’s coverage options and limits meet your travel plans and needs. For high-risk destinations or pre-existing conditions, seek policies with robust emergency medical and pre-existing coverage. For pricey items or nonrefundable bookings, find policies with ample baggage loss and cancellation/interruption coverage. For long or frequent trips, look for long trip length or annual multi-trip policies. Match the coverage to your specific trip.
2. Consider Customer Reviews and Ratings
Next, review customer feedback and ratings for each policy and provider to gauge quality and reliability. Check reviews on sites like Cat 70, Trustpilot, Better Business Bureau, and Consumer Affairs. Look up financial strength ratings from agencies like A.M. Best, Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s, and Fitch Ratings. Opt for policies and providers with positive customer reviews and high ratings from independent agencies, signaling trustworthiness and credibility.
3. Compare Prices and Deductibles
Then, compare policy prices and deductibles against your budget. Get quotes from provider websites or use a comparison site like Cat 70 to view multiple options. Adjust coverage to see the price impact. Aim for policies with fair pricing and deductibles relative to their coverage value. Avoid options that seem too cheap or expensive for what they offer. Select a policy that fits both your needs and budget.
4. Look for Additional Benefits and Add-ons
Also, consider any extra benefits or add-ons that could improve your travel protection and experience. These may include travel delay compensation, rental car coverage, change fees coverage, mileage/points reimbursement, missed port protection, shore excursion cancellation, sports equipment rental, adventure sports coverage, and more. Look for policies that offer these as standard inclusions or optional upgrades based on your specific needs and preferences. Additional benefits can enhance your trip.
