Over 65's Get The Best Value Travel Insurance

For over 65's travel insurance is seen as both over-priced and at the same time providing arguably the most value for any traveller.

Is that a contradiction? Well no, because when considering the nature of many trips purchased by over 65 year-olds, it is this demographic who have perhaps the most reason to splash out on trips of a lifetime.

Typically elder travellers may be in a secure financial position whereby they are precisely aware of their annual income, from a pension for example. This is fantastic for budgeting because the amounts received are pretty steady and reliable.

Contrast that source of finance with investments in shares, or a salaried employee with a demanding family to feed. Instantly it is clear that these factors are going to place a strain of unpredictability on holiday savings. In addition the reliability of income could be withdrawn at any moment, for example with redundancy or a market crash. Over 65's are less exposed to these risks and are generally aware of exactly how much they have to budget for their holidays.

This explains why some older holidaymakers are taking out travel insurance for inspirational trips around the world, on safari, and cruises to multiple destinations.
Which add up to significant values covered under cancellation clauses in their travel insurance policy. In this respect, travellers with the highest value holidays receive the best value from their insurance policy. Compare two cancelled travel plans both paying a similar amount for insurance, if one is refunded 400 for a weekend break and the other 6,000 for an ambitious cruise, who will perceive the policy to be most worthwhile?

On the flip side, elder tourists often claim how high the policy prices can be following age 64. In the main, this is a fair observation. Part of the reason behind these inflated costs is the fact that this age group requires higher pay outs than other groups, due to the high proportion of medical related issues facing the more mature holidaymaker.

When all this is calculated, over 65's often receive high pay outs for holiday cancellations, having booked holidays of a lifetime. This group also claims the greatest amount of all medically related incidents abroad and receives the best value for money of all travel insurance policy holders. But the privilege for this is not cheap.



Technorati tags; over 65, cancellation claim, travel insurance.

Most Common Travel Insurance Claims

With more choice than ever from the supply of travel insurance, it has become standard practice to make sure you're financially protected before departing on your travels.

The online market for policy quotations is booming, and with the millions of customers taking out a reassuring travel insurance policy, also comes the millions who claim to recover financial loss every year.

From the statistics collected by insurers it becomes clear there are trends which appear frequently, such as the most popular types of travel insurance claim submitted to providers.

And if you're curious, let's now reveal the top 5:


Medical Claims - The highest occurring type of claim arises from a number of sources; holidaymakers who land with full health then experience some kind of illness or injury requiring medical care. Also, people who travel being aware of a pre-existing condition, which may deteriorate on holiday, requiring medical assistance.

In some cases patients need to be repatriated, which at full health might be the cost of a cheap flight, but with full medical support in a specialist aircraft can cost alarmingly high amounts! Often in the tens of thousands, this is the claim which uninsured travellers at risk fear the most. The huge cost will ultimately be determined by the nature of the medical issue plus how far afield the incident takes place.



Baggage Claims - Any frequent flier will be well aware of the likelihood of arriving at the destination airport and standing unfulfilled at the baggage reclaim belt. Even with the technology available this issue still occurs far too often, and can arise from bags missing their connections, passengers boarding flights on time while suitcases are delayed by baggage handling operations, alternatively because luggage is pulled aside and lengthy security checks go on.


Cancellations - Less fortunate travellers never even get off the ground because events transpire before departing which prevent them going on holiday. This could be time in hospital, unforeseen illness, family circumstance or some other justifiable reason that prevents the trip from taking place. Claims for refund of booked travel plans are usually higher in value than baggage claims, but not as high as medical claims.



Personal Money - Lost or stolen cash is a perennial issue that travellers are aware of. Tips such as watching out for pick pockets, taking advantage of hotel security deposits, and making use of travellers cheques forms useful advice which is clearly not heeded by all.

Loosing cash abroad is still a major incident for many holidaymakers, and usually coincides with the loss of other connected items; wallets, purses, credit cards, passports, and jewellery. Insurers are not blind to this statistic and have set maximum limits for the values which can be claimed. Be aware of these and only carry as much cash as these permit.


Delays - Regardless of comprehensive planning, there is always something which can go wrong. A common factor is the weather which can close down airports, ground cruise ships in harbours, wreck road and rail infrastructure with floods, landslides and earthquakes, not to mention potentially close hotels with hurricanes!

Something less spectacular can still cause delays requiring unwarranted stays in expensive airport hotels, or re-booked flights on the day of departure.


Technorati tags; cancellation claim, delayed baggage, travel insurance.

Cancelled Flight Claims Because of the Snow

Heavy snow brought the UK to its knobbly knees over the last few days, with Luton Airport, Heathrow Airport, Southampton Airport, Gatwick Airport and London City Airport notably suffering closures and suspension of flights.

Perhaps most embarrassingly, Heathrow Airport, the world’s fourth busiest airport was taken by shock as some snow, commonly found in Canada, Russia, and other seasonally cold places, fell from the sky, covering the two runways and most probably settling on the sophisticated airport weather radar dishes…

Latest reports suggest that farmers in the West of England have donated 3 spades to help BAA clear the snow on both the runways. Kindness, which has multiplied the airport’s efficiency by 200% in dealing with this “totally unexpected” natural phenomenon.

My flight was cancelled due to the snow

Airlines are offering a full refund of the flight price to the passenger, or offering to put travellers on the next available flight. Should it be required to re-book with a different carrier, do consult the travel insurance provider as this will help smooth any future claim regarding the costs of flight cancellation and expense recovery.

However, rebooking or arranging refunds was made all the more difficult due to travel advice to “stay at home” unless trips were absolutely critical. This meant that everybody who liked snowmen more than their dull call-centre job had an easy decision.
Hence airline call centre lines had nightmarish waits and severely reduced service in many cases.

Travel insurance will frequently cover the destination purchases which could not be fulfilled because of the snow. For example, the hotel not used plus the sightseeing trips and excursions which were booked but not experienced due to the cancelled flight.

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Technorati tags; cancelled flihts, airport closures, bad weather.