Insurance World

At last you’ve retired. It’s now time to relax and experience a slower pace of life. Even enjoy spot of gardening. But not all of today’s modern over 65’s have heard the message! Retirement is taking a new twist.

Less of the slower pace of life and substitute jetting around the world! International travel for the retired is here and booming!

It’s all the result of a increased sense of adventure and willingness to experiment, combined with more money in the pocket. Cheaper air tickets have also helped! Even cruises, once the territory of the seriously rich and famous, have become affordable. An escape to Antigua and a fortnight in the Canaries or a weekend in Stockholm are now firmly on the over 65’s travelling schedule.

Then a fly sticks in the ointment. Finding economical travel insurance when you’re over 65 is not easy. Insurance companies recognise that people have healthier lives and are living longer, and in recognition the insurers are offering far more products for the older market. But with travel insurance, the over 65’s are still faced with exorbitant premiums.

Premiums rocket as you get older and if you’re looking for an annual policy for an extended holiday or a series of holidays, the problem becomes finding a policy at all rather than simply finding the cheapest price.

The dilemma revolves around the costs of medical claims experienced by the insurers. Over 65’s are much more liable to make a medical claim and the claim size is well above average too. Against this, older travellers reportedly lose less luggage - but these savings are counter-balanced by the fact their belongings are liable to be worth more.

The result is that even if you are fit, the lowest priced annual policy for the over 65’s could cost Ј1,000 per person – that could be more than the cost of the holiday itself. Faced with these charges, the solution is to buy a separate policy for each trip. But even with a good medical history, the cost of insuring a 3-week holiday in the South of France starts around Ј65, and rises enormously for destinations in America and further a-field.

What’s the solution? You’re recommended to shop around. Your travel agent may offer a quotation but don’t snap his hand off until you’ve got competitive prices. You’ll almost certainly find a much cheaper alternative through surfing the Internet and buying online.

But don’t make your final decision simply on the basis of cost. Always examine the small print. Some travel policies will insure you for up to 21 days, others up to 31 days or 45 days. Some policies will only cover you if you’re staying in booked accommodation rather than staying with friends or relatives. No good for visiting family in New South Wales! Then you need to ensure that you’ve got adequate cover for medical and hospital expenses and don’t spare the horses – think of a high figure and triple it! You’ll be amazed how expensive quality medical attention can be whilst you’re abroad. Incidentally, it’s important that your insurer will fly you home to the UK if your medical condition demands. And don’t overlook comparing the excesses you have to pay per claim. Finally, check that the policy pays medical costs direct to the hospital rather than you paying first and having to reclaim.

And now comes the really good bit – jet off and ENJOY yourself!

Dealing with the ugly disease cancer is one of the most distressing things anyone can face in their lifetime. First the person has to come to terms with the fact that they have the life threatening illness, then they undergo a long and grueling process of chemotherapy which takes its toll not just on themselves but on their entire family. And then, once their chemotherapy treatment is over, there is always the chance that the cancer will again resurface.

So you can imagine how soul destroying it can be for those who, having battled the illness for some time, want to go on an overseas trip as a way to put their difficult experience behind them only to find that they are discriminated against when it comes to any travel insurance policy. You have a situation where some people who have had cancer are paying more for their travel insurance than for the cost of their flight. Many just take a gamble and travel without any cover because they cannot get insurance at all.

A survey by the charity ‘Cancerbackup’ has revealed that nine in ten people who have cancer struggle to get travel insurance. Seven in ten find the attempts to get the insurance distressing. Inclusive in these results are the people who have suffered from cancer in the past and are now free of the disease.

The results also show that seven in ten people were fit to travel, yet were quoted with significantly high premiums or else flatly refuse the travel insurance all together. So, as a result of the insurer’s reluctance to offer a reasonable policy to cancer sufferers, one in 20 in the survey chose to simply travel anyway and one in ten decided to cancel their trip all together because travel insurance was not available to them.

Says a spokesperson for a well-known Cancer Support Charity: “The insurance industry needs to recognise that not all cancers are the same and treat people accordingly.”
The charity predicts that because at least one million people have been given the bad news that they have the disease at some stage in their lifetime, the problem with travel insurance is one that is likely to get worse.

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) will tell you that travel insurance is available for those who have had or currently suffer from cancer. But the problem is that this unavailable from the mainstream companies offering the cheap deals.

Some specialist insurers will offer policies, but at a cost. For example, one company charges a 48-year-old woman who had breast cancer five years ago Ј248.70 for a 17-day worldwide policy. For someone without any health concerns the cost of the insurance is as little as Ј20.

A spokesperson for a large broker said, “The exta costs can be worth it because when someone is feeling low, a holiday can be just what they need. They sympathise with people being refused travel insurance outright. Being refused insurance can have a terrible impact on their morale”.

The ABI says it will talk to Cancerbackup about the issue of travel insurance and whether those who have had cancer are treated unfairly. And they want to make sure that the results of the Cancerbackup survey do not put people off taking out travel insurance full stop.

Websites which offer more information include the Cancerbackup website (www.cancerbackup.org.uk) and Cancer Research website (www.cancerresearchuk.org/).