Best Travel Insurance for Senior Flyers?

[Linnet]

Just wondering if there are any tips for pax aged 65+/70+ when buying travel insurance (domestic/international)?

Would appreciate experienced AFFers advice/guidance on this ... no urgency, just a general forward planning query for the new year .

 

[codash1099]

Just wondering if there are any tips for pax aged 65+/70+ when buying travel insurance (domestic/international)?

Would appreciate experienced AFFers advice/guidance on this ... no urgency, just a general forward planning query for the new year .

I fall into the 70+ cohort. My major problem is a pre-existing illness, asthma. This is normally OK if you are under 60, and one or two used to think it OK to 70. However I can now only find one that will cover without medical - Australian Seniors. I suspect they are a bit more expensive but at least they give me the cover I want. No idea how their claims system operates - I haven't had one (yet!!).

Seniors Travel Insurance | Australian Seniors Insurance Agency

 

[drron]

We did use travel insurance Direct annual policy which was quite cheap.However they cut the vacation trip length to 30 days so now on our second year with the QBE/QFF product.Dearer but allows 60 day trips.
Fortunately another 2 years before I get to 70 but may get another 3 years as our renewal date is 3 weeks before my birthday.

 

[codash1099]

We did use travel insurance Direct annual policy which was quite cheap.However they cut the vacation trip length to 30 days so now on our second year with the QBE/QFF product.Dearer but allows 60 day trips.
Fortunately another 2 years before I get to 70 but may get another 3 years as our renewal date is 3 weeks before my birthday.

A number of companies use the age at which the journey begins. Not sure if this applies to annual policies.

 

[Linnet]

Many thanks for your thoughts, codash1099 and drron.
... is it just me, or is it getting more difficult to read the so-called 'plain English' PDS docs of different insurance companies? When there are three or four of those lengthy docs to peruse, strikes me it's a bit like comparing apples with compost heaps with spanners!

 

[get me outta here]

In the Nov 14 Choice magazine they look at seniors as one of their categories. The best for >70 is Apia Comprehensive. Maybe see what that's like.

From Apia PDS, is this badly worded or does it say no cover for the US and Japan...

‘Worldwide’ means all other countries excluding the
above regions and the USA, Canada or Japan.

http://www.apia.com.au/sites/default/files/pdf/travel/policy-document-travel-insurance.pdf

 

[drron]

The way it reads is that worldwide cover doesn't cover North America,Japan,the South Pacific and South East Asia.
I also love the use of in certain limited circumstances.I don't think much of Choice's choice.

 

[van]

We are not >70 but close. We book all our trips (flights, hotels, rental car, cruise) using an AMEX Black card. This gives free travel insurance in 95% of circumstances. Had to cancel an $18000 journey in 2014 and we got all expenses refunded except for a $500 hotel bill.

 

[get me outta here]

Choice has 14 with unlimited age limit. I just put the top one in. I guess once we are over 70 life changes re travel insurance.

The way it reads is that worldwide cover doesn't cover North America,Japan,the South Pacific and South East Asia.
I also love the use of in certain limited circumstances.I don't think much of Choice's choice.

 

[Sale]

We have been having a quiet stress as we are doing a couple of cruises in the USA/Canada this year. We hadn't been able to find a company to cover a previous cardiac condition. Anyway, saw in the paper today that a new company has just started up. Covers you up to the age of 80, and covers us for any cardiac issues which one of us has as a pre-existing condition.

The basic premium for us was about $1000 for an annual policy with about $380 additionally to cover the pre-existing. And they have "Lifestyle" covers as extras - one of which is "Cruising" and the cover there is unlimited, including medical evacuation.

The new company is called "Boomers" and I am thrilled to have insurance, and not to have to rely on the uncertainty of trying to claim (if necessary) on the credit card insurance!!

 

[codash1099]

We have been having a quiet stress as we are doing a couple of cruises in the USA/Canada this year. We hadn't been able to find a company to cover a previous cardiac condition. Anyway, saw in the paper today that a new company has just started up. Covers you up to the age of 80, and covers us for any cardiac issues which one of us has as a pre-existing condition.

The basic premium for us was about $1000 for an annual policy with about $380 additionally to cover the pre-existing. And they have "Lifestyle" covers as extras - one of which is "Cruising" and the cover there is unlimited, including medical evacuation.

The new company is called "Boomers" and I am thrilled to have insurance, and not to have to rely on the uncertainty of trying to claim (if necessary) on the credit card insurance!!

From what I can see, this is a US company specialising in Medicare type cover. Not sure how they would handle repatriation to Australia.

And I don't think I would touch APIA. They seem to have a blanket "no cover" for pre-existing conditions unless OK'd by them. They also won't pay if you have to return home because of death, injury or illness of a close family member. Pretty sure many others cover that, at least to some extent.

 

[JohnM]

This discussion points up a modern-day irony.

Greater average longevity is leading to pressure for people to work beyond the traditional 65 retirement age. That implies that, increasingly, people are considered 'fit for work purpose' beyond 65 - but the insurance industry seems to think otherwise for travel and holds on to age 70 as a threshold for perceived 'decline'.

That's not to say insurance is impossible from 70, but it becomes more costly and subject to more onerous pre-checking requirements. Not suggesting that pre-checking is necessarily unreasonable, just that there does seem some irony in the two thresholds converging rather than staying in step - or even diverging.

I'm still a few years from 70 and I have no health issues that would concern a travel insurance company, but I see this age issue looming. I'm trying TID for my DONE5 later this year.

Previously I've used my private health insurer (CGU in reality nowadays) but I was not happy about how they handled a claim on a damaged rental car and their refusal to reimburse mobile phone calls to QF to rearrange flights after getting delayed in USH by an ATC strike in Dec 2013. I can understand them not paying for lengthy 'chatty' calls to family, but to knock back a specific-purpose call to QF to rearrange flights on the cusp of Xmas, when phoning was the only option, I thought was unreasonable as I was hardly going to stay on the line passing the time of day with the CSA at QF.

 

[Sale]

From what I can see, this is a US company specialising in Medicare type cover. Not sure how they would handle repatriation to Australia.

And I don't think I would touch APIA. They seem to have a blanket "no cover" for pre-existing conditions unless OK'd by them. They also won't pay if you have to return home because of death, injury or illness of a close family member. Pretty sure many others cover that, at least to some extent.

Thanks for this codash1099. The Boomer policy is with Allianz not Apia (who use Alliance) - I presume they there is a difference?? Although some of the reviews of Alianz are not very happy.

Anyway, I have since read through the PDS properly and the policy does seem to cover a limited return home benefit for illness of a close family member. Our priority, however, was a the possibility of a huge US medical bill, and as we have declared any pre-existing condition and paid a premium to cover them so it has been OKed by them. And we are covered for any medical repatriation from the cruise ship.

We have a 14 day cooling off period so I'm interested in your thoughts - and could you explain what you mean by specialising in Medicare type cover? many thanks

 

[drron]

We have been having a quiet stress as we are doing a couple of cruises in the USA/Canada this year. We hadn't been able to find a company to cover a previous cardiac condition. Anyway, saw in the paper today that a new company has just started up. Covers you up to the age of 80, and covers us for any cardiac issues which one of us has as a pre-existing condition.

The basic premium for us was about $1000 for an annual policy with about $380 additionally to cover the pre-existing. And they have "Lifestyle" covers as extras - one of which is "Cruising" and the cover there is unlimited, including medical evacuation.

The new company is called "Boomers" and I am thrilled to have insurance, and not to have to rely on the uncertainty of trying to claim (if necessary) on the credit card insurance!!

Good pick up.Nice to know I can get multi trip insurance up until 74.Though not as good as our current policy and more expensive.But that stops when I turn 71.
Certainly new.A bit of difficulty finding it until I came to their news release of Friday saying there were starting.

From what I can see, this is a US company specialising in Medicare type cover. Not sure how they would handle repatriation to Australia.

And I don't think I would touch APIA. They seem to have a blanket "no cover" for pre-existing conditions unless OK'd by them. They also won't pay if you have to return home because of death, injury or illness of a close family member. Pretty sure many others cover that, at least to some extent.

You had to go a couple of pages on google until you came across the press release of 6/2.An Australian office and underwritten by Allianz which underwrites many of the policies discussed here.

 

[JessicaTam]

I have used 1Cover since my mother and uncle travelled to the UK and my uncle had a stroke. Hospital in Scotland for 6 weeks (national health covered this). They provided two nurses and all flights including air ambulance to get to LHR and then QF to MEL-ADL. This included taking 4 seats out of each flight to make room for the stretcher.

Once they were sure that my uncle's stroke was not caused by pre-existing condition they were great. They were late 60s/early 70s when they travelled.

 

[Deleted member]

This discussion points up a modern-day irony.

Greater average longevity is leading to pressure for people to work beyond the traditional 65 retirement age. That implies that, increasingly, people are considered 'fit for work purpose' beyond 65 - but the insurance industry seems to think otherwise for travel and holds on to age 70 as a threshold for perceived 'decline'.

That's not to say insurance is impossible from 70, but it becomes more costly and subject to more onerous pre-checking requirements. Not suggesting that pre-checking is necessarily unreasonable, just that there does seem some irony in the two thresholds converging rather than staying in step - or even diverging.

I'm still a few years from 70 and I have no health issues that would concern a travel insurance company, but I see this age issue looming. I'm trying TID for my DONE5 later this year.

Previously I've used my private health insurer (CGU in reality nowadays) but I was not happy about how they handled a claim on a damaged rental car and their refusal to reimburse mobile phone calls to QF to rearrange flights after getting delayed in USH by an ATC strike in Dec 2013. I can understand them not paying for lengthy 'chatty' calls to family, but to knock back a specific-purpose call to QF to rearrange flights on the cusp of Xmas, when phoning was the only option, I thought was unreasonable as I was hardly going to stay on the line passing the time of day with the CSA at QF.

Not that I am defending the industry.
However any change to rates and cover as the way we live and work changes, will lag quite a way behind.
These things are actuarially calculated. Until new evidence is collected and understood , I suspect change will be slow.
70 may well be the new 65, but we will just have to wait and see.

 

[JohnM]

Not that I am defending the industry.
However any change to rates and cover as the way we live and work changes, will lag quite a way behind.
These things are actuarially calculated. Until new evidence is collected and understood , I suspect change will be slow.
70 may well be the new 65, but we will just have to wait and see.

Oh, fully understand. I was commenting on the irony of the situation .

 

[burmans]

Until new evidence is collected and understood , I suspect change will be slow.
70 may well be the new 65, but we will just have to wait and see.

Personally I would suggest the evidence is already there that we are both living and working longer. Recent government actions to increase the retirement age (indeed its been going on for ten years) were in response to this evidence of longer life.

 

[fjc]

I'm over 70 and was looking for travel insurance for a 2 week Pacific Island cruise coming shortly. I have a fairly major health issue, which has badly affected my eye sight and so could lead to a fall - not a good idea when overseas. Asked around, and was told by a few people of one well known insurer but when I contacted them, all they wanted to do was to issue the policy and collect my money. Finally, I got them to take note of what I was saying and the consultant tried to get me to say that the eye damage wasn't as a result of the health issue - which it most definitely is.

They referred me to an another organisation within their group who dealt with pre-existing conditions. Called them, on hold for ages, then left a call back message. After some hours, tried again with similar results. The online evaluation form useless.

Finally, I called NRMA Insurance (I'm a gold member). Straight through to a lady, discussed my issues, answered a number of detailed questions, and was given a quote for just under $200 which covered me for everything, including all pre-existing conditions. No medical forms to be completed by the doctor (not that I object to that). Paid my money - and just hope that I don't have to use them.

 

[cove]

We have Chubb through work and that is comprehensive but not really available other than by using an insurance broker.