Travel insurance for over 60s

Get your travel insurance when you book your holiday - this way you have your cover in place if something happens and stops you from going, in addition to cover for the holiday.   

Make sure you declare all medical conditions - if you don’t disclose this information, you’re more likely to not be fully covered.  

Don’t forget you can get a free Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) card (which replaced the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) in 2021. The card entitles you to treatment in state-run hospitals in the EU at the same cost as a local would pay. This should be used as an extra to your insurance. Visit the GOV.UK website to apply for your GHIC 

Always check the fine print and exclusions. For example, if you were to leave your baggage unattended, some insurance companies won’t cover for loss of belongings.  

If you’re traveling with a group, it might be cheaper to get separate cover rather than a group policy. Group policies tend to be calculated using the oldest person in the group and/or if someone has a medical condition which would put up the premium for everyone else. Always check your options, but it might be cheaper to get individual policies.  

Double-check if you get holiday insurance with your bank. Some banks offer insurance cover and things like breakdown cover with their premium accounts (you usually pay a monthly/annual fee to get this benefit).  

If you’re heading off on a cruise or skiing holiday you usually need extra cover for this so make sure you check your policy when booking and add on the right cover  

If you need to claim for a cancellation, you need proof that your operator or airline won’t refund you first. This is usually within the fine print of an insurance policy known as 'recoverable costs', which essentially means you need to prove that you can't claim back those amounts elsewhere. 

Book easily-canceled hotel and flight options so it’s free or low cost to cancel or re-schedule.  

Consider paying using a credit card – this offers more protection on your purchase as it comes under Section 75 refund rules (Free protection for credit card spending on items over £100). You still get some protection using a debit card, but some companies might challenge this.  

Package holidays can offer greater protection - if an airline or accommodation provider cancels, you're entitled to a refund. 

Submit your claim as soon as possible. Contact your insurer as soon as you can. Your policy might have a set window of time to make a claim after the event/holiday you’re claiming for.   

If you need treatment whilst on holiday, contact your insurer to accept a medical claim before you get treatment (when it's not an emergency). For example, if you sprained your ankle, call your insurer. If they accept the claim, you're less likely to be faced with a rejected claim after your holiday. Make sure you don’t delay treatment if it's an emergency. 

If you want to claim for theft, notify the police as soon as you can. Your insurance company is likely to ask for a crime reference number (or country equivalent) to make a successful claim, they may also have a window of time - likely to be 24 hours in which you should have reported the crime.  

If you are claiming for lost luggage or delay, remember to keep all your receipts of any essential items you have bought while waiting, like food and drink. Many insurers allow you to add these expenses to a claim and may ask for receipts as proof. 

Complain if you feel your claim was unfairly rejected. If your insurance company rejects your claim, and you think it has done so wrongly you can contact the Financial Ombudsman. They offer a free and easy-to-use service that settles complaints between consumers and businesses. They are impartial and independent.