Best Travel Insurance For Elderly & Seniors (2024)
Although travel insurance may not be mandatory for all destinations, it's highly recommended for elderly travellers, especially those with pre-existing conditions. Medical emergencies, natural disasters, and flight disruptions can occur unexpectedly, and older individuals may be more susceptible.
Therefore, it's crucial to evaluate insurance plans that cater to your age, health, and travel needs. Let’s take a look at the importance of travel insurance coverage for senior travellers, how to pick suitable ones and what are the best options available at the moment.
Key Considerations When Choosing Travel Insurance For Seniors
There are many reasons why travel insurance is so vital in terms of financial protection against sudden accidents or unpredictable weather conditions and here’s an overview of the key aspects to consider when selecting the right ones.
Fundamental medical coverage
Medical emergencies are a significant concern due to the increased likelihood of health complications associated with age. Travel insurance for the over 70s provides critical medical coverage, ensuring that seniors have access to healthcare facilities and treatments in the event of an illness or injury while abroad.
Pre-existing conditions coverage
Many travel insurance policies offer coverage for pre-existing conditions, which is particularly important for senior travellers who may have ongoing health concerns, such as diabetes, hypertension, or arthritis. By choosing a policy that includes coverage for pre-existing conditions, you can ensure that elderly travellers receive necessary care for any flare-ups or complications related to their existing health issues.
Trip cancellation and disruption protection
Senior travellers may need to cancel or modify their travel plans due to sudden health concerns, family emergencies, or even unfavourable medical advice before departure. Travel insurance for elderly people can cover the costs of trip cancellations, ensuring that non-refundable expenses like flights, hotel bookings, and prepaid tours are reimbursed.
Airline restrictions
Airline and immigration regulations can pose unique challenges for elderly travellers. Airlines may have restrictions on flying for those with serious medical conditions, requiring medical clearance before allowing them to board.
For instance, if an elderly traveller has recently undergone surgery or has a condition that could worsen during the flight (such as deep vein thrombosis or heart disease), the airline may deny boarding without proper medical documentation. In such cases, travel insurance can cover the costs of rebooking flights or the expenses incurred due to the delay.
Immigration regulations
Some countries have strict immigration policies that may require proof of health insurance or financial resources before allowing elderly travellers to enter. Countries like Thailand or the Schengen Area in Europe sometimes require visitors to show proof of health insurance coverage for the duration of their stay.
Travel insurance can satisfy these requirements and prevent any complications during entry. In some cases, if an elderly traveller becomes ill while abroad and needs to stay longer than planned, immigration regulations may extend their stay, and insurance can help cover the costs of prolonged accommodation and medical care.
Compare the Best Travel Insurance For Senior Travellers
MSIG TravelEasy Pre-Ex Premier
- Med. Coverage (Overseas)
- S$150,000
- Trip Cancellation
- S$15,000
- Loss/Damage of Baggage
- S$7,500
- Total Premium
- S$68
For seniors, this plan includes medical expenses coverage up to $100,000, post-trip medical expenses coverage of up to $50,000, and also covers for claims not relating to pre-existing medical conditions such as injury or illness sustained during the trip, with over 50 benefits. Moreover, it does not have an upper age limit, which makes it great for those who are over 70 or 80 and still want to travel with assurance.
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Singlife Travel Prestige
- Overseas Medical Expenses
- Unlimited
- Trip Cancellation
- S$20,000
- Loss/Damage of Baggage
- S$8,000
- Total PremiumTotal Premium
S$60.5925% Off - S$45.44
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Get over S$65 worth of rewards including:
• Up to 510 SmartPoints OR S$30 via PayNow with eligible premiums spent. T&Cs apply.
• S$30 Revolut cash reward
• Eskimo Global 1GB eSIM (worth S$9.50) with every policy purchased.
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Additionally, it covers interruptions or cancellations due to COVID-19, as well as medical treatment if you contract the virus abroad or in Singapore. The policy also compensates for the loss of frequent flyer points, hotel points, and credit card points. Furthermore, if your trip is impacted by excessive rainfall, you could receive a S$150 payout, provided the trip is a minimum of three days and more than 50% of the duration is affected by rainfall exceeding 6.4mm in a 24-hour period.
Allianz Travel Platinum
- Med. Coverage (Overseas)
- S$1,000,000
- Trip Cancellation
- S$10,000
- Loss/Damage of Baggage
- S$5,000
- Total PremiumTotal Premium
S$8453% Off - S$39.48
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Get over S$80 worth of rewards including:
• Up to S$45 via PayNow with eligible premiums spent. T&Cs apply.
• S$30 Revolut cash reward
• Eskimo Global 1GB eSIM (worth S$9.50) with every policy purchased.
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With 24/7 medical assistance, Allianz can help senior travellers manage everything from securing trusted medical expertise and appointments to handling direct payments to selected medical providers as well. Their family plan covers you and up to two travelling companions, offering peace of mind for family trips, particularly for families going overseas with grandparents. For frequent senior travellers.
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Tiq Luxury
- Med. Coverage (Overseas)
- S$1,000,000
- Travel Cancelation
- S$10,000
- Loss/Damage of Baggage
- S$3,000
- Total PremiumTotal Premium
S$6150% Off - S$30.50
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Enjoy 50% off Single Trip and 80% off COVID-19 add-on Annual Trip. Discounts valid till 31 Dec 2024. T&Cs apply
Get S$30 Revolut cash reward with every policy purchased. T&Cs apply.
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A standout feature for seniors is the instant claims encashment via PayNow, streamlining the reimbursement process for added convenience. Additionally, if your flight is delayed by 3 hours or more, you will receive an automatic reimbursement without needing to submit a claim, a unique benefit that eliminates the hassle of paperwork and ensures quick compensation.
For ongoing support, Tiq provides 24-hour worldwide emergency travel assistance. Their bilingual team offers services ranging from urgent medical advice and appointment bookings to embassy referrals and lost passport assistance, ensuring that help is readily available wherever you travel. This dedicated support aims to give peace of mind to senior travellers, making their journey as smooth and worry-free as possible.
INCOME Enhanced PreX Basic
- Med. Coverage (Overseas)
- S$500,000
- Trip Cancellation
- S$10,000
- Loss/Damage of Baggage
- S$5,000
- Total PremiumTotal Premium
S$6420% Off - S$51.20
[Prizes worth over S$13,500 | MoneySmart Exclusive]
Get over S$45 worth of rewards including:
• S$10 via PayNow with eligible premiums spent. T&Cs apply.
• S$30 Revolut cash reward
• Eskimo Global 1GB eSIM (worth S$9.50) with every policy purchased.
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• Score a Holiday (worth up to S$5,000)
• Apple AirTag (worth S$45). T&Cs apply.
• S$100 Revolut cash reward. T&Cs apply.
There's extensive protection for pre-existing medical conditions, including diabetes, heart conditions, high blood pressure, asthma, and eczema, with coverage of up to S$300,000 for overseas medical expenses, emergency medical evacuation, and repatriation. In addition, it includes coverage for COVID-19 treatment while abroad.
Explore other travel insurance plans
Compare the top travel insurance providers in Singapore all in one place. Find the best plan with COVID-19 coverage, lost baggage, medical emergencies, flight delays, pre-existing conditions, pregnancy claims and more.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get travel insurance coverage benefits catering to senior travellers?
- You have several options to find suitable coverage for seniors in your travel insurance plan. You can use your preferred travel insurance mobile app, purchase it directly from an airline or insurance company’s website, or contact your insurance agent.
For a more independent approach, consider using a comparison platform like MoneySmart to easily compare the best available rates for your needs. Is it worth getting travel insurance for senior travellers?
- Seniors travel insurance provides essential medical coverage for illnesses or injuries while abroad. If a senior experiences a heart attack or another serious condition, the insurance can cover hospitalisation, doctor consultations, and surgeries, offering peace of mind during their trip.
Can you fly without travel insurance?
- Yes, you can. While it is always advisable to have some form of travel insurance, it is not actually required in order to fly. Some people do skip the travel insurance especially for short trips such as a weekend getaway to Johor. That being said, keep in mind that if you choose to fly without travel insurance, you will be responsible for all costs associated with any delays, cancellations, or other problems that occur during your trip.
We asked Singaporeans about flight disruptions, and they answered.
Find out the worst airlines with delays and cancellations according to Singaporean travellers.
