Holiday insurance for the elderly

Whatever type of holiday you choose, you need to make sure that you have adequate holiday insurance for an elderly person going on holiday. Unfortunately, as people get older, there is more likihood of illness that carries extra risk from the insurance point of view, especially if the holiday destination is abroad.

Older travellers , especially those with on-going conditions and illnesses can find it tricky to get an insurer to provide them holiday insurance as many such policies exclude pre-existing conditions. When you apply, you may find that the insurance company will not insure anyone over a certain age, or will only provide insurance if pre-existing conditions are excluded from the insurance cover.

If you travel without insurance for a pre-existing condition or with no insurance at all, you are obviously at risk if anything unspeakable happens while you are on holiday.

When you research holiday insurance, you need to make sure that the policy will cover you adequately.

Medical Exclusions

When thinking about what insurance you should take out, you need to consider if any of the following factors apply to you:

Have you received a Terminal prognosis?
Are you waiting for an operation, or a visit to a hospital consultant, or the results of any tests that have been requested by a previous visit to a consultant?
Are you travelling against the advice of your medical consultant?

If any of the above apply, you may not be covered for many of the normal benefits of an insurance policy - for example if you holiday is cancelled, cut short, any medical expenses that apply or hospital benefits.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE COVERED FOR THESE EVENTUALITIES.

Travelling abroad

If you are travelling outside your normal country of residence, you will be asked a number of questions about your medical condition or conditions. If the answer to any of the questions is 'Yes' then you will be asked more questions to establish if your insurer can cover you under a normal policy or if an additional premium is required.

The sort of questions you will be asked are:

- have you been diagnosed or treated for any form of cancer within the last five years?
- do you have breathing or heart problems?

- are you currently having any hospital tests or investigations?

- have you been treated for deep vein thrombosis or a stroke?

- are you being treated for diabetes?

- have you been referred to a hospital consultant in the last year?

Unfortunately, although you can always find insurance companies who will insure you whatever your state of health, you will find that the premiums will be much more expensive than with a normal holiday insurance plan for a person with no pre-existing conditions.

What if a condition develops after you have paid for a normal holiday insurance policy? Well, you must tell your insurer immediately - otherwise you may not be covered at all. You may find that your condition has no affect on the policy, but if it does, you will still be able to get your insurance, but will be asked to pay an extra premium to cover the risk.

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