Specialist policies for older travellers can be tempting, says Harriet Meyer, but it’s always worth looking around

Autumn is a prime holiday time for older people, with plenty of bargain breaks available once children have gone back to school. But while travel costs might be lower, finding reasonably priced travel insurance that provides the cover you need when you are in your 50s or older can prove a challenge.

The older you get, the more care you should take when picking policies, as the launch of a new product this month from Staysure.co.uk, aimed at the over-50s, demonstrates.

This claims to be up to five times cheaper than its rivals and to cover 220 medical conditions at no extra charge – with prices starting at about £14 for a 50-year-old couple on a seven-day trip to Europe. It will provide cover for those aged up to 85 on single policies, and 81 for annual cover.

“The claim that they cover so many pre-existing medical conditions might look impressive, but on closer inspection it comes across as more of a marketing tactic than a true differentiator, as most of the conditions are minor ailments that wouldn’t trouble the average travel insurance underwriter,” says Lee Griffin, business development director at the comparison site Gocompare.com.

“Among the conditions covered are toothache, stomach bug and the common cold; there is no mention of conditions that are of greater concern to the over-50s, such as heart complaints, stroke or cancer – these will be charged an additional premium, just like many other policies.”

However, Ryan Howsam, chief executive at Staysure.co.uk, defends the policy: “As well as including protection for 220 medical ailments including blindness, broken bones, hernias and hip replacements as standard, the policy can be tailored for travellers with more serious conditions including diabetes, stroke, heart conditions and cancer following a simple medical screening process.”

The company will require further information on conditions that have occurred in the past two years.

According to Gocompare.com, a 50-year-old couple travelling to Spain for two weeks on a single-trip policy would pay £19.05 with Staysure.co.uk, with an additional £5.72 for cancellation cover.

“The same couple could find a standard single-trip policy from £16.96, which includes cancellation cover from a standard insurer,” says Griffin. “Of course, in some situations this provider will be cheaper – but it does not always offer the best deal, so it’s vital to compare policies.”

Travel insurance for the over-50s is a growing product area as the UK population gets older, according to Steven Williams, the head of travel insurance at the comparison website Confused.com. Even so, he adds, people who are over 50 are still likely to pay higher premiums than their younger counterparts, and that situation is not likely to change any time soon.

It is worth scanning the whole market when picking a policy rather than sticking to a specialist – many standard providers, such as Marks & Spencer, offer competitive products – although Saga, Rias and Age Concern are some that cater for the older traveller.

Joe Young, from Age Concern Insurance Services, says: “Our cover is tailored for the needs of older travellers, so there are no upper age limits and we aim to cover pre-existing medical conditions if possible.”

The cost of travel insurance rises sharply once you are over 65, with typical annual premiums often exceeding £100 – yet it is crucial to avoid focusing simply on the price and to check the medical, baggage and cancellation cover as well, as many policies contain exclusions and caveats.

Mark’s & Spencer’s travel policy is a good example: a 70-year-old in good health would pay £148 for worldwide cover including the USA, Canada and Caribbean, quite a high premium.

But Williams says the extra cost is worth paying because the policy offers a good level of cover, although it does require additional screening for serious health conditions, such as cancer, suffered by the policy applicant in the past 12 months. This can be done online or over the telephone.

He adds: “The amount of cover is more than on a standard policy: you get up to £6,000 of cancellation cover – with the average being between £2,000 and £3,000 – baggage cover at £2,500 and £10m medical cover.”

Holidaymakers should also remember that if they want to travel for more than 45 days on any one trip or have pre-existing medical conditions, they must always check with their insurer before assuming they are covered. While it might require an additional “top-up” payment, failing to deal with these issues in advance can lead to claims being refused.