Senior Citizen Travel Insurance for Parents with Health Issues

Once a parent, always a parent. Parenthood is one of the biggest responsibilities in any person’s life- from infancy to adulthood, parents easily throw themselves into these duties for 20-30 years. Retirement is often a much-awaited time for our parents, with many of them taking up hobbies they didn’t have time for before.Travelling is one such hobby but is it wise to let your aged parents explore the unknown without necessary backup?

Understanding Pre-existing Diseases

Ageing is a natural phenomenon and by the age of 60, it is normal to have some kind of health condition. If not any serious ailments, then the body may have faced wear and tear due to any accidents, injuries etc.

Pre-existing diseases are medical conditions that you have been diagnosed with within the last 48 months. This includes all those issues that you were diagnosed with, took treatment for, or even got medical advice for. A pre-existing disease or PED can range from a fracture to diabetes or thyroid.

One thing to remember is that pre-existing diseases are those health conditions that have been discovered in the last 48 months. This means, that if a health condition has been completely cured, and it has been over 48 months then it's no longer a PED. However, you should ensure that there are no symptoms or aftereffects of that condition anymore.

To ensure complete recovery, it's recommended to get a pre-policy checkup so that there’s no misunderstanding in case of a claim later.

Will Travel Insurance Cover Any PED?

Most travel insurance companies in India don’t cover pre-existing diseases. Depending on the insurer, a pre-existing disease may or may not be covered by the policy. Standard travel insurance plans offer coverage for many ailments up to 60 years of age, but this gets difficult for senior citizens.

In fact, travel insurance premium gets costlier with age and any additional health complications. This is understandable as the insurer is taking a bigger risk by covering someone who is more prone to injuries, or falling sick.

The good news is, there are some senior citizen travel insurance plans covering pre-existing diseases, up to some extent.

The insurer will cover any life-threatening or emergency medical costs due to a pre-existing disease. However, any procedure which wasn’t necessary to save a life or done to maintain an already stable state won’t be covered by trip insurance.

So Is a Senior Citizen Travel Insurance Worth It?

Absolutely! Medical emergencies are only a part of comprehensive travel insurance plans. Your parent’s policy will come with other journey and flight-related benefits that will keep them safe from a lot of emotional and financial stress.

Some of these include coverage for lost passports, delayed or lost baggage, flight delays, personal liability, cashless treatments and a lot more. If faced with any of these emergencies, it can cost you thousands and sometimes lakhs of rupees.

Senior citizen travel insurance will also get you 24X7 emergency assistance, and help while dealing with any emergencies abroad. At around 5-15% cost of a trip’s expense, it is a very fair price to safeguard your elderly parents from unplanned hefty costs.

How to Buy Travel Insurance for Parents Travelling from India?

When it comes to buying insurance for your parents, you need to consider a few things to buy the right trip insurance:

Pick a Suitable SI

The sum insured is the maximum amount of coverage provided by an insurer. If your parents are going to an expensive country, opt for a higher sum insured. Similarly, if they’re going for a long trip (over 15-30 days) then a higher coverage is strongly recommended.

Confirm Coverage

Many travel insurance plans for seniors don't offer all the benefits related to delayed or cancelled flights, lost documents etc. It's important that your parents are safe from these emergencies too. Missing a connecting flight or not getting their checked-in baggage on time can disrupt their routine and health due to stress.

Ensure Accurate Details

Are there any health issues that your parents may be hiding from you? There could be some issues that may have been resolved but if they were diagnosed within 48 months, they will count as pre-existing issues. Any claim related to these issues won't be cleared by the insurer, so ensure that you have honestly declared any health complications that aren't healed or are over 4 years old.

In a Nutshell,

Being old shouldn’t be a threat or punishment for people who have lead a busy life and now want to relax. Travelling has always been a favourite among most people and when is a better time to travel once your parents are finally free from major responsibilities? Just don’t forget to plan carefully and prepare accordingly for their upcoming trip!