Senior Citizen Travel Insurance

What is Travel Insurance for Senior Citizens?

Senior citizen travel insurance plans generally refer to individual travel insurance plans that are available for elderly travellers aged 71 years and beyond. Travel health insurance for senior citizens caters to various age and health-related risk factors that are not covered under the standard travel insurance policies.

These policies cover pre-existing ailments and provide different hospitalisation and medical benefits, including intensive care treatment, doctor visits, ambulance services, surgical care, and more. In addition to the standard benefits, many overseas travel insurance for senior citizens also offer baggage loss, flight delay & cancellations, dental emergency treatments and more.

Fast Facts: Senior Citizen Travel Insurance

Why Choose Senior Citizen Travel Insurance?

When talking about senior citizens, one imagines them restricted to their homes after retirement with little to do. People are also apprehensive about letting their old parents travel alone, fearing uncertain situations that may harm them in any way. Thankfully, things are changing with the emergence of modern technology.

Elderly travellers can safely travel thanks to comfortable airlines, better amenities and reliable travel health insurance for senior citizens that will keep them safe. These plans cover their specific needs and common age-related health concerns that put them at greater risk. Seniors as old as 99 can buy these plans, depending on their needs and insurer.

If you are a senior planning a trip abroad to explore the world or spend some time with your children settled abroad, international health insurance for seniors is your best choice. It will help you cover several unexpected expenses in case you are in a financial emergency. These include medical, non-medical and many stay-related expenses. Since the coronavirus, you can also get travel health insurance for senior citizens with COVID-19 coverage, so that nothing stops them from living their lives.

Features of Senior Citizen Travel Insurance

Made for those who won't let their age stop them from exploring the world, take a look at some of the features of travel insurance for elderly travellers:

• Travel Assistance: Exploring a new place can get tricky sometimes, especially for senior travellers. Many insurers offer travel assistance so they can easily navigate their way during an emergency.
• Affordable Policies: Overseas travel medical insurance for senior citizens is available in several variants, so that there is no compromise with the safety and comfort of the insured. There are also several optionals available to find the most suitable plan!
• Cover for Accidents & Illnesses: Falling sick abroad is terrible and expensive. International travel insurance for senior citizens covers all medical emergencies, including pre-existing illnesses. The insurer will take care of every health-related emergency, including hospitalisation, dental emergencies, evacuation and repatriation if the situation worsens.
• Personal Liability: If the senior citizen is involved in an accident resulting in a loss of another person's property or causing them bodily harm, then the insurer will take care of the required expenses.
• Baggage Delay or Loss: In case your bag is misplaced, delayed or stolen, your senior citizen travel insurance will help reimburse you for the cost of your luggage.
• Worldwide Assistance: International health insurance for seniors provides assistance wherever you go. Most travel insurance above 70 years old offer a helpline number or several means to contact them, including email, phone and social media.

Senior Citizen Travel Insurance Eligibility

Most travel insurance companies in India have some age and health-related factors that determine your eligibility. Most people aged 61 years and above can get travel insurance for different countries. The upper limit varies from insurer to insurer, where some companies offer foreign travel insurance for senior citizens as old as 99 or with no upper age limit. Be it the UK, Australia or travel insurance from India to US, for senior citizens, there will always be a suitable plan protecting their journey.

Things to Consider while Buying Senior Citizen Travel Insurance for Elderly

Now that we know the primary covers provided by senior citizen travel insurance plans, let's look at certain important criteria to decide which plan to buy.

1. Coverage

   This is the most important criterion for deciding which plan to buy. Most insurance companies provide a break-up of the sum insured (SI) for specific covers. For instance, they will have a limit for medical expenses, another limit for dental care, yet another for baggage loss and so on. Senior citizens must also consider sublimits when they buy a policy.

2. Medical Tests

   Most foreign travel insurance for senior citizens don't require medical checkups if they are below a certain age. Nonetheless, you should ensure that all necessary tests, if required, are complete. Especially if you have any underlying health issues, you must declare them. This will ensure that there are no chances of the claim being rejected on the grounds of necessary tests not being done. Also, plans that need mandatory medical tests are better as the insurers are more likely to honour the claims and reimburse the insured senior citizens more promptly.

3. Pre-existing Conditions

   When buying travel insurance for above 60 years old or above, ensure that all your pre-existing illnesses are declared. Certain travel plans may not cover all the pre-existing ailments; they are unlikely to reimburse any expenses incurred for these illnesses in a foreign country. However, some travel health insurance for senior citizens offers some coverage for pre-existing conditions under life-threatening scenarios. As such, they must ensure that the limit for such diseases is adequate to cover any medical treatment abroad if needed.

4. Exclusions

   Exclusions are certain scenarios or conditions that are not covered by your policy. Make sure to check what is not covered before you buy travel insurance for elderly parents. Ensure that no exclusions or limitations may pose a problem in case of a claim later. Asking specific questions on the list of exclusions and limitations on the coverage will shed more light on these specifics and help select the best travel insurance for senior citizens.

Coverage Under Senior Citizen Travel Insurance

Most senior citizens need certain specific covers besides the standard travel protections. Some types of cover provided by the best senior citizen travel insurance policies in India include:

• Emergency Medical Expenses: Guards against any medical expenses incurred by the traveller while on holiday due to an unforeseen emergency. This may include minor or major medical emergencies and cover risks from injuries and illnesses resulting in hospitalisation. Some policies also cover declared pre-existing diseases.
• Medical Evacuation Expenses: In certain instances, the senior citizen may need to be medically evacuated in case they don't have access to necessary healthcare nearby. This benefit also covers the associated costs.
• COVID-19 Related Expenses: Most plans will also cover you in case of coronavirus-related treatment, quarantine and hospitalisation abroad. Some policies will also provide trip cancellation or curtailment benefits if caused by COVID-19.
• Dental Treatment: This helps the senior citizen to get reimbursement for costs incurred on visiting a dentist in case of a dental emergency during their stay abroad. Some travel health insurance for senior citizens may provide it as an optional cover instead of a regular part of a senior citizen travel plan.
• Flight Cancellation/Delay/Missed Flights: Similar to flight-related benefits offered by individual travel plans, these help the senior citizen to get reimbursement for any additional costs incurred due to cancelled or delayed flights or in the event of a missed flight.
• Baggage Loss: While a baggage loss is quite problematic for the regular traveller, it can be quite traumatic for the senior citizen, as the baggage may contain medications and other healthcare and wellness aids, the absence of which would affect their daily lives. Most insurance providers in India recognise this problem and provide reimbursement for any baggage losses suffered by a senior citizen.
• Trip Cancellation/Interruption/Delay: Many travel insurance for elderly provide some sort of reimbursement for any cancellations, interruptions or delays in the trip.
• Personal Liability: A lot of senior travel insurance covers personal liabilities that may arise during the trip
• Home Burglary Cover: Many travel insurance for elderly provide some sort of cover against any burglaries at home while the person is away.

What's Not Covered by Senior Citizen Travel Insurance?

Like other travel insurance plans, there are some cases where travel health insurance for senior citizens won't provide any coverage benefits:

• Most insurers don't cover life-threatening conditions that aren't due to the disclosed pre-existing diseases
• If the insured person commits suicide or intentionally causes harm to themselves, then no claims will be entertained
• If travelling against the advice of your physician
• Routine checkups abroad will not be covered
• If the insured has been given a terminal prognosis for their medical condition
• Injuries and loss caused due to the influence of drugs, alcohol and other intoxicants won't be covered
• Loss caused due to involvement in illegal activities, theft, felony, etc., will not be covered
• Complications due to a congenital anomaly won't be covered

Senior Citizen Travel Insurance Claim Process

Unfortunately, if you are in a situation where you need to raise a claim, then the process is pretty simple. Most insurers have one of the following ways to initiate a claim process under travel insurance:

• Customer helpline (Generally toll-free)
• Insurer's email
• Mobile application
• Insurer's website through policy number or mobile number

If you wish to register your claim through Policybazaar, here's what you need to do:

Register Claim

You can get in touch with our claims support team in case of any emergency by clicking on the link which will be shared on your WhatsApp. You can also mail us at travelclaims@policybazaar.com or call us on 1800-258-5881.

Prepare Documents

Depending on your claim type, you will have to provide some documents. Here are some documents that you must provide:

• For Medical Claims: Claim forms, Original admission/discharge card, if applicable, Original Bills, Receipts, Prescriptions and Reports, Copy of passport/visa with entry & exit stamp, Personal ID Proof.
• For Baggage Loss: Claim forms, Property Irregularity Report (obtained from the Airline), Copies of correspondence with the airlines confirming the loss, Approximate cost of lost items, Copy of the passport/visa with entry & exit stamp, Personal ID Proof
• For Trip Cancellation: Claim forms, Medical reports of the insured, a companion or an immediate family member, Details of the amount refunded by the common carrier and Hotel, Copy of flight ticket, Copy of passport, Personal ID proof
• For Trip Delay: Claim forms, Original bills of expenses incurred during the period of delay, Copy of ticket & boarding Pass, Copies of Correspondence with the airline authorities certifying the delay, Copy of passport/visa with entry & exit stamp, Personal ID proof
• For Other Claims: Claim Forms, Copy of the passport/visa with entry & exit stamp, Personal ID Proof, Policy Copy, Original bills and receipts and complaint copies, etc.

Helpful Tips for Raising a Claim

Senior citizens can also get additional support overseas as the insurers understand that not all of them may be tech-savvy or in a condition to file a claim. Keep these in mind if you ever need to file a claim.

• As soon as you purchase a policy, make sure to check the available means of claim initiation and keep your policy number handy.
• You must inform your insurer of an emergency as soon as possible.
• When you're in a situation, inform the local authorities and your insurer through their emergency helpline. Remember to keep all the relevant documents with you when you contact the insurer.
• For cashless hospitalisation and personal liability claims, you must first get approval of your insurer. Make sure to contact your insurer, who will contact their partner networks to help resolve your claims once all the documents have been assessed.
• If you're filing for a claim through reimbursements, then this can be done when you're back in India. All you need to do is submit the relevant documents, which the insurer's administration team will process. Once these are accepted, you will be reimbursed for your claim.

How to Choose Travel Insurance for Seniors over 70

All travel insurers give detailed information on their websites as mandated by the Insurance Regulatory Authority of India (IRDAI). However, most of this information is technical and generally complicated to understand. While buying travel health insurance for senior citizens, ensure that you:

• Compare and review at least 3 to 4 policies before finalising one. You can use a comparison website and call the insurance agents. You can also contact your insurer's customer care numbers to get specific details to make plan comparisons easier.
• Get all the necessary information, including covers, sub-limits, exclusions, cashless hospitalisation, etc., on the policies shortlisted.
• Ask the relevant questions on how the process will work in case a claim is to be filed. Also, ask how the insurer can help you abroad. Some holiday insurance for elderly also provides facilities such as concierge services, cashless hospitalisation, international SIM cards to make calls, etc.
• Get all the specific details on documents, reports, etc., required to file a claim. This will ensure that all documents are ready if you are hospitalised or treated in a foreign hospital.

Why Buy from Policybazaar?

The world has moved on to online shopping for the most essential things, such as groceries and clothes, so why not policies? In fact, instead of visiting separate insurers individually, you can browse different plans online at Policybazaar.com and find the best travel insurance for senior citizens.

Take a look at other reasons why you should buy from Policybazaar:

1. Variety of Plans

   Several travel insurance companies in India offer holiday insurance for elderly travellers, which means it will be easy to choose one if they can be compared at one place.

2. Cheaper than Offline

   Since the extra costs can be omitted, buying a plan online will cost less money than buying in person, not to forget the cost of commuting.

3. Unbiased Facts

   When discussing any plan, all the features are presented as it is, and no insurer is preferred over another. This lets the buyer know they can choose the most suitable travel insurance for above 80 year old travellers.

Other than easy comparison, you can save a lot of time using Policybazaar.com, thanks to its different features and multiple filters. You can get an approximate plan quote using a travel insurance premium calculator and contact automated emails regarding renewals and ongoing offers.