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Insurance in Later Life: A Plain-English Guide

Last checked November 2026. Offers and rules change: confirm with the provider before you rely on them.

Insurance often gets dearer and more complicated as we get older, but you still have choices and you still have rights. These guides explain, in plain English, how each type of cover works after 60 and what to check before you pay.

Why insurance changes as you get older

Insurers set prices by looking at how likely a claim is and how much it might cost. For some cover, such as travel insurance, age pushes the price up because medical bills abroad are larger and more frequent for older travellers. For car insurance, prices are often at their lowest in your 50s and 60s and start to climb again in your 70s and 80s. For home insurance, age matters much less than where you live and what the house would cost to rebuild.

Four rules that apply to every policy

  1. Answer every question honestly and fully. If you leave out a medical condition, a past claim or a change in your circumstances, the insurer may refuse to pay when you need it most.
  2. Do not let a policy simply roll over. Most policies renew automatically. Read the renewal letter, compare it with last year's price and get at least two other quotes. Our price comparison guide explains how comparison websites work.
  3. Buy on cover, not only on price. Check the excess (the part of any claim you pay yourself), the limits and the exclusions (the things the policy will not pay for).
  4. Check the firm is authorised. Anyone selling insurance or funeral plans in the UK must be on the Financial Services Register kept by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the regulator.

The guides in this section

If something goes wrong

If an insurer turns down a claim or treats you unfairly, complain to the firm in writing first. It normally has up to eight weeks to give you a final answer. If you are still unhappy, you can take the complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service, which is free to use and independent of the insurance industry. You usually have six months from the firm's final response to do so.

Where to get impartial help

Grey Shopper explains how things work; we do not give financial advice and we do not recommend or rank insurers. For guidance on your own situation, try:

  • MoneyHelper, the free government-backed money guidance service
  • Citizens Advice, for help with complaints and consumer problems
  • Age UK, for later-life information and local advice services

Common questions

Can an insurer refuse to cover me because of my age?

Yes, insurers are allowed to use age when they decide whether to offer cover and what to charge. However, under a long-standing agreement between the Government and the insurance trade bodies, a motor or travel insurer that cannot quote because of your age should point you towards one that can, or to a signposting service such as the British Insurance Brokers' Association "Find Insurance" service.

Is it worth using a broker?

It can be, particularly if you have had refusals or have unusual needs. A broker searches a panel of insurers for you. Ask how many insurers they deal with and whether they charge a fee, and check they are on the FCA register.

Do I have to accept the renewal price?

No. You are free to ask for a better price, to change the cover or to move to another insurer. Do it before the renewal date so there is no gap in cover.

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