Travel Insurance for Over-60s: Costs and Age Limits
Last checked November 2026. Offers and rules change: confirm with the provider before you rely on them.
Travel insurance costs more as you get older because medical claims abroad become more likely and more expensive, but cover is available at any age if you know where to look. The free GHIC card is worth carrying in Europe, yet it is not a replacement for a proper policy.
Why the price rises with age
The biggest cost an insurer faces is emergency medical treatment abroad and, in the worst cases, bringing someone home by air ambulance. Older travellers claim for these more often, and the bills are larger. So the premium (the price you pay for the policy) climbs steadily from your 60s onwards and more steeply in your 70s and 80s.
Three other things move the price a great deal:
- Where you are going. Europe is the cheapest to insure. The USA, Canada and the Caribbean are usually the dearest because medical costs there are so high.
- How long you are away. Long stays cost more, and many policies cap the length of any one trip.
- Your health. Any medical conditions you declare. See our separate guide to travel insurance with medical conditions.
Prices vary widely from one insurer to the next for exactly the same traveller, which is why comparing matters more with every birthday.
Annual or single-trip cover?
| Single-trip policy | Annual multi-trip policy | |
|---|---|---|
| Covers | One named trip | Every trip in a 12-month period, up to a set number of days each |
| Usually suits | One or two holidays a year, or one long trip | Three or more trips a year |
| Age limits | Often higher, and some have none | Often lower, so harder to find in your late 70s and 80s |
| Watch for | Buying it late and having no cancellation cover in the meantime | The maximum days per trip, and automatic renewal at a higher price |
As a rough rule, an annual policy starts to pay for itself at about three trips a year, but in later life that sum changes. Get a price for both before you decide.
Age limits and how to get round them
There is no law stopping insurers from setting an upper age limit, and many do, especially on annual policies. Limits differ from firm to firm, so a "no" from one tells you nothing about the next.
If you are turned down because of your age:
- Ask the insurer to point you to someone who can help. Under an agreement between the Government, the Association of British Insurers and the British Insurance Brokers' Association (BIBA), travel insurers that cannot cover you because of age should refer you to another provider or a signposting service.
- Try BIBA's "Find Insurance" service, which puts you in touch with a specialist broker.
- Look at insurers that specialise in older travellers. Several have no upper age limit at all.
Before you buy from a name you do not know, check it on the FCA's Financial Services Register.
The GHIC: free, useful and limited
The UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) replaced the old EHIC. It lets you have necessary state healthcare in the European Union and a small number of other places on the same terms as a local resident, which may mean free or may mean a part-payment. The NHS lists the countries where it can be used, so check your destination before you rely on it.
- It is free and lasts up to five years. Apply only through the official NHS website.
- An existing EHIC remains valid until the expiry date printed on it.
The NHS is clear that the card is not a substitute for travel insurance. It does not cover private treatment, being flown home to the UK, mountain rescue, or any charge that a local person would also have to pay. And it does nothing for cancellation, lost luggage or missed flights.
What to check before you buy
- Medical and repatriation cover: this is the heart of the policy. Check the limit and that it includes getting you home.
- Cancellation cover: enough to cover the full cost of the holiday for each person.
- The excess: the amount you pay towards any claim. A very cheap policy often has a high excess, sometimes charged per person and per section.
- Activities: cruises usually need a cruise add-on, and winter sports need their own cover.
- Official travel advice: most policies do not cover you if you travel against Foreign Office travel advice.
- Cover that comes with a bank account: check its age limit. These policies often stop at a set age, or need an extra payment after it.
Planning the trip itself? Our holiday discounts for over-60s page has ideas for cutting the cost, and the Senior Railcard guide helps with getting to the airport or port.
Common questions
I have a GHIC. Is that enough for a week in Spain?
No. It helps with state healthcare, but it will not fly you home, pay for a private clinic or refund a cancelled holiday. Take both: the card and a policy. Some insurers waive the excess on a medical claim if you used your GHIC.
Why has my renewal price jumped?
Usually because you have moved into a higher age band or declared a new condition. Travel insurance is not covered by the renewal pricing rule that applies to car and home insurance, so always compare before you renew.
What if the insurer refuses my claim?
Complain to the insurer in writing first. If you are not satisfied with its final answer, the Financial Ombudsman Service will look at the case free of charge. MoneyHelper and Citizens Advice can explain the steps.