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One of the many perks of retirement is that you have more time to travel and explore new places. If you plan on traveling abroad or domestically, we recommend purchasing travel insurance for some added peace of mind. Travel insurance offers protection when you find yourself in an unexpected situation, such as an injury that requires emergency medical care, lost luggage, or canceled flights. If you’re on the fence about purchasing travel insurance, we’ll go over some of the reasons why you might benefit from it. With affordable rates you’ll find that travel insurance can help reduce the stress of traveling and incurring unexpected out-of-pocket costs.
Let’s take a closer look at the best travel insurance providers for seniors.
Did You Know: In 2021, a study by AAA Travel found that 31 percent of travelers would be more likely to purchase travel insurance during the pandemic.1
Best Travel Insurance for Seniors in 2023
Allianz Global Assistance has been a trusted travel insurance provider for over 100 years. We chose Allianz because many of their policies offer protection for those with preexisting medical conditions. If you’re a senior with a preexisting condition, you’ll be covered if you need care or services while traveling. This coverage is only available with select plans, and there are some exclusions.
Fun Fact: Allianz is best known for their role in insuring the Wright Brothers’ first flight and the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge, among many other historical milestones.
Allianz offers 24/7 assistance and a variety of plans, whether you’re planning a single trip or annual trip with many destinations. One of their most popular plans is the OneTrip Prime, which provides free coverage for children 17 and under when traveling with a parent or grandparent.
Allianz offers 10 different plans depending on how often you travel, or if you’re traveling for leisure or business. For example, their OneTrip Prime plan offers the following coverages:
Along with a vast selection of travel insurance plans and high coverage amounts, Allianz is great for seniors who are planning single or multiple trips throughout the year. Keep in mind that select coverages and benefits may not be available to residents in some states.
Overall, Allianz offers exceptional coverage for seniors with preexisting medical conditions, emergency medical benefits up to $50,000, and 24/7 hotline assistance for any travel emergencies or questions you may have.
Established in 1990 in Indianapolis, Indiana, International Medical Group (IMG) is known for offering quality global insurance benefits and assistance for seniors that travel internationally. One of the benefits of this company is that they offer a wide range of international medical insurance and 24/7 emergency medical assistance for travelers.
Fun Fact: IMG’s GlobeHopper Senior travel health insurance plan offers an option for the extension of coverage for seniors who wish to extend their trips.
IMG earned our pick as the best international travel insurance for their affordable rates for longer trips, as well as comprehensive coverage for medical expenses and evacuation. We appreciate that IMG offers the GlobeHopper Senior, temporary health insurance for travelers ages 65 and up traveling internationally. This plan offers travel medical insurance coverage for as little as five days up to one year, along with maximum limits up to $1 million. Additionally, IMG offers travel medical insurance for individuals, families, and groups, including coverage for seniors with preexisting conditions. Many of the policies also have maximum limits of up to $8 million — which is one of the highest limits we’ve seen for travel insurance.
IMG offers four comprehensive plans for vacationers and business travelers. Their most popular package is the iTravelInsured Travel LX, which offers the following coverages.
IMG offers travel insurance plans for seniors up to age 99 who want to travel internationally. IMG is ideal for both vacationers and business travelers. Additionally, IMG offers 24/7 emergency travel assistance and a preexisting condition review period of 60 days. If you’re a senior going on a cruise or guided tour internationally, we recommend purchasing travel medical coverage through IMG.
As an insurance provider for over 160 years, many people trust John Hancock for their investment, retirement, financial, and insurance products. John Hancock offers streamlined travel insurance packages for older adults who plan to travel internationally with ample protection. Although on the pricier side, older adults can choose from three plans ranked Gold, Silver, and Bronze depending on how much coverage they’d like for their travels. Currently, John Hancock’s plans feature comprehensive coverage including trip cancellation, trip delays, emergency accident and sickness medical coverage, and more. They also offer high coverage options and greater protection for seniors who want 24/7 assistance.
FYI: If you purchase a travel insurance plan through John Hancock within the first 14 days of booking your trip, you can get the best coverage options.
Depending on your unique situation, age, and duration of travel, you can customize a quote online and choose from three different plan tiers: Gold, Silver, and Bronze. The Silver plan offers the following coverages:
John Hancock offers peace of mind and solid travel insurance plans for older adults who plan to travel alone or with their families. If you’re not satisfied or change your mind, you can call to cancel the purchase within 14 days of the effective date. John Hancock offers streamlined travel insurance coverage options — perfect for that cruise or international trip you’ve been dreaming about! Keep in mind that all travelers must reside in the same U.S. state to share a John Hancock policy.
Nationwide has been around since 1925, offering insurance, investing, and retirement products for individuals and businesses. Nationwide offers some of the best affordable cruise travel insurance plans for older adults that we’ve seen. If you’re planning a cruise with your family or friends, we recommend looking into three of their cruise plans: the Universal Cruise, Choice Cruise, and Luxury Cruise plans.
Did You Know: If you’re looking into other insurance policies for dental, vision, life insurance, check out our guide to insurance for seniors in 2023.
The Choice and Luxury Cruise plans offer coverage for preexisting conditions. Plus, you can easily modify and add coverage even if you’ve already purchased a plan. One thing to remember: Not all coverage is available in all states, so you’ll have to check with a local travel insurance agent.
Nationwide offers single trip, annual trip, and cruise insurance. For cruise insurance, we recommend the Choice Cruise plan, as it’s flexible and affordable. Here’s what the plan covers:
FYI: Cruises can be an affordable and fun travel option to consider if you’re looking for a travel activity for seniors.
Nationwide provides a variety of options for senior travelers, whether you’re flying to a new destination or cruising. The company has high coverage amounts, including a 10-day review period for refunds on some of its cruise plans. If your trip is canceled, you’ll be reimbursed for up to 100 percent of the nonrefundable trip cost.
As one of the world’s leading travel insurance companies, Travel Guard provides specialized coverages for older adults at affordable prices. Along with travel medical and concierge assistance, Travel Guard has responsive customer service and optional add-on coverages.
FYI: To get a preexisting medical conditions exclusion waiver through Travel Guard, you’ll have to purchase it within 15 days of the initial trip payment.
The provider offers three travel insurance plans: the Essential, Preferred, and Deluxe plans, with high coverage amounts up to $1 million. Coverage offerings include trip cancellation, baggage coverage, and travel medical expenses, along with specialized coverages such as car rental, medevac, and lodging expenses.
Travel Guard offers the following coverage for their Preferred plan — one of their most popular plans.
Travel Guard offers a variety of affordable travel insurance plans for families, seniors, and those who frequently travel. If you’re looking for specialized coverages with higher coverage limits up to $1,000,000, we’d recommend looking into Travel Guard’s three travel insurance plans. Keep in mind that if you think you may need a preexisting medical conditions exclusion waiver, you’ll need to purchase it within 15 days of the initial trip payment.
Money-Saving Tip: Looking for ways to save on an upcoming trip? Check out our senior discounts guide to learn how you can save on hotels, cruises, transportation, and more!
For travelers looking for higher coverage limits, you can get up to $750 to $2,500 for baggage coverage and up to $100,000 for travel medical expense coverage. One of the perks of purchasing travel insurance through Travel Guard is that they are available in all states. You can also purchase an annual plan if you are looking for coverage for multiple trips throughout the year.
When choosing the best travel insurance providers, we considered the following criteria.
To give you a better idea of prices, we researched the average costs of travel insurance for older adults from each of our top providers. We obtained quotes for 65-year-olds on a two-week trip to Italy with an $8,000 travel budget.
| Provider | Plan name | Price (per insured) for 65-year-olds |
|---|---|---|
| Allianz | OneTrip Prime | $576 |
| International Medical Group | iTravelInsured Travel LX | $896.64 |
| John Hancock | Silver plan | $640 |
| Nationwide | Essential Plan | $660.35 |
| Travel Guard | Preferred Plan | $503.17 |
Many travel insurance plans cover the following benefits, with options for specialized or add-on coverages:
Based on our research after obtaining online quotes from five different travel insurance providers, we found that the average cost of travel insurance is $655.23 per insured person when you plan to spend around $8,000 for an international trip. While this might seem steep, travel insurance can help you avoid thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket expenses in the event of an emergency. According to Forbes, the average cost of travel insurance is roughly six percent of your overall trip costs and is dependent on the amount you plan to spend on your trip.
When planning a trip, it’s important to compare travel insurance quotes to make sure you get the best deal. It’s better to plan ahead and enjoy the rest of your trip knowing you’ve purchased the best travel insurance for your needs. We’ve compiled a list of tips on how to choose the best travel insurance below:
Travel insurance helps protect you and your loved ones in the event that you experience a health emergency while traveling. It can also protect and help reimburse you if your trip gets canceled, or you lose your baggage during the trip.
Medicare does not offer health care services that you receive outside of the U.S. This is why it’s important to purchase a travel insurance policy for more coverage.
Some insurance providers won’t offer coverage for preexisting conditions, losses due to war, or inability to afford the trip.
Since graduating from Harvard with an honors degree in Statistics, Jeff has been creating content in print, online, and on television. Much of his work has been dedicated to informing seniors on how to live better lives. As Editor-in-Chief of the personal… Learn More About Jeff Hoyt
