Travelling as a senior gives you opportunities to discover new destinations, create memories, and experience a fulfilling and enriching adventure. But challenges like health issues and the need for emergency medical assistance can put a damper on your escapade.
To ensure an enjoyable trip, consider travel insurance with comprehensive coverage. Below, you’ll learn about the best travel insurance for Canadian seniors with pre-existing medical conditions, their coverage and cost, pros and cons, and if it is worth it for seniors.
Key Takeaways
- The best travel insurance for seniors in Canada are RBC Travel Insurance for Seniors and Snowbirds, CAA Travel Insurance for Seniors, Allianz Travel Insurance for Seniors, Manulife CoverMe Travel Insurance, and TD Travel Insurance.
- The cost of travel insurance for Canadian seniors depends on factors like age, health status, destination, trip duration, coverage limits, and trip cost.
- The Government of Canada recommends that travellers purchase insurance in addition to provincial health insurance plans to ensure appropriate protection, especially when travelling to another country.
Best Travel Insurance for Seniors in Canada
Below are some of the best travel insurance plans that seniors can obtain in Canada. The quotes included are as of January 2024.
RBC Travel Insurance for Seniors and Snowbirds
Mature travellers can consider RBC Travel Insurance for Seniors and Snowbirds for unlimited emergency medical coverage and coverage for pre-existing conditions. The plans for travel outside Canada include coverage for emergency medical insurance, trip cancellations and interruptions, and lost baggage.
The cost of travel insurance for a 65-year-old senior from British Columbia with no pre-existing conditions who is travelling to Italy on a 21-day vacation worth $8,000 is $764.42. For a single trip plan, these are the other coverage options: Non-Medical Package – $599.20; Trip Cancellation & Interruption – $564.00; and TravelCare Medical (Gold) – $129.20.
CAA Travel Insurance for Seniors
Seniors who are good-standing Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) members can get up to $5 million of coverage. CAA travel insurance for seniors includes medical emergencies, cancelled flights, and 24/7 multilingual assistance. As a CAA member, you can save up to 20% on your travel insurance policy.
The cost of CAA travel insurance for an Italy-bound 65-year-old senior with asthma is $165.88. The trip is for 21 days and costs $8,000. If you include CAA’s trip protection package, the cost is $338.88. The package includes trip cancellation and interruption coverage, baggage coverage, travel delay, and travel accident coverage.
Allianz Travel Insurance for Seniors
Allianz Global Assistance offers up to $10 million in emergency medical insurance and coverage for trip cancellations, travel interruptions, baggage, and travel accidents. It features three types of travel insurance plans for those travelling outside of Canada: Medical + Cancellation Plan, Medical Plan, and Cancellation Plan.
Insurance costs for a 65-year-old individual departing from BC for a 21-day vacation (single-trip) with a total prepaid trip cost of $8,000 are as follows: emergency medical travel coverage – $103.77; trip cancellation & trip interruption coverage – $433.03; and comprehensive travel coverage – $509.58.
Manulife CoverMe Travel Insurance
Manulife CoverMe Travel Insurance offers up to $10 million in emergency medical benefits. It offers four coverage types that come with emergency medical insurance: trip cancellation insurance, travel interruption or delay insurance, baggage insurance, and travel accident insurance.
A 65-year-old individual from BC with a trip cost of $8,000 for a 21-day trip to Italy can have an estimated insurance cost of $934. This includes coverage for trip cancellation and trip interruption, baggage loss or damage, flight accident and travel accident insurance.
TD Travel Insurance
TD travel insurance offers flexible coverage options with emergency travel medical benefits of up to $5 million per covered trip, as well as coverage for trip cancellations or interruptions and baggage delays.
The TD Insurance Trip Cancellation & Interruption Plan costs $1,320 for a 65-year-old BC resident going on a 21-day Italy trip. The plan includes coverage for trip cancellation and interruption plus baggage delay, baggage and personal effects, flight and common carrier accident insurance in one plan
Related: The Best Places For Canadian Snowbirds
How Travel Insurance for Seniors Works
Senior travel insurance is a type of travel insurance plan made for older individuals (typically 65 years old and above) with unique insurance coverage requirements. These plans work like standard insurance plans, helping pay for emergency medical treatment, hospitalization, medical evacuation (if needed), and trip cancellations or interruptions while travelling.
In most situations, you file a claim for covered financial losses online or through phone and submit proof of your loss to your insurer. After your provider verifies your claim, it will reimburse you for your covered losses. You can get reimbursement through direct deposit, debit card, or a cheque.
The Cost of Travel Insurance for Canadian Seniors
The cost of travel insurance for seniors in Canada depends on different factors. Insurers use these factors to determine the risk posed by a travelling senior.
- Age. The older the individual, the more expensive the premium. This is because older people pose a higher risk to insurers.
- Health status. A pre-existing condition means added risk, resulting in a higher insurance rate.
- Destination. Places with higher risk call for higher premiums due to potential incidents resulting from crime and illness.
- Trip duration. Longer trips have a higher potential for emergencies, so insurers require a higher rate.
- Coverage limits. All-inclusive insurance plans are more expensive and necessitate additional costs.
- Trip cost. More expensive trips have higher premiums due to the possibility of trip cancellations and interruptions.
It is best to obtain a travel insurance quote to get a good estimate of your insurance costs for a planned trip.
How to Get a Travel Insurance Quote
Choose a travel insurance provider and visit their website. Find the “Get a Quote” button and click it to load the application form. Fill out the required fields. With most providers, there is an option to apply and buy insurance online.
To get multiple quotes, visit a comparison website for financial products. Answer basic questions about your trip to obtain quotes from different providers. Perform a comparison of travel insurance plans for seniors. Choose a suitable policy and connect with your selected insurer to secure your rate.
Is Travel Insurance Worth It for Seniors?
If you are a travelling senior, you can be at risk for unexpected medical expenses and travel issues like trip cancellations and interruptions or even lost or delayed baggage. Travel insurance will safeguard you from these emergencies and save you thousands of dollars and a lot of hassle stemming from various travel-related incidents.
Since older travellers have very specific needs, it is essential to have protection when in another place or country. Given their advanced age, seniors are more likely to fall ill or become injured when travelling far away from home. So, they stand to benefit the most from having adequate insurance coverage.
The Government of Canada recommends that travellers purchase insurance in addition to provincial health insurance plans to ensure appropriate protection, especially when travelling to another country. Travel insurance from a trusted provider is a small price to pay compared to the potentially hefty medical bills common in other countries.
The key is to find good travel insurance for Canadian seniors with pre-existing medical conditions that includes coverage for trip cancellations or interruptions and lost or delayed baggage.
You can also look at credit cards that include travel insurance for seniors over 65.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you get travel insurance if you are over 70?
Travel medical insurance for seniors over 65 can still be secured, but it may come with higher premiums or certain restrictions. This is due to factors like pre-existing conditions and increased health risks. The more expensive coverage is to mitigate the said factors.
What is the maximum age for travel insurance in Canada?
There is no age limit for travel insurance coverage in Canada. Senior travellers over 85 can still obtain travel insurance, but their policies will cost more. Coverage choices may be fewer due to seniors being at high risk for filing claims.
What is the best international travel insurance for seniors?
The best international senior travel insurance provides diverse health coverage while considering pre-existing conditions. It should ideally include coverage for medical emergencies and evacuation or repatriation, protection for lost baggage, trip cancellations or interruptions, and 24/7 emergency assistance.
Should you get travel insurance for Canada?
The Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO) recommends getting medical insurance even when travelling within Canada. Not all medical expenses are covered by Government Health Insurance Plans. These include ambulance services, medical supplies, prescription drugs, and dental emergencies.
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