Over-70s being ripped off by travel insurance

OLDER people are being priced out of foreign holidays by high insurance charges and a refusal by some firms to offer cover.

The cost of a policy to cover illness can double when people hit 70, according to research by Which?

Those with potentially serious or unpredictable health conditions can be quoted more than £3,000 by insurers. The consumer group surveyed 63 of its members who had experienced problems buying insurance in the past two years.

Price was the most common issue, reported by nearly half of respondalso ents. About one in five said few or no insurers offered cover at all.

Mystery shopping research confirmed sharp rises in policy costs once customers hit 70. The five cheapest quotes for someone aged 65 averaged £29, rising to £57 at 70.

Those aged 75 had to fork out £74, while at 80 the cheapest quotes averaged £305, rising to £327 at 85.

A 55-year-old would get 76 quotes to choose from, falling to just seven for someone aged 80.

Severe or unpredictable conditions, such as heart disease or bipolar disorder, or an illness still in the process of being diagnosed, could send insurers running. One member said insurers were not interested in his custom after he declared that his wife had an irregular heartbeat. Firms often refused to offer an annual worldwide travel cover policy, while one quoted an astronomical £3,200.

Looking at motor insurance, insurers often have better deals for experienced drivers. However, Which? said premiums tend to creep up once drivers reach their late-70s.

One 78-year-old was surprised at being offered quotes ranging from £450 to an eye-watering £2,134.

He told Which?: ‘I still run, jump in rivers and chase salmon, and run stables and horses. It’s annoying to discover that at this age you’re deemed incapable of even driving.’

The editor of Which? Money, Jenny Ross, said: ‘If you struggle to get insurance because of medical conditions or your age, there are some resources that can help you locate specialist insurers that lie off the beaten track of comparison websites.

‘If there is relevant context to your circumstances that you can’t communicate on an online form – or you are unsure how to accurately fill one out – contact the insurer directly by phone or email to speak with a human being.’

‘Astronomical £3,200 quote’