Compare & Buy Travel Insurance
Compare the Best Travel Insurance Companies for Seniors
Seniors shopping for travel insurance should review medical and evacuation benefits to be sure the coverage amount is sufficient for their needs.
Is Senior Travel Insurance Worth It?
Travel insurance is worth it if you can’t afford to lose your prepaid, non-refundable deposits if you have to cancel or cut a trip short due to unforeseen circumstances. It’s also worthwhile if you’re traveling internationally because a U.S. health plan may have limited or no coverage. And Medicare is not accepted outside the U.S., except in very limited circumstances that likely won’t apply to you.
Average Cost of Senior Travel Insurance by Trip
| Trip details | Trip cost | Average policy cost | Percentage of trip cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Two travelers age 65 going to Italy for 17 days | $6,000 | $452 | 8% |
| Two travelers age 70 going to Mexico for eight days | $3,000 | $290 | 10% |
Best Travel Insurance for Seniors in Detail
How Much Does Travel Insurance for Seniors Travel Cost?
The average cost of senior travel insurance is $420 per trip, based on our analysis of rates for the best travel insurance policies for seniors. Your exact cost for travel insurance will generally depend on the travelers’ ages, length of trip and trip cost.
In our analysis, travel insurance for seniors often costs around 7% to 9% of the trip cost being insured. Remember that you’re insuring only the portions of the trip that are prepaid and non-refundable. You can’t make a claim on expenses that you can get refunded, like refundable airline tickets.
What to Look for in the Best Senior Travel Insurance
Joe Cronin
Forbes Advisor insurance advisory board member
Michelle Megna
Insurance Lead Editor
Jason Metz
Insurance Lead Editor
Penny Gusner
Insurance Senior Writer
Les Masterson
Insurance Editor
Ashlee Valentine
Insurance Editor
Repatriation Coverage
Repatriation coverage is particularly important for seniors. It provides assistance and financial support for returning home in case of death while traveling abroad. Ensure that the policy you choose includes adequate repatriation coverage. Verify the coverage limits and any exclusions related to repatriation to ensure you’re adequately protected.
Forbes Advisor insurance advisory board member
At Least $150,000 In Medical Coverage Per Person
Senior travelers may have more medical issues than younger travelers, so superior medical coverage is a must. I recommend at least $150,000 in travel medical insurance per person.
Insurance Lead Editor
At Least $250,000 in Medical Evacuation Coverage Per Person
A medevac ride won’t be on your original travel itinerary, but I wouldn’t skimp on emergency medical evacuation coverage. This coverage pays the cost of getting to an adequate medical facility if you’re in a remote area or somewhere with poor medical care.
Insurance Lead Editor
Coverage for Pre-Existing Conditions
I would make sure your policy offers a pre-existing medical condition exclusion waiver, which removes coverage exclusions for conditions you already have. You typically need to buy travel insurance soon after your first deposit to get the waiver, such as two to three weeks.
Insurance Senior Writer
“Cancel for Any Reason” Upgrade
When life throws you a curveball, you’ll appreciate flexibility, which is why I recommend buying a policy that offers a “cancel for any reason” upgrade. This upgrade reimburses you a portion of your trip costs (often 75%) if you cancel for any reason not listed in the base policy. All of the best senior travel insurance policies in our ratings offer CFAR.
Insurance Editor
Annual Plan for Frequent Travelers
I recommend an annual travel insurance plan to senior travelers who are planning multiple trips in a year. All your trips will be covered under one policy and it’s more affordable than buying multiple policies during one year.
Insurance Editor
Primary Medical Coverage for Seniors
Seniors shopping for travel insurance should consider policies with primary medical coverage. That means you file a medical claim first with your travel insurance company, regardless of whether you have other insurance that might apply. If you have secondary medical coverage, you would first file a claim with your health insurance company. If your claim is not paid in full, you could then file a claim with your travel insurance company for the rest.
| Top-scoring policy for seniors | Company | Primary or secondary travel medical coverage? |
|---|---|---|
| Luxe | Primary | |
| Trip Protection Choice | Primary | |
| Gold | Primary | |
| Worldwide Trip Protector | Primary | |
| Ruby | Primary | |
| Premium | Secondary | |
| Cruise Luxury | Secondary | |
| GoReady Pandemic Plus | Secondary | |
| TripProtector Preferred | Primary | |
| Atlas Journey Explore | Primary | |
| Silver | Primary | |
| Diamond | USI Affinity | Primary |
| Prime | Nationwide | Primary |
How to Choose the Best Travel Insurance for Seniors
Senior travelers can do the following to identify the best policy for their trips.
Assess Your Needs
- Destination. Some regions may have higher medical costs, so make sure the medical expenses and evacuation benefits are adequate for your destination. If you’re going to a hurricane-prone area, you’ll want to buy a policy as soon as you make your first trip deposit. That gives you the maximum amount of time for cancellation coverage, and is just one of the advantages of buying travel insurance when you book your trip.
- Health conditions. Consider your pre-existing medical conditions and ensure the policy covers them by offering a pre-existing medical condition exclusion waiver.
- Review benefits. Decide how much medical expense coverage you need—$150,000 per person might suffice, but you can find policies with $500,000 per person. A comprehensive policy will also provide valuable pre- and post-departure benefits for trip cancellation, interruption and delays.
Read the Fine Print for Policy Exclusions and Coverage Details
- 24/7 assistance. Make sure the insurer offers 24/7 customer support for emergencies.
- Age limits. Some policies have age limits or reduced benefits for older travelers.
- Activity exclusions. Check for any exclusions related to your planned activities.
- Claim process. Understand the procedure for making claims, including required documentation and timeframes.
- Contacts. Check the availability of multiple contact methods, such as phone, email and online chat.
- Terms and conditions. Carefully read the policy to understand what are acceptable reasons for cancellations and interruptions and how long required waiting periods are for travel and baggage delay claims.
Compare Policies
- Reputation. Look for reputable insurance companies with good customer service.
- Coverage limits. Compare the coverage limits and benefits of different policies.
- Cost. Balance the cost of the policy with the levels of coverage provided.
We Answer Your Questions
Jason Metz
Insurance Lead Editor
Amy Danise
Insurance Managing Editor
Ashlee Valentine
Insurance Editor
Is it true that eyeglasses, contacts and hearing aids are excluded from travel insurance coverage?
– Mona M., Vero Beach, Florida
Yes, most travel insurance policies exclude eyeglasses, contacts and hearing aids from coverage. If you lose them or they are damaged during your trip, you won’t be eligible to file a claim
Insurance Lead Editor
How can seniors save money on travel insurance?
– Kayla G., Asbury Park, New Jersey
Comparison shopping can save you money without sacrificing coverage. If you want to lower costs even more, focus on getting trip cancellation and good medical coverage, and de-prioritize coverage for baggage, missed connections and other non-medical coverage.
Remember to insure only the prepaid and non-refundable parts of your trip. For example, if your plane tickets are fully refundable, don’t pay to insure those. Travel insurance won’t reimburse you for expenses that are refundable.
Insurance Managing Editor
Are there deductibles for travel medical insurance in typical policies?
Jennifer D., Portland, Oregon
Most standard travel insurance policies for U.S. citizens traveling internationally do not have travel medical expense coverage deductibles. But while it’s uncommon, some policies do. For example, Aeigis’ Go Ready Pandemic Plus plan has a $50 deductible per occurrence.
Insurance Editor
Methodology
Using travel insurance sales data for policies offering CFAR, we scored the best travel insurance policies for seniors based on:
Read more: How Forbes Advisor Rates Travel Insurance Companies
Editor’s note: While our parent company has an interest in PrimeCover, this review was subjected to our team’s standard rigorous editorial process, which remains independent of any influence from insurance companies, business relationships, affiliates or any other external parties.
Best Travel Insurance Plans Of 2025
Travel Insurance for Seniors Frequently Asked Questions
How can seniors save money on travel insurance?
Comparison shopping to find cheap travel insurance can save you money without sacrificing coverage. If you want to lower costs even more, though, focus on getting trip cancellation and good medical coverage, and de-prioritize coverage for baggage, missed connections and other non-medical coverage.
Remember to insure only the prepaid and non-refundable parts of your trip. For example, if your plane tickets are fully refundable, don’t pay to insure those. Travel insurance won’t reimburse you for deposits that were refundable.
Does Medicare cover me when I’m traveling outside of the U.S.?
Medicare generally does not cover your health care when you’re traveling outside of the U.S. That means if you get sick or injured while vacationing in another country, you usually won’t be covered.
Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans may offer some coverage for emergency care received outside the U.S., but this is often very limited. If you have Original Medicare, you may find a Medicare supplemental plan, also called Medigap, that covers medical care during an international vacation. You should check your specific Medicare Advantage or Medigap plan for details on international coverage while traveling abroad.
We recommend seniors buy travel insurance with generous amounts of travel medical insurance and emergency medical evacuation coverage. For example, look for plans that offer $500,000 for medical expenses and $1 million in emergency medical evacuation coverage.
Does travel insurance for seniors cover pre-existing conditions?
Travel insurance for seniors typically excludes coverage for pre-existing conditions, but you can get pre-existing conditions covered with a pre-existing medical condition exclusion waiver. You can generally only get this waiver within 14 to 21 days of making your initial trip deposit and only if you insure the full nonrefundable costs for your trip.
Some problems are not covered by travel insurance for pre-existing conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease, anxiety, dementia, depression, or any illness or injury related to alcohol or drug abuse.
What’s the most important insurance coverage for senior travelers?
Seniors should put priority on the medical coverage within a travel insurance policy—specifically travel medical insurance and emergency medical evacuation coverage. This is especially important if you’re traveling outside the U.S., where Medicare will work only in very limited situations.
Look for high maximum limits for these two coverage types. For example, you can find plans that offer $500,000 per person for medical expenses and $1 million per person for emergency medical evacuation.
