【Which senior travel insurance is best?】For elderly travellers, check age limits and cover amount before buying.

Many older people spend half their lives toiling for their livelihood and their families, and only in later life do they have the chance to travel and explore the world, enjoying life. However, as their physical strength declines, older travellers need to pay even more attention to safety, and their itineraries should not be too tightly packed, so as to avoid overexertion. Proper preparation is essential, and before setting off they should have sufficient and comprehensive protection, so that all “old friends” can travel with peace of mind and truly enjoy life to the full. Therefore, whether seniors are purchasing travel insurance for themselves, or children are buying it for their elderly parents, in addition to checking the age limits and premiums, they should also pay attention to whether the coverage amount is sufficient, so that support is available in the event of both minor and major illnesses, as well as accidents.

10Life has selected the 12 travel insurance plans with the highest overall ratings on the market this time, comparing the different products’ eligible ages, premiums and coverage amounts, to identify elderly travel insurance suitable for seniors. 

Not every travel insurance policy accepts applications from seniors. As shown in the table above, among the 12 travel insurance products, five insurers state that there is no upper age limit for coverage. The other plans all have age restrictions, and generally accept applications from seniors under 80 years old. Among them, Allianz has stricter requirements and only accepts insured persons aged 75 or below. 

Older people are more prone to accidents that may result in injury, so when purchasing travel insurance, it is advisable to pay attention to the medical expense coverage limit, to avoid having to bear overseas medical expenses in full.  

If travelling to regions with high medical costs, such as Europe, the US and Canada, seniors would be better suited to a plan with a higher coverage limit, and should also pay attention to certain details of the cover, such as whether the emergency medical evacuation limit is sufficient, so that support is available in an emergency.

As shown in the table above, the medical expense coverage limit for seniors is generally only half that for adults, or even just 40%. Among the products above, five do not have a reduced coverage limit, namely HSBC, FWD, Generali, Zurich and Allianz.  

In addition to the medical expenses coverage amount, many travel insurance policies also provide only half the accidental death and permanent disablement cover for elderly people compared with ordinary adults. There are five products with no reduction, namely the plans from HSBC, FWD, Generali, Zurich and Allianz.

It is worth noting that, in the products offered by HSBC, FWD, Generali, Zurich and Allianz, the coverage amounts for medical expenses, accidental death and permanent disablement are all not reduced and are on a par with those for ordinary adults. By contrast, Blue Cross offers elderly people only 30% of the coverage amount for accidental death and permanent disablement compared with ordinary adults, making it the item with the largest reduction in coverage.  

When purchasing travel insurance online, the vast majority of products do not require the applicant to declare their medical history at the time of application. However, older people are more prone to age-related illnesses, which may lead to mobility difficulties and similar issues. As a result, when an older person has an accident, the insurer may decide whether to approve the travel insurance claim on a case-by-case basis.  

Taking osteoporosis, a common condition among older people, as an example: if they suffer an accidental fall while travelling, or even are involved in a traffic accident and are injured and hospitalised, the insurer may be less likely to reimburse the relevant hospitalisation expenses because the insured person’s osteoporosis makes them more vulnerable to injury. Of course, if a person with osteoporosis has their wallet stolen, as the illness is unrelated to the theft, the amount payable by the insurer should not be affected.  

Finally, consumers are advised to compare options before buying and choose the travel insurance that best suits their needs. This article only briefly compares the age limits, premiums and cover amounts of different travel insurance plans for older people. If you would like to learn more about the coverage items of travel insurance, please refer to: 【Travel Insurance 2025】Actuarial expert helps you compare the prices and cover of 60 travel insurance products (with exclusive ratings)

Note: This article was last updated on 23 April 2026.

This English version of this article has been generated by machine translation powered by AI. It is provided solely for reference purposes. In the event of any discrepancy or inconsistency between this translation and the original Chinese version, the Chinese version shall prevail.