News recently released from a survey completed by the insurer Staysure reveals that many senior travelers are choosing to travel without insurance. The insurer specializes in travel insurance for the over-50s and says that around 10 percent of senior British travelers is taking a gamble and taking their vacations without adequate travel insurance. A further one in 20 British seniors revealed they had lied in the application about a pre-existing medical condition, or failed to declare a condition in order to keep the cost of premiums down.
The reasons seniors give for failing to buy travel insurance or purchasing insurance that doesn’t meet their needs range from having difficulties finding an insurer that will take them (particularly for the over-65s), to having a problem with the price quoted for their trip. Seniors are also put off buying travel insurance when they have a pre-existing medical condition because they believe they will not be covered, or that the amount of money for coverage is too much.
Not being open and honest on an insurance application form, and traveling without insurance, is a potentially costly mistake. If applicants don’t reveal the full story on their applications they risk any claims being denied when the time comes to receive compensation for medical treatment. And traveling without insurance to save money is definitely a false economy.
Hospital bills and doctors’ fees can run into tens of thousands of dollars, particularly for foreigners visiting the United States where there is no system of free healthcare. Skipping travel medical insurance puts anyone, and in particular senior travelers, at the risk of huge medical bills if they are unlucky enough to be seriously injured or ill. Even minor ailments and conditions can cost a significant amount of money to be treated. Insurers suggest shopping around for a good deal on travel insurance, and never traveling uninsured or with limited coverage.