Senior Travellers Like to Try New Things

People approaching retirement age are now more likely to be searching for senior travel insurance than their slippers, pipe and newspaper according to new research launched by Prudential.

It has been proved in this new survey that 58% of people who will retire in 2008 see their time of life as an opportunity to do everything they want to do, and see the things they want to see. Only 14% see it is a time to rest, relax and put their feet up.

Managing director of Prudential Retail Life and Pensions, Gary Shaughnessy, said: "Improving healthcare and greater longevity mean those retiring today are likely to be able to enjoy far more active lives through their pensionable years than any previous generation."

Only 1% of the people questioned said they were looking forward to gardening during their retirement, compared to 32% who wanted to travel the world, which would also see them looking for competitive senior travel insurance.

Travel insurance could be an expensive purchase for anyone who has a history of health problems. Many insurers assess people on their past medical history and decide their premium based on the risk they pose to the insurer now.

Comparison websites such as OnlyInsurance.com compare many difference packages available across the market and give you the best deal available at the time. Many insurers also offer tailor made packages for senior citizens or people with previous medical problems.

Travel insurance providers InsureandGo has revealed that in 2007 travel insurers paid out over £400 million pounds. UK based travel insurers received a total of 1.75 million claims throughout the year.

The claim insurers saw the most was for medical treatment, there was a total of 500,000 claims which resulted in insurance pay-outs totalling £242.3 million. On average these claims were £477 each, compared to an average overall claim of £231. It is medical treatment that people are warned is expensive before travelling. Failing to take out sufficient travel insurance could mean that you are liable to cover these costs yourself if anything happens to you or your family while you are travelling abroad.

430,000 claims were seen for lost or stolen luggage and this cost insurers a total of £35 million, another 200,000 claims were for cancelled or severely delayed flights, this cost insurers a staggering £77 million.

Upon releasing these figures, InsureandGo’s managing director, Perry Wilson, said that it is “vital” for UK travellers to be fully protected when travelling.

As it was recently revealed by Sainsbury’s that as many as one in ten Brits travel abroad without adequate travel cover it seems many people are willing to take the gamble that it will not be them who falls ill or whose bag gets misplaced or whose flight is cancelled.

The survey revealed that 4.2 million people did not have travel insurance the last time they travelled abroad. The study also showed that Londoners are the most negligent when it comes to taking out travel insurance, one in four admitted they travelled without insurance.

Travel insurance manager at Sainsbury’s Finance, said: "Easter can be a great time to get away, but these are alarming figures because taking travel insurance on holiday is as important as packing your passport."

He continued: "It doesn't matter if it's an Easter break, a weekend away or your main summer holiday, if something happens whilst you're abroad, you need to know that you have adequate cover in place to take care of things, whether it's to reimburse you for lost or stolen belongings, to pay for any medical treatment you may need or even to cover the cost of flying home early as a result of an emergency."