Everyone knows that the over 65s frequently have problems paying their bills. This is because some services, such as travel insurance, charge higher rates than for those under 65. In fact, the charges for the over 65s can be as much as double, and it can be treble when those travelling are over 70, compared to younger travellers. However, the demand for travel insurance for the over 65s is huge as there are more than 8 million over 65s in the UK.

If you are over 65 you may even find that you struggle to find travel insurance companies that are willing to insure you at all. Approximately 30% of travel insurance providers prohibit any claims being made by travellers who are over 65 and even more reject claims made by the over 70s. Of course, this depends on which company you approach for your travel insurance. They vary greatly, for example, Marks and Spencer travel insurance will not insure travellers over 69, whilst the Co-Op has set 90 as their upper age limit for claims.

The key factor behind these higher rates for older travellers is the increased price of any medical treatment in other countries because of their age. This is mainly because there is an increased chance of travellers over 65 having health issues or falling ill when they are abroad. Of course, if the traveller already suffers from certain medical conditions then this adds to the cost of travel insurance, and may make it difficult to get insurance at all.

When you are looking for over 65 travel insurance, you should compare the prices of a number of travel insurance policies. This is much easier with the Internet but you should also compare what is actually covered to make sure that it provides enough protection for you and your circumstances.

There are other points that you will want to think about when you are trying to find reasonably priced travel insurance. If you are intending to take more than one holiday abroad each year it is worth buying annual travel insurance instead of a separate policy each time you travel. This can save you a lot of money, and reduce the amount of paperwork you have to fill in.

Make sure that you are only paying for the amount of travel insurance that you need, not a standard one that covers every traveller. One common case is the fact that a lot of insurance policies cover Winter sports, such as skiing. If you dont need it, then get a policy that does not offer that protection. This will reduce the price even further.

It is essential that you are honest with the insurance company about any medical conditions that you have. If not, you may find that your travel insurance is invalid if the condition worsens while you are travelling.

Insure for All is one insurance company that has focussed on providing affordable single-trip travel insurance for travellers aged between 65 and 84. Multi-trip insurance for travellers visiting other European countries is available for travellers up to 74.

Finally, the Association of British Insurers has carried out a study regarding the availability of affordable insurance for older travellers. This should mean that UK insurance companies finally begin to accommodate this sector of the population.