Travel Insurers 'Imposing Age Limits'

Upper age limits are currently being imposed on 97 per cent of travel insurance policies, new research from the financial services operation of Help the Aged has revealed.

According to the research from Intune, 25 per cent of travel insurance deals are not on offer to over-65s, while 70 per cent are barred to over-75s. This is because older people represent a bigger risk for insurers due to the increased likelihood of them falling ill or suffering an accident while on holiday.

However, increasing longevity among British pensioners could lead to many being forced to travel without insurance protection: recent research from Intune shows that 121,000 long trips were made by over-80s alone over the past year, for example.

Commenting on the figures, managing director at the firm Stuart Castledine said: "We have found that older people holiday more widely than younger age groups, and for longer at a time.

"Many people are electing to work until 70, leaving it even later in life to make the most of their retirement and leisure time through travel. But while the older generation flock to the sun or visit relatives abroad, insurance is getting harder to find."