Domestic Travel Insurance for Seniors

While it may sometimes be tougher to get insurance if you’re a senior, many providers allow you to take out travel insurance for domestic holidays if you’re over 60 years old. This insurance can cover you for a range of incidents, subject to your insurer's terms and conditions and qualification criteria relating to the nature of the unexpected circumstances and other factors (such as your age). It’s also important to remember that you'll generally only be covered if you're a certain distance from home, such as 200km to 250km.

Some of the activities which can be covered by travel insurance (provided they qualify for coverage under your insurer's terms and conditions) include:

• River or ocean cruises
• Bus or rail tours
• Sightseeing holidays around Australia
• Resorts
• Volunteering
• Hiking, golf or ski trips
• Work trips

Travel insurance can also cover you for a range of unexpected costs when you’re away from home. Medical expenses won’t be covered, as Medicare and private health insurance will cover illness and injury across Australia, but some of the costs which you may be covered for under your seniors-tailored policy include:

• Cancellation fees for non-refundable bookings such as flights, cruises, accommodation and other experiences (though these are subject to your insurer's terms and conditions relating to the nature of both the claimable incident and the costs incurred)
• The excess on a hire car if it's damaged in your care
• The loss or theft of your belongings, such as luggage and other valuables (including cash)
• Personal liability if you're found to be at fault for an injury to someone else or damage to their property
• Cancellation fees relevant to your travel agent
• Additional travel and accommodation if part or all of your trip is delayed (provided it's deemed reasonable by your insurer)

Some insurers also offer added extras to provide you with further coverage for things such as snowsports and other adventure activities, though whether you can access this as a senior will depend on your provider’s age limits and other qualification criteria. For example, some insurers may prevent those aged 70 or over from taking out snow sports coverage, though this isn't necessarily the case with other providers.

Some insurance companies have age limits on their policies which can restrict insurance coverage if you’re over a certain age. There are some insurers in the market who may be able to offer domestic cover for travellers up to the age of 100, though other factors will be considered when assessing your application as a senior.

Additionally, there are some providers who may charge a higher excess if you’re over a certain age. For example, certain insurance companies may make those over 80 years old pay excesses of up to $2,000 if they need to make a claim.