Over-65s' Travel Insurance

Every travel insurance policy covers different things but all would offer a varying degree of cover on the below:

Medical cover
Unforeseen illnesses, injuries or accidents will be covered under the medical section of your policy. This covers the cost of receiving treatment overseas – including dental emergencies in most cases – and repatriation, the cost of having to fly you back to the UK.

On a slightly more morbid note, most policies cover cremation costs or the repatriation of a body should someone die during your holiday.

Cancellation
Travel policies also cover cancellation if you can no longer go on your holiday or you need to come back early. However, there needs to be a valid reason for you to abandon your trip. Being made redundant, having to do jury service, or having to take care of a seriously ill family member are among valid reasons.

But if you decide you no longer fancy a trip to the Canary Islands because you would rather go to the Maldives, or you want to return to the UK because you forgot to put EastEnders on series record, your claim will probably be rejected.

Baggage and personal belongings
Your travel policy will also cover you if your stuff is lost, stolen or damaged while you are on holiday. Almost everything you take overseas, including computers, phones and cameras as well as expensive clothing is included – but always check the policy limits. Many providers will also cover you for the loss of a passport, cash or a driving licence.

However, policies can vary greatly both in the amount covered and in the excesses – the amount you have to pay towards the claim yourself. For example, items such as cash or expensive goods can be subject to their own high excess.

Personal liability
Personal liability protects others and their property from accidents you may cause while on holiday. For example, the personal liability element of your insurance would cover you if, during a skiing trip, you crashed into another skier and injured them. Insurers will usually cover you for up to £2m, which is generally more than enough.

Delays
Travel schedules are often the victim of adverse weather, so delay cover is one of the more important aspects of travel insurance. Most policies cover against more than just storms, with many including events such as industrial action and mechanical breakdown.

If your flight's been delayed for more than three hours or it's been cancelled you may be able to claim compensation of up to £470 directly from the airline but the reason for the delay or cancellation must be the airline's fault, so bad weather for example, won't count.

This compensation is only for EU-regulated flights. An EU flight is where the flight departed from an EU airport, regardless of the airline OR where an EU airline landed at an EU airport. Under this law, EU airports also include those in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. See our Flight Delay Compensation guide for more info.

If this doesn't apply – perhaps because you flew both from and to an airport outside the EU – you can also try making a claim on your travel insurance policy. Insurers typically pay out for each 12-hour period you've been delayed, but the payouts are often tiny compared to what you can get from your airline so always go down that route if you can.

Like all insurance policies, there are a number of things that providers will not pay out for. Here are the most common...

Alcohol-related injury
You may be on holiday to unwind but if you are injured while you are more than just a little tipsy, your insurer is likely to reject your claim. The same goes for drugs. Insurers have different classifications of 'drunk', with some using blood alcohol limits, so check your policy carefully before you buy.

Medical conditions
Insurers will often cover you if you have pre-existing medical conditions (if they've already been declared to the insurer), but if you fail to tell your insurer and then need treatment for that condition, or a related condition, you won't be covered.

You may also struggle to get a claim paid if you ignore advised medication or jabs needed to enter a country. So, if you go to Kenya and decide against getting jabs for Diphtheria, Hepatitis A, Poliomyelitis, Tetanus and Typhoid do not expect your insurer to foot the bill if the worst happens.

Dangerous sports
If you are going on an adventure holiday, or you are planning to take a winter sports break, you must get extra cover or a specialist policy. Taking to the Alps for a spot of snowboarding with just a basic travel insurance policy in your bag is a risk not worth taking, if you get injured you could end up paying £10,000s in medical bills – especially if you're over 65.

Unattended possessions
Travel insurance will cover your personal possessions when you are abroad but it doesn't mean you can be gung ho with your stuff. If you leave your items unattended and they are then stolen, your insurer will not pay for their replacement.

Travel to dangerous countries
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) outlines which countries are unsafe for travel. If you travel to a country on the FCO's list your cover is likely to be invalid. Check out the FCO's current travel advice for more.

Insurers will classify your trip as either European or worldwide. Worldwide is often further broken down to either include or exclude the US, with cover that includes the latter usually more expensive due to the high cost of medical treatment in the US.

However, some insurers include destinations such as Egypt and Turkey in Europe, while others offer European policies with the option of including or excluding Spain (which can cost more and may increase your premium). As always, check your policy carefully to make sure you are getting the right cover.

Annual travel insurance policies will cover you for trips in the UK but there will be restrictions, especially to medical care, so make sure you check your terms and conditions carefully before you buy.

You will be able to claim for cancellation, lost luggage, lost money and the other common travel insurance benefits and the number of days per trip is likely to be the same as any overseas holiday taken under the policy. However, insurers have different definitions of a UK trip.

For instance, LV* covers UK trips but only if you have pre-booked your accommodation or are more than 25 miles from your home or your journey involves a sea crossing, Aviva* will cover you if your trip includes at least two nights in pre-booked accommodation and Holidaysafe* annual policies cover any pre-booked holiday in the UK as long as it as at least three days long.

In addition, because you will typically be entitled to NHS treatment in the UK, the medical expenses limit (which can be as high as £10m for trips abroad) will be greatly reduced for UK trips. For example, Direct Travel's* budget policy has a £2m medical limit if you are outside of the UK but will only offer travel expenses home following treatment and repatriation if you fall ill or die while on holiday in the UK.

Remember to check your T&Cs carefully to see what you and aren't covered for.

An excess is the amount you have to pay towards any claim you make. For example, if you cancel a trip and are entitled to £3,000 back from your insurer but have a £500 excess you will only receive £2,500.

However, many travel insurance products have separate excesses for different sections of the policy. For instance, some providers may make you pay an excess on both stolen cash and luggage. So if your suitcase was nicked and your wallet was inside you would have to pay an excess on both.

If you have a group policy you may also have to pay an excess for each person for any loss that impacts your entire party, such as cancellation. It is important to check all excesses so you know exactly what you will have to pay if you make a claim.

Most travel insurance policies are designed to cover package holidays, as historically that's how 90% of us booked our holidays, and not all providers have kept up. This leaves them ill-equipped to cover DIY trips, where flights and accommodation are booked separately.

The biggest issue is a lack of cover for knock-on consequences. If a policy covers scheduled airline failure, for example, and the airline goes under, you'll typically be able to claim for the flights and any consequential losses, such as hotel costs. Without this cover, you'll lose the money you paid for it.

To beat this, you need a policy that specifically covers 'indirect loss' or 'scheduled airline failure'. Check the small print as more insurers are including this cover as standard or as an optional extra.

Remember, package holidays feature extra ATOL and ABTA protection, which you don't get on DIY trips. If you're booking a DIY trip, if the additional fee isn't too expensive, book on a credit card (repaid in full to avoid interest) and then you get Section 75 protection for anything costing over £100.

As with any insurance product check all the terms, conditions, exclusions and inclusions before you buy. Travelling without the right cover can leave you seriously out of pocket.

Remember to check your excesses too. High excesses may result in a cheaper policy but should only be considered if you can afford to front a large portion of the cost of your claim yourself.

Many holidaymakers wrongly assume they're automatically covered for winter sports as part of their travel insurance. While some providers offer winter sports as standard under certain policies, other travel policies only cover you if you extend your insurance and this will typically cost extra.

All winter sports policies will cover you for skiing and snowboarding and many will also cover other activities, such as husky dog sleigh riding and sledging, as standard. If you are doing something a bit more unusual, such as ski jumping or snowmobiling, check the terms and conditions of your policy first. If you are planning to take part in something even more crazy – such as luging and stunt skiing – specialist providers such as BMC and Snowcard may be able to offer you cover.

If you opt for a specialist travel policy, check your details closely to make sure you know the limits of your cover.

Don't forget to pick your specialist provider like any other travel provider. Make sure you tell your insurer about any pre-existing medical conditions and remember to pack your EHIC if you are going somewhere in Europe.

The cost of medical bills if you get injured on the slope can be extortionate so it is essential to have cover.

Being airlifted from the mountain to hospital can cost £2,500, repatriation from Europe can set you back £10,000 and you will have to fork out £40,000 if you need to be flown home injured from the US or Canada.

As well as covering yourself, winter sports insurance will also cover your ski pack and cancellation of your holiday.

In most cases, you'll be allowed to ski off-piste but with certain restrictions. You'll have to be within the boundary of the resort, on a marked ski run, with local ski patrol guidelines or supervised by a qualified instructor.

Lucky you. It may be cheaper to take out an annual policy with a winter sports add-on. However, check the price against the cost of covering single trips to ensure you're getting a bargain. Your age is likely to play a part here so check the T&Cs of the policy carefully.

Most winter sports policies will cover you for accidental damage, theft or the loss of equipment. The onus will be on you to keep your gear safe, so don't leave it at the mercy of crooks.

Your equipment will usually be covered for £300 to £500, but different providers offer different limits. The sum insured is usually in addition to your standard baggage cover. For example, Axa Direct will cover up to £2,000 worth of equipment with some policies, while Admiral will just cover up to £1,000. Think about the value of your stuff and pick your policy accordingly.

If you've hired ski equipment, it may be covered by your insurer if it's lost, stolen or damaged. Some providers insure any rented kit as part of your baggage up to the limit of the coverage. Other insurers only pay up to 50% of the sum insured for hired equipment. Some ski equipment providers may also cover the gear for you so it is worth checking with the resort before you buy your cover.

In most cases, your ski pack – which includes ski school fees, a lift pass and hired ski equipment – is covered. The amount can range from £150 to £500, but can be as high as £5,000. As always, check your policy closely for any potential exclusions.

If your piste closes (usually due to lack of snow or an avalanche) and you're unable to hit the slopes, your insurer may give you back a set amount per day, this can range from £10 to £30 – up to a limit of £200 or £300.

As long as your claim is valid and you're within the terms of your policy, you should be covered should you have a mishap on the slopes. But if you've had a drop of sherry and then injure yourself, your claim is likely to be rejected. This is a standard exclusion on most travel insurance policies, including ones with winter sports cover. Insurers have different classifications of 'drunk', with some using blood alcohol limits so check your policy carefully before you buy. The same goes for skiing despite weather warnings and – with some providers – skiing without a helmet.