Among all of the excitement of planning a vacation, one thing that people often overlook is travel insurance. Travelers do not like to think about the possibility of anything going wrong, so they focus on only the positive parts of trip planning. However, one thing that travelers should realize is that thinking about the possible things that could go wrong before they actually happen will actually make the trip a more enjoyable experience. If you take just a little bit of time to do this first, you will have the benefit of not having to go through distress if something does go wrong. You may think you do not need travel insurance. The truth is, just about everybody would be smart to invest in it, but it is especially important to purchase holiday insurance for seniors. The following are six things to consider if you are a traveler over 65.

1) Discounts. First of all, if you are over 65, do not forget to look into senior discounts when comparing travel insurance policies.

2) Car insurance. Make sure to plan ahead if you plan to rent a car. Make sure that your car insurance policy will cover you to rent at your destination.

3) Travel hang-ups. Although we all do our bests to plan our trips perfectly, glitches can always occur. Sometimes, we may miss a flight due to no fault of our own, because the airline was late with a connection. Other times, booking agencies make mistakes and leave us on the hook to find new accommodations. Sometimes, of course, we are simply late or unable to keep plans. Each insurance company has different stipulations for these situations. Some may require that it is the fault of the airline rather than the traveller, so be sure to look into this. Especially with international trips that involve a lot of flights, there is definitely the possibility that not every single element will go as planned.

4) Emergencies. Nobody likes to think about the possibility of not being able to attend their vacations, but anything can happen. People become ill or injured, and family emergencies of any kind may happen and prevent you from being able to travel. If you are over 65, you must consider the fact that health problems are more likely to occur for you than for others. If your purchase insurance beforehand, this can help to reimburse you for some of the expenses if you are unable to go. In most cases, the expensive items of the trip, such as plane tickets and other reservations, are non-refundable.

5) Health insurance. Just as it is important to consider the possibility of health emergencies occurring before your trip, you should be realistic and remember that they can happen during your trip as well. You want to make sure that either the insurance policy you have will work in your destination or that you purchase a policy that will. If you are over 65, this is especially important, because you may have pre-existing conditions or may need to refill your prescriptions in the new location. However, do not expect to be covered for pre-existing illnesses in your holiday insurance for seniors. This piece of information should save you in hours of research. A pre-existing liability for a senior traveller is considered a liability by the insurance companies. You are able to be covered for illnesses and accidents not pre-existing.

6) Stolen or lost belongings. With all of the hustle and bustle of travelling, it is so easy to misplace personal items. Unfortunately, those items that we use the most during travel, such as identification, credit or debit cards, passports, or even our whole entire wallets, are those that are most likely to be lost. In addition, thieves often prey on senior travellers, so it is not uncommon for personal belongings to be stolen on vacations. Depending on the item, certain policies can will cover expenses to a certain amount, even if only temporarily.

Nobody can fully anticipate all of the possible things that may occur during travel, but we can be smart and plan ahead. Just as there are a countless number of possible things that can occur, there are quite a few different policies to choose from, as well. The particulars of your policy will depend on the specifics of your vacation, so take some time to think about where you are going and any specific concerns you may have, then talk with a travel agent or an insurance agency and review your options.

Author Bio: Bronwyn White has over 20 years experience in the travel industry. She has gained her experience as a travel agent, with airlines, government tourism boards and as a professional travel researcher. Bronwyn has specialized in senior citizen clientele – both as a travel agent and as a travel researcher. For tons of free travel advice, just for seniors, visit www.seniorstraveltips.com

Category: Travel
Keywords: Holiday Insurance for Seniors, over 65s travel insurance, travel insurance 65, seniors travel,senior