Let me start with the bit nobody enjoys saying out loud. If you’re over 70 and you’ve had a heart scare, a cancer diagnosis, diabetes, or even just blood pressure tablets on repeat, buying travel insurance can feel like being quietly told you’re a problem. I’ve sat with my own parents through that exact phone call. The pauses. The “and any other conditions?” questions. It’s a horrible feeling, and it puts a lot of older travellers off going abroad at all. That’s the real cost, and it’s the thing I want to fix here.
Here’s the good news, and it’s bigger than most people realise. Cover absolutely exists for you, age and conditions included. The catch is that getting it right depends on understanding how the screening works and what to declare. Get that bit wrong and a claim can be refused. Get it right and you travel with genuine peace of mind. I’ll walk you through the whole thing in plain English. If you’d rather see the cover as we go, you can get an InsureandGo quote here and keep it open beside this.
The 30-second version
There’s no upper age limit – over-60s, 70s and 80s are all welcome – and over 1,300 medical conditions can be covered, from diabetes to cancer.
You declare your conditions in a short medical screening when you buy. Be honest about every one of them, choose a cover level with strong emergency medical cover, and you’re sorted.
Why does age 70 suddenly change everything?
Fair question. From an insurer’s point of view, the older we get, the more likely we are to need treatment while abroad – and treatment abroad is eye-wateringly expensive. A single hospital stay in the United States can run into hundreds of thousands of pounds. That’s the real reason premiums climb with age, and it’s why some mainstream policies quietly stop at 65 or 70. They’re not being cruel. They’re just not built for you.
Specialist providers take the opposite view. They expect older travellers, they expect medical histories, and they price for it properly. InsureandGo is one of the long-standing names here, trusted for over 25 years and rated a Which? Best Buy. That track record matters when you’re handing over your health details. Take a look at how their over-70s cover works and you’ll see the difference straight away.
The numbers that actually reassure me
I’m a finance writer, so I trust figures more than friendly marketing. These are the ones that made me relax when I was helping my own family sort this out. Read them slowly – each one solves a specific worry that older travellers tend to carry.
That “unlimited emergency medical cover available” line is the one I’d circle in red. It’s the part that stops a holiday illness becoming a financial catastrophe. And the cancellation cover of up to £10,000? That’s there for the moment a flare-up means you simply can’t fly – a very real risk when you’re managing a condition. Want to see the cover levels for yourself? Compare InsureandGo’s options here.
The medical screening, demystified
This is the part that scares people, so let’s strip the mystery out of it. When you buy a policy, you go through a short medical screening. You’re asked about your conditions – the diagnosis, any treatment, recent changes, that sort of thing. It takes a few minutes. The insurer uses your answers to confirm cover and set the price. That’s it. It is not a test you can fail; it’s a declaration you must make honestly.
And honesty is the whole game here. Declare every condition, even the ones you think are minor or “sorted.” Forget one and a claim linked to it can be refused, which defeats the entire point. I can’t stress this enough – I’d rather you over-declare than under-declare. Conditions commonly covered include diabetes, cancer, heart conditions, high blood pressure and epilepsy, among many more. Run a quick screening with InsureandGo and you’ll see exactly what they ask.
Before you declare: a quick checklist
- Gather your details. Diagnosis dates, current medication, and any recent treatment or hospital stays.
- List every condition. Yes, the blood pressure tablets too. Minor in your head is still material to the insurer.
- Check for recent changes. A new medication or a recent appointment can affect cover – mention it.
- Declare honestly, every time. An incomplete declaration is the single biggest reason valid claims get refused.
- Read the policy wording. Confirm your conditions are listed as accepted before you pay, not after.
Five minutes of preparation here saves you the worst phone call of your trip later. Honestly, it’s the cheapest insurance within the insurance. Ready to work through it properly? Start your declaration with InsureandGo.
Conditions covered: a closer look
People often assume a diagnosis like cancer or a heart condition is an automatic “no.” It isn’t. With over 1,300 conditions on the books, the common ones are well understood and routinely covered, subject to your screening. Swipe through a few of the situations below – you may well see your own.
Swipe to see more →
Notice the pattern. Cover is available – it just hinges on an honest screening and the right cover level. I won’t pretend the premium won’t reflect your history; it will. But “more expensive” is a world away from “impossible,” and that distinction is everything. Check whether your condition is covered in a couple of minutes.
Single-trip or annual multi-trip?
One more decision, and it’s a simple one once you frame it around how often you travel. A single-trip policy covers one journey. An annual multi-trip policy covers all your trips across a year under one screening. If you take two or more holidays annually, the annual option usually works out kinder on both your time and your wallet. Here’s the honest comparison.
| Single-trip | Annual multi-trip | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | One holiday a year | Two or more trips a year |
| Screening | Once, for that trip | Once, covers the whole year |
| Value | Lower one-off cost | Often cheaper overall for frequent travellers |
| Convenience | Buy each time you go | Sorted for twelve months |
Destinations matter too. Europe is generally the most affordable to insure, while the USA, Canada and the Caribbean push premiums up because medical costs there are so high. Be precise about where you’re going – it changes the price honestly, and you want the price to be honest. Pick single or annual cover here.
The premium reflects your history. But “more expensive” is not the same as “impossible” – and that gap is where your next holiday lives.
The honest verdict
What I rate
No upper age limit, 1,300+ conditions covered, unlimited emergency medical cover available, up to £10,000 cancellation, and a 25-year, Which? Best Buy track record.
The one catch
Your premium genuinely will be higher with age and conditions, and acceptance and price depend on your screening. Declare everything truthfully or a claim can be refused.
So where does that leave you? I went into this cynical on my family’s behalf, braced for a polite brush-off, and I came out reassured rather than sold. The cover is real, the screening is manageable, and the protection genuinely matches the risks older travellers worry about. My one honest gripe is the price – it climbs with age and medical history, and no amount of friendly copy changes that. But weighed against an unfunded hospital bill abroad, it’s money I’d spend without blinking.
None of this is a guarantee of acceptance or a fixed price – your screening decides both, and you must read the policy wording. With that said honestly, don’t let age or a diagnosis quietly shrink your world. The cover exists. The trips are still yours to take. Get your InsureandGo quote now and travel with the peace of mind you deserve.