to think £800 for travel insurance is extortionate???

[AmericanPastoral]

It's for my 81 year old mother in law for a trip to Canada. Can anyone recommend cheaper options? Many thanks.

moneysavingexpert website is helpful:
www.insureandgo.com/travel-insurance/annual-travel-insurance

I was coming to say that yes, it is extortionate, but taking a transatlantic trip at 81 I think you have to expect to spend a fair amount of the holiday budget on travel insurance.

Have you tried the usual comparison sites; Compare the Market, Moneysupermarket, Go Compare, etc?

Has she tried Age UK? I think that's who my parents use when they visit us (both late 70s with pre-existing conditions, visiting Australia).

Would you risk taking her without insurance? Thought not. The insurance companies are obviously thinking the same thoughts as you. It is a high risk - therefore expensive. I believe you are lucky to actually be able to obtain insurance in the first place.

One of the reasons my folks have given up on going to the US is the amount of insurance they have to pay. My Dad has several lots of medical to take into account though.

Does she have any medical considerations or is it just being older ? If she has any specific medical conditions then she could contact the organisation connected for advise

Thanks for your responses.

Get it with a Nationwide Flexplus current account, she can open it and just put in £10 per month to cover the fee. You pay a £50 flat fee age upgrade as she is over 75 (plus more if she has medical conditions which are individually quoted) and she could just keep the account for a few months so may not cost too much and close it when she is ready.

Stay sure have been very good for us traveling with pre existing conditions.

It's a lot of money but then even a relatively healthy 81 year old could have health issues occur on holiday. Plus even something like a minor accident can end up leading to complications. So do shop around but don't expect a massive bargain will necessarily be available.

With things like free insurance as add ins do be sure to read the terms of conditions carefully to make sure the cover is sufficient and that it covers pre existing medical conditions. Otherwise you can end up with a shock bill.

Saga. Does she have pre-existing conditions? If so it will bump up premiums.

I saw a phone in with Simon Calder on tm recently, someone phoned about going away to turkey with their relative in their eighties and he said by all means do it, but do expect that their travel insurance might equal the cost of the holiday. So from this it sounds like your quote isn't far from the mark.

Thanks very much for all your advice.

It is par for the course, if you have shopped around. Some people pay more for travel insurance than they pay for their holiday.

Yes it's a lot.
My Mum stopped coming to US when we lived there as she was in her 70's and the cost was almost equal to her flights cost. She does have pre existing conditions.

Wow!

That might explain why DF doesn't travel as much.

I would say that was a quote from someone who doesn't actually want to insure.

My parents are both in their 80s and get travel insurance for Norway and similar for way less than that, though I accept that transatlantic will be higher as medical repatriation costs will be higher if needed.

There are firms that do insure elderly/medical. I remember having to list a long list of ailments & medication for my elderly MIL when we took her to the CIs. Saga isn't always great value for money (I think they trade on their name a bit). Do some more hunting you should find something cheaper.

Just be glad she can actually get insurance. A friend of mine can no longer get anyone to insure her to travel except to very nearby countries such as France

TennandTween It might be a good cost, we don't know. It depends on your medical history.

bratsy Yes you are right, it might be a good price. But if the OP has just gone to 'normal' insurers and not to the ones specialising in old/medical then she should try there before giving up searching.

I was also going to ask whether she had any pre-existing conditions.

My mum passed away just after her 70th birthday, but I know that her travel insurance became considerably more expensive following her cancer diagnosis at 66. So, as a seemingly healthy 65 year old, it was fine - a year later receiving treatment for cancer, it was hundreds more.

It does make sense as obviously the risk to becoming ill and needing help on holiday is higher, but still seems a bit unfair as a person in poor health often needs a nice holiday more than most of us .

You know that advert for travel insurance where she asks about insurance for older people?

They say they can insure anyone. They don't mention the cost, do they?

Thanks again everyone. Will continue searching. TeenAndTweenif you can remember who you used that would be great. Many thanks.

Issue here is twofold - one the age of the traveller. There are very few 81 year olds who have never had any medical issues or who aren't taking medication for something or other. Older people are more likely to fall, trip, need medical attention in general. Premiums start to rise extremely quickly after the age of 70.

Canada and the USA are the most expensive places in the world to be ill. There's a reason that "north america" is in a category all of its own on travel insurance sites. A quick google throws up a 2008 article that says an average hospital stay in Toronto is $7,000 - and that was 10 years ago for the "average" patient. That's around £4100.

£800 is a lot. But the 81 year old is a very risky prospect. Approach a broker or specialist conpany such as Saga who deal with older travellers. But I think you're going to have to accept that it's going to cost.

I have pre-existing conditions and got a really good quote from insurewith. I don't work for them!

I've heard Saga is quite competitive.
My DF no longer travels outside Europe due to insurance premiums.