The Essential Travel Insurance Guide for South Africans Over 55 – Part 3
There is no age limit on wanderlust! 55 plussers are loving new adventures! Hitting the roads (or the skies) is always the start of something so exciting, but what comes hand in hand with that excitement is the niggle of risk. It’s wise to pack in a little peace of mind – in the form of travel insurance.
Is Travel Insurance a must-have? In Part 3 of The Essential Travel Insurance Guide for South Africans over 55, we explore the key benefits and potential drawbacks of travel insurance. We trust that this will help you make an informed decision before you book your next trip. So whether you’re planning a scenic and cross-country road trip, or an overseas escape, understanding your coverage options is a smart step toward smooth and stress-free travel. Let’s make your next trip a breeze!
Pros of Travel Insurance for the Over-55s
Higher Medical Risk Coverage
As travellers age, the likelihood of medical incidents increase. Older travellers are more prone to serious injuries (e.g., fractures from falls) and are more likely to have chronic health conditions that may require medical attention while abroad. Additionally, we see that many senior travellers tend to take longer trips to far-off destinations like US, Canada, Australia. These countries, among others, are known for higher medical costs which are further impacted by unfavourable exchange rates and medical inflation.
Peace of Mind
Knowing that you’re covered for medical emergencies and evacuations, and lost belongings significantly reduces travel-related stress—especially for older travellers and their families back home.
Pre-Existing Condition Cover
Many policies include cover for pre-existing conditions, which is vital for older adults. It is important to note, however, that insurers provide this cover up to a specific age. Also important to note that once travellers reach the age of 70yrs, many insurers exclude cover for cardio and related events. Some insurers, like Bryte, offer a cardio exclusion buy back, but terms and conditions do apply.
Flexible Cancellation Terms
Coverage often includes cancellations due to health reasons or emergencies.
Bryte Travel Insurance understands that travel plans can change unexpectedly. They refund the non-refundable, unused portion of your travel expenses, including prepaid visa fees, if the insured journey needs to be cancelled, postponed or changed due to one of the following insured events.
• Death, illness or injury – your own or that of your spouse, business associate, children, a family member, travel companion, or the person who you had intended to stay with abroad.
• A traumatic event that occurs within 30 days before the start date of the policy. The traumatic event must require the medical advice of a medical practitioner that it is necessary to cancel your insured journey.
• A terrorist attack within 14 days of the start date of the insured journey in a city listed on your original itinerary.
• If your scheduled public transport is cancelled or changed because of a strike or other industrial actions affecting the public transport service – unless there was a media warning before you booked your trip that this may happen.
• Considerable accidental, unexpected and unintentional damage to your immoveable property, within the 30 days before your trip starts, that requires you to cancel your travel plans to take care of your interests.
• If your essential travel documents are lost or stolen, causing unavoidable changes to your original itinerary.
• If a natural disaster happens in a country listed on your original itinerary, and your flights are cancelled, or your pre-paid accommodation is unusable due to the natural disaster.
• Tertiary exams are unexpectedly moved due to strikes, riots or unrest – unless there was a media warning before you booked your trip that this may happen. This excludes resits for failed exams.
• If you, your spouse or travel companion is retrenched (not applicable to self-employed individuals).
Please note – very specific terms, conditions and exclusions apply.
It is extremely important to note and understand what is not covered
and to ask questions when you need further clarification.
Tailored Benefits
Emergency Assistance Services
All of Bryte’s policies include 24/7 assistance for emergencies, which can be invaluable for older travellers navigating foreign healthcare systems.
Coverage for Travel Companions
Bryte’s policies extend benefits to travel companions, who could be caregivers, which is useful if the traveller needs assistance.
Bryte defines a travel companion as a person who is also insured under a Bryte travel policy who is travelling with you or who has arranged to travel to the same destination on the same date and on the same public transport carrier.
Ways in which Bryte provides cover for travel companions include:
• When you are on a cruise and your spouse or travel companion gets injured or suffers from an emergency illness that requires medical treatment from a medical practitioner on land, we will refund you for reasonable additional accommodation and travel expenses to be with your spouse or travel companion if they cannot continue with the cruise.
• Return of stranded travel companion – where possible, we change the existing tickets of your travel companion if they are left stranded in any one or more of these circumstances while on an insured journey:
o Your death;
o Your return to South Africa by emergency medical transport;
o Your admission to hospital as an in-patient.
If it is not possible to change their tickets, we arrange and pay for their transport back to South Africa.
Repatriation Cover
In the unfortunate event of serious illness or death, repatriation costs can be extremely high. This is particularly relevant for older travellers, and is a benefit for which Bryte provides cover and assistance.
Cons of Travel Insurance for the Over-55s
- Higher premiums
Insurance costs rise with age, sometimes steeply after 65 or 80 years. - Pre-existing conditions exclusions
Some conditions may not be covered, or may come with high premiums or excesses. - Age restrictions
Policies have upper age limits, especially for adventure or long-term travel. - Complicated medical questionnaires
Some people may find the travel insurance application process confusing or invasive – but in most cases, it’s actually quite simple. With Bryte, no medical forms are needed unless:
-You’re between 86 and 89 years old, applying for Exclusive Senior cover, or
-You want to buy back the cardio exclusion (age limits apply)In these cases, you’ll need to complete a short medical form. This form needs to be filled out by your treating doctor or cardiologist to give us the medical details we need.
Whether we ask for your medical history during the quote or on a form, it’s to make sure you get the right cover, and to be clear upfront about what your policy does and doesn’t include.
Reduced Coverage Scope
Some activities or destinations (e.g., high altitude, remote locations) may be excluded. Please note that this is not necessarily specific to older clients.
Option to extend coverage for long stays or frequent travel
This is age dependent as there are limitations. Speak to your travel insurance company about this.
While travel insurance is not necessarily a “must-have” in terms of travel or visa requirements, it is most definitely a financial safety net that could turn that disrupted trip into a manageable inconvenience as opposed to a costly disaster. It’s all dependent on you, your health, your tolerance to risk, your destination and the kind of trip you are planning. It’s not cheap, but most certainly, the pros far outweigh the cons. In essence, you need to ask yourself if peace of mind is more important to you – decide before you pack your bags.
For assistance, contact the Bryte Travel Customer Care centre today on 0860 737 775 or travelcare@brytesa.com.
*All cover is subject to terms, conditions and exclusions, as outlined in the policy wording. Cover only applies if it reflects on your schedule of benefits.
The Essential Travel Insurance Guide for South Africans Over 55
Part 1: Over 55 and Ready to Roam? Don’t forget the travel insurance – Click here
Part 2: “What If?” Happens Abroad – The Essential Travel Insurance Guide for South Africans Over 55 – Click here
Part 3: “Is Travel Insurance a Must-Have? The Pros and Cons Unpacked” – Click here
A YEI article in collaboration with Bryte Travel Insurance
