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Is it crazy to consider traveling without travel insurance in my 70s?

Travel InsuranceThailandLaosHealth CoverageExpat InsuranceMedical Emergencies AbroadSeniors TravelInsurance ClaimsVisa and ImmigrationCost of Travel Insurance
Nov 18, 2024
3 days ago
Alan *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
I’ve got a dilemma re travel insurance. I’m nearly 70 years old and will be traveling January-March, Thailand and Laos. I am in good health, no pre existing health conditions. I have researched and I am being quoted £450 up. The supposedly better ones at around £800 and above. When reading reviews, they seem to be more focused on the price of the actual cover,rather than any claims. It seems the majority of people have difficulties when trying to claim. So many exclusions and ways that the company will try and get out of paying. I am seriously considering not bothering and taking the chance. Am I crazy or what?
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TLDR : Answer Summary
A senior traveler is grappling with whether to purchase travel insurance for an upcoming trip to Thailand and Laos amid high premium quotes and concerns over claim difficulties. Community members advise various strategies including opting for evacuation insurance, sharing personal experiences with different insurers, and suggesting alternatives such as credit card insurance. While some participants argue against insurance due to past experiences and affordable medical care in Thailand, others emphasize the necessity of having coverage for emergencies, especially for older travelers.
Glyn **********
I'm a similar age and I self insure. Insurance policies usually have deductible which is larger than most medical procedures.
14 hours ago
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Mario *********
You’re not crazy, just irresponsible maybe if you don’t have the money to cover what ever could happen to you.
15 hours ago
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Chris ******
I’ve yet to hear anything positive about health insurance.
a day ago
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Terry ******
1 trip cost me 38K with no pria medical condition. Got knocked back due to no return date. At least if you have insurance you can always fight their refusal
a day ago
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Sarah **********
A gold credit card cover 90 days…

Im just over 50 and some cheaper companies won’t insure me for the 5 months period that I regularly travel anymore. I also learned ASSISTANCE & INSURANCE aren’t the same….I used to take a fairly comprehensive one and didn’t ever claim, this time I took a basic one that still has 500k medical, legal & dental ( surprisingly got baggage and late plane coverage) BUT….now I’m trying to claim for a lost filling ( considered emergency) I’m having to go through all kind of hoops and paperwork I just can’t get from here… they’ve said I have 2 years to get it all tied up so I’m getting the claim rolling and will have to get it finished once I’m home… I did read the fine print but like u day they’ll not make it easy to pay out. Saying this I wouldnt travel without atleast some kind of cover.
2 days ago
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Sarah **********
A gold credit card cover 90 days…

Im just over 50 and some cheaper companies won’t insure me for the 5 months period that I regularly travel anymore. I also learned ASSISTANCE & INSURANCE aren’t the same….I used to take a fairly comprehensive one and didn’t ever claim, this time I took a basic one that still has 500k medical, legal & dental ( surprisingly got baggage and late plane coverage) BUT….now I’m trying to claim for a lost filling ( considered emergency) I’m having to go through all kind of hoops and paperwork I just can’t get from here… they’ve said I have 2 years to get it all tied up so I’m getting the claim rolling and will have to get it finished once I’m home… I did read the fine print but like u day they’ll not make it easy to pay out. Saying this I wouldnt travel without atleast some kind of cover.
2 days ago
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Steve *******
Try AXA USA don’t use AXA Thailand even though there the same company

If you do have a problem while you’re traveling, you contact Axa USA and then they’ll put you in touch with Axa Thailand and they’ll coordinate everything that you need

Advantage of using AXA U.S. Is there regulated by US law if you go direct to the Thailand branch their regulated by Thai law
2 days ago
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Stuart **********
It’s bloody ridiculous the premiums for travel insurance if you’re over 60 and may or may not have pre-existing conditions even though most of these conditions are treated with medication.
2 days ago
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Heath ***********
I think all these suggestions from people who never made a claim should be ignored?
2 days ago
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Ian *********
i use thailand tune travel insurance ,seriously cheaper than uk .but as i havent claimed so far so no idea how good ,
2 days ago
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Eddy *******
Try scoot
2 days ago
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Kevin *************
Im going in 13 days rip off im not paying that much crazy prices 2 yrs ago it was £70
2 days ago
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Scott **********************
I had a motorbike accident in Phuket. Took me 3 months to get the claim approved. The first thing insurance companies do is say no and try and find an excuse. I would however never travel without insurance. They are a necessary evil 😈
2 days ago
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Alain ***************
Private hospitals with western standards and fluent English speaking staff ( or at least translation service) are quite pricey and will be much more than your 450£. Don’t expect everyone driving in Thailand to have insurance to pay for your treatment when they crash into you. My mom ended up on dialysis in Bangkok hospital pattaya and we were over-insured. Which was great. I had to pay a 40k baht deposit for her but got everything back as soon as the hospital realized that she’s covered. Do yourself a favor and get the insurance. My mom had insurance from the swiss automobile club which is available for traveling. Treatment was great. They offered reparation flight but she was able to catch her normal flight back to europe. Of course for something small like diarrhea or whatever you can go to any clinic and pay the small cost out of pocket. I was dehydrated in 2018 and the government hospital i went to took care for 2000 baht ir so. Longer waiting times but still good enough for me
2 days ago
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Mark *********
Good health, don't do anything stupid like ride a moto or get drunk, you will come out ahead paying out of pocket.
2 days ago
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Cath *********
Yes
2 days ago
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Wyn **********
Luma pay out .
2 days ago
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Kenneth *******
That is why I have the emergency savings more than that.
3 days ago
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Andee **********
I only know one person who has used insurance to have emergency surgery and be medevaced home. She has insurance called International SOS. She said they did everything for her. Helped her get treatment helped her get home. The whole thing would have cost her $50k USD if she hadn’t had insurance. After hearing her story, I will not travel if I can’t get good insurance.
3 days ago
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Kenneth *******
I am 85 and have no insurance. I left the USA 30 years ago and have not returned. I now live in Thailand and pay the medical bills as they occur. I do have emergency savings if needed. Insurance after 70 is very costly. Medical in Thailand is affordable.
3 days ago
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Peter *******
Get the travel insurance, it's very cheap vs Health Insurance, check comparethemarket.com and confused.com
3 days ago
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Derren ********
Genki Explorer

Travel health insurance

Maximum flexibility for frequent travelers like digital nomads and backpackers.

Monthly insurance subscription – from one month up to two years.

Extensive cover for medical treatment around the world.

Any citizen, any residence, ages up to 69.

*************************************
3 days ago
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Ivan *********
Because its more than 31 days trip.
3 days ago
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Simon ******
I had a heart attack in Thailand cost my travel insurance $60,000 Australian
3 days ago
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John *******
Once you are over 70 your premiums will increase a lot, plus when you want travel insurance for over 30 days coverage,premiums increase. Personally I would take the £450 coverage.Just my opinion.
3 days ago
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David ********
Notwithstanding the overall state of one’s health, accidents DO happen…
3 days ago
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Simon ********
Just fcuk all the rip of insurances off! If you're enjoyong your life and living it just go for the big easy! Suck and see! Someone will gey you home
3 days ago
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James *********
Are you a gambling sort of fellow? At our age, it's not about the "if's", but the "when's". Perfect health today certainly can change to something else in a nano second. I hope you do whatever lets you be happy, and not worry, during your trip. 🙏😉
3 days ago
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Jeffrey ************
You're insane to even consider it...
3 days ago
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Kim *********
@Jeffrey ***********
 might be the only option unfortunately
3 days ago
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Jeffrey ************
@Kim ********
 £450 for 3 months is not expensive..
3 days ago
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Alan *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Jeffrey ***********
 I agree it’s not expensive but looking at reviews they don’t seem to ever pay out. Don’t even answer the phone. So waste of £450.
2 days ago
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Alan *************
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Ralph *******
I have taken the chance in the past but now I try to get cover. It’s really only useful in very serious circumstances, otherwise it really isn’t value for money.

My insurer has said they try not to endorse surgery, preferring an early return to my home country, to then be dumped and left to the mercy of the health system. So, other than an extreme emergency, they are a rip off.
3 days ago
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Xìngfú ******
Upp to you, I am Swedish, much younger then you only 60 years old, newer was seek in my life and pay 5 000 $ travel insurance every year 🤷
3 days ago
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Mike ********
Try “Staysure” but only cover up to 184 days,.
3 days ago
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Alison **********
Completely crazy, get a nationwide flexplus account it covers travel insurance, AA breakdown cover, phone insurance plus other benefits are included.

It’s £13 a month and well worth it, I think it will have a price increase soon as not had one for years but well worth it. I am over 60 and pay no premiums.
3 days ago
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Kevin *********
@Alison *********
 it's going up to £18 in December but worth it if going on holiday for smaller durations, I'm going to Thailand for 23 days in January, then 10 days in Greece in June and should cover both
3 days ago
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Eddy ********
@Kevin ********
 it covers 30 days after that, up to I think 80 days they do charge a large premium.
3 days ago
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Kevin *********
@Eddy *******
 30 days will do me for now , but would like to stay in Thailand for a couple of months when the other half retires !
2 days ago
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Kevin *********
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Alison **********
@Kevin ********
 easily cover both your holidays, I travel more than once a year as well the maximum I have done up to now is 24 days but I know it covers longer than that.

I don’t mind £18 it’s great value I have friends that cruise as well in the Caribbean and it covers that as well, having AA cover for my car as well it works out great value.
3 days ago
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Alison **********
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George *******
My personal opinion is, I'm 76, have travelled the world for over 50 years, mostly work related, but spent eleven years based in Thailand between the age of 49 & 61. Kept myself very fit all my life and although no one knows whether illness would hit you, my risk assessment on myself, because of my general health was very low of having a big medical episode. When we get older were more at risk of certain medical things, ie., heart attack, stroke and as usual with the quite older folk, succumbing to cancer. Nothing is guaranteed in life, apart from paying taxes & dying. If a person feels like they need peace of mind having insurance, that is Upto the individual. In my case after fifty one years of travel to all four corners of the earth & having not paid for any insurance of any kind, the amount of money I haven't parted with is huge.
3 days ago
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Alan *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@George ******
 the trouble is it’s still not peace of mind with having insurance, because of the worry that they won’t pay out anyway
3 days ago
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Mark *********
@Alan ************
 You can only be careful in your choice, firstly using broad indicators as I gave, then looking at fine detail, perhaps especially around dangerous sports. People routinely bungee jump, but it is mostly categorised as a dangerous sport. Mountaineering and rock climbing can be an outright No or dependent on exactly what is planned and using what equipment. All this said, which should be obvious, people do as the insurance companies do and look at heart risk with age, stroke risk with age, etc and try to see a relationship with health to date. Certainly that has some truth. But consider the very high rates of death and injury in Thailand in motor vehicle accidents, including as a pedestrian. Sure it could be that responsiveness reduces with age, but truth is that insurance companies tend to take those on the nose, although a hugely important category. On the road accident an important point is do you think that the rudimentary emergency services here will pick you up without an insurance card. Ditto the hospital take you in (legally they have to but that is often not understood. Cough!!!!! - its Amazing Thailand, including such amazing language misunderstandings!). So you carry around a credit card and can genuinely access large amounts that way (and they need to be large). Now how is the risk management looking? Or do you want to be left in the road - it can and sometimes does happen: the care obligation at law, as best I understand, only laying with the hospital.
3 days ago
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Mark *********
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Mark *********
The starting point is your country of residence. The relevance is what insurers have products available to you. You appear to be UK based, so that becomes the point of reference, for instance Japanese insurers tend to be the good guys. Whether available in UK I don't know. Things changed with COVID, many companies withdrawing from their peripheral markets. US tend to be the ones best avoided. They tend to be at the forefront of avoiding payment of claims, wriggling out however they can. British companies tend to the in-between position and likewise on price (You pay for Japanese reliability). Be very wary of cheap cover and always, always consider a company's registration and legal jurisdiction. The financial authority of, say, St Kitts might not be the best backup beyond the company. Above all, whoever the insurance provider, your own behaviour is a key. On a motorbike with no helmet - what do you expect the insurer to do? More or less the same for on a motorbike at all. Don't listen to bike hirers saying it's OK. Or even saying you are insured. This is Thailand. Dangerous sports, definitely no cover -and you'll be surprised what constitute dangerous sports. You need to make yourself very, very aware of the small print. And be aware of the pretty lawless milieu here. Don't trust smiles - and that isn't just a reference to Thais but also farangs. Free meals are very few and far between in this life and that includes Thailand as much as anywhere!
3 days ago
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Gordon *******
I have been going to Thailand for the last 17 years and I am 77 years old never had health insurance. 10 years ago I slipped coming out of the pool dislocated my shoulder and got a splinter that turned poisonus I went to the hospital in Pattaya cost £100 so I never bothered if you have a credit card don't worry
3 days ago
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James ********
Yep, I'm 80 and same problem

60 day stay £450 up, nothing wrong with me, been going for over 25 years, This year !! What the hell!!
3 days ago
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David ******
For 90 days you can just buy an annual travel insurance. But, I don't know at your age it might be expensive. My yearly travel insurance is $138 USD. That gives me 45 days of travel. The premium plan would give me 90 days at $400 USD. I also have credit cards insurance. Plus my medical insurance will cover world wide. I am speaking from the standpoint of a vacation traveler.
3 days ago
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Ian ************
I’ve used Fit2Travel. Seem very reasonable.
3 days ago
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Christopher ***********
Serious illness or accident is, quite rightly, your concern. There has been a report of a travel insurance claim denied for failure to disclose a childhood illness. There have also been very positive reports of excellent service and treatment with all expenses covered. Can you whittle down the cost by excluding baggage etc and limiting to medical costs only? Try selecting an increased excess if you are able to pay a fair amount yourself to avoid claiming. Repatriation has already been mentioned. Bear in mind that all travel insurers will try to get you fixed up quickly and back home because then they no longer have to pay for your hospital treatment.
3 days ago
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Bob ********
My wife and I, both in our 70's have Macquarie platinum credit card, it comes with travel insurance as long as you book and pay with the card. It provides very good cover, last year my wife tripped and fell in BKK. Covered all medical and upgraded travel back to Australia. And the annual cost of the card was less than a quote for travel insurance my son got
3 days ago
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Nongnuch ********
well I can only tell from personal experience. In 2019, at the age of 61, I fell ill with a lung emphysema. I went through 3 hospitals (Eesan town government hp, then private hp in Ubon Ratchathani, then VIP hp Samitevej in Bangkok, one Medevac flight from Ubon to Bangkok included. After 27 days I was relocated to Germany, accompanied by a medic, in the business class of Lufthansa. My "ADAC" (German Automobile Club" insurance "Foreign Longstay Helath Insurance" paid next to 50.000.- Euro for everything, and they fronted the money, I only had to pay 20.000.- THB in cash immeditaley, when delivered into emergency, for the first three days in the government hospital in the Eesan, or they would not have started treatment! What I want to emphatize is, it's worth to settle with a WORTHY insurance. The cheapest ones are not always the best ones. Y'all know, ya get what you pay for. At the moment I pay 868.- Euros for a 6-month Insurance. By next year, due to age, I will have to pay 1260.- Euros. Another lung emphysema, however, will not be covered. . . . in your situation, if you feel healthy and stable and fit, you could wager the option to stay self insured - if you are willing to front a hospital bill of 1 million Thai Baht at the utmost, plus a medevac flight back to the UK
3 days ago
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Patrick ********
@Nongnuch *******
 same thing happened exactly to my mate in Pattaya good thing he had insurance..
3 days ago
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Patrick ********
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Mark ********
Stay sure are good
3 days ago
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Edward ******
How about what they call evacuation insurance. Medical costs are “affordable” here. It’s a risk but maybe not as severe as you might think but with evacuation insurance after you are stabilized here it will get you home.
3 days ago
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Edward ******
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