Online travel insurance takes to the older gen

Online travel insurance takes to the older gen

Baby boomers and older jetsetters will get a better deal on travel insurance from today, with the launch of Australia’s first online travel insurer dedicated to the over-50 market.

The baby boomers have spoken out about their frustrations with getting travel insurance, purely because of their age, and as a result, Boomers Travel Insurance was born.

Underpinned by Allianz, one of the top travel insurers in the world, Boomers has no upper age limit for general policies, and makes things easier for the oldies, however is not commissionable to travel agents.

The online service also provides automatic cover for more than 30 of the most common types of pre-existing medical conditions, skipping the difficult approval procedures and offering simple online forms that rarely require a trip to the doctors.

Managing director Ian Jackson said the boomer market, despite expanding, wasn’t adequately accommodated by other insurers.

“Baby boomers and older travellers have been getting a raw deal from a lot of insurers, particularly if they have a relatively simple medical condition that shouldn’t stop them travelling,” Jackson said.

“Australian boomers are much more active and adventurous than past generations, and in many cases there’s no reason why they can’t travel freely and still be fully insurable.”

Jackson said Aussies hitting 50 and over made up around one-third of the population, and make almost 2.8 million overseas visits each year, on top of an estimated 4.3 million domestic trips.

“The number of people in this demographic is growing rapidly and travelling more, yet a lot of insurers are actively discouraging them or even rejecting them outright,” Jackson said.

With the support of Allianz Global Assist, Boomers gives policy holders access to the world’s largest travel insurance assistance network, with a full-service help centre in Australia, assistance hubs in 28 countries and a global network of medical support.

Its domestic and comprehensive policies are open to travellers of all ages, with a key feature being its simple online steps for pre-existing medical conditions.

“A lot of common conditions like high blood pressure and high cholesterol are automatically covered, but other pre-existing conditions can still be approved for cover by submitting details online through a very easy to use website,” Jackson said.

Other features of Boomers Travel Insurance include lifestyle packs providing specialist insurance for cruises, golf holidays, skiing and adventure activities. Boomers also offers free insurance for grandchildren travelling with policy holders.

“Boomers Travel Insurance will look at things differently and consider peoples’ situations properly,” Jackson said.

“We’ll open the door for a lot of under-valued travellers.”

Check the golden oldies out at www.boomerstravelinsurance.com.au.

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