Overseas holidays for over 60s thrown into doubt due to COVID-19

 

Tourists gather at the Great Pyramids of Giza, on the outskirts of Cairo, Egypt March 8, 2020. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany

 

The coronavirus pandemic could curtail the holiday plans of millions of tourists aged over 60.

 

While the coronavirus wasn’t officially declared a pandemic until March, many insurance companies stopped selling travel insurance policies as early as February this year. 

 

New insurance policies are now starting to be reintroduced, albeit with a small but significant change.

 

The new policies now list COVID-19 as a ‘known event’.

 

This means that insurance companies are unlikely to cover bookings for 2021 and beyond in the event the policy holder needs to cancel for reasons related to COVID-19.

 

For example, if a country is forced to close its borders or travel plans are disrupted should a new outbreak occur, the policyholder would unlikely be covered if they need to cancel their trip.

 

According to a report in the UK press, tourists aged over 60 could be most likely affected. 

 

The over 60s are most at risk for the virus and therefore more likely to need to cancel a trip abroad should there be another outbreak.

 

Paul Charles, of travel consultancy The PC Agency, told the Telegraph : “Anyone over the age of 60 will be reluctant to travel until there is a vaccine in mass production, at least one year away."

 

“They will be nervous about being in a country where the virus could re-emerge, overwhelming healthcare systems and possibly leading to borders being closed at short notice.”

 

He added that any insurance policy that does give full coverage for COVID-19 is likely to be expensive and could force retirees to instead settle for holidays at home, rather than opting for popular destinations abroad such as Spain, Italy or Thailand. 

 

The news comes as British people on Tuesday were told they are unlikely to be able to take foreign holidays this summer because of coronavirus. 

 

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the traditional big break holiday season is unlikely this year.

 

“The conclusion from that is it is unlikely that big, lavish international holidays are going to be possible for this summer”, he said.

 

 

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ageist nonsense

I am 62 and more healthier and fitter than some half my age.

I prove that every day working on building sites.

Those that smoke have unhealthy diets and are obese are just as at risk as us oldies.

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The new policies now list COVID-19 as a ‘known event’.

you can bet the insurance companies here are looking for ways to inject this idea into our existing policies; so at 70, we have to get very expensive policies for our extensions (which many predict will apply to All extensions) plus this exclusion

The coronavirus pandemic could curtail the holiday plans of millions of tourists aged over 60.

 

and that will leave more than 50% of the good/high spenders/rich tourists out of any country

Feel sorry for the bar girls if this happens - they'll have plenty of customers to sleep with, but nobody to marry

I would be more nervous if there IS a "vaccine" and we are forced to take it.

16 minutes ago, Henryford said:

I would be more nervous if there IS a "vaccine" and we are forced to take it.

wait for it... ???? There are billions to be made with that...

2 hours ago, nev said:

I am 62 and more healthier and fitter than some half my age.

I prove that every day working on building sites.

Those that smoke have unhealthy diets and are obese are just as at risk as us oldies.

Why are you working on a building site with your obvious medical qualifications?

1 hour ago, Henryford said:

I would be more nervous if there IS a "vaccine" and we are forced to take it.

You won't be forced to take it. But then you won't be allowed in many public facilities, denied 

jobs, and certainly won't be allowed to fly most anywhere!

Total freedom to sit at home.

23 minutes ago, Captain Monday said:

You won't be forced to take it. But then you won't be allowed in many public facilities, denied 

jobs, and certainly won't be allowed to fly most anywhere!

Total freedom to sit at home.

Reminds of these communist countries where you are not forced to be a party member...but...it would be better for your personal life if you were...

 

Such as the 83m out of 1.4bn Chinese who have to surrender their passports?

All insurance (basically being a scam) will soon expose how deadly and contagious Covid really is to travellers.

 

IF Covid is as bad as reported, expect huge premiums for all;

Otherwise, if not many travellers are falling ill, expect a small offset charge that they will force everyone to pay.

They clean up both ways.

 

Also, as long as the medical industry keep trying to pin every death on Covid,

expect soon that Life Insurance policies will exclude paying out on death by Covid. 

Irelevent once a vaccine is found

6 minutes ago, pookondee said:

All insurance (basically being a scam) will soon expose how deadly and contagious Covid really is to travellers.

 

IF Covid is as bad as reported, expect huge premiums for all;

Otherwise, if not many travellers are falling ill, expect a small offset charge that they will force everyone to pay.

They clean up both ways.

 

Also, as long as the medical industry keep trying to pin every death on Covid,

expect soon that Life Insurance policies will exclude paying out on death by Covid. 

One Mexican bandit to another..." Insurance ? insurance ? We don,t need no stinking insurance" ! Personally I feel glad knowing that I am not subsidizing some fat cat,s yearly Mercedes renewal ????

Sorry maybe I am mistaken, but do they not call it EHIC? European Health Insurance Card.

 

That appears to be valid even for UK citizens, with the Brexit and all that.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-44850972

17 minutes ago, baansgr said:

Irelevent once a vaccine is found

Sure, but by then we will be all dead...of old age...

1 hour ago, lkv said:

Sorry maybe I am mistaken, but do they not call it EHIC? European Health Insurance Card.

 

That appears to be valid even for UK citizens, with the Brexit and all that.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-44850972

As the article says ...  What happens in 2021 and beyond will be decided in negotiations on the future relationship between the UK an the EU.

 

OK for holidays in the EU this year (which with all the quarantine rules makes it somewhat difficult), but after the transition period, no-one knows. 

7 hours ago, webfact said:

This means that insurance companies are unlikely to cover bookings for 2021 and beyond in the event the policy holder needs to cancel for reasons related to COVID-19.

Not all of them, when tourism restarts I have a feeling they will all be forced to fall into line and offer COVID cover because nobody in their right mind would ever use them for anything if they don't.

 

A fine example of this kind of thing - my 'BUPA Global' annual health insurance was up for renewal in April 2020 - I always read the small print and was well aware that both epidemics and pandemics are excluded so I contacted them and asked why I shouldn't cancel the poliicy which costs several thousand pounds per year and swap over to one of their competitors who don't exclude COVID for a similar amount of money.

 

Their answer came back quickly - they aren't enforcing the exclusion on pandemics / epidemics for COVID. Now this exclusion is very clearly stated in the policy documents list of exclusions - it's right at the top of the list of things not covered and I know insurance companies never do anything out of the kindness of their hearts.

 

They only do something when they have to do it for one reason or another. In this case I'm presuming that they would lose all of their customers who also pay thousands per year as there are alternatives who do offer full COVID cover and they're easy to find.

 

Now I know health insurance is not the same as travel insurance but it's the same industry and they all act the same - like predators.

 

Edited May 13, 20206 yr by ukrules

4 hours ago, sattahip said:

Why are you working on a building site with your obvious medical qualifications?

Funny you should ask, You do not have to have any medical qualifications to assess the health of some of the workers I work with. ????

  Nonsense.  I'm in the over 60 group and once international travel is allowed again and I feel a country is safe that I want to visit, I'll go.  

9 hours ago, nev said:

I am 62 and more healthier and fitter than some half my age.

I prove that every day working on building sites.

Those that smoke have unhealthy diets and are obese are just as at risk as us oldies.

 

 Do you have a work permit ?. 

 

11 hours ago, webfact said:

Paul Charles, of travel consultancy The PC Agency, told the Telegraph : “Anyone over the age of 60 will be reluctant to travel until there is a vaccine in mass production, at least one year away."

60+ here ...... ready for a holiday in Cambodia or Vietnam right now.

Open the borders and I'll hop over.

9 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Feel sorry for the bar girls if this happens - they'll have plenty of customers to sleep with, but nobody to marry

I thought all the young handsome men got it for free.

5 hours ago, elliss said:

 

 Do you have a work permit ?. 

 

I am stuck in Australia mate I do not work in Thailand, I am normally back home in Thailand by now but my flight was cancelled.

20 hours ago, webfact said:

This means that insurance companies are unlikely to cover bookings for 2021 and beyond in the event the policy holder needs to cancel for reasons related to COVID-19.

Easy just boycott insurance firms that have this new clause written in, if the traveling public get organised and do it company by company the loss in revenue might change their minds.