Katie have you tried Age Concern, I know they do cheap travel insurance for pensioners, but don't know whether they do long term. Might be worth asking.

Sorry can't help with query but know people over 70 who have stopped going to Goa for the winter because of the insurance prices and others who don't bother with it. They said they may as well do without at those kind of prices and pay for any treatment in Goa now that the hospital situation has greatly improved.
We have been staying in Goa for the winter for 13 years and never had insurance and we are over 60 so we just take the chance and think if we have to pay for treatment then so be it.

My parents are now both in their 80s and getting insurance now for them is quite a headache. However, I would never consider travelling anywhere without us getting something sorted out for them. It's not the cost of treatment that especially concerns me - most of the time we holiday in the EU now - but the cost of a medical re-patriation, or worse in the event of the death of one of them. And that can happen to any of us.

A colleague's wife was taken seriously ill whilst they were visting their son for the weekend in Munich. What was originally a long weekend, turned into an unplanned month long trip. Luckily they didn't incur a massive hotel bill whilst waiting for her to be certified as fit to fly home because they could stay with their son but even so the cost of the lost 'no frills' return flight and the replacement scheduled one added up to quite a bit. And at least she could eventually return on a scheduled flight - the cost of an air ambulance could bankrupt a family if there's no insurance in place.

And I have personal knowledge of a family that decided they had no alternative other than to have a loved one who died on holiday cremated out there because there was no insurance provision in place to enable them to afford to have the body flown back to the UK and for them to be buried in the family plot here as the deceased had wanted. It was very distressing for the member of the family who had to fly out and arrange it and then return with the ashes in their hand luggage. I think that before forgoing insurance it's worthwhile thinking how you would cope with the worst case scenario should you be unfortunate enough for it to happen to you.

SM

I agree totally SM, can't understand why anybody would travel abroad without insurance!! It's taking one hell of a risk!!
The year before last, my son slipped and dislocated his knee whilst in Turkey. Half an hours treatment at the local hospital sorted him out, but cost £540.... Luckily we were on holiday with him, and were able to pay the hospital bill. Not enough to bankrupt us, of course. And the insurance paid him out shortly afterwards, but it could of been a lot worse.... He has dislocated his knee before, but that time ended up in plaster, from thigh to toe. If his leg had of been plastered this time, he couldn't of flown home with us, as the flight was full. He would have had to purchase at least 3 seats, to fly home. Granted the insurance would have paid out, but often you have to pay up front and claim the money back. Again nothing to bankrupt us but.....
Many serious accidents happen abroad, you could end up with a huge bill costing £0000's, you may end up having to sell or remortgage your house. All for the sake of not paying an insurance premium.! Just not worth it!!
Denny

Have been in a private hospital in Goa 3 times and it was not a problem and the cost was far less than the insurance. We have our own property so no hotel bills for anyone
Without being flippant if I died in Goa then I would be quite happy to be cremated there and my ashes scattered there as would my OH. Wouldn't go without insurance to somewhere like Turkey that I have never been to and know nothing about but am fine with Goa.

Don't know anything about them, but this company says they will cover older people on a single trip up to 120 days
http://www.portwood.co.uk/travel-insurance/over-65-70-75-80.htm

Hi
We have used Insure and Go in the past for long trips. We are not as elderly as your parents but have some medical conditions which proved no problem. They are reliable and have always paid the claims.....they need a lot of info to claim so read the requirements needed should you need to claim.

Our friends used them last year and she had to be brought back to the UK as she needed treatment in the UK. It was a complicated process but worked out OK in the end.

Hope you get cover.

It isn't so much the fact that should you fall ill or have an accident you can pay for your treatment abroad if you don't have insurance - the problem will come if you have to be repatriated back to the UK. This could cost thousands of pounds.

It is very, very foolish to travel without insurance.

Give Age Concern a try - after all they specialise in over 'whatevers'.

If I was unable to get travel insurance for whatever reason then I would not go abroad - I would instead take my holidays in this country.

Pippa

My husband had to be repatriated by air-ambulance from Tunisia after spending 8 days in a Tunisian clinic.

It would have virtually bankrupted us had we not had insurance.

The flight alone involved the pay for pilot, co-pilot, doctor & nurse for a minimum of 14 hrs each, 2 lots of landing fees, hire of aircraft and fuel.
Ambulance at both ends of the journey. The costs involved would be astronomical and thats without all the clinic charges.

Patka

It's discrimination against the elderly.
I (we) will see the cost of our annual multi-trip policy rocket this year when we re-new it in December because my husband is no longer 65 or still in his 65th year...in fact we have to find another company who will provide cover.

He has an existing health problem (Hypertension) that's now well controlled by drugs, but because he has naturally "aged" passed the magic figure, the premiums are inflated.

Why ?
He's just as healthy (or unhealthy) as he was last year, he's probably a lesser risk today than he was 7 years ago when his condition was first diagnosed, and does reaching 65 or over suddenly make your blood pressure change, and you become a serious health risk or a greater liability.?
His medical condition is being monitored regularly and being regulated by daily drugs, but hypertension is a silent killer and there are thousands upon thousands of younger sections of society walking around with this condition, unaware that they are all waiting for a possible stroke/heart attack without proper medication.

This annoys me because apart from his hypertension, he is fitter and healthier than some people, who are half his age, but who are not discriminated against.

Our present policy is with Argos.
The age limits are 65 for a multi-trip policy, but you can buy a single-trip policy until you're 70 years old.

Work that one out ?
Sanjiiiiiiii

Edit:Typo error

I take out annual insurance with "direct travel insurance services" which is part of AIG Europe (UK) Limited. I've glanced through the terms and I think they provide insurance up to the 76th year, however, it is for 31 days. Whether they would provide a quote for longer I'm not sure - their website is http://www.direct-travel.co.uk.

Louise

Katie,

Don't know where your in-laws are going but for Europe the following are quite reasonable.

http://www.staysure.co.uk

Saga may be another possibility.

Pippa

Thanks for that link Pippa
I've bookmarked the site for future reference.

I noticed they are going up to 100 days and the price is reasonable....well done !

Sanji

I am away for 57 days and I had to upgrade my policy to give me the cover as the standard policy for only for 45 days. I think the policy covered something like 70 days. Sure you will find something.

Sue

I don't live in UK so would not be re-patriated there. If I go back home to Europe it would cost me far more for treatment than it would in Goa so it does not really matter.

What would you do if the surgery you needed was not available in Goa? Surely with no insurance you would then have to pay to be repatriated to wherever it is you live in Europe.

To my mind (and others I am sure) it is absolute madness to travel without insurance.

I had the misfortune to break my ankle as a result of a very tiny fall in Madeira 4 years ago. I opted to return home for surgery and whilst our insurance company were not the most efficient in the world they did get me home. Even if I had had surgery in Madeira I would still have needed 3 seats before being able to fly. Without insurance we would have had to have paid for those extra seats - expensive enough from somewhere in Europe let alone further afield.

Pippa

I have an annual worldwide family policy and would never dream of travelling without cover. Admittedly, we are only in our 40's and annual platinum worldwide cover with no excesses including business cover is only £120. We have made a couple of medical claims over the years and have also been covered by the insurer for hotel accommodation when a flight was cancelled. The premiums we have paid over the last few years greatly outweigh the amount claimed but I would not travel uninsured. As other posters have said, paying a few medical bills is fine but if you need an air ambulance whilst uninsured ..... doesn't bear thinking about

Slightly but if you are going to travel abroad for longer than the usual 7-14 days, it is also worth checking your household insurance out. Most policies have clauses whereby cover is only provided where you are away for periods of typically 30 or 45 days. Longer travel periods need to be declared to your insurer. Unfortunately, someone I know was burgled whilst on a 10 week winter holiday to Malta and the insurer refused to pay out as they were only covered for the house to be unoccupied for 30 days at a time.

Thanks everyone, I will check out the recommendations.

The cheapest we have found so far is £540 with Age Concern. It is frustrating that a couple in reasonable health who will be staying at my home in Goa and visiting a few temples is considered a higher risk than if they were backpacking their way through a gap year. I would have thought three and a half months of winter sunshine would be good for their health. They definitely won't be travelling without any insurance but we still have time to find the best package.

Thanks cazzholly for the tip about home insurance I will tell them to let their insurers know.