Travel insurance over 70 and over 75 for long stays: age limits and trip caps

Can I get travel insurance over 70 or over 75?

Yes, though the choice narrows and the price climbs as you get older. Smartraveller says most policies have an age limit, and that your age and health change both the price and the type of policy you need. CHOICE says premiums rise steeply for travellers from about age 60.

The age limit depends on the policy, not just the brand. We went through CHOICE’s table of age limits for 110 policies (last updated 12 May 2026) and counted them up:

Policy type	Age limits in CHOICE’s table
Travel insurance for a single trip (76 policies)	From 66 to no stated limit. 54 of the 76 go to 99 or above.
Annual multi-trip cover (34 policies)	From 66 to no stated limit. 19 of the 34 stop between 66 and 79.

CHOICE says a handful of policies stop at 69, while most cover you to 99 or beyond. Its analysis of 230,000 quotes in March 2026 found travellers in their 70s paid more than three times the price of those in their 30s and 40s, and travellers over 80 more than five times.

CHOICE says it’s not uncommon for a brand’s single-trip policy to have a more generous age limit than its annual multi-trip policy. Limits change, so check the policy’s Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) for your age on the day you buy.

How long a trip will travel insurance cover at my age?

It depends on the insurer, your age and where you’re going. There’s no single maximum trip length for older travellers, so a quote for your actual dates is the only firm answer.

Some insurers set trip-length limits by age. CHOICE gives one example: an insurer’s target market determination limits worldwide trips to 35 days for travellers over 80, and trips beyond the Pacific region to 90 days for travellers over 65.

Annual multi-trip policies can also cap the length of each trip, though Smartraveller notes that some let you pay for extra days. A policy that suits a few short trips may not stretch to a winter away.

Will travel insurance cover a winter away of 3 months or more?

It can, if the policy is written for that trip. Get a quote for the exact dates, and on an annual policy check the per-trip cap.

If you’re really living overseas rather than travelling, travel insurance may be the wrong product altogether. Smartraveller says Australian insurers might not cover you if you live overseas long term, and that’s the gap international health insurance is designed for.

If you get the Age Pension, the length of the trip matters there too: the Pension Supplement stops after 12 weeks away, under the 6, 12 and 26-week rules.

Not declaring a condition can void your policy. Smartraveller says you must tell your insurer about all pre-existing health conditions, and that leaving anything out upfront may void the policy. An unpaid hospital bill overseas can be very large, and you or your family would be the ones paying it.

What about pre-existing conditions?

Smartraveller says your insurer needs to know about all of them and may ask for a health check. Cover can be harder to get with a pre-existing condition, so you may need a specialised insurer, or a policy that covers you for situations unconnected to your condition. Our page on retiring overseas with a health condition goes further.

CHOICE says you may have to ring the insurer, rather than buy online, to get a quote that covers your conditions.

What does travel insurance often leave out?

The PDS shows how a policy treats these:

• Prescription medicines. Smartraveller says most insurers won’t cover the cost of prescription medication, even if the bag with your medicines in it is lost or stolen. Our guide to taking medicines overseas covers how much you can take.
• Activities. Smartraveller says even common ones such as a cruise may be excluded, and to check whether you are covered to drive.
• “Do not travel” destinations. Check that your destination’s Smartraveller advice level isn’t “Do not travel”.
• Evacuation limits. Check whether, and how, the policy gets you to a bigger hospital or home to Australia.

You still need travel insurance in a country with a reciprocal health care agreement. Services Australia says so, and Smartraveller adds that the agreements don’t cover medical evacuation to Australia. Our guide on Medicare overseas lists the 11 countries.

How does this look for a long winter in Portugal?

An example, not real people. Bev is 76, a widow with mild type 2 diabetes, and her annual multi-trip policy caps each trip at 60 days. She wants 12 weeks (84 days) in the Algarve over the Australian winter.

Question	What Bev finds
Does her annual policy cover 84 days?	No. It caps each trip at 60 days.
Can she buy a single-trip policy for 84 days at 76?	Several comprehensive policies list age limits well above 76. She gets quotes for her dates.
Is 84 days within the insurer’s trip limits for her age?	She checks each insurer’s limits: one example caps trips beyond the Pacific at 90 days for over-65s.
Is her diabetes covered?	Only if she declares it and the insurer accepts it. She calls the insurer.
Does her visa allow 84 days?	Yes. Smartraveller says Australians can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen area without a visa.

Questions to ask before you buy

Ask the insurer, or a licensed insurance broker, and get the answers in writing:

1. What is the age limit for this exact policy, on the day I buy and on the day I travel?
2. What is the longest trip you will cover at my age, to this region?
3. If it is an annual policy, what is the cap on each trip, and can I pay for extra days?
4. How are my pre-existing conditions covered, and do you need a medical check?
5. Does it cover medical evacuation, including back to Australia?
6. Does it cover my medicines if they are lost or stolen?
7. What happens if I get sick and cannot fly home on my booked date?

What this means for you depends on

• Your age on the day you buy, and on the day you travel.
• How long your trip is, and where you are going.
• Your health and any pre-existing conditions.
• Whether you are travelling or effectively living overseas.
• Whether your destination has a reciprocal health care agreement.

This is general information, not advice about which policy to buy. A licensed insurance broker can look at your own cover. If you’d like help working out what to ask, book a free planning session on Zoom.