"Shop around for travel insurance", advises expert

Holidaymakers planning a break abroad this summer should make sure they compare travel insurance before they go to guarantee they are getting the best deal, an expert at Saga has advised.

Paul Green, head of Saga Group Communications, also highlighted that travel insurance for the over-65s should not be difficult to find and that some insurers do not have an upper age limit for their cover policies.

He noted that as the population ages, travel insurance providers are likely to adjust their policies in accordance to reflect this.

"This is also because insurers now have a better understanding and improved systems - they are more sophisticated on how they rate older ages and include cover for pre-existing conditions," he commented.

Despite Mr Green's reassurances, research conducted by Age Concern last year found that 92 per cent of travel insurance policies have upper age limits and do not provide cover for older people.