Sign In
For assistance with claim related queries in the CYCLONE affected regions of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala, please click here

Travel Tips for Senior Citizens and Elderly

​When you have retired, it only makes sense to live your life to the fullest. After all, what is the point of working so hard in your prime if you can’t experience the joy of life? One such thing that delivers an enthralling experience is the experience of travelling to new places! 

I am pretty sure that most of us have a secret bucket list of places to visit in your lifetime. It is a common sight to see the likes of Venice, Switzerland and Dubai on such lists. If these are on your bucket list, or any other dream destination for that matter, now is the time you take the plunge and tick those off your list. But before you kick start your epic journey, it is crucial that you take some time to take care of a certain number of things.  Now that you are past your prime, you need to be extra cautious when you are travelling so that you don’t find yourself in distress.

To make your second innings vacation trouble-free, here are a few tips for the senior travellers amongst us.

  • Get Insurance
Travel insurance is arguably the single most important step you can take as a senior citizen to safeguard yourself from a host of risks and dangers while travelling. Generally speaking, travel insurance is a necessity for anyone planning to travel. When it comes to senior citizens, travel medical insurance is truly a must. The reason for this is the coverage offered by a travel insurance policy for expenses incurred due to medical treatments.  As an elderly, the risk exposed to your health due to a medical condition is increased multifold in a foreign country. By securing yourself with a senior citizen travel insur​ance plan​​, you will get freedom from such worries as all the costs arising out of medical complications would be taken care of.
 
  • Don't Advertise Your Absence
This is an important tip. The elderly are perceived as soft targets by people with malicious intentions. It is wrongly presumed that hotels and lodges are very secure. However, that’s not quite the case.  To offset such risk, it is helpful to be a bit conspicuous about your absence at your place of residence. For instance, don’t make the mistake of putting up a sign such as “clean my room” on your door that advertise your absence which in turn exposes you to the risk of burglary.
 
  • Travel Light
When it comes to luggage, it is best to travel light with minimum belongings. This has two benefits. With less stuff to carry around, you can pack and unpack easily in addition to reducing the risk of getting your valuables lost or stolen. Before leaving, you can write a list of important things to pack and make sure that you secure them appropriately.
 
  • Book non-stop flights
Whenever possible, always go for non-stop flights instead of connecting ones. This will save you a lot of trouble as well as money since such flights take longer times and also tend to be costlier.
 
  • Travel at a comfortable time
It is no secret that travelling can be taxing, especially if it is a long journey. Jet lag and exhaustion can get the best of us. In order to ensure that you don’t fall sick due to the long journeys, make sure you travel at a comfortable time of the day, preferably early afternoon and mid-mornings. 
​​