Who says you’re too old to be an adrenaline junkie? New research from leading Irish travel insurance specialist, JustCover, reveals that 62% of people aged 55 or over are planning a high-octane holiday for the first time in the next year.
With holiday adventures from safaris to swimming with dolphins – many of these thrill-seekers may be exposing themselves to financial risks by not having adequate travel insurance in place.
Gone are the days when older generations settled for more traditional holidays such as gentle staycations, Mediterranean beach holidays or cruises. Instead, this generation of Irish holidaymakers are defying stereotypes and proving that thrill-seeking has no age cut-off point.
The most popular option for over 55s was rail-tripping across a continent, with almost one in three (30%) telling JustCover that the Trans-Siberian railway looked like a piece of cake. The top six choices included:
1. Rail trip across a continent (30%)
2. Safari (24%)
3. Swimming with dolphins (18%)
4. Gambling in Vegas (13%)
5. Ranch holiday (12%)
6. Mountain climbing (10%)
Furthermore, age isn’t the only limit people are looking to shrug off: The JustCover research also reveals that 70% of those with pre-existing medical conditions are also looking to experience a dream extreme holiday, with top choices including safaris (30%), swimming with dolphins (25%), and skydiving (19%).
These aspirational research findings also bring a warning sign to many Irish travellers. Just Cover’s data also reveals that 28% of Irish holiday makers are looking to cut back on their travel insurance to save money – and 18% say they plan to travel abroad without any travel cover at all. The economy-drive on buying cheap travel cover coupled with the appetite for adventure holidays in far-flung locations exposes many Irish holidaymakers to unnecessary risks abroad.
Peter Clark, Director of JustCover said: “It’s great that people want to get more from their holidays but it also important they’re protected before they go – especially for older holidaymakers and those travelling abroad with pre-existing medical conditions.
“As a well-established brand in the Irish travel insurance market, with market leading products, the days are gone when all travel insurance policies are the same. Beyond the basics, we are including specialist medical cover within our policies. This is a huge step forward for the Irish market. With one in three Irish holidaymakers travelling abroad with a medical condition, there is an urgent need for these people to have access to quality cover they can trust – cover that fills the gaps that private health cover and EHIC doesn’t cover.
“At JustCover, we offer up to unlimited medical cover, including cover for pre-existing conditions, 24/7 emergency medical assistance and also cancellation cover up to €10,000. So, our message to holiday thrill-seekers is clear – live your dreams on holiday but let us help you get the right cover before you go.”
