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• The cost of travel insurance is of paramount importance to older travellers‚ however‚ Age Concern Insurance Services is urging customers to check the policy benefits before purchase
• Age Concern Insurance Services offers affordable travel cover tailored to suit the needs of older people with no upper age limit

Older holidaymakers intent on bagging a bargain on their travel insurance this summer are reminded by Age Concern Insurance Services to ensure they’re getting the best quality of cover.

All too often the emphasis is placed on getting the lowest premium possible. Given the number of different policies available in the market as well as the many price comparison services‚ people may feel that they can only compare products based on cost. However it is important that travellers check the insurance cover is appropriate for their circumstances. 

It seems our reliance on the internet is playing a major hand in this. The number of silver surfers has reached an all time high – in 2006‚ 52 per cent of people aged 55 to 64 had used the internet within the last three months1‚ and the total number of households with internet connection reached  13.9 million1. With this in mind the popularity of price comparison websites looks set to soar.

Antony Osborne from Age Concern Insurance Services said: “We would naturally expect customers to shop around for their travel cover but urge them not to automatically plump for the cheapest option. Check the product benefits for exactly what you are covered for under the terms of your policy before buying. It’s all too easy to get caught up in the holiday spirit and not consider whether your cover is adequate for your specific needs should the worst happen.”

However‚ many older people face an uphill struggle to secure travel insurance at all. Ninety-two per cent of travel insurance policies impose upper age limits2‚ refusing to provide cover for older people. With over 65s now making 5.5 million trips abroad each year3 - a 36 per cent increase on five years ago – upper age limits present a stumbling block for a growing number of older travellers. 

With these obstacles making it more difficult for older people to get travel insurance‚ Age Concern has recently re-launched its travel insurance policy and it offers older holidaymakers travel insurance protection with their needs in mind. Age Concern Travel Insurance continues to be one of the minority of policies that doesn’t impose upper age limits. The buying process takes into account any medical history and wherever possible it provides policy cover for both cancellation costs and emergency medical expenses should a claim arise as a result of a pre-existing medical condition – an area in which many other travel insurance products fail.

Antony Osborne continues: “Our newly re-launched travel insurance reinforces our aim; to offer cover tailored for the needs of all older travellers‚ including those looking for an appropriate policy for their medical conditions. This will come as reassurance to the many older people who are well aware of the frustrations involved in obtaining cover.”

Profits generated by Age Concern Insurance Services go directly to Age Concern‚ raising additional funds for invaluable support services such as day centres‚ home visits and transportation as well as helping the charity campaign for the well-being and rights of older people.

All Age Concern travel insurance is arranged by individuals who are trained to meet the requirements of the FSA’s regulatory framework. Customers buying Age Concern Travel Insurance also enjoy the protection of the Financial Ombudsman Scheme. 

To find out more about Age Concern Travel Insurance‚ call 0845 685 1058* or visit your local Age Concern**.
- Ends –

1 ONS Omnibus Survey - Focus On Digital Age 2007
2 Defaqto research‚ August 2006 – for multi trip and single trip travel policy
3 Sainsbury’s Bank‚ December 2006
* If you call the 0845 number for travel insurance you will be dealing with Fortis Insurance Ltd which provides and manages Age Concern Home Insurance and is not a member of the Age Concern Group of companies.

** Not all Age Concerns offer all Age Concern products. Please check by telephoning your local office‚ before arranging a visit. Trading Age Concerns are Appointed Representatives of Age Concern Enterprises Limited (ACEnt) which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority for insurance mediation (311438).  ACEnt is registered in England and Wales No. 3156159. Registered Office: Astral House‚ 1268 London Road‚ SW16 4ER. Age Concern Insurance Services is a trading name of ACEnt‚ which is a trading company of Age Concern England and gives any profits to that registered charity.

For further information‚ please contact George Morrison‚ Derya Filiz or Elly Kestenbaum on 0207 025 7500 / george.morrison@trimediahc.com / derya.filiz@trimediahc.com / elly.kestenbaum@trimediahc.com

Notes to editors

Age Concern Travel Insurance provides a choice of policies: Single-Trip Insurance (for individual trips) and Annual Multi-Trip Insurance (for any number of trips taken in a year‚ of up to 31 days for each trip). There is no upper age limit for Age Concern Travel Insurance.

Special features include:

• Cover for travel costs of up to £4‚000 including irrecoverable costs if the trip is cancelled as a result of unforeseen event  
• The introduction of Bond Plus Financial Failure which protects customers for the financial impact of failure of travel providers (airlines‚ hotels etc) for self organised holidays
• Claims will be subject to the standard £50 policy excess. The excess for medical and emergency expenses is £75
• Available for all the family
• Free cover for children (up to the age of 17) subject to terms and conditions
• No upper age limit
• Annual multi-trip travel insurance including an Annual UK only option
• £250 for mugging involving hospitalisation
• ‘New for old’ cover for personal possessions but subject to original proof of purchase/receipts being provided (subject to limits of policy)
• Pre-Travel Advice Line
• 24 hours a day‚ 7 days a week access to helpline in case of medical emergencies whilst abroad
• Discount for deleting personal baggage cover

Age Concern Insurance Services 

Age Concern Insurance Services was created in 1983 to offer better value insurance for older people. General insurance was an area in which over-50s had been ill served for a long time. Starting as a local service‚ it has grown to be one of the UK’s leading brands regarding general insurance for older people.

Today Age Concern Insurance Services plays a dual role. It endeavours to offer some of the best value policies available while ensuring that these products are designed to meet the specific needs of older customers.  All profits generated by Age Concern from selling products and services go directly to support Age Concern’s charitable activities.

Age Concern Insurance Services’ product has developed through demand to include home‚ contents‚ travel‚ motor‚ and motor breakdown insurance.

Policies can be bought either direct by phone‚ or through any of the around 250 trading locations operated by participating Age Concerns. In an age which is becoming more technology driven‚ Age Concern is invaluable in offering older people a personal service at a local level with which many feel most comfortable.

Age Concern & why it trades:
At a local level‚ Age Concern offers a range of services for older people‚ such as day centres‚ luncheon clubs‚ and advice and information services.

At a national level‚ Age Concern campaigns with and for older people: developing policy; influencing Government; training care professionals; supporting local Age Concern bodies‚ financially and professionally.

To fund this work‚ Age Concern needs a constant flow of independent income. It seeks to achieve this through a balance of traditional fund raising and trading activities.

Age Concern’s trading activities enable it to meet the needs of older people‚ through products specifically designed to meet these needs; quality products such as General Insurance and Energy Services.

About Fortis
Fortis (Insurance UK) is a leading provider of award-winning personal and commercial lines insurance solutions in the UK and was named 2007 General Insurer of the Year at the British Insurance Awards. Its customer-centric strategy has been to align its activities to how customers want to buy insurance‚ based on delivering high-quality products‚ manufactured at costs better than market norms.
 
Its unique multi-distribution capability enables Fortis to deliver products face-to-face‚ by phone (inbound and outbound)‚ over the Internet and via SMS technology. Aligning its business activities with its partners' general insurance strategies enables Fortis to offer end-to-end white label and branded capabilities in product development‚ marketing‚ campaign management‚ sales‚ fulfilment and award-winning claims management‚ providing a seamless integration with partner brands. 
 
Insuring in excess of 6.6 million customers and working with a range of partners‚ Fortis is recognised for delivering consistent and high-quality customer experiences. It employs 2748 people as of 31/03/07 with a head office based in Eastleigh and others in Gloucester‚ Bournemouth‚ Stoke-on-Trent and Haywards Heath. In 2006‚ its profit before tax was £77.5 million and its GWP was 688.3 million. More information is available on www.fortisinsurance.co.uk

Journalists contact:

Trimedia
Derya Filiz
Elly Kestenbaum
Imogen Davies

Telephone:
0207 025 7500