A simple guide to specialist travel insurance

There are a plethora of travel insurance policies and providers out there to choose from and so it's often a tough process to narrow them down to the one particular policy that's best for your needs. Price, of course, is often the main factor when selecting our travel insurance, with the cheapest policy often being the most popular. But it pays to do your research - some specialist travel insurance providers offer specific cover that might suit you a lot better depending on your circumstances. Here follow some scenarios where specialist cover may well be your best option:

Old age

While a huge proportion of travel insurance providers will discriminate against the older generation by hiking up premiums by an astonishing amount or even imposing an upper age limit to their policies, there are certain providers that specialise in travel insurance for over 65 year-olds - with some having no age restriction at all. So don't settle for the preposterous notion that every person becomes a huge insurance risk overnight on their 65th birthday and seek out a provider that doesn't penalise the elderly.

Pre-existing medical conditions

Travellers with pre-existing medical conditions will generally pay higher premiums than most but that's not to say that good deals can't be found. Specialist travel insurers will cover would-be holiday makers with a huge range of illnesses or conditions, from asthma to cancer. It's important to be completely honest whichever policy you pick; don't make the mistake of trying to secure a lower premium by leaving off certain medical conditions. You could find yourself in trouble when it comes to making a claim - it's just not worth the risk.

Gap year/long-term travel

'Backpacker insurance' offers cover for a set amount of time of continuous travel - often six or 12 months. If you're taking a gap year and plan to partake in activities at the more extreme end of the scale such as bungee jumping, skydiving or scuba diving then you'll often find that specialist providers can include such activities on your policy.

Winter sports

If you pine for the slopes and plan to head off on a skiing or snowboarding holiday then these sports can often be covered as on optional extra for a single trip if you shop around for the right provider. If you make a habit of winter sport travel, however, then specialist providers will offer winter sport insurance as a separate product for regular travellers. Be sure to read the fine print to ensure you're insured off-piste too.

Whatever your trip entails, you can bet that there's a policy out there that will cater for your needs. As with any insurance cover, these specialist policies can often be had at a discount when bought online, so be sure to shop around for the best deal.

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If you will be travelling soon, make sure to look into travel insurance for over 65 year olds.