Travel Insurance For Saga Louts

O ur older generations have       abroad, often without getting a    been getting some negative      health check from their GP - or    press due to their alleged      taking out travel insurance! The   bad behaviour while on holiday        Foreign Office has expressed       abroad - earning them the             concern about this new generation  unfortunate nickname 'Saga            of retirees who are putting        Louts'. The same seniors don't        themselves at unnecessary risk.    behave badly and earn themselves                                         an ASBO at home. So what's going      Are these aging rebels breaking    on?                                   the mold? What happened to our                                           dear old grannies who spent their  Fun and reckless behavior is not      days baking cakes, knitting        exclusive to the young. It seems      mysterious garments for us and     the people we used to look upon       trying their luck in the bingo     as role models are often the ones     halls? Where is the quiet grandpa  misbehaving these days.               who spent his days hiding in the   Apparently, the number of mature      potting shed with the newspaper    drinkers is rising while the          and racing form? Perhaps they      number of teenage drinkers has        revert to a more staid persona at  dropped. Young people are             home, but once they have a taste   worrying about their carbon           for foreign travel and adventure   footprints, growing their own         there's no stopping this new       vegetables, and spurning drink        silver jet set!                    and drugs. Role reversal? It                                             seems so.                             Drinking, or rather binge                                                drinking, is reported to be the    Many older folks are ignoring         cause of most of the problems.     their health problems and             Their benders often result in      throwing old-fashioned caution to     these oldies-but-baddies ending    the wind. They are jetting off        up in jail, hospital or even the   mortuary! Why shouldn't they let      due to the high cost of medical    their hair down (what's left of       care. The over 70's may have       it) or have a knees up (so what       difficulty finding an affordable   if they're plastic). Many are         policy, especially if they have a  wealthier than they used to be        medical history which includes     and feel they deserve to make up      conditions like heart disease,     for all the years of sacrifice.       stroke or diabetes.                                                                                         The over 55's are reported to be      Fifty used to be old, but 50 is    among the largest group of people     the new 40 as they say, 60 the     participating in dodgy activities     new 50, and so on. After working   like bungee jumping, skydiving,       hard all their lives and paying    and paragliding! These 'denture       taxes, the over 50s may feel they  venturers' as they have been          have earned it. Many won't get     labeled, often outshine younger       their state pension at 60 as they  dare-devils. The young are            planned, but will have to work     becoming the new fuddy-duddies,       until they are 65, 70 or beyond    tut-tut-ing the antics of their       because the government changed     irresponsible elders!                 the rules. The retirement carrot                                         is being dangled further down the  There's no question that              road now. Who wouldn't get an      obtaining affordable travel           attitude! No wonder they're        insurance can be difficult for        buying Harley Davidson hogs and    the older traveler. Cover varies      hitting the highways while they    from company to company, so it's      can!                               best to shop around for the right                                        policy. Many companies set age        Maybe older folks feel time is     restrictions in the mid 60's for      running out and it's foolhardy to  annual multi-trip policies and        stock up the freezer. Perhaps      travel to the USA and Canada -        they don't care whether they make  the return trip from their            skiing in Spain! Emergency         holiday. In a way you can't blame     medical treatment abroad can cost  them, but one major downside to       a small fortune and emergency      their rash behavior is the impact     repatriation (dead or alive) can   it can have on the holiday plans      be extremely expensive. The house  of others. Older travelers who        and nest-egg they intended to      don't see their GP for a check-up     leave to the kids could vanish as  may not be medically fit to fly.      fast as a nice glass of bubbly if  There are reports that in-flight      there's no travel insurance to     medical emergencies are on the        help cover the costs.              increase, causing distress and                                           chaos and sometimes requiring the     Should we reprimand our seniors    pilot to make an unscheduled          and send them clucking back to     landing.                              the bingo halls? Whatever your                                           views may be, it's probably too    So, are they wrong to enjoy their     late anyway. Like free-range       silver or golden years and kick       hens, they've broken free of the   up their heels as they burn up        coop, scratched some dirt, and     the inheritance money? We             had a taste of sunshine and        probably shouldn't pass judgment.     freedom. Why not let them flap     However, the family may not be        those bingo wings and fly while    amused if grandma has no travel       they can!                          insurance and breaks her neck jet      About the Author Jean Andrews is a freelance writer living in the UK. She regularly contributes articles for TIA Ltd who offer travel insurance at great prices online. Published At: www.Isnare.com