Generation gap hits travelers on insurance
Ally Malpass thinks travel insurance is too expensive for a trip to Tasmania, but a flight cancellation leaves her stranded in Hobart. Photo: Oscar Colman Flight cancellations, lost baggage, COVID-19, and a host of other travel disruptions are causing travel insurance claims to skyrocket, sending insurance premiums and costs overboard. Australian travelers on the older and younger ends of the spectrum bear the brunt of this financial constraint. Older Australians are now finding it difficult – or very expensive – to buy insurance, with already high premiums boosted. And although preliminary data revealed younger Australians showed greater intention to buy travel insurance than before, factors such as rising inflation and more expensive policies proved to be a major deterrent. For Vanessa Fielden, 55, who divides her time between Melbourne and Bali, finding insurance that includes unlimited medical and repatriation coverage is non-negotiable. “My policy includes being flown