Insurance for senior travelers

For the last 6 years,I have used www.imglobal.com for medical insurance on my trips our of the US. I know they also do travel, however, I don't normally get that coverage. For wife and I this past May, I think it was $140 for $250,000 in medical with a $500 deductable. I am 69. Yes, they do either e-mail(cheaper) or express a copy of the policy after purchase. The policy is only in effect for the time of the trip.

There is a website insuremytrip.com that compares policies. Personally, I've used insurance through American Express (I think you have to have one of their cards but maybe not). It is medical insurance, ships you home if you're sick and/or disabled through an accident or illness and also insures return of the body if you die overseas. Additionally, it pays for somebody to come to your side overseas if you're seriously ill and need somebody to accompany you home. This insurance needs to be purchased several weeks before you leave to cover existing conditions and it is paid for on a monthly basis, in other words, you can cancel it when you get home. Last time I used it, the cost was around $15/month. It was NOT trip insurance, only medical.

There are two types of insurance - trip cancellation and medical. The policies can be combined or separate. Personally think that separate is better. And we are more concerned about serious illness rather than small accidents or cut and bumps. Therefore, we want emergency evacuation that gets us home in hurry if that need occurs. Routine medical expenses in Europe are cheap so am not concerned about paying for a twisted knee. Medicare doesn't in Europe so check with your supplemental to see if anything is covered. Trip cancellation is completely different. We have never used it and probably never will as it is expensive for what it covers. Your "cost of trip" is the actually potential losses, out of pocket expenses, that will occur should the trip be canceled FOR AN ACCEPTABLE REASON. That is generally is non refundable deposits. If a hotel reservation can be canceled with no penalty then there is nothing to insure. Your airline tickets may not be insurable only the change fee and difference in fare. Same for rail tickets or similar expenses. AND it is all very dependent on the fine print. Carefully of credit card insurance add ons. Often that insurance is secondary and you may be required to have other insurance in force before the cc steps in. Again, it is all in the fine print. If it sounds too good, read the fine print again, and again.

Great replies, thanks to everyone! I'm wading through the minutiae and fine print.