Insurance age cap costs agents bookings
AGENTS are losing out on cruise
bookings from elderly passengers
who have had no travel insurance
options left since Diners Club Travel
Insurance, the last insurance company
to offer infinite coverage, imposed
an age cap of up to and including 85
years old on February 1.
Ros Chimes, owner of Ros-4-Travel,
is one agent whose bookings have
been affected. She explains that the
cruise market is predominantly made
up of elderly passengers, who have
the time and money to go on superluxury
and world cruises. Megan
Fineberg, owner of Constantiaberg
Travel, who has also been affected,
says most of her clients were Diners
Club members just for the travel
insurance perk.
Ros adds that the cap may also
prevent SA passport holders from
obtaining visas they may need for
their cruise, depending on whether
the embassy they are applying at
requires proof of travel insurance as
part of the application documentation.
Thaybz Khan, contemporary brand
manager of Cruises International,
and Ingrid Roding-Tudor, marketing
manager of MSC Cruises, haven’t
seen an effect on bookings as a
result of the changes.
Thaybz says the company offers
cruise line insurance for the
contemporary products in its
portfolio, but at the time of
publishing, could not specify the
extent of this insurance. Ingrid
said travel insurance was not part
of MSC Cruises’ core business
While agents are yet to
find an alternative option
for elderly clients, Megan,
says World Nomad may
be an option. She is
currently looking into its
policies, which offer cover
to independent travellers
from over 130 countries,
including South Africa.
Ros is also looking into
what the various medical
aid companies offer so
that she can advise her
clients accordingly, but as
Simmy Micheli, sales and
marketing manager of TIC
points out, like most major
credit card companies,
most medical aid schemes
also only provide travel
insurance cover up to a
certain age.
Anya Black, consultant
of Heldervue Travel &
Adventure, has been in
touch with Diners Club
regarding the matter and
has been advised that
its policy structures are
revised annually, so age
cap could be done away
with in future. Agents who
would like to dispute the
introduction of the age cap
should send an email to
anyone from the Diners
Club Travel Insurance Team
for consideration.
Diners Club declined to
comment.
