Dave Dzurick likes to play it safe when he travels, so he shops around for travel insurance. But lately, he’s noticed that the policies have gotten more expensive.

“Each year past 60 seems to increase travel insurance rates,” says Dzurick, a retired broadcast engineer from Tucson, Ariz.

It’s not just his imagination.

“Age is the crucial underwriting factor in determining trip cancellation and medical assistance risk for the insurance provider,” explains John Rose, the chief risk and security officer of ALTOUR.

Age is more important than ever in travel insurance

You would expect something like age-based pricing to be a constant in the travel insurance industry, but not necessarily. Some group travel insurance policies don’t consider age. But a shift is underway.

Last year, when Travelex Insurance Services launched its new line of travel protection plans, it called out one enhancement: competitive age-band pricing, which bases its rates on each traveler’s risk level.

“We’re responding to the coverage and benefits our partners and travelers want,” notes Brooke Kirby, Travelex vice president of marketing.

In other words, the rate you pay for travel insurance will be more closely aligned with your age than ever. That’s good news if you’re young. But if you’re over 60, it can present a challenge.

What is age-band pricing in travel insurance?

Rhonda Abedsalam, vice president of Travel Insurance at AXA Partners US, says age-band pricing is a mechanism designed to align prices with the real risks associated with each age group.