When you travel, work, or live in another country, dealing with accidents, sickness, or injuries can be a big problem. This is why international travel medical insurance is very useful. It can provide you with emergency medical services and other related cover. So, we often tell people to buy travel insurance before they leave. But more than just a suggestion, some countries insist that travelers buy travel insurance ahead of time and show valid medical insurance proof for their visa or at the border. Without the right insurance, a traveler could be refused entry.

What does travel medical insurance cover?

The main job of travel medical insurance is to pay for costs that come from sudden health issues and accidents on a trip. It normally covers medical bills from sudden sickness and accidental harm, emergency medical rescue (such as first-aid, urgent care, and emergency transport), and some plans even pay for lost or broken personal items (like phones and laptops). Remember that different insurance plans offer different things. You must read the policy details before you buy to know what is and is not included.

Types of travel medical insurance:

There are mostly two kinds of travel medical insurance: short-term and long-term. For people who only take a few short trips each year, short-term travel medical insurance is a better fit. You just choose it based on how long your trip is; it is that easy. If you travel or take business trips often, a continuous travel medical insurance plan is more handy. It can cover all your trips for one full year, so you do not need to buy a new plan for every single trip. And for those living as nomads or on very long trips, a single-trip insurance might not be enough. They need to buy long-term travel medical insurance.

Even though many countries provide free medical care or national health insurance for their own people, these benefits usually do not cover foreign visitors. To make sure foreign tourists can get quick medical help in an emergency, many countries now require travelers to buy travel medical insurance. The main goal of these rules is to make sure the insurance company will pay the bills if there is a medical emergency.

This was especially true after the COVID-19 pandemic, when many countries made this rule stricter. They see buying medical insurance as a key step to protect public health and traveler safety. So, travelers, especially those going to certain places, should look up the local health insurance rules before they go.

Which countries and regions require tourists to buy travel health insurance?

Here is a list of countries and regions that need travelers to show valid travel medical insurance when they arrive:

Antarctica: Even though Antarctica is not a country and has no strict insurance rule, tourists may be told to buy health insurance, which includes emergency rescue and repatriation services, when they book a trip with an official cruise line.

Cuba: All tourists visiting Cuba must buy health insurance. If tourists come from places with a high risk of yellow fever, they also need to show a yellow fever vaccination certificate. Without valid insurance, they might have to buy the insurance offered by the government.

Ecuador: While Ecuador's general policy does not force tourists to buy insurance, if you want to visit the Galapagos Islands, you still need to show proof of valid health insurance.

European Schengen Area countries: Every country in the Schengen Area needs travelers to show valid health insurance when they ask for a Schengen visa. The insurance must cover the whole trip, and the minimum cover should be at least 30,000 euros.

Georgia: Starting in June 2024, tourists going to Georgia must have medical and funeral insurance worth at least 30,000 euros, and it must cover their entire stay.

Iran: No matter what kind of visa it is, all tourists going to Iran must buy medical insurance that clearly states it is valid in Iran. If not, they could be denied entry.

Israel: Even though Israel dropped the mandatory health insurance rule after the pandemic, it is still a good idea for travelers to buy medical insurance to make sure they have enough cover.

Jordan: The government suggests that all travelers to Jordan buy full medical insurance to ensure they have enough health cover during their visit.

Moldova: Tourists going to Moldova need to buy the medical insurance that the government names, which covers emergency medical care, medical evacuation, and repatriation costs.^[1]

Panama: Although the law does not force every tourist to buy insurance, tourists with a digital nomad visa need to show valid health insurance proof.

Qatar: Tourists who plan to stay for more than 30 days need to buy private health insurance. The policy should cover the whole stay and include emergency medical services.

Rwanda: All tourists entering Rwanda must buy health insurance, for either a short visit or a long stay.

Seychelles: It is advised that tourists going to the Seychelles buy full health insurance to cover medical bills, repatriation, and medical evacuation.

Ukraine: Because of the war, tourists going to Ukraine must buy war-risk insurance, but many insurance companies no longer sell this type of cover.

Uruguay: Since 2023, all tourists going to Uruguay must buy full medical insurance and show a copy of the policy when they enter.

UAE: Tourists who need a visa must provide valid health insurance to make sure they have medical cover for their stay.

Points to note when buying travel medical insurance:

Coverage: A good travel medical insurance should cover medical costs from accidental injuries and sudden sickness. Make sure the insurance amount is high enough to handle expensive medical bills, especially in emergencies like medical costs after a natural disaster or emergency evacuation.

Personal belongings coverage: If you are carrying valuable things (like phones, laptops, cameras, etc.), it is better to pick an insurance that covers lost or broken personal items.

Geographical restrictions: Some insurance has limits on where it works. Check if it is valid in the country or area you are visiting when you buy it.

Exclusions: Travel medical insurance normally does not cover some situations, like costs from existing illnesses or accidents linked to alcohol or drugs. So, read the policy details before buying to know which situations are not covered.

Travel date coverage: Make sure the insurance period covers your whole travel time, and stays valid even if your trip is delayed or your plans change. If your travel plans change, you can pick an insurance product that lets you extend it easily.

Emergency Support Services: Pick an insurance company that gives 24-hour emergency support so you can get help quickly in a medical emergency or when you need aid. Make sure the insurance company offers help in many languages, especially when you are in a country that does not speak English, so that language problems do not slow things down.

Even though most trips do not involve serious medical problems, travelers can still have small accidents because they are on the move. For example, they might be in a traffic accident, get a sudden cold, or have a small injury during the trip. In these cases, travel medical insurance can help travelers pay the related costs and avoid money troubles from health issues or accidents.

[Note that the rules listed here are based on current laws, and the real situation can change. Therefore, it is best to check the latest entry policies before you travel.]

Source:

[1] https://visitukraine.today/blog/5711/insurance-to-moldova-when-do-you-need-to-take-out-a-policy-and-what-kind?srsltid=AfmBOoogbPPXL9PGjCy1YY0o3oBMKsJKInh3-bbrBwd70XZV-ssYfz8s

Reference：

[1]https://www.generalicentralinsurance.com/blog/travel-insurance/list-of-countries-where-travel-insurance-is-mandatory