June 17, 2025
The non-refundable travel insurance will cover medical emergencies, accidents, and baggage issues for up to two months.
Tanzania will require that all foreign visitors have travel insurance. The government is introducing a mandatory travel insurance fee of $44 USD for non-residents entering the country.
The non-refundable travel insurance will cover medical emergencies, accidents, and baggage issues for up to two months.
Citizens of the East African Community (EAC) member states are exempt from purchasing the insurance, according to Business Insider Africa.
Why Tanzania Is Implementing Mandatory Travel Insurance Policy
The mandatory fees aim to create a safety cushion for travelers in the event of emergencies. What remains unclear is whether uninsured travelers have caused a strain on Tanzania’s health industries.
However, there are some concerns that the added health insurance will cause a financial burden or deter people from visiting. Tour operators, for example, argue most travelers have valid health insurance from their home countries or providers.
“Forcing an additional policy purchase may discourage some travelers and affect our industry’s competitiveness,” one tour operator told Business Insider Africa.
Zanzibar, Tanzania’s most visited/busiest city, already has a policy in place that requires foreign visitors to purchase travel insurance. Zanzibar’s policy charges $44 for adults and $22 for children ages 3 to 17. Visitors are required to purchase the insurance through Zanzibar Insurance Corporation (ZIC). Children below 2 are exempt.
In the grand scheme, $44 is not a bad price compared to the alternative: a medical emergency out of pocket.
According to Johns Hopkins University, many health insurance companies will pay “customary and reasonable” hospital costs abroad. Very few, if any, will cough up the money for a medical return to the U.S. Medical evacuations can cost anywhere between $25,000 and $100,000, depending on your location and health condition.
In addition to adequate health insurance, the Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs advises international travelers to learn what medical services their health insurance will cover before going abroad and to carry both their insurance policy card as proof of insurance and a claim form.
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