Sometimes it is mandatory to have travel insurance since there are countries that you will not be able to access if you have not previously contracted one of these policies, either to enter the country or as a prerequisite for obtaining the visa. Due to the coronavirus, many countries have chosen to include the travel policy within the regulations to be able to enter the destination.
Countries that require you to have travel insurance in America
Most countries in America that ask for mandatory travel insurance must include covid coverage since medical assistance in these countries is usually high.
Cuba
To travel to Cuba it is mandatory to have taken out travel insurance that covers the health expenses you may incur as a tourist during your stay. If you arrive in the country without the policy, you will be forced to manage it at the same airport when you land. And it is a rule imposed by the Government of Havana in 2010, which requires visitors to present a passport, visa, and travel insurance with extensive coverage that includes medical expenses, repatriation, and 24-hour assistance.
Ecuador and Argentina
Since 2018, Ecuador requires its visitors to have travel insurance. Its own Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends taking out a policy that has as extensive coverage as possible in medical expenses and that includes repatriation to Spain if necessary.
In addition, if during your trip you plan to visit the Galapagos Islands, you must have insurance that has the authorization of the Technical Secretariat of the Government of Galapagos, as well as the reservation in an authorized tourist accommodation or a letter of invitation to visit the islands.
In the case of Argentina, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also advises taking out travel insurance, since medical assistance is high for tourists. For this reason, you must have a travel policy, you can even ask for it on arrival.
Chile and Costa Rica
The Chilean Government has taken a series of measures due to the coronavirus and one of them is the contracting of mandatory travel medical insurance. This policy must include covid coverage since medical assistance in Chile usually has a high cost.
On the other hand, in Costa Rica, it is mandatory for all unvaccinated people who are over 18 years old. If you are looking to take out a travel policy for Costa Rica, you have to keep in mind that this policy must cover a minimum of 30,000 dollars which includes all expenses caused by Covid-19.
Other American countries that require travel insurance
Paraguay, Uruguay, Aruba, Bahamas, Grenada, Jamaica, and Turks and Caicos Islands are destinations where you will have to have travel insurance if you decide to visit them. It is recommended that this policy also covers treatment against the coronavirus since many ask for it as a requirement.
Countries that require travel insurance in Asia
As with the American countries, many countries in Asia have also chosen to require a travel policy that covers medical expenses incurred in the country. In some cases, it is even necessary to prove that you have sufficient economic means to be able to be in the country or to go hiking.
Israel
In the wake of Covid-19, Israel has added mandatory health insurance that includes coronavirus treatment for all travelers visiting the country as a requirement. Another requirement that you must take into account if you want to visit this destination is that it is necessary to take a PCR test or antigen test. In the case of PCR, you must do it within 72 hours before the departure of the flight.
Saudi Arabia
By law, it is mandatory to take out medical insurance to travel to Saudi Arabia, since the country has excellent medical facilities but with a high price. Therefore, if you are looking for a policy to visit this destination, it is advisable to have insurance with full coverage to avoid cost overruns.
Nepal and Sri Lanka
In Nepal, it is only mandatory to take out travel insurance if you are looking to do trekking for free since for this you need a special permit that requires a travel policy to be able to go hiking.
For Sri Lanka, it is mandatory to have a policy that includes all the unforeseen events that may happen to you during the trip as well as all the risks associated with the coronavirus.
Other Asian countries that require travel insurance
Cambodia, Iran, Thailand, the Philippines, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, Turkmenistan, Pakistan, and Singapore also join the list of destinations that require travel medical insurance to enter the country.
Countries that require travel insurance in Africa
The political instability of these countries makes it necessary to have compulsory travel insurance for entry into the country. In the case of Algeria, you need to have taken out travel insurance with medical assistance to obtain the visa. In addition, not only will you have to prove that you have covered the possible medical expenses that may be incurred, but you must justify having sufficient economic means to be able to support yourself during the time you are going to be in the country.
Other African countries that have chosen to require travel insurance that covers, among other aspects, the medical expenses of Covid-19 are Egypt, Namibia, Seychelles, and Mongolia.
Countries where travel insurance is recommended
Although many countries do not require having contracted travel insurance to be able to enter as a tourist, the truth is that it is advisable to do so. We refer especially to those who do not have a public health system. Spain’s own Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends that Spanish citizens who intend to travel to countries such as the United States, Canada, China, Colombia, or Venezuela do so with a travel policy that includes extensive coverage of medical expenses.
Visa-based insurance
There are also countries where there is no obligation to travel insured if you go as a tourist but they do require the subscription of a policy if the requested visa is for student or work. Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and Canada are some of the countries in which, depending on the type of visa, they can ask for some requirements or others for its concession.
Insurance for travel in the Schengen area and Belarus
The area known as the Schengen area consists of Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. As a Spanish citizen, you have basic medical expenses covered with your European health card throughout the Schengen territory, but do not forget that to have total assistance that can cover medical transfer or repatriation you must have travel insurance.
If you are not a citizen of this area, depending on your country of origin, you will need to take out travel insurance for the Schengen area. This has to include medical assistance and you must meet a series of established requirements such as, for example, having a visa.
If your destination is Belarus and you are going to spend more than five days, since 2017, you must have a visa and travel insurance with a minimum guarantee limit of 10,000 euros.
Insurance for travel to countries at war
Previously, both Russia and Ukraine required travel insurance to travel to the country. In the case of Russia, it was mandatory to take out the travel policy as a previous step to the visa application, since without the policy you could not obtain it. Due to the war that is currently taking place, travel insurance that was previously mandatory is now canceled, since medical assistance, cancellation, or even interruption of the trip are excluded from insurance for countries at war.
Insured travel, is the best option
Taking out travel insurance is advisable even when traveling to countries of the European Union with which there is a health care agreement, although each territory applies its health system, they will attend to you in the terms that each country establishes.
Therefore, to travel calmly and with the greatest possible protection, it is advisable to have travel insurance, so you can enjoy yourself without worries. In addition, these types of policies usually offer coverage beyond medical assistance, such as cancellation coverage, unforeseen events, or/and loss of luggage. For this, we recommend that you use the Rastreator travel insurance comparator, where you can find the insurance you need with just a few clicks.