VisitorsCoverage logo
Travel Insurance

Mandatory Travel Insurance a Growing Trend for Foreign Tourists

Mandatory Travel Insurance a Growing Trend for Foreign Tourists

Many countries around the world have begun to implement changes to prevent foreign tourists from taking advantage of their health care systems. Specifically, when an uninsured foreign tourist gets into a car accident or becomes severely ill while traveling, their visit to a local doctor’s office or hospital uses resources paid for by the taxpayers in that country.

Why Some Countries Want Mandatory Travel Insurance for Foreign Visitors?

In some cases, foreign visitors leave a country they have visited without paying their medical bills. In the more serious cases, foreign visitors have traveled to countries where healthcare is free in order to take advantage of treatment they cannot receive in their own country.

In some countries where the hospitals are required to provide free medical services, the financial burden has become too much and there is growing concern about the policy of providing free medical care when foreign visitors are not paying their share. The issue has come to the attention of many taxpayers who do not want the burden of paying taxes to be exploited by foreign visitors.

Where is Travel Insurance Compulsory for Foreign Visitors Now?

Some countries have established policies for foreign visitors and require tourists to purchase travel health insurance prior to entry into the country or buy it when they arrive without it. If a foreigner lands in certain countries without adequate travel health insurance, they can purchase it upon entry or return immediately to their own country. These countries include:

The government of Thailand started discussions to address concerns about the financial burden on the country’s state hospitals, which are required to provide foreigners with free medical services. To date, Thailand has not settled on a decision or mandate.

Where is Travel Insurance Recommended before Leaving your Home Country?

The government of Malaysia has begun the process of requiring mandatory travel insurance for Malaysian citizens traveling outside of Malaysia. Carrying adequate travel health insurance PRIOR to leaving their home country is a government requirement for many Malaysians. The Malaysian government recognizes that requiring visitors insurance for its citizens means their citizens are safer when they travel abroad.

3 Reasons Foreign Tourists Will Benefit from Travel Insurance

When you travel, you deal with much more uncertainty and the insurance you have already will not protect you on your trip.

While the countries who are making travel insurance mandatory have a point, and travel health insurance will pay for a traveler’s emergency medical care up to the limits of the policy, foreign tourists should recognize that having travel insurance means having access to additional benefits that could very well save your life:

  1. Not every travel emergency can be handled by your embassy, especially if it has limited staff or has been closed due to a civil uprising. Travel emergency assistance services with your travel insurance plan can provide the necessary support, including finding a way for you to evacuate the country if necessary.
  2. Not every medical emergency can be adequately treated in a country where you are traveling. If you need medical care that the host country cannot provide, your travel insurance provider will pay to evacuate you to the nearest hospital that can treat you.
  3. No other type of insurance provides repatriation, or the return of a traveler’s body to their home country. If you, or someone you care about, dies while in a foreign country, it can cost many thousands of dollars and weeks of negotiations to get the body home without travel insurance.

While the number of countries that require travel insurance is limited, it is the start of a growing trend. Countries that want tourist dollars have to weigh the advantages of imposing travel insurance requirements against the potential of losing travelers due to the increased expenses. Right now, most countries would rather have the tourist dollars but if enough countries see that making travel insurance mandatory does not change their tourism numbers much, the shift toward mandatory travel health insurance could speed up.

Whether or not the country you are traveling to requires visitors insurance, it is always a good idea to buy travel medical insurance when traveling abroad. Learn more about visitors insurance plans for traveling abroad.


Related Articles

Getting the Most out of Your Travel Insurance

So, you’ve made the decision to buy travel insurance. This is one of the best…

Should Couples Buy Separate Travel Insurance Policies?

It does not make a difference to your premium amount, policy maximum or benefits, if you buy individual policies or combined policy to include your spouse. But buying individual policies gives you more flexibility and advantages.

Does Your Travel Insurance Policy Offer Cashless Pay?

Many agents’ websites claim that their Travel Medical Insurance plans are cashless or direct payment…

4 Steps to Take After You Buy Visitors Insurance

As a visitors insurance buyer, we recommend that you carefully research, compare and buy the…

Infographics: Cruise Travel Insurance

Cruises are an amazing way to see the world, offering countless amenities and a more…

Naming a Beneficiary in Your Travel Insurance Policy

A beneficiary is a person who receives proceeds from the payout of an insurance policy…

Infographics: Things Not To Carry While Traveling

As many travelers may already know, tourists are easy targets for pickpockets. Unfamiliar with their…

Visitors Insurance Plans with US State Restrictions: Can You Buy Them or Not?

Some travel medical insurance plans have state restrictions, but what exactly does this mean and…

Why US Citizens Need Travel Insurance the Most

While planning a trip abroad can be extremely exciting, it’s important to keep in mind…

ChoiceAmerica: A Unique Travel Insurance Product

VisitorsCoverage continuously strives to provide consumers with products that are in line with travelers current…

7 spooky places to visit this Halloween

With the month of October comes the changing of leaves, a noticeable chill in the air…

COVID-19 Coverage for Visitors to the US

Although the COVID-19 outbreak has put a pause on worldwide travel, vaccine rollouts and easing…

Nine Tips For Safer Winter Holidays If You Must Travel

Updated April 26, 2021 The COVID-19 pandemic has affected holiday travel. Many people are understandably…

Is it Safe to Travel Internationally?

2020, the year of grounded flights, docked cruises, closed borders, and stay-at-home orders, was tough…

VisitorsCoverage Wins Awards for COVID Response

VisitorsCoverage receives a 2021 Gold Globee Award for Company Innovation of the Year and Bronze…

Disclaimer

Plan features listed here are high level, provided for your convenience and information purpose only. Please review the Evidence of Coverage and Plan Contract (Policy) for a detailed description of Coverage Benefits, Limitations and Exclusions. Must read the Policy Brochure and Plan Details for complete and accurate details. Only the Terms and Conditions of Coverage Benefits listed in the policy are binding.