Some of the greatest lessons the pandemic has taught us are that we must protect ourselves and our loved ones, and that we must do what we can to be prepared for the unexpected. This is especially true when it comes to traveling. It’s expected that over 50% of post-pandemic travelers will be purchasing travel insurance as a way to protect themselves and their trips. Health and safety aren’t only on travelers’ minds; these are also top priorities for the countries we’ll be visiting.
What Countries Require Travel Insurance?
Many countries require proof of travel insurance that lasts for the duration of your stay. And some of the most sought-after vacation spots like Aruba, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica and the Bahamas require tourists to go through their respective governments to satisfy travel insurance requirements. Some even require foreign travelers to purchase their own government-mandated travel insurance. But even with this basic protection, there are plenty of benefits to buying supplementary travel insurance for international trips. Supplemental travel medical insurance can keep you and your travel companions physically and financially secure should you need medical services, emergency evacuation, or telehealth.
Let’s take a look at the unique travel insurance requirements for Aruba, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Cambodia and the Ukraine. The basic coverage offered by these plans highlights the need for the comprehensive benefits traditional travel insurance can provide.
Aruba travel insurance
Currently, border officials require visitors to buy specific Covid insurance for Aruba travel. It's available in Aruba for a low cost. There are some exceptions to this requirement. Visitors who enter and leave the country within the same day, transfer crew and passengers who don't check luggage, and children 13 and under are all exempt from having to purchase this insurance. However, there's a small administration fee for every minor.
If you're planning a trip to Aruba, consider supplementing or adding on Aruba’s required travel insurance with a more robust travel medical insurance plan that includes trip cancellation or interruption, comprehensive medical care, telehealth, and other benefits.
Costa Rica travel insurance
Costa Rica doesn't have government-mandated travel insurance, but we’ve included it on this list because the government does require foreign travelers to fill out and submit a health pass and secure travel insurance that meets the specific standards outlined in the pass details:
- Your travel medical insurance for Costa Rica must cover your entire stay in the country.
- At least $50,000 (U.S. dollars) for medical expenses, including Covid
- At least $2,000 (U.S. dollars) for accommodation expenses in the event of Covid quarantine
While you might think it’d be a challenge to find travel medical insurance that satisfies these requirements, at VisitorsCoverage, you'll find Safe Travels Voyager, a plan tailor-made for Costa Rica’s travel insurance requirements.
Jamaica travel insurance
In the wake of Covid, Jamaica has implemented the "Jamaica Cares" program, which makes travel insurance mandatory for all people traveling to Jamaica. The cost for this basic government mandated travel insurance plan is relatively inexpensive. It won’t offer you the comprehensive medical and trip benefits of traditional travel insurance, but it will give you coverage for specific concerns, including Covid.
Supplemental or additional travel medical insurance can keep you and your travel companions physically and financially secure should you need medical services, emergency evacuation, or telehealth. It can also help you recoup financial losses related to prepaid trip expenses should you need to cancel your trip or otherwise alter your travel plans.
Bahamas travel insurance
Entry to the Bahamas requires a Travel Health Visa. The cost of acceptable travel insurance is covered by the price of this visa. If you want to have fun in the sun, you’re required to apply for this visa before you arrive in the Bahamas. The travel medical insurance included with this visa isn’t comprehensive. To truly stay protected from the unexpected, you’ll want to purchase a comprehensive travel medical insurance plan in addition to the Travel Health Visa’s insurance.
Dominican Republic travel insurance
The Dominican Republic offers complimentary insurance to visitors. This includes coverage for emergencies, telemedicine, lodging for extended stays and flight changes in the case of infection. The insurance is completely covered by the Dominican Republic government. While this insurance will certainly help keep you safe in some respects, it doesn’t cover you in all circumstances. Supplementing this insurance with traditional travel insurance from sites like VisitorsCoverage can help you and your loved ones stay financially and physically protected in the case of trip cancellation, emergency medical evacuations or comprehensive medical care.
Cambodia travel insurance
In order to visit Cambodia, foreign visitors are required to purchase a local health insurance plan for Covid treatment. This plan lasts for about 20 days and has a relatively low fee. But it won’t cover things like trip interruption or cancelation, medical care for reasons unrelated to Covid, border entry protections, or emergency evacuations. As you view the Mekong up close and take in all the other sites of Phnom Penh, give yourself peace of mind by being fully prepared if your travel plans go awry.
Ukraine travel insurance
Travelers to Ukraine need valid travel medical insurance for entry. While Ukraine doesn’t have government-supplied insurance, the government has mandated that the travel insurance policy be issued by an insurance company registered in Ukraine, have a representative office in Ukraine or have a contractual relationship with a partner insurance company in Ukraine. Your travel medical insurance must cover Covid and related treatment. This basic coverage may protect you from Covid expenses, but it won’t protect you if you need to cancel, alter, or shorten your trip. It also won’t give you the physical and financial protections of comprehensive travel medical insurance.
No matter in the world you decide to travel, travel insurance is now more essential than ever. At VisitorsCoverage, you can find plans, compare travel insurance options, and buy the best travel insurance all in one place. Connect with us today.