If you are planning to visit the Pearl of the Caribbean, you will certainly find some essential requirements to be able to enter its territory. One of these requirements is compulsory health insurance for travel to Cuba.
In addition to organizing your suitcase, making reservations, renting a car in Cuba and creating an itinerary for the days of your stay, you must also provide space to study which travel insurance to take out to visit Cuba, because without it, unfortunately, you will not be able to pass.
In addition to being mandatory, not having health insurance can cost you dearly in the event of the unexpected. The prices for consultations and emergencies on the island are really high, so, in addition to being mandatory, the most sensible thing to do is to take out travel insurance to visit Cuba.
And before you think about it, no, certificates such as the European Health Insurance Card or the Social Security Card are not valid in Cuban territory. Let’s go around the question with the help of the blog Tourism-Cuba.fr.
What is the mandatory health insurance for traveling to Cuba?
Since 2010, the Cuban government has decreed a law that any foreigner wishing to visit the island as a tourist must have compulsory travel insurance.
This insurance is not just any insurance, it must be approved by the authorities of Cuba, so you must research what these are.
travel insurance to visit Cuba that you want to subscribe must have a medical policy of at least 10,000 USD.
This insurance is not only compulsory for tourists who want to enter the country, it is also required for Cuban nationals who have a residence abroad.
Once you have chosen the best travel insurance to visit Cuba that meets your needs, you should print the certificate and take it with you to present to the authorities when you land on the island.
What should travel insurance offer to visit Cuba?
Organizing a trip to Cuba has some peculiarities that you must take into account to choose the best travel insurance to enter the territory.
Here are some of the policies your travel insurance should include:
Medical cover.
The most important coverage and the one they won’t let you miss if you haven’t covered it. For the Cuban authorities, this point is not discussed, the basic medical coverage policy is mandatory.
Medical consultations, emergencies and certain other basic services must be specified in your insurance policy.
Lost or stolen baggage
This cover will give you a bit more peace of mind. We know that, like everywhere in the world, we are exposed to the theft or loss of our property.
To avoid such a bitter pill to swallow, the best thing to do is to hire travel insurance to visit Cuba that has this policy and you will have more confidence and security.
Trip cancellation insurance
With this coverage, you will be able to recover part or all of your trip investment if, for any reason, stipulated in the contract, the trip is cancelled.
Caution is never too much, nobody likes to lose money, so having this coverage will be very beneficial.
Repatriation
This insurance policy ensures the return of a person’s body to their country of origin in the event of death during the trip. Of course, this is not the purpose of a trip, but it is better that all aspects of the trip are settled.
If you decide to take the risk of taking out travel insurance when you arrive on the island, the truth is that you will only have one option available, namely the public company Asistur.
If, upon your arrival in Cuba, the authorities confirm that you do not have insurance, they will force you to take out one with this company, whose coverage is very limited and the price very high.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Cuban government now requires additional insurance as part of travel insurance. This includes testing, possible admission to clinics and other aspects amid the pandemic.
What travel insurance should I take out to visit Cuba?
It will depend on your budget, the number of days you are going to spend and the activities you want to do.
Here are some of the most popular travel insurance companies in Cuba:
- Allianz Support.
- IATI.
- MAPFRE.
- Sanitas.
- Axa.
- Columbus Direct.
- Total trips.
All of them offer different packages that you can compare to choose the one that offers you the best services, at a price you can comfortably afford.
There is no doubt that taking out travel insurance to visit Cuba is strictly necessary, the disadvantages of using an insurance company are very few and you will have many advantages that will make your trip more pleasant.
Don’t let anything stop you from visiting the Pearl of the Caribbean!