These Countries Require Travel Insurance, But is it Enough?

May 30, 2022

While Travel Insurance is Required, It Still Presents Limitations

In the wake of COVID-19, many travelers have begun to take travel insurance more seriously. North Americans heading south this spring and summer should pay special attention to the fine details of their travel insurance offerings to ensure a safe trip. Even if you have purchased the best travel insurance possible, it is often not enough to address the complexities of international travel in 2022.

Seek offerings that go beyond traditional policies. Know the limitations and ensure that you are protected from every possible travel mishap.

Which Countries Require Travel Insurance to Visit?

As part of reopening efforts, many international leisure destinations have made it mandatory for travelers to purchase travel insurance before entering the country. While travel insurance plays an important role in addressing canceled trips and lost luggage, there are limitations. Before your next leisure vacation, ensure that you understand the entry requirements and the exemptions in your travel insurance policy that can complicate your trip. Understand what your travel insurance provider will do for you should you become sick or are a victim of violent assault.

Travel Insurance for Visiting Jamaica

The “Jamaica Cares” program launched in 2020 requires all travelers visiting the country to purchase travel insurance. The low-cost program is mandatory, with coverage that addresses some of the complications from contracting COVID while visiting Jamaica. While this mandatory policy may offer benefits for hospitalization, the quality of care in Jamaica may not be of the same standards in North America. Becoming sick during your trip may prompt the need to return home for further care and is typically not addressed by traditional travel insurance policies. Should you require an air ambulance out of Jamaica, you might be forced to pay out of pocket for these costs.

Mandatory Travel Insurance for Costa Rica

The Costa Rican government has implemented mandatory travel insurance for those who are unvaccinated against COVID-19. Travelers are free to purchase their own travel insurance policy but must also prove upon entry that their policy satisfies the needs of the local government. Leisure travelers should exercise caution to ensure a safe visit to Costa Rica while making great efforts to ensure that their travel insurance policy will be enough to enter the country.

Travel Insurance in Aruba

Visiting Aruba requires the purchase of travel insurance directly from the local government. Their travel insurance plans offer many benefits that speak to the nature of contracting COVID-19 while visiting the country and can be a supplemental product to existing policies. While this policy can address many of the medical costs of catching COVID during a trip to Aruba, there are still many limitations and clauses that can result in the consumer paying out of pocket for services like emergency transportation and repatriation. Visit the official government website of Aruba to learn more.

Travel Insurance for Visiting the Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic has innovated mandatory travel insurance in the wake of COVID-19, offering entirely free and complementary coverage to all travelers. While this affordable option is great for every budget traveler, this free policy may be limited. Consider researching other options that can supplement the Dominican Republic’s travel insurance program and ensure that all travel mishaps will be addressed properly.

Required Travel Insurance for Travel to Cuba

Visiting Cuba requires travelers to purchase a travel insurance policy before or upon entering the country. Many travel insurance policies are built to address COVID-related complications when visiting Cuba, including medical costs and unexpected isolations. The quality of medical care in Cuba is typically not as high as in North America, and leisure travelers that become exceptionally ill may need to return home for treatment. Oftentimes, travelers will be left to pay for their own emergency transportation costs.

Go Beyond Travel Insurance with CAP

Any North American traveler visiting these sunshine destinations should take every step necessary to address the complications of traveling in 2022. Mandatory travel insurance is a great innovation but remains limited in its nature.

Find peace of mind knowing that CAP is there to address every travel mishap that can occur during international travel. While travel insurance has limitations, CAP can respond to a long list of travel mishaps often overlooked by traditional travel insurance.

FocusPoint International’s CAP Travel Medical and Security Assistance Plan comes with a robust mobile app that includes destination-based health, safety, and security intelligence, COVID-19 specific information, a one-touch assistance button, and much more.

The CAP Plan offers unlimited 24/7 advice for a long list of travel mishaps often overlooked by traditional travel insurance, including COVID quarantine cost coverage. It also provides a fully-funded response to incidents of riots, strikes, civil commotion, and natural disasters, with medical evacuation to a home hospital of choice, should you suffer from a medical mishap resulting in hospitalization.

Contact us directly to learn more about available offerings for leisure travelers.