Tanzania looks set to beat Kenya to the rollout of mandatory insurance for foreign visitors, with the neighbouring country gazetting rules amid court cases stalling the process in Kenya.
The Insurance (Inbound Travel Insurance) Regulations, 2026, gazetted on September 4, require foreigners entering mainland Tanzania through airports, seaports or land borders to have a valid inbound travel insurance policy.
The policy costs the equivalent of $44 (about Sh5,700) and is valid for up to 92 days from the date of arrival. It also allows multiple entries into mainland Tanzania during the validity period.
The impending rollout comes after Zanzibar introduced its own mandatory inbound travel insurance scheme in October 2024, also setting the premium at $44 and the validity period at up to 92 days.
The development looks set to leave Kenya behind its neighbour in implementing a compulsory insurance requirement for international visitors amid criticism that it would make destinations expensive for visitors.
International Air Transport Association (IATA) regional vice-president for Africa and the Middle East, Kamil Al-Awadhi, said recently the mandatory inbound travel insurance alongside levies and other charges on aviation is deepening the burden for visitors.
However, countries argue the cover benefits visitors since it includes emergency medical treatment, medical evacuation, repatriation and compensation for loss of luggage.
Zanzibar and Tanzania mainland rollout of the cover provides a regional example of integrating mandatory visitor insurance into border and travel systems. Kenya, Zanzibar and Tanzania mainland are among the region’s leading tourism markets.
Kenya has already established a legal framework for mandatory visitor health insurance and gazetted regulations in July but implementation has been slowed by a court challenge.
The government had set a minimum benefit package of $50,000 (about Sh6.4 million) for foreign visitors staying in Kenya for less than 12 months.
The $50,000 is the minimum value of insurance benefits and not the premium visitors will pay. Kenya has not prescribed a single premium for the cover, unlike Tanzania’s $44 charge.
Kenya’s minimum package includes medical expenses, emergency medical transportation, prescribed medicines, mental illness treatment and repatriation of mortal remains.
The cover must provide at least $20,000 (Sh2.59 million) for medical expenses and $25,000 (Sh3.24 million) for emergency medical transportation. It must provide $300 (Sh38,850) for prescribed medicines, $1,000 (Sh129,500) for mental illness and $5,000 (Sh647,500) for repatriation of mortal remains.
However, the High Court suspended the implementation following a petition challenging the government’s move, leaving the rollout in limbo as Tanzania works towards operationalizing its own scheme.
Petitioners challenged in court the Ministry of Health’s authority to impose the cover. They also alleged gaps in public participation and lack of transparency in picking participating insurers and service providers.
One case was filed in Marsabit with a hearing on September 16, 2026, while another one was filed in Nairobi and has a mention date of September 29. The roll-out cannot happen before these cases are heard and determined.