Mandatory Sh6.5 million visitor insurance rule sparks tourism fears

Foreign visitors travelling to Kenya will now be required to obtain mandatory travel health insurance. [File, Standard]

Foreign visitors travelling to Kenya will now be required to obtain mandatory travel health insurance with a minimum benefit limit of $50,000 (Sh6.5 million) under new regulations gazetted by the government, sparking debate on whether it could affect the country’s competitiveness as a tourism destination.

The new requirement, contained in Gazette Notice No.11492 signed by Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale and published on July 30, requires all non-Kenyans staying in the country for less than 12 months to have an inbound travel health insurance issued by insurers approved and licensed under Kenya’s Insurance Act. According to the Gazette Notice, the cover comprises $20,000 for medical expenses, $25,000 for emergency medical transportation, $300 for prescribed medicines, $1,000 for mental illness treatment and $5,000 for repatriation of mortal remains.

The State says the requirement is intended to ensure foreign visitors can access healthcare while in Kenya without leaving hospitals, healthcare providers or the State to shoulder medical bills, particularly in cases requiring costly emergency evacuation from remote tourist destinations. However, the regulations have ignited online debate, with Kenyans questioning whether the mandatory requirement could discourage international travellers at a time when Kenya is competing with regional destinations such as Tanzania, Uganda and South Africa for tourists.

Several users on X argued that many international travellers already purchase comprehensive travel insurance before travelling and questioned why they should be required to obtain another policy from insurers approved in Kenya. X user Mudge Rulf questioned both the cost implications and the mandatory nature of the new regulations. “No matter your political affiliation, patriotic Kenyans should push back on this. Not even in Europe does one pay such huge amounts in the form of a tourist health insurance cover. Also, why is it mandatory?” she posted.

She warned that tourists could opt for competing destinations instead of Kenya, arguing that any decline in visitor arrivals would affect the millions of Kenyans whose livelihoods depend on the tourism sector. Eddie Mutisya, another X user urged the State to strike a balance between protecting visitors and ensuring Kenya remains attractive to international travellers.