Egypt to introduce mandatory travel insurance for tourists

[FABlux]

Not sure how this would work for long term tourists/residents?

"Egypt to introduce mandatory travel insurance for tourists"

https://www.egyptindependent.com/egypt- ... -tourists/

[Horus]

Are they worried that people will be getting free treatment? I would assume that most people with a brain in their head will have taken out travel insurance prior to taking a holiday there whether long or short term.

[Major Thom]

I thinks its just a way of scamming the Insurance Companies for high amounts of cash!

[HEPZIBAH]

I read about this the other day and wondered how they were going to know who had insurance, or adequate insurance, and who hadn't.

Perhaps there is going to be another queue to join before Passport Control so that you can have your Insurance Certificate verified. If you can't produce appropriate insurance you're sent to the naughty queue and instead of going on to enter the country you are marched into the departures lounge.

Personally, I would have thought that the average tourist would make sure they have suitable travel insurance wherever they travel. It is the ex-pat tourist that is less likely to have it I would have thought.

[hatusu]

Quote-
" If Egypt carries on with the idea, it will not be the first to introduce compulsory travel insurance. Countries such as the US, Cuba, the UAE, Antarctica, Qatar and Turkey all require mandatory health insurance to be purchased before entering the country"

I've visited my sister in the UAE several times in the last few years, also Qatar once, never been asked to show any travel insurance.

[Yildez]

Turkey requires you to have health insurance when you apply for a Resident Visa. As far as I am aware there is no requirement for health insurance when purchasing a 3 month tourist visa - it's all done online. As Carrie has recently visited Turkey on a tourist visa, maybe she could comment?

[newcastle]

I can't understand why Egypt thinks it has any say in the insurance company chosen by the visitor - if I'm reading the article correctly.

"Egypt’s Financial Regularity Authority will conduct a study to determine common accidents in the country, and the international insurers that travelers would buy while booking their vacation. Following that, Egypt will choose a company to deliver insurances through a tender by the FRA, according to the International Travel and Health Insurance Journal (ITIJ)."

This aspect of the proposal seems a nonsense.

[HEPZIBAH]

The above would leave me to think that perhaps you would have to get your travel insurance at the same time as your visa, or in conjunction with it.

All very odd. (No surprises there then!)

[Winged Isis]

Well, as our government advises, "If you cannot afford insurance, you cannot afford to travel". Having needed medical assistance three times, including surgery twice, I can attest to that. It's such a minor amount compared to the rest of your outlay, it's a no-brainer. Of all the countries I've visited, I've never been asked.

[FABlux]

We asked about travel insurance when Barry hit the age barrier and the HSBC cover stopped and were told it was not available in Egypt after 60! Not sure how the new system would work?

[Major Thom]

I remember when we went to Australia a couple of times on holiday, because we were both over 60 we could not get travel insurance from any Egyptian Insurance agents, everyone of them came back with,"Sorry we can not insure those over 60", this also applied for life insurance. So we then went to British insurers but we then found out that because we lived in Egypt we could not get cover. In the end we had to use a US Company to get insurance. Its stupid to think that it is considered 60 is the cut off point for anyform of insurance In Egypt, when elsewhere 60 is considered still to be middle age. So imagine most forms of insurance for those tourist/residents 60 and over, will be not available. So what happens then? You cannot have laws for one and laws for another.

[carrie]

When applying for my visa to visit turkey i wasn't asked to provide proof of travel insurance.

[John Landon]

When applying for my visa to visit turkey i wasn't asked to provide proof of travel insurance.

We have been a few times and never been quizzed about travel insurance when applying for the visa or at passport control.
I have never had to show my Visa either, as it is electronically attached to your passport.

[carrie]

No I didn't have to show my visa either but had printed it off just in case. I did check on the Turkish Visa website as to how easy it was for an Egyptian to get a visa. Much more complicated they have to provide proof of a return air ticket, proof that they have sufficient funds to cover their visit, proof of pre booked accommodation maybe they also have to have travel insurance. Someone is getting their lines crossed I think.

[crewmeal]

With accidents happening through no fault of the tourist no wonder Egypt and other countries want compulsory travel insurance.

https://news.sky.com/story/british-woma ... t-11489432

In this case I doubt whether the 'banana man' has insurance of any kind.

[crewmeal]

FABlux - I'm approaching 70 and have free annual travel insurance through Natwest. Thats with a couple of declared medical issues as well. Not sure what happens when I get to 70 though.

Having researched a couple of companies I found SAGA the most expensive who wanted £329 for a one off trip to Egypt. No way!

[carrie]

Travel insurance companies usually have so many get out clauses, I wonder if she would have been covered by her insurance when banana boating.

[John Landon]

Like Crewmeal, My Travel insurance comes as part of the Nat West platinum bank account I subscribe to and is activated when it is needed. So I have no paperwork to show.
having said that I personally don't even bother with Travel insurance, I never had. IF i was travelling with children then I would ensure they are covered.

[Yildez]

Travel insurance companies usually have so many get out clauses, I wonder if she would have been covered by her insurance when banana boating.

Almost certainly not!