What to Know About Tanzania’s $44 Travel Insurance Rule Starting October 1

I once fell sick in another African country and had to grit my teeth and hold it in until I could get back home, because I had no insurance to fall back on. Anyone who has travelled the continent for content, for business, or for the sheer thrill of it will know that particular kind of worry. 

Now, starting October 1, visitors to mainland Tanzania will have a safeguard against that sort of issue built into the entry process.  

Every foreign traveller must now hold a new mandatory travel insurance policy, priced at $44 per visitor, payable in the equivalent amount in Tanzanian shillings. The cover runs for 92 days from the date of arrival and allows multiple entries into the mainland during that period. 

Published on September 4, the regulations only laid out how the insurance would work but stopped short of saying when it would begin. The Ministry of Finance of the United Republic of Tanzania has since posted who needs it, what they need to apply, how much it costs, and where to sign up.  

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What the $44 Tanzania Insurance Policy Covers 

Before getting into who must buy it, here is what the premium pays for: 

• emergency medical treatment; 
• emergency medical evacuation; 
• emergency repatriation; 
• loss, theft, or permanent loss of baggage during the coverage period. 

Details and coverage limits for each are shared with travellers when they apply. 

Who Has to Get It 

The requirement applies to foreign visitors, and the provider depends on the point of entry. Travellers entering mainland Tanzania will have to buy from the National Insurance Corporation, while those coming in through Zanzibar buy from the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation (ZIC). 

It is also important to note that the insurance does not replace any existing entry formality. Visitors who need a visa must still obtain one, including online through the official Tanzanian e-Visa portal. 

How to Get Covered 

Talents, digital nomads, and business visitors can buy through the provider designated for their entry point. The Ministry of Finance says the full details on purchase, coverage, payment methods, and verification will be published on the official NIC and ZIC portals.