Starting October 1, 2024, all visitors to Zanzibar Island will be required to pay a mandatory $44 insurance fee (approximately Sh118,360) to cover them for up to 92 days during their stay on the islands.
Key Benefits of Zanzibar’s Travel Insurance
The insurance is managed by the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation (ZIC), a Government-owned corporation aiming to make Zanzibar a safer destination. The settlement of the claim for the loss will be within the mentioned Corporation only. The insurance is valid for up to 92 days from your arrival, allowing unlimited trips within this period. If you stay longer than 92 days, you will need to purchase a new insurance policy. This also applies to business visas arriving after the 1st of October.
Here are the key benefits of this mandatory travel insurance:
Medical & Related Expenses
- Emergency medical expenses (including epidemics & pandemics) up to USD 50,000 (sports like kitesurfing and scuba diving should be covered as well)
- Compulsory quarantine expenses because of epidemic and pandemic
- Emergency medical evacuation and repatriation expenses. (including epidemics & pandemics)
- Extension of stay of the beneficiary due to the medically not fit to fly plus one accompanying
24/7 Assistance Services
- 24/7 Emergency Medical assistance services
- Consular referral
- Emergency accommodation and travel arrangements
- Transmission of an urgent message
Personal Accident, Repatriation and Liability
- Accidental death occurred using public transport, USD 20,000
- Personal Liability up to USD 30,000
- Permanent Total Disability as per % scale up to USD 20,000
- Body Repatriation in case of death
Legal Expenses and Baggage
- Lawyer’s expenses up to USD 2,000
- Advance for bail up to USD 2,000
- Baggage delay, USD 25 per hour up to USD 200
- Theft, loss, or damaged baggage (within the care of the airline) up to USD 400
Please refer to the official insurance document for more detailed information, including answers to frequently asked questions.
How to Apply for zanzibar Mandatory Travel Insurance
The procedure is simple: visit the official Zanzibar tourism website https://visitzanzibar.go.tz/, select the single, family, or group option, fill out your details, and pay the 44 USD fee (children 17-3 years for 22 USD and younger for free). The coverage applies only within the Zanzibar archipelago. Once the insurance and payment have been processed, you should receive a receipt with a QR code to present on arrival at immigration at the Zanzibar airport along with your tourist visas.
Travelers who arrive through a travel agent or other third party and have Zanzibar included in their itinerary should check whether the travel agent will arrange this compulsory insurance for them or whether they need to arrange it themselves. Insurance can also be purchased directly at the Zanzibar airport for travelers who cannot pay online or complete their application due to legitimate reasons, such as system accessibility issues. Passengers should not be denied boarding for a flight to Zanzibar based on not having this insurance in advance as stated in the insurance guidelines issued by the Zanzibar government on 17.10.2024. However, ZIC urges all arrivals to purchase insurance in advance to avoid queues forming and ensure a smooth passage through immigration.
How to Make a Claim for an Incident using zanzibar Mandatory Travel Insurance
To claim while traveling, ensure you have your Inbound Travel insurance policy documents with you, which include your unique policy number, effective date, terms and conditions, and other details. In case of an emergency or to report a claim, contact the 24/7 helpline at 0800008005, email inbound@zic.co.tz, or call +331701957025. Additionally, you can email medical-service@axa-assistance.ma. Be sure to keep all receipts and documentation to support your claim.
