Inbound travel insurance becomes mandatory today, according to new regulations issued by the Ministry of Finance.
The “Insurance (Inbound Travel Insurance) Regulations, 2026”, published in September 2026, require foreign visitors to mainland Tanzania to acquire compulsory travel insurance. The travel cover must be issued by Tanzania’s state-owned insurer, the National Insurance Corporation (NIC).
The policy covers medical emergencies, emergency evacuation, repatriation and lost luggage.
Residents of East African Community and Southern African Development Community member states are exempt. Visitors arriving through the islands of Zanzibar fall under a separate scheme, run by the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation.
The compulsory travel insurance requirement for mainland Tanzania follows a similar scheme in the semi-autonomous Islands of Zanzibar and follows Kenya’s adoption of its own travel insurance requirement for foreign visitors.