If you are traveling to Zanzibar or have plans to go there soon, this is of interest to you. The local government has announced that all tourists entering Zanzibar from October 1, 2024, will be required to take out compulsory insurance to travel to the island.
This insurance is mandatory and is independent of any other travel insurance you take out. It is issued by the government of Zanzibar itself, and totally indispensable if you want to enjoy a few days on this island bathed by the Indian Ocean.
To contract it you must apply directly through the government website: https://visitzanzibar.go.tz/.
The price of the compulsory insurance to travel to Zanzibar is 44 usd per adult, and for children under 17 years of age, it is reduced to 22 usd. On the other hand, from 0 to 2 years of age is totally free of charge.
The insurance has a duration of 92 days, the same duration as the Tanzania Visa. Once the insurance is requested, you will receive a QR code that you must show at the entrance of the island, either by air or by sea.
What is the coverage of the Zanzibar Compulsory Insurance?
This is the million dollar question, is it necessary to purchase other insurance to travel to Zanzibar considering that you will have your compulsory insurance issued by the Zanzibar government?
This is a bit personal, each case is different, but if we look at the coverages of the compulsory Insurance issued by the Zanzibar government we see that these are far inferior to a standard IATI or Chapka coverage.
Please find enclosed the table of legal coverage of the compulsory insurance to enter Zanzibar:
As you will see, the coverage includes medical expenses (up to $50,000), baggage loss and theft (within the aircraft flight), and other basic coverages such as extra nights in case of illness or repatriation to the country of origin on a commercial flight.
However, if we compare it with Chapka or IATI coverage, we will see that they are much more basic coverages.
Is it necessary to purchase additional travel insurance?
Since in most cases, when traveling to Tanzania, we first go on safari, it is advisable to take out travel insurance in the country of origin. The compulsory insurance issued by the Government of Zanzibar only covers the stay in Zanzibar, but not in Tanzania, so it does not cover anything related to your safari stay in Tanzania, for example. It is important to keep in mind that Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous region within Tanzania, and with this new regulation, they are separate.
We recommend you to take out a travel insurance when you book your trip to Tanzania and buy your flights, or before leaving Spain or the country where you live. And we recommend that it includes all the days you are away, counting also the days in Zanzibar, since, just for example, if you have lost your luggage (it does not usually happen, but you never know!), surely 400$ will not cover what you carry, especially if you carry some technical clothes, computer, cameras, etc. Besides, it will always be easier and faster, in terms of communication, to talk to the staff of Chapka or IATI, or the insurance company you have, to manage anything (doctor’s appointment, medical consultation, consult about flight changes, etc).
Finally, we remind you that regardless of this mandatory insurance to enter Zanzibar, it is necessary to bring with you the Tanzanian visa.
More information about traveling to Tanzania and Zanzibar
If you want to travel to Tanzania and Zanzibar I recommend you to read the following posts:
- In this post, we look at the best travel insurance in Tanzania.
- Visa for Tanzania
- Travel to Zanzibar on your own: what to do in 10 days.
- Which safari is better: Kenya or Tanzania?
- Traveling responsibly in Tanzania – Sustainable tourism
- Do you want to go on safari in Tanzania?
Finally, if you want we can organize your trip to Tanzania and Zanzibar, just write us a message by Whatsapp or e-mail.
Asante Sana!
