BY DAVID CHIKOKO
Tanzania Mainland has introduced mandatory inbound travel insurance effective Thursday, October 1, 2026, which requires foreign visitors to pay US$44 per adult for a 92-day policy, apparently as visitors expressed both confusion and frustration over the move.
“Very frustrating,” wrote one traveller on Reddit (www.reddit.com) after reporting conflicting advice about insurance cover for a holiday on the mainland and Zanzibar.
However, clarification published through the African Travel and Tourism Association stated: “For itineraries combining Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar, only one policy is required.”
Visitors entering Tanzania through the mainland must buy their policy from the National Insurance Corporation (NIC). Those arriving through Zanzibar must obtain cover from the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation (ZIC).
The Ministry of Finance said emergency assistance would be provided within the United Republic by the underwriter, subject to policy terms.
Travellers are “strongly advised” to obtain insurance before travelling to avoid inconvenience at entry points, the Ministry explained.
The policy covers medical emergencies, evacuation, repatriation and lost luggage. The cover does not replace existing private insurance policies. Children aged three to seventeen would pay US$22, while those aged two and below require no coverage.
