Kenya Makes Ksh6.5 Million Health Insurance Cover Mandatory for All Foreign Visitors
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Anyone planning to visit Kenya will now be required to have mandatory inbound travel health insurance with a minimum coverage of US$50,000 (about Ksh6.5 million).
The new requirement was announced through a Special Issue of the Kenya Gazette published on July 30, 2026, under the Social Health Insurance Act, 2023 and the Social Health Insurance Regulations, 2024, which forms part of the government’s wider reforms under the Social Health Insurance framework.
According to the gazette notice signed by Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, the government has set the minimum benefits that every mandatory inbound travel health insurance policy must provide.
The notice states, “The Cabinet Secretary for Health gives notice that the minimum policy benefits for mandatory inbound travel health insurance shall be as specified in the Schedule below, provided that the cumulative policy benefit limit shall not be less than fifty thousand United States dollars (US$50,000).”
The insurance must be provided by insurers that are approved and licensed under the Insurance Act (Cap. 487).
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Minimum Health Insurance Benefits Visitors Must Receive
The mandatory policy must include the following minimum benefits:
- Medical expenses: US$20,000 (about Ksh2.6 million)
- Emergency medical transportation: US$25,000 (about Ksh3.2 million)
- Prescribed medicines: US$300 (about Ksh38,850)
- Mental illness treatment: US$1,000 (about Ksh129,500)
- Repatriation of mortal remains: US$5,000 (about Ksh647,500)
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Who Will be Affected?
The new requirement applies to international visitors entering Kenya.
The Ministry of Health’s implementation framework says the mandatory inbound travel health insurance programme is meant for non-Kenyan visitors travelling into the country.
Travellers will be expected to have the required health insurance cover to help meet medical and emergency healthcare costs during their stay in Kenya.
Why the Government Introduced the Requirement
The mandatory insurance is part of the government’s efforts to strengthen Kenya’s healthcare financing and ensure visitors can access treatment without facing financial hardship.
The policy is also expected to reduce the burden on Kenya’s healthcare system by ensuring foreign visitors have adequate insurance to pay for emergency treatment, hospitalization and related medical services if they become ill or are involved in an accident while in the country.
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A picture showing long queues of international visitors at the JKIA airport
PHOTO/Nation
