South Africa Travel Insurance Requirements

Squaremouth’s South Africa Travel Insurance Recommendations

While there are currently no travel insurance requirements to visit South Africa, getting a policy prior to your trip is strongly recommended. A travel insurance policy can help financially protect your trip investments, which is important given the high costs associated with visiting South Africa. There is also a potential for high medical bills if you fall ill during your visit, which may also be covered by a travel insurance policy.

In addition to cancellation and medical benefits, travel insurance can also provide coverage for visitors that experience delays during transit or lose their luggage at any point during their trip. Squaremouth has listed key coverage options to look for in a South Africa travel insurance policy.

South Africa Travel Medical Insurance

Traveling to South Africa, as with any international vacation, comes with the risk that you may fall ill or get injured while abroad. For U.S residents and citizens, it’s important to understand that your primary health insurance likely won’t help cover the costs of medical treatment overseas. That means that without insurance, travelers would be left with to pay high medical bills out of pocket.

One key component of travel medical insurance is the Emergency Medical benefit, which can reimburse travelers the costs to treat a medical emergency during a trip, such as ambulance rides and hospital bills. Given the cost of healthcare in South Africa Squaremouth recommends a policy with at least $50,000 in Emergency Medical coverage. However, travelers taking trips involving hazardous activities or to a remote area of the country should consider policies with at least $100,000 in coverage.

Medical Evacuation is another crucial part of travel medical insurance, and can provide travelers with coverage for transportation to the nearest adequate medical facility in the event of a medical emergency. For South Africa travel, Squaremouth recommends at least $100,000 in Medical Evacuation coverage. However, for itineraries that involve safaris or stops in remote areas, we recommend a policy with at least $250,000 in coverage.

Trip Cancellation Coverage

In 2022, the average trip to South Africa cost travelers roughly $10,319, making it one of the most expensive destinations in the world for the year. Trip Cancellation coverage offers a level of financial protection for travelers, allowing them to protect that trip investment. With this benefit, travelers can receive reimbursement for their prepaid, nonrefundable trip costs if unexpected, covered events cause them to cancel their plans. These trips costs can include flight costs, hotel stays, safari tours, and other pre-planned activities.

Policies with Trip Cancellation also include Trip Interruption coverage, which can provide travelers reimbursement if unexpected events cause them to return home from their trip early. This benefit applies to travelers that have already departed for their trip and have unused, nonrefundable trip costs.

Common covered reasons include unforeseen illness, injury, or death of the traveler, a traveling companion, or a non-traveling family member. Other covered cancellation reasons may also include terrorism, inclement weather, or a natural disaster, among others. With this coverage, travelers can receive up to 100% reimbursement for their insured trip costs.

Loss & Delay Coverage

Travelers heading to South Africa likely have a structured schedule and travel itinerary. If delays happen, travelers may miss out on significant parts of their trip. Because of this, Squaremouth recommends a policy with both Travel Delay and Missed Connection coverage. These benefits will reimburse travelers for food, accommodation, and the cost to catch up to their trip if the delay meets their policy’s minimum delay period, typically 3-12 hours.

When visiting South Africa, travelers may also be bringing expensive camera equipment or essential safari gear. Luckily, policies that offer Baggage & Personal Items Loss coverage will reimburse travelers if their luggage is lost, stolen, or damaged at any point during the trip.

South Africa Travel Insurance Trends and Data

Each year, millions of tourists from around the world head to South Africa to enjoy the country’s scenery, beaches, wildlife, culture, and food.

Destination Rank: 22

Percentage of Squaremouth Sales: 1.16%

Average Premium: $693.03

Average Trip Cost: $10,774.83

Squaremouth Analytics compares thousands of travel insurance policies purchased pre- and post-pandemic to identify changes and trends in the travel insurance industry.

Helpful Links

• U.S. Embassy & Consulate South Africa