By: Eric Ireri
With the surge in popularity of international travel, there is a growing need to protect tourists against unanticipated dangers that could occur while they are overseas. As a result, several nations either mandate or encourage international tourists to get travel insurance prior to entering their borders. Travel insurance protects against a range of hazards related to overseas travel, such as trip cancellations, baggage loss, personal liability, and above all, medical emergencies. The medical component of travel insurance ensures that a traveller can access necessary healthcare services without bearing the often-substantial costs of medical treatment in a foreign country.
A notable example is the Schengen Area, where travel insurance forms an integral part of the visa application process. Applicants seeking a Schengen visa are generally required to provide proof of a valid travel insurance policy that offers adequate medical coverage for the duration of their stay. This requirement is designed to ensure that visitors are protected against unexpected medical expenses and emergency healthcare costs while travelling within the Schengen States, thereby reducing the financial burden on both the traveller and the host country’s healthcare system.
Kenya has now joined the growing list of countries that require inbound travellers to have travel health insurance. On 30th July 2026, the Cabinet Secretary for Health published a Gazette Notice introducing mandatory travel health insurance for all non-Kenyans intending to enter the country. The Gazette Notice prescribes a minimum insurance cover of USD 50,000, ensuring that foreign visitors have adequate financial protection against medical emergencies that may arise during their stay in Kenya.
The introduction of this requirement is not a standalone policy decision. Rather, it stems from the implementation of the Social Health Insurance Act, 2023, which established the legal framework for travel health insurance in Kenya. Specifically, Sections 26(6) and 26(7) of the Act empower the Cabinet Secretary to prescribe, through a Gazette Notice, the minimum policy benefits and other requirements applicable to travel health insurance for non-Kenyan visitors entering the Republic of Kenya.
Beyond introducing a mandatory insurance requirement, the Act also sets out the principles that must guide the formulation of travel health insurance policies. Section 26(6) identifies the factors that the Cabinet Secretary must consider when prescribing the minimum policy benefits, ensuring that the insurance framework is both comprehensive and responsive to the healthcare needs of international travellers while safeguarding the sustainability of Kenya’s healthcare system. For one to eligible the following should be met:
(i)
The person should be a non-Kenyan;
(ii)
The person must have the intention to enter and remain in Kenya and;
(iii)
The person should be in the territory of Kenya for less than twelve months.
While Section 26(6) of the Social Health Insurance Act, 2023 establishes the statutory framework governing travel health insurance, it should not be read in isolation. Like many
pieces of legislation, the Act is complemented by subsidiary legislation that provides greater detail on its implementation. Accordingly, Section 26(6) must be read together with Regulation 70 of the Social Health Insurance Regulations, which operationalises the statutory provisions by prescribing the criteria and considerations applicable to travel health insurance for non-Kenyan visitors.
Regulation 70 gives practical effect to the powers conferred upon the Cabinet Secretary under Sections 26(6) and 26(7) of the Act by setting out the specific matters to be taken into account in prescribing the minimum policy benefits and other requirements for travel health insurance. Consequently, a proper appreciation of Kenya’s new travel health insurance regime requires a holistic reading of both the Act and the Regulations.
Regulation 70 of the Social Health Insurance Regulations provides that the travel health insurance shall:
a)
cover the person’s entire period of stay in Kenya; and
b)
provide for benefits including:
(i)
personal accident that may lead to death or permanent total disability;
(ii)
emergency medical expenses;
(iii)
emergency medical evacuation;
(iv)
Repatriation of mortal remains;
(v)
hospital benefits; and
(vi)
prescription medicines
The said gazette notice has been able to incorporate Regulation 70 of the Social Health Insurance Regulations by including the insurable limit in US Dollars.
In conclusion, Kenya’s introduction of mandatory travel health insurance marks a significant shift in balancing immigration, public health, and financial protection. By aligning the Gazette Notice with the Social Health Insurance Act and its Regulations, the Government has established a comprehensive framework that safeguards international visitors while reinforcing the resilience and sustainability of Kenya’s healthcare system.
Safe travels, strict rules; Decoding Kenya’s new Travel Insurance Mandate
