Kenya's New Travel Insurance Requirement: What Every Visitor Needs to Know in 2026
Kenya has just introduced one of the most significant changes to its entry rules in years. Starting in 2026, foreign visitors are now required to carry travel health insurance before they can enter the country. If you are planning a safari, a business trip, or a beach holiday on the Kenyan coast, this new rule affects you directly, and it is worth understanding exactly what it requires and how to comply without stress.
What changed
Travellers entering Kenya are now required to have mandatory travel health insurance providing minimum policy benefits worth at least US$50,000, roughly Ksh6.4 million. This applies to all non Kenyans staying in the country for under 12 months. The rule is not brand new legislation out of nowhere. The ministry maintains the requirement is anchored in Section 26(6) of the Social Health Insurance Act and Regulation 70 of the Social Health Insurance Regulations, 2024, which already required non Kenyan visitors to possess travel health insurance. What changed recently is that the government finally published the specific benefit thresholds insurers must meet.
The directive was published as Gazette Notice No. 11492 under the Social Health Insurance Act, and it sets the minimum total cover at $50,000 per visitor. That $50,000 is broken down into specific categories rather than one lump sum. The breakdown assigns $20,000 to general medical expenses, $25,000 to emergency medical transportation, $5,000 to repatriation of mortal remains, $1,000 to mental health services, and $300 to prescribed medicines. The regulations also require the policy to cover medical treatment and hospitalisation, emergency medical evacuation, prescription medication, mental health treatment and repatriation of mortal remains.
The most recent update
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale issued a clarification after public concern over the announced limits, stating the requirement is anchored in the Social Health Insurance Act of 2023 and the Social Health Insurance Regulations of 2024. This clarification matters because it addressed the biggest fear among travelers, which was whether they would be forced to buy a new Kenyan policy on top of insurance they already hold. According to the ministry, travellers who already possess valid travel health insurance from their country of origin will not be required to purchase another policy, provided the cover meets the minimum benefit limits prescribed in the gazette notice.
There is also a new digital step to be aware of. Travellers with compliant travel health insurance obtained in their home countries will only be required to upload proof of the policy through Kenya's Electronic Travel Authorisation system before travelling. So the practical workflow now looks like this: buy or confirm a qualifying policy, then upload proof of it as part of your eTA application before you fly.
The coverage must be provided by insurers approved and licensed under Kenyan insurance law, and regulations from 2024 specify that the policy must remain valid for the traveler's entire stay, while also allowing for the possibility of purchasing coverage at a Kenyan port of entry.
Pushback and legal challenge
The policy has not landed smoothly. The Consumers Federation of Kenya has backed a legal challenge seeking to suspend the government's new Mandatory Inbound Travel Health Insurance Programme, arguing the scheme was introduced through an unfair and unconstitutional process. Tourism stakeholders have also raised concerns that the requirement could place Kenya at a competitive disadvantage relative to regional destinations including Tanzania, Uganda, and South Africa. Worth noting too that Kenya is following a path similar to mainland Tanzania, which introduced mandatory travel insurance for foreign visitors a year earlier.
For now the rule stands, so anyone booking a trip to Kenya should plan around it rather than wait for the court case to resolve, since implementation timelines can shift with little notice.
What your policy actually needs to cover
To be safe under the current gazette notice, look for a plan with:
Total coverage of at least $50,000
At least $20,000 for medical expenses and hospitalisation
At least $25,000 for emergency medical evacuation
At least $5,000 for repatriation of remains
At least $1,000 for mental health treatment
At least $300 for prescribed medication
Many standard international travel medical plans already exceed these numbers by a wide margin, so most travelers will not need to shop for something exotic. You mainly need a plan issued by a recognized insurer, with documentation you can upload to the eTA portal.
Suggested insurance options by country
Below are well known providers travelers in each of these countries can look into. Always confirm the specific plan meets or exceeds the $50,000 combined threshold and the individual category minimums before you buy.
China
Ping An Travel Insurance and China Pacific Insurance both offer outbound travel medical plans with high emergency evacuation limits suitable for African safari destinations. AXA China and Allianz China branches also sell outbound plans that can be configured for Kenya specifically.
Germany
ERGO Reiseversicherung and HanseMerkur are two of the most established German providers for outbound travel health insurance, both offering plans with medical and evacuation limits well above Kenya's threshold. Allianz Travel Germany is another strong option with dedicated Africa coverage.
Kenya
For residents or long term visitors already in Kenya, local insurers such as Jubilee Insurance, APA Insurance, and CIC Insurance Group are licensed under Kenyan insurance law and offer travel health products that can be structured to meet the gazette notice requirements directly.
USA
IMG, Allianz Travel USA, and Seven Corners are commonly used by American travelers heading to East Africa, with comprehensive plans that typically include $100,000 or more in medical coverage plus high evacuation limits, comfortably clearing Kenya's minimums.
Italy
Europ Assistance Italia and Allianz Italia are widely used by Italian travelers for intercontinental trips, offering medical and evacuation coverage that exceeds the Kenyan requirement in most standard plans.
France
AXA Assistance France and Europ Assistance France are the go to names for French travelers, both offering worldwide plans with strong medical evacuation benefits appropriate for safari travel.
Dubai and UAE
Oman Insurance Company, now known as Sukoon, along with AXA Gulf and Orient Insurance, offer travel medical plans for residents of the UAE traveling to East Africa, with limits that can be selected to match or exceed Kenya's requirements.
India
ICICI Lombard, HDFC ERGO, and Tata AIG are the most popular Indian travel insurance providers, all offering international plans with medical and evacuation cover well above $50,000, making them straightforward choices for travelers heading to Kenya.
Practical takeaway
Buy your policy early, confirm in writing or in the policy document that it meets each of the five category minimums, and upload the proof to the Kenya eTA system before you travel. If your existing annual travel policy already covers medical treatment, evacuation, mental health, prescriptions and repatriation at the required levels, you likely do not need to buy anything extra. When in doubt, contact the insurer directly and ask them to confirm compliance with Kenya Gazette Notice No. 11492 before you fly.
