A New Cost of Entry
Visitors to Tanzania now face a mandatory insurance charge before they can step into the country. Since 1 October, every tourist over 18 must purchase a government-issued travel insurance policy priced at $44, roughly £33. The requirement applies whether you land on the mainland or in Zanzibar, and no private or international policies count as substitutes.
The insurance can be bought online ahead of travel or at ports of entry on arrival. But there is no opt-out: the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has confirmed that travellers may be refused entry if they arrive without the required cover.
Two Insurers, One System
The arrangement splits along geographic lines. Arrivals to mainland Tanzania must buy their policy from the National Insurance Corporation, a state-owned entity. Those flying directly into Zanzibar purchase from the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation instead. Both policies cover stays of up to 92 days.
If your itinerary includes both the mainland and the islands, you only need one policy, tied to whichever place you enter first. The National Insurance Corporation has confirmed that a single purchase covers movement between the two.
The regulation follows a directive issued on 4 September by Tanzania's Ministry of Finance, which formalised the insurance mandate and gave operators less than a month to implement it.
Who Pays What
Children between three and 17 are charged $22, half the adult rate. Group bookings of ten or more travellers qualify for a 10 per cent discount, and family packages carry reduced rates, though the specifics vary depending on household size.
The pricing structure suggests the scheme is designed to scale with visitor volume. Tanzania recorded 2.29 million international arrivals in 2025, a figure that has been climbing steadily as safari tourism rebounds and Zanzibar's beach resorts draw more long-haul visitors.
The Official Line
The National Insurance Corporation has framed the policy as a safety net. In its announcement, the insurer said the scheme ensures that "when the unexpected happens, someone is there to help," emphasising medical evacuation and emergency support rather than trip cancellation or lost luggage.
But the messaging also reflects a broader tension. Tanzania is a high-volume, mid-budget destination where many visitors arrive on package tours with existing comprehensive insurance. The new rule effectively layers a second, non-negotiable policy on top, with no clarity yet on how claims are processed or whether the cover duplicates what travellers already hold.
What It Means for Travellers
For now, the requirement adds another line item to the cost of visiting Tanzania. A couple travelling together will pay an extra £66 at the border, a family of four with two teenagers closer to £100. That is modest compared to safari lodge rates or long-haul airfares, but it is a fixed cost that applies equally to backpackers staying in hostels and honeymooners booking luxury tented camps.
The policy also raises questions about transparency. Because only state insurers are authorised to sell the cover, there is no competitive market, no comparison site, and no independent review of claims handling. Visitors are buying into a monopoly product with little public information about exclusions, limits, or how the scheme performs in practice.
Other East African countries have experimented with similar entry fees disguised as insurance, but Tanzania's version is among the most explicit. It is a revenue generator with a public-service wrapper, and it is unlikely to be the last of its kind in the region.
