Mandatory Travel Insurance for Foreign Visitors to Take Effect Next Year
Foreign nationals travelling into Ghana will be required to have travel insurance from next year, as government moves to introduce a mandatory policy covering all inbound non-Ghanaians.
The policy, which has received full ministerial and sector approvals, is expected to be implemented at the point of entry and is intended to bring Ghana in line with international travel practices.
Announcing the decision, the Managing Director of SIC Plc, Mr James Agyenim-Boateng, said the initiative has reached the implementation stage following extensive consultations and regulatory clearance.
“We are set to roll out mandatory travel insurance for all inbound non-Ghanaians coming into Ghana. We’ve done all the ministerial clearance and all the sector clearance,” he said while speaking at a gathering on Friday, December 12.
Explaining how the policy will work, Mr Agyenim-Boateng indicated that foreign travellers would be required to show proof of travel insurance either before arrival or upon entry into the country. “We are eventually at the point of implementing this policy all season. What that means is that there’s a mandatory policy for all foreigners coming into Ghana to ensure that they have travel insurance before or when they all upon arrival,” he stated.
He said the move reflects global norms, noting that similar requirements exist in many travel destinations across the world. “That’s a mandatory travel insurance that we are introducing for all non-Ghanaians coming into Ghana, as many of you know, when you travel into many jurisdictions, including, let’s say, the Schengen countries (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Luxemburg, Malta, Norway, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romenia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland) in particular, you are required to have travel insurance,” he said.
According to Mr Agyenim-Boateng, the policy is designed to enhance visitor protection and reduce travel-related risks. “It has become the order of the day in many jurisdictions, and it is intended to improve the travel experience of those who are travelling into the country. So that’s an country.”
Once operational, the mandatory insurance scheme is expected to support emergency response services, safeguard visitors against unforeseen circumstances, and strengthen Ghana’s tourism and travel management systems.
