Travel Insurance Mandatory For Cuba.

The Consulate General of Cuba in Toronto has issued details of their new mandatory insurance requirements effective May 01, 2010.

http://embacu.cubaminrex.cu/default.aspx?tabid=17941

 This notice provides some clarification regarding Cuba's expectation that travel insurance should be purchased by travellers before they depart on their trip and provides information on benefits and cost of insurance available in Cuba should a traveller arrive without appropriate insurance coverage.

It is important to note that according to the notice, travellers arriving in Cuba, upon demand, shall present a policy insurance certificate or traveller assistance card, valid for the time span they will stay in Cuba. This means that the only document that will be acceptable as proof of insurance coverage by Cuban authorities will be the Travel Insurace Policy Confirmation that is printed or e-mailed as part of the purchase from the travel agency.

Clients who are unable to produce this document on entry to Cuba will be required to purchase insurance locally before they are permiited to begin their vacation.

In reviewing the benifits under the Cuban insurance plans, It is apparent that their coverage is insufficient for Canadians travelling outside of Canada. Costs for medical care and air ambulance evacuations for serious illnesses and accidents could reach several hundreds of  thousands of dollars more, far exceeding the coverage provided by the Cuban plans.