NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 1 — Travellers entering Kenya will be required to have insurance that provides at least US$25,000 in emergency medical transportation cover under new mandatory inbound travel health insurance requirements gazetted by the government.
The emergency medical transportation benefit is the largest single component of the minimum insurance package outlined in Gazette Notice No. 11492 issued by Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale.
The notice, dated July 29, 2026, provides that mandatory inbound travel health insurance must include cover for emergency medical transportation, allowing insured travellers to meet costs associated with emergency medical intervention or evacuation.
The requirement forms part of Kenya’s implementation of the Social Health Insurance Act, 2023, and the Social Health Insurance Regulations, 2024.
Under the new requirements, inbound travellers must have a minimum US$25,000 benefit for emergency medical transportation.
The cover is designed to cater for situations where a traveller requires urgent medical attention and must be transported for emergency treatment or evacuated because of a medical emergency.
Emergency medical transportation can represent a significant cost, particularly when a traveller requires urgent evacuation or specialised medical care.
By prescribing a minimum benefit, the government has established a baseline level of financial protection for insured travellers entering Kenya.
The emergency medical transportation cover is part of a wider mandatory insurance package with a cumulative policy benefit limit of not less than US$50,000.
The gazetted minimum benefits are:
- Emergency medical transportation — US$25,000
- Medical expenses — US$20,000
- Repatriation of mortal remains — US$5,000
- Mental illness — US$1,000
- Prescribed medicines — US$300
The notice specifies that the cumulative policy benefit limit must not be less than US$50,000.
The mandatory policy will also provide at least US$20,000 for medical expenses.
This provision is intended to provide financial protection for travellers who require medical treatment during their stay in Kenya.
The separate emergency transportation benefit means the policy addresses both the cost of medical treatment and the potentially significant expenses associated with transporting a traveller during a medical emergency.
The government has also set a minimum US$5,000 benefit for repatriation of mortal remains.
The provision is intended to cover the costs associated with returning the remains of an insured traveller to their country or place of origin following death in Kenya.
The new insurance framework also includes mental illness, with a minimum benefit limit of US$1,000.
Prescribed medicines have a separate minimum benefit limit of US$300.
The inclusion of the two categories broadens the range of health-related needs covered under the mandatory inbound travel insurance framework.
The government has directed that mandatory inbound travel health insurance must be provided by insurers approved and licensed under the Insurance Act, Cap. 487.
This means travellers will be required to obtain the prescribed cover through insurance providers that meet Kenya’s regulatory and licensing requirements.
The requirements were issued pursuant to Section 26(6) of the Social Health Insurance Act, 2023, read together with Regulation 70(2)(b) of the Social Health Insurance Regulations, 2024.
The gazette notice gives effect to the government’s authority to specify minimum policy benefits for mandatory inbound travel health insurance.
The move establishes specific minimum levels of protection rather than leaving the scope and value of cover entirely to individual insurance policies.
Under the new framework, inbound travellers will need insurance that meets the prescribed minimum benefits, including US$25,000 for emergency medical transportation.
The requirement is particularly significant for travellers who may need urgent evacuation or transportation to access emergency medical services while in Kenya.
The government’s minimum package provides for medical treatment, emergency transportation, medicines, mental health care and repatriation of mortal remains.
The notice was signed by Aden Duale, Cabinet Secretary for Health, and dated July 29, 2026.
Minimum mandatory inbound travel insurance benefits
| Benefit | Minimum cover |
|---|---|
| Emergency medical transportation | US$25,000 |
| Medical expenses | US$20,000 |
| Repatriation of mortal remains | US$5,000 |
| Mental illness | US$1,000 |
| Prescribed medicines | US$300 |
| Minimum cumulative policy limit | US$50,000 |
