Zanzibar and Tanzania Mandatory Travel Insurance: One Policy, Bought Where You Land First

Quick Answer: Do You Need Insurance to Visit Zanzibar or Tanzania?

Yes. Every non-resident visitor to Zanzibar, and since 1 October 2026 to mainland Tanzania as well, must hold the Tanzanian government's mandatory inbound travel insurance. Your own travel insurance does not replace it, however good it is. Without it, you may be refused entry.

You buy one policy, from the insurer at your first point of entry, and it covers the rest of the trip in both Zanzibar and the mainland.

---

The First-Point-of-Entry Rule

Before October 2026, the rule was simple: Zanzibar required its own policy and the mainland required nothing. Since 1 October 2026, both require it, and which policy you buy depends on where you first arrive in Tanzania:

• Arriving in Zanzibar first (for example, a direct flight to Zanzibar's Abeid Amani Karume airport): buy the ZIC policy.
• Arriving on the mainland first (Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro, or an overland border): buy the NIC policy.

According to the UK government's travel advice for Tanzania and ZIC's public notice of September 2026, you only need insurance for your first port of entry. A safari-then-beach trip that lands at Kilimanjaro and later flies to Zanzibar needs one NIC policy, not two. The same applies in reverse.

Bought ZIC cover before 1 October 2026? It can still be used when the mainland is your first point of entry, so travellers who bought under the old rules do not need to buy again.

Claims online that you need two policies, or USD 88, to visit both are wrong.

---

What It Costs in Zanzibar

ZIC publishes these prices for its inbound cover:

One payment covers a stay of up to 92 days (three months), including re-entries within that period.

Refunds

The official portal publishes a refund schedule. A duplicate payment is refunded in full. A cancellation within 7 days of purchase loses 1.5%; after more than 7 days, 21.5%; after more than 14 days, 31.5%.

---

Mainland Tanzania Since October 2026

Mainland Tanzania's scheme is run by the National Insurance Corporation, a state-owned insurer. Reports of the underlying regulation describe it as made under the Insurance Act (as amended by the Finance Act 2025), requiring inbound insurance covering medical treatment, evacuation, repatriation and luggage, and allowing travellers without it to be denied entry. We could not load the gazette text itself, so treat those details as reported rather than verified.

One difference from Zanzibar is confirmed: citizens of East African Community and SADC countries are exempt on the mainland, while in Zanzibar they pay a reduced USD 22. A Kenyan traveller flying from Nairobi to Kilimanjaro needs nothing; the same traveller flying from Nairobi to Zanzibar needs the USD 22 ZIC policy.

NIC's mainland prices by age were not published in a form we could verify as of October 2026. Check the official NIC portal before travel.

---

"My Travel Insurance Already Covers Me"

It does not count. ZIC states the inbound insurance "remains mandatory" even if you already hold travel or medical insurance from another provider, and the UK government's travel advice says the same for both Zanzibar and the mainland.

The Tanzanian policy is a basic local scheme. ZIC does not publish its benefit limits, and the figures quoted on travel blogs (such as USD 50,000 of medical cover) do not appear on any official ZIC or portal page we found. Many travellers keep their own comprehensive policy as well, since the inbound cover is not designed to replace it.

---

How to Buy It and How It Is Checked

• Zanzibar: buy online through the official portal at inbound.visitzanzibar.go.tz, or on arrival. ZIC's own site is zic.co.tz. The portal states that it is the only official website and that no third-party seller is authorised.
• Mainland: buy online through NIC's official portal or on arrival.
• At entry: you receive a certificate with a QR code, which officials can scan at the point of entry. Keep it on your phone and as a printout.

Unofficial websites also offer "Zanzibar insurance". Because the official portal states that no third party is authorised, a certificate bought elsewhere may not be accepted at entry.

---

Who Is Exempt

• Residents of Tanzania (mainland or Zanzibar).
• Infants under 3 (Zanzibar).
• Students living and studying in Zanzibar.
• EAC and SADC citizens on the mainland only — not in Zanzibar, where they pay USD 22.

There is no exemption for holding private travel insurance, for short stays, or for day trips.

---

Other Destinations With Mandatory Visitor Insurance

Tanzania joins a short list of destinations that require visitors to hold insurance rather than merely recommending it. Cuba requires travel health insurance and checks it at entry (see our Cuba travel insurance guide), and Ecuador's Galápagos province requires private health insurance under its special law (Ecuador guide). Argentina has written a health-insurance declaration into its migration law, but enforcement awaits regulation (Argentina guide). Unlike Tanzania, none of them requires you to buy from a single state insurer.

---

FAQ

Is travel insurance mandatory for Zanzibar?

Yes. Since 1 October 2024 every non-resident visitor must buy the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation's inbound policy, USD 44 for adults. Your own travel insurance does not exempt you.

Do I need insurance for mainland Tanzania too?

Since 1 October 2026, yes. If you arrive on the mainland first, you buy the National Insurance Corporation policy instead of the ZIC one. Residents and EAC/SADC citizens are exempt on the mainland.

Do I need two policies to visit Zanzibar and the Serengeti?

No. You buy one policy, from the insurer at your first point of entry, and it covers the rest of the trip for up to 92 days.

How much is Zanzibar's mandatory insurance?

USD 44 for adults, USD 22 for children aged 3–17 and for EAC/SADC citizens, and free for children under 3, for up to 92 days.

Do Kenyans need Zanzibar travel insurance?

In Zanzibar, yes, at the reduced USD 22 rate for East African Community citizens. On mainland Tanzania, EAC citizens are exempt.

What is the official Zanzibar insurance website?

The official portal is inbound.visitzanzibar.go.tz, operated for the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation (zic.co.tz). The portal states that no third-party sellers are authorised.

---

Key Takeaways

• Zanzibar has required inbound insurance since 1 October 2024; mainland Tanzania since 1 October 2026.
• Buy one policy, from the insurer at your first point of entry — ZIC for Zanzibar, NIC for the mainland.
• USD 44 for adults in Zanzibar, USD 22 for children 3–17 and EAC/SADC citizens, free under 3.
• Your own travel insurance is not accepted instead.
• EAC/SADC citizens are exempt on the mainland but not in Zanzibar.
• ZIC publishes no benefit limits; figures quoted elsewhere are unverified.

---

Sources

• Zanzibar Insurance Corporation — Inbound Insurance (zic.co.tz) and public notice on mainland arrivals (September 2026)
• Zanzibar inbound insurance portal (inbound.visitzanzibar.go.tz)
• UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office — Tanzania entry requirements (gov.uk)
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark — Zanzibar travel advice notice (September 2024)

Last verified: 2026-10

---

Important Disclaimer

This guide provides general information about insurance requirements based on publicly available sources as of the "Last verified" date above. It is not legal, insurance, or financial advice. Requirements, penalties, and statutes can change; individual circumstances vary. Always confirm current rules with your state's Department of Insurance or DMV, and consult a licensed insurance professional for advice specific to your situation.