Many popular destinations are considering mandatory Travel Insurance for Visitors – Here’s why that’s a win for families

For the last couple years, my family has been traveling through South East Asia, and Thailand has been a regularly occurring destination on our schedules. It’s a beautiful country, affordable, and full of amazing food, as well as super convenient as a travel hub. All of which leads to Thailand bringing in millions of tourists each year.

While mass tourism brings in a lot of income for Thailand, it also causes some problems, including a rise in unpaid medical bills from tourists. It’s a big enough problem that, recently, the Thai government has been considering solving by making travel medical insurance mandatory for everyone visiting the country.

And, while it might feel like just “one more thing” coming between you and your holiday, I actually think this could be a great move, not just for Thailand, but for everyone.

Where is Travel Medical Insurance already required?

Uninsured travelers have been putting a strain on local hospitals for years, and several countries across the globe have decided to proactively deal with that by requiring medical insurance for some or all visitors who cross their borders. Before getting into why I think that Thailand is actually helping travelers by requiring insurance, let’s take a look at countries where this is already the norm.

Europe – the Schengen Region

Probably the biggest name on this list for most travelers is the Schengen Region of Europe. While Americans can enter Visa-free, for anyone who needs a visa to enter, travel medical insurance is required as part of the visa application process. The Schengen Region covers many of the best-known and most-toured countries in Europe, including Spain, France, Italy, and Iceland!

Argentina

While I haven’t been to Argentina in nearly 20 years, I was struck by the beauty of Torres del Paine National Park during my visit there in 2006, and I highly recommend it as as destination! Argentina has required all foreign visitors, including Americans, to have travel medical insurance since July of 2025.

Brunei

While Brunei isn’t on most people’s tourism bucket list, my family rather enjoyed our short time there in 2024 as part of our year spent visiting each of the 11 Countries of South East Asia. While travel medical insurance is recommended for every visitor, tourists who are able to enter visa-free and not planning to extend their stay, aren’t mandated to have it. However, if you need a visa to enter, or if you plan on staying beyond the visa-free limitations, it is required.

Georgia

Georgia is one of the most recent countries to be added to this list, as they just started requiring travel medical insurance in January of 2026. Similar to other countries, this was done to help their medical system cope with the rising costs of tourism-related medical emergencies and ensure the ability to care for any visitors who need help while in their borders.

…and more.

For many of these destinations, travel medical insurance starting at just $2/day can meet the minimum requirements, with room to spare!

Other places may instead require the purchase of a local plan to cover expenses, even if you already have a different plan. It’s super important to verify the requirements before trying to enter the country!

However, it’s worth noting that if you land in a new country and get surprised by new travel insurance requirements to get in, SafetyWing’s travel medical insurance plans can be purchased outside your home country, unlike many other insurance plans. And, since coverage starts immediately upon purchase, it’s a great option for getting last minute coverage for visas and border crossings

What other countries are considering requiring travel medical insurance?

While it was the news from Thailand that caught my eye first, they are far from the only country weighing the pros and cons of mandatory insurance for travelers. A quick internet search shows a number of other popular spots, like Indonesia and Japan, are also considering adding insurance as a requirement in the near future.

And as more and more countries begin requiring it, it’s a pretty safe bet that others will join in.

Why is travel medical insurance a good idea?

Reading through the comments on a post about Thailand thinking through this decision, I noticed a lot of people complaining about the added effort and price that this would add to a simple vacation. But if you look closer, this is actually a smart move for everyone involved.

For the host countries we visit, it’s all about keeping their healthcare systems alive and effective. Whether you’re in your home country or traveling the world, accidents happen. When a traveler can’t pay their hospital bills, local taxpayers have to cover it. Money that was intended to serve the people actually paying the taxes is instead spent bandaging up college kids on spring break who thought it would be fun to see how fast their rental scooter could go. By requiring medical insurance, countries ensure their doctors and hospitals can keep running for everyone, because the insurance companies are footing the bill for foreigners’ medical expenses.

For traveling families like ours, this requirement helps nudge us towards better safety and peace of mind. It removes the temptation to “gamble” with our health to save a bit of money. When insurance is mandatory, it becomes a standard part of your trip planning, just like booking a flight. While the increased cost can feel inconvenient on the front end, the benefits and added peace of mind easily outweigh the price.

If a kid gets a bad ear infection or someone trips and needs stitches, the last thing you want to worry about is the bill. Having insurance means you can focus on getting better rather than how to budget your remaining Baht. It turns a potential disaster into just a small bump in the road.

My family’s first experience with Travel Medical Insurance

Way back in the year 2020, when we first decided to travel full-time, you may remember that there was something of a global medical crisis going on. During that time period, many countries began requiring travel medical insurance that specifically covered COVID-19, including the country of Costa Rica.

We didn’t particularly want to buy Covid insurance to enter Costa Rica, but because it was mandated, we did. It was a small enough cost that we didn’t worry about it overmuch, and we still had a great time in country. But when it came time to leave, my wife tested positive and we, all of sudden, found ourselves in a bind.

Costa Rica mandated a 10-day quarantine for our family. Our flights were cancelled. As were our reservations at our next destination. An ambulance was called to take us to a quarantine hotel, and for a week and a half, our family of four couldn’t leave our unfortunately small hotel room.

It was not a great time. And it was definitely not something we had budgeted for. But the insurance covered it all! Because Costa Rica required Covid insurance, we didn’t have to pay hundreds of dollars for our stay.

Why SafetyWing is a great choice for families

SafetyWing stands out as an excellent choice for frequent travelers because it is built from the ground up for people who move around a lot. It is convenient, cost-effective, and super easy to manage while on the go.

And while I would suggest them for almost anyone, the fact that they offer free coverage for children under 10 (with a paying parent) makes them a top contender for the best travel medical insurance for families. Most other companies charge a full premium for every person, which can really add up.

They also try to make their offerings simple to understand. Which is why SafetyWing recently updated their offerings into two main tiers: Nomad Insurance Essential and Nomad Insurance Complete.

Here is how they stack up:

SafetyWing’s Essential Plan is a Great Choice for Budget-Conscious Travelers

The Essential plan is what most people think of when they hear “travel medical insurance.” It is a month-to-month plan designed to cover you if something unexpected happens during your trip abroad.

Who is this for? The Essential plan is perfect for families on a standard vacation or a shorter worldschooling trip. If you still have health insurance back in your home country and just need protection for “the big stuff” while you are away, this is the one for you.

SafetyWing’s Complete Plan provides High-Quality Coverage for Families on the Move

The Complete plan is more like a full global health insurance policy. It doesn’t just wait for an emergency; it helps you stay healthy wherever you may find yourself.

Who is this for? This plan is for the “true” nomads. If you have sold your house, left your home country’s health system behind, and are living on the road full-time, you need the Complete plan. It ensures that you can get a physical or see a doctor for a minor issue without paying out of pocket every time.

Is Travel Medical Insurance the Key to Easier Family Trips?

Maybe.

At the end of the day, family travel is about seeing the world and making memories together. The last thing we want on our trip is worrying about hospital bills. While the possibility of new rules in Thailand, Japan, or beyond might feel like adding unnecessary extra steps, these rules really are there to help. They make the whole travel system more sustainable for everyone, and help keep these countries open to visitors.

For families like ours, having a good plan is about making travel safe and easy. No one plans on visiting the ER while on vacation. Affordable travel insurance options, like SafetyWing’s Essentials plan, ensure that a small accident won’t break your budget or send you home early.

Travel is always better when you have peace of mind. Investing in your family’s safety is an easy way to reduce stress levels while on the road. When you know you are covered, you can focus on the adventure ahead with total confidence.