How much is travel insurance to Cuba?

Cuba is a staple of the Ontario winter — affordable all-inclusive weeks on the beaches of Varadero, Cayo Coco and Holguín. It’s also one of the few destinations where travel medical insurance isn’t just wise, it’s a condition of entry.

Insurance is required to enter Cuba

Cuba requires visitors to hold travel medical insurance, and border officials can ask to see proof. That makes coverage a practical necessity rather than an optional extra: without it, entry can be a problem. Keep your confirmation of coverage with your passport and travel documents so you can produce it on arrival if asked.

What a Cuba trip costs to insure

Emergency medical coverage is priced per day, and the main drivers for Cuba are:

• Age — the largest factor.
• Trip length — a one-week package costs less to cover than a longer stay.
• Coverage amount — most travellers choose a high limit; the added cost on a short trip is small.
• Health — no medical questions under 60; 60+ complete a medical questionnaire that sets the premium.
• Deductible — choosing one lowers the premium.

For a healthy adult on a resort week, the premium is usually a modest line on the total trip cost. Any specific figure is illustrative until you see a quote.

Why coverage matters in Cuba specifically

Cuba’s tourist medical facilities handle routine issues, but serious cases can require transfer to a better-equipped hospital or repatriation to Canada — which is expensive and exactly what emergency medical coverage with repatriation is for. A 24/7 assistance line from a Canadian insurer is especially valuable in Cuba, where some US-based financial and insurance services don’t operate. Our assistance operates 24/7 in multiple languages and can coordinate care and payment.

The OHIP gap

OHIP covers very little outside Canada and never pays up front; most out-of-country coverage ended in 2020. In Cuba you rely entirely on your travel policy, which — combined with the entry requirement — is why every traveller should be covered.

Choosing the right plan

• Confirm the plan covers Cuba — both Worldwide and Excludes-USA options from Canadian insurers typically do.
• Prioritize repatriation coverage within the emergency medical limit.
• Carry your proof of coverage for the border.

Our Emergency Medical shelf covers Cuba under its Worldwide and Excludes-USA options, so you can match the plan to the rest of your itinerary.

Keeping it affordable

• Use a deductible to trim the premium.
• Keep a sensible coverage limit so a serious case and repatriation are fully covered.
• If you take several sun trips a year, compare a Multi-Trip Annual plan.

If you need care in Cuba

Cuba is the destination where a Canadian insurer’s assistance line earns its keep, because some US-based services don’t operate there. If you fall ill or are injured, call your insurer’s 24/7 assistance line early — the team can direct you to an appropriate facility and coordinate payment, and arrange repatriation if a serious case is beyond the local hospital. Keep all receipts and medical records, which in Cuba may be handwritten, and hold onto them for your claim. Our assistance operates 24/7 in multiple languages, and claims are handled through our claims team. Carry the assistance number and your policy details separately from your phone in case you can’t get online.

A Cuba week is one of the better-value escapes from an Ontario winter, and the coverage that lets you through the border also protects you if the trip takes an unexpected turn. When you have your dates, you can compare options and get a quote.