Do you need travel insurance for Jamaica?

Travel Insurance for Jamaica.

Jamaica is often referred to as the crown jewel of the Caribbean and is a hugely popular tourist destination. For many people it is a once-in-a-lifetime holiday and having proper travel insurance is a key element in making sure of having a fantastic experience.

Cost

Most trips to Jamaica are likely to be for a few weeks and are likely to be family holidays as well.

The cost of these holidays, in terms of air travel and accommodation, as well as other spending on leisure activities can be significant. It is really important to have some travel insurance in place that can provide some degree of financial protection in the event the holiday is cancelled or cut short.

Most travel insurance policies have sections that cover the cost of cancellation, for a variety of different reasons, although there are normally quite strict terms and conditions.

Airlines

Jamaica is well-serviced by all the major Airlines including Virgin Airways, American Airlines, Aer Lingus etc, and flights can come at a cost.

Return flights from the UK to Kingston come in at around £1000, from Berlin at around £1200/1300, and much cheaper from the USA where flights from New York come in at around £300/400. Prices as of June 2023 and in sterling to show comparison prices.

Airline delays and cancellations are frequent due to the poor weather conditions that can affect all airlines, again having proper travel insurance can help offset some of the financial and practical problems that can occur as a result of these delays.

Sports and Activities

Jamaica is famous for its range of sports and activities especially water sports, drawing many enthusiasts all year round to experience its fantastic beaches and seafronts.

Some other most common water sports include :

• Banana boating
• Canoeing
• Jet skiing
• Kite surfing
• Scuba diving surfing
• White water rafting

It’s important to remember that travel insurance policies will include and exclude certain specific types of sports and activities, and this varies across the industry.

Please check your travel insurance policy to make sure which are covered and which are not before taking part in any.
Some enthusiasts will also bring their sporting equipment, which can be quite valuable and may need specific insurance.

Many travel insurance companies will provide specific add-on policies or endorsements for specific activities such as kite surfing, which will need to be taken out before undertaking the holiday.

Valuables Travel Insurance

People take valuables with them on holiday, such as laptops, iPhones, cameras, jewellery etc.

Unfortunately, these are all the items that are targeted by thieves and tend to be the most common areas of crime in Jamaica.

Having travel insurance to cover this eventuality can help minimise the shock or trauma if this happens. A condition of the travel insurance policy would be that the policyholder or their family need to show responsible behaviour.

This can be a slightly contentious phrase, but it means that people have to show common sense and look after their belongings especially items of value that could be lost or stolen.

In this regard, it is a good idea for people to be aware of the local laws and customs, which can sometimes give rise to unintended disputes which can escalate into more serious problems

Medical Costs

One of the main benefits of all travel insurance policies is to provide a level of coverage for any medical treatment that may be needed during the trip.

Jamaica has good medical facilities, although like any country the quality can vary over the island.

One thing that is important to know is that several clinical providers including some hospitals requirement of cash up front, with the policyholder claiming the money back from the insurance company afterwards.

This can be quite a shock to people who may not realize that some countries have this approach, and expect that the insurance company will deal directly with the hospital or physician.

If concerned please talk to the travel insurance company when taking out the policy and check what their experience with these situations is.

Health

Whilst Covid has ceased to be on the front page every day as it were, it remains a major health issue and Jamaica will have specific policies in terms of checking Covid symptoms, testing people and any possible potential quarantine measures if things start to get serious.

It is important to check actual travel insurance policy covers you in all these eventualities, and any other health concerns, such as vaccination requirements, especially for yellow fever. These may be a condition of entry to the country.

Safety

Jamaica is not necessarily on many people’s radar before they go, in terms of what is happening in the country, so it is a good idea to check what is happening in terms of safety issues and health risks

Like a lot of countries, Jamaica can have its dangerous areas, especially for tourists and it is a really good idea to check the current situation before you go.

Checking the advice on the national government websites is a really good place to start as it contains several different sections all these areas that are kept pretty much up to date.

This advice should include checking if a visa is needed and what passport requirements they may be in terms of length and validity. Countries have different requirements in these areas and it is important to check out what they are before travelling.

Jamaica Cares

The Jamaica Cares program is mandatory of all non-Jamaican passport holders, whether they have travel insurance or not.