Best Travel Insurance for Saudi Arabia (2024)

Best Travel Insurance for Saudi Arabia (1)

Best Travel Insurance for Saudi Arabia (2)

Byron Mühlberg

Guide

Jan 4, 2024

Advertiser disclosure

Saudi Arabia is best known among visitors for being home to the Islamic holy cities of Mecca (to which the Hajj pilgrimage is made) and Medina, as well as stunning deserts and mountain landscapes. Although travelling to Saudi Arabia can be an accessible holiday destination for many people, and although healthcare costs in the country aren't outrageously expensive, it's still a very good idea to arrive there with travel insurance anway, as you'll want the highest-quality healthcare you can find.

Luckily, online global insurances (known as 'insurtechs') specialize in cost-savvy travel insurance to Saudi Arabia and other countries worldwide. Our list below explores the four services we believe provide the best deals for young travellers, adventurers, everyday holidaymakers looking for comprehensive but affordable coverage, and longer-term expats.

Saudi Arabia Insurance Profile

Here are a few of the many factors influencing the scope and cost of travel insurances for Saudi Arabia:

👥 Number of Visitors

Around 16 million /year

✅ Travel Highlight

The Hajj to Mecca

💸 Healthcare Cost

65th globally (below average)

🩺 Healthcare Quality

Very good

⚠ Main Travel Risks

Sandstorms, extreme heat, terrorism

🛡 Safety

Unsafe

🚑 Travel Insurance Required?

No

🏆 Best Insurer

VisitorsCoverage

Best Travel Insurances for Saudi Arabia

  • 01. Do I need travel insurance for Saudi Arabia? scroll down
  • 02. Best medical coverage: VisitorsCoverage scroll down
  • 03. Best trip insurance: Insured Nomads scroll down
  • 04. Best mix for youth and digitial nomads: SafetyWing scroll down
  • 05. FAQ about travel insurance to Saudi Arabia scroll down

Best Travel Insurance for Saudi Arabia (3)

Heading to Saudi Arabia soon? Don't forget to check the following list before you travel:

  • 💳 Eager to dodge high FX fees? See our picks for the best travel cards in 2024.
  • 🛂 Need a visa? Let iVisa take care of it for you.
  • Looking for flights? Compare on Skyscanner!
  • 💬 Want to learn the local language? Babbel and italki are two excellent apps to think about.
  • 💻 Want a VPN? ExpressVPN is the market leader for anonymous and secure browsing.

Is Travel Insurance Mandatory in Saudi Arabia?

No, there's currently no legal requirement to take out travel insurance for travel to or through Saudi Arabia.

However, regardless of whether or not it's legally required, it's always a good idea to take our health insurance before you travel — whether to Saudi Arabia or anywhere else. For what's usually an affordable cost, taking out travel insurance will mitigate most or all of the risk of financial damage if you run into any unexpected troubles during your trip abroad. Take a look at the top five reasons to get travel insurance to learn more.

With that said, here are the top three travel insurances for Saudi Arabia:

VisitorsCoverage: Best Medical Coverage

Among the internet's best-known insurance platforms,VisitorsCoverageis a pioneering Silicon Valley insurtech company that offers comprehensive medical coverage for travellers going abroad to Saudi Arabia, no matter whether you're planning to journey to Mecca for the Hajj or snap a sunset panorama at the Edge of the World.

VisitorsCoverage lets you choose between various plans tailored to meet the specific needs of your trip to Saudi Arabia, including coverage for medical emergencies, trip cancellations, and travel disruptions. With its easy online purchase process and 24/7 live chat support, VisitorsCoverage is a reliable and convenient option if you want good value and peace of mind while travelling abroad.

VisitorsCoverage offers a large variety of policies, and depending on your needs and preferences, you'll need to compare and explore their full catalogue of plans for yourself. However, we've chosen a few highlights for their travel insurance for Saudi Arabia:

  • Policy Names: Varies
  • Medical Coverage: Very good. Includes coverage for doctor and hospital visits, pre-existing conditions, repatriation, mental health-related conditions, and many others.
  • Trip Coverage: Excellent - but only available for US residents.
  • Customer Support: FAQ, live chat and phone support
  • Pricing Range: USD 25 to USD 150 /traveller /month
  • Insurance Underwriter: Lloyd's, Petersen, and others
  • Best For: Value for money and overall medical coverage

Get a quote on VisitorsCoverage now

Insured Nomads: Best Trip Coverage

Insured Nomads is another very good travel insurance option for Saudi Arabia, especially if you're adventurous or frequently on the go and are looking for solid trip insurance with some coverage for medical incidents too. With Insured Nomads, you can choose the level of protection that best suits your needs and enjoy a wide range of benefits, including 24/7 assistance, coverage for risky activities and adventure sports, and the ability to add or remove coverage as needed. In addition, Insured Nomads has a reputation for providing fast and efficient claims service, making it an excellent choice if you want peace of mind while exploring the world.

Insured Nomads offers three travel insurance policies depending on your needs and preferences. We go through them below:

  • Policy Names: World Explorer, World Explorer Multi, World Explorer Guardian
  • Medical Coverage: Good. Includes coverage for doctor and hospital visits, pre-existing conditions, repatriation, and many others.
  • Trip Coverage: Good. Includes coverage for trip cancellation and interruption, lost or stolen luggage (with limits), adventure and sports activities, and many others.
  • Customer Support: FAQ, live chat, phone support
  • Pricing Range: USD 80 to USD 420 /traveller /month
  • Insurance Underwriter: David Shield Insurance Company Ltd.
  • Best For: Adventure seekers wanting comprehensive trip insurance

Choose your policy on Insured Nomads now

SafetyWing: Best Combination For Youth

SafetyWing is a good insurance option for younger travellers or digital nomads in Saudi Arabia because it offers flexible but comprehensive coverage at a famously affordable price. With SafetyWing, you can enjoy peace of mind knowing you're covered for unexpected medical expenses, trip cancellations, lost or stolen luggage, and more. In addition, SafetyWing's user-friendly website lets you manage your policy, file a claim, and access 24/7 assistance from anywhere in the world, and, unlike VisitorsCoverage, you can even purchase a policy retroactively (e.g. during a holiday)!

SafetyWing offers two travel insurance policies depending on your needs and preferences, which we've highlighted below:

  • Policy Names: Nomad Insurance, Remote Health
  • Medical Coverage: Decent. Includes coverage for doctor and hospital visits, repatriation, and many others.
  • Trip Coverage: Decent. Includes attractive coverage for lost or stolen belongings, adventure and sports activities, transport cancellation, and many others.
  • Customer Support: FAQ, live chat, phone support
  • Pricing Range: USD 45 to USD 160 /traveller /month
  • Insurance Underwriter: Tokyo Marine HCC
  • Best For: Digital nomads, youth, long-term travellers

Get a SafetyWing quote now

How Do They Compare?

Interested to see how VisitorsCoverage, SafetyWing, and Insured Nomads compare as travel insurances to Saudi Arabia? Take a look at the side-by-side chart below:

No. of Plans

50+

2

3

Coverage

  • Medical insurance
  • Trip insurance
  • Trip insurance
  • Limited medical insurance
  • Trip insurance
  • Limited medical insurance

Major Exclusions

  • Maternity & childbirth coverage
  • Mental health coverage
  • Pre-existing condition coverage
  • Maternity & childbirth coverage
  • Mental health coverage

Limits

$50,000 - $5,000,000

$250,000

$2,000,000

Deductibles

$0 - $25,000

$250

$0 - $500

Pricing

$25 - $150 /month

$45 - $160 /month

$80 - $200 /month

Customer Service

  • FAQ
  • Live chat
  • Phone support
  • FAQ
  • Live chat
  • Phone support
  • Available 24/7
  • FAQ
  • Live chat
  • Phone support
  • Available 24/7

Reputation

Excellent

Decent

Very good

Ease of Use

Easy

Decent

Easy

Get your quoteGet your quoteGet your quote

Data correct as of 4/1/2024

FAQ About Travel Insurance to Saudi Arabia

  • 💊 What does travel insurance cover?

    Travel insurance typically covers trip cancellation, trip interruption, lost or stolen luggage, travel delay, and emergency evacuation. Some travel insurance packages also cover medical-related incidents too. However, remember that the exact coverage depends on the insurance policy.

  • 📋 Do I need travel insurance to travel to Saudi Arabia?

    No, you'll not be required to take out travel insurance for Saudi Arabia. However, we strongly encourage you to do so anyway, because the cost of healthcare in Saudi Arabia can be high, and taking out travel insurance will mitigate some or all of the risk of covering those costs yourself if you need medical attention during your stay.

  • 🩺 Is medical travel insurance worth it?

    Yes, medical travel insurance is almost always worth it, and we recommend taking out travel insurance whenever visiting a foreign country. Taking out travel insurance will mitigate some or all of the risk of covering those costs yourself in case you need medical attention during your stay. In general, we recommend VisitorsCoverage to travellers worldwide because it offers excellent value for money and well-rounded travel and medical benefits in its large catalogue of plans.

  • 🚑 Does health insurance cover travel expenses?

    Health insurance doesn't cover normal holiday expenses, such as coverage for missed flights and hotels, but in case you run into medical trouble while abroad, it may cover some or all of your doctor or hospital expenses while overseas. However, not all health insurance providers and plans offer coverage to customers while abroad, and that's why it's generally best to take out travel insurance whenever you travel.

  • 🌴 Is health and travel insurance the same?

    Although there's overlap, health and travel insurance are not exactly the same. Health insurance covers some or all of the cost of medical expenses (e.g. emergency treatment, doctor's visits, etc.) while travel insurance covers non-medical costs that are commonly associated with travelling (e.g. coverage for missed flights, stolen or lost personal belongings, etc.).

  • 💸 How much does travel insurance cost?

    The cost of travel insurance depends on several factors, such as the length of the trip, the destination, the age of the traveller, and the level of coverage desired. On average, travel insurance can cost anywhere between 3% and 10% of the total cost of the trip.

  • 📑 What's the difference between single-trip and annual insurance?

    A single-trip travel insurance policy covers a specific trip, while an annual one covers multiple trips taken within a one-year period. An annual policy may be more cost-effective for frequent travellers.

  • 📅 Can I buy insurance after I've started my trip?

    Yes, you can sometimes purchase travel insurance after starting your trip, but it is best to buy it before the trip begins to ensure maximum coverage. If you do need to buy insurance after you've started your trip, we recommend VisitorsCoverage, which offers a wide catalogue of online trip and medical insurance policies, most of which can be booked with immediate effect. Check out our guide to buying travel insurance late to learn more.

  • 📆 Can I buy insurance for a trip I've already booked?

    Yes, you can most certainly purchase travel insurance for a trip that has already been booked, although we recommend purchasing insurance as soon as possible aftwerwards to ensure all coverage is in place before your journey begins. Check out our guide to buying travel insurance late to learn more.

See Our Other Travel Insurance Guides

How Travel Insurance Works March 20, 2023 - by Byron Mühlberg Best International Insurance July 27, 2023 - by Byron Mühlberg Travel Insurance for Children September 23, 2022 - by Byron Mühlberg Types of Travel Insurance March 23, 2023 - by Byron Mühlberg Why Get Travel Insurance March 20, 2023 - by Byron Mühlberg Booking Late Travel Insurance March 17, 2023 - by Byron Mühlberg Cost of Travel Insurance March 15, 2023 - by Byron Mühlberg

Looking for Travel Insurance to Another Country?

See our recommendations for travel insurance to other countries worldwide:

United Arab Emirates

Fiji

US Virgin Islands

India

Qatar

Belarus

Jamaica

Chile

Guatemala

Turkey

Hong Kong

Serbia

Germany

Kenya

Bulgaria

Mexico

Denmark

Tanzania

Philippines

Czechia

Gibraltar

United Kingdom

Netherlands

Azerbaijan

Canada

Morocco

Albania

South Korea

Austria

Panama

Argentina

Sweden

Kuwait

Thailand

Indonesia

Iraq

Belize

Bhutan

Bahrain

Spain

Pakistan

Uganda

Turks and Caicos

Poland

Nigeria

Australia

Bangladesh

Zimbabwe

Singapore

Cayman Islands

Nicaragua

Israel

Mauritius

Zambia

Brazil

Seychelles

Vanuatu

Russia

Barbados

Turkmenistan

South Africa

Cape Verde

Trinidad and Tobago

China

Tunisia

Sudan

Colombia

Oman

Somalia

Ireland

Malta

Syria

Vietnam

Cambodia

Sierra Leone

Nepal

Belgium

Rwanda

Egypt

Romania

Papua New Guinea

Iceland

Georgia

Mozambique

Jordan

Saudi Arabia

Montenegro

Bahamas

Iran

Mongolia

Portugal

Taiwan

Malawi

New Zealand

Namibia

Luxembourg

Puerto Rico

Lebanon

Lithuania

Dominican Republic

Cyprus

Latvia

Maldives

Myanmar

Laos

Malaysia

Finland

Haiti

Switzerland

Hungary

Gambia

Sri Lanka

Venezuela

Ethiopia

Croatia

Bermuda

Estonia

Ecuador

Ghana

Botswana

Peru

Uruguay

Afghanistan

Japan

Italy

Greece

France

Costa Rica

Why Trust Monito?

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Best Travel Insurance for Saudi Arabia (2024)

FAQs

Best Travel Insurance for Saudi Arabia? ›

Our Suggested AXA Travel Protection Plan

Do you need travel insurance for Saudi Arabia? ›

While this coverage is mandatory, we strongly recommend obtaining additional protection for your Saudi Arabia trip that includes further medical coverage, as well as protection from cancellations, delays, terrorism, baggage delays, and more.

Which insurance is best in Saudi Arabia? ›

Insurance companies in Saudi Arabia: ranking
RankCompanies2022-2023 evolution (1)
1Bupa Arabia23.42%
2Tawuniya33.81%
3Al Rajhi Takaful44.37%
26 more rows
Apr 4, 2024

Which medical insurance is best for Saudi visa? ›

VisitorsCoverage: Best Medical Coverage

VisitorsCoverage lets you choose between various plans tailored to meet the specific needs of your trip to Saudi Arabia, including coverage for medical emergencies, trip cancellations, and travel disruptions.

How can I get health insurance for visitors in Saudi Arabia? ›

Kindly visit the Saudi Tourism website at the link: https://sauditourism.sa and enter your personal information to using the tourism visit visa form. Coverage: The Tourism Health Insurance policy will cover all the health emergency situations by a network of approved health care services providers around the kingdom.

Does Saudi tourist visa have travel insurance? ›

The cost for the tourist eVisa is SAR 535 SAR. The visa cost includes a fee for full health insurance during your stay in the Kingdom. The cost for the tourist visa on arrival is SAR 480 SAR.

Is healthcare free in Saudi Arabia for foreigners? ›

Therefore, free healthcare is only provided to Saudi nationals in the country. As an expat in Saudi Arabia, you must have expat health insurance to provide for your medical needs.

Who is the largest insurer in Saudi Arabia? ›

Bupa Arabia

Is insurance allowed in Saudi Arabia? ›

All insurance and reinsurance companies in Saudi Arabia must be established as publically listed joint stock companies and are licensed and regulated by the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA).

Which one is best insurance? ›

Following is a list of the 12 best term insurance in India 2024 offered by top term life insurance companies.
  • ICICI Prudential iProtect Smart. ...
  • HDFC Life Click 2 Protect Super. ...
  • Max Life Smart Secure Plus. ...
  • TATA AIA SRS Vitality Protect. ...
  • Bajaj Allianz eTouch Online Term Plan. ...
  • PNB Metlife Mera Term Plan Plus.

What does Saudi tourist e visa insurance include? ›

Key takeaways. Mandatory: health insurance is mandatory for all applicants intending to obtain a visa to enter Saudi for the purpose of visit, transit, or tourism. Coverage: The insurance covers emergency in-patient treatment ie. examination, medical treatment, and hospitalization costs.

Can I get medical insurance for visit visa in Saudi Arabia? ›

The medical visitors' insurance policy is issued as part of visit visa requirement for visitors coming to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, it provides the medical care for emergency medical conditions through a wide network of hospitals and medical clinics. The policy is effective as soon as the visitor enters the Kingdom.

Is insurance required for umrah? ›

Umrah Pilgrims' Health Insurance Policy for those who are coming from outside of Saudi Arabia ensures you to get the insurance coverage which includes the full medical coverage for emergency and Covid-19 cases. Insurance Eligibility : All applicants to obtain (extend) visa to enter the Kingdom for Umrah .

How much is medical insurance in Saudi Arabia? ›

All Saudi citizens have free public health insurance. This grants them access to comprehensive care, including hospitals, clinics, and outpatient services. It also includes dentists, pharmacies, and rehabilitation centers.

Can visitor buy health insurance? ›

Can foreign visitors get insurance while in the U.S.? Yes, foreigners can get insurance while in the U.S. Various insurance options are available to travelers depending on their length of stay and visa type. It's best to research what's available to you based on your visa requirements before purchasing a plan.

Is healthcare affordable in Saudi Arabia? ›

Healthcare in Saudi Arabia currently is provided free of charge to all Saudi citizens and expatriates working in the public sector, primarily through the Ministry of Health and augmented by other governmental health facilities.

Is it OK to not have travel insurance? ›

When Is Travel Insurance Not Necessary? You generally don't need travel insurance if you're not putting down large non-refundable trip deposits, or if your U.S. health plan will cover you at your destination.

Do you need travel insurance for Middle East? ›

It is no longer a mandatory requirement for British passport holders to have travel insurance to enter the UAE. Other nationalities may require a visa to enter any of the UAE's seven emirates, such as Dubai or Abu Dhabi. If you do require a visa to enter then travel insurance is mandatory.

Do tourists need travel insurance? ›

Is Travel Insurance Mandatory? As a general rule, travel insurance coverage is not mandatory to travel. However, some countries require travel insurance to enter. Travel advisories change constantly and the country you plan to visit for your next trip may implement a requirement on short notice.

How much is the fine for without insurance in Saudi Arabia? ›

Automated Monitoring for Safer Roads

It will automatically detect vehicles without valid insurance. Violators will face fines ranging from SR100 to SR150, issued every two weeks for continuous violations.

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