Japanese insurers see potential
The Mainichi newspaper in Japan has reported that an increase in the number of uninsured visitors heading to the country has resulted in major insurers taking the opportunity to offer these tourists travel insurance on arrival. A survey conducted by the Japan Tourism Agency found that around 30 per cent of international tourists in Japan arrive without any travel medical insurance, which means their medical costs are not covered when they fall ill. A separate survey from 2016 claimed that 30 per cent of hospitals in the Osaka Prefecture that had treated foreign nationals had experienced this problem.
Insurers that have shown interest in providing travel insurance to inbound visitors include Sompo Japan Nipponkoa Insurance, Mitsui Sumimoto Insurance and Aioi Nissay Dowa Insurance.