Panama launches free travel insurance for international visitors
The government-funded scheme provides medical and repatriation cover for the first 10 days of a trip
Panama has introduced complimentary travel insurance for international visitors as part of efforts to strengthen traveller confidence and support continued growth in inbound tourism.
The government-funded Tourist Insurance programme automatically covers eligible travellers for the first 10 days of their stay in Panama, with no application or registration required.
Coverage is activated when an eligible visitor enters the country by air and receives an immigration stamp at one of the participating airports. The scheme is available to travellers under the age of 86, including foreign visitors and Panamanian nationals who are permanently resident overseas.
The insurance is funded by the Panama Tourism Authority (ATP), with coverage administered by Compañía Internacional de Seguros.
Cover limits for Panama’s new tourist insurance
Benefits include up to US$15,000 for hospitalisation and medical expenses arising from an accident or non-pre-existing illness. The policy also provides up to $10,000 for medical transportation within Panama and up to $50,000 for international medical repatriation.
Other benefits include emergency dental treatment, prescribed medication following an emergency, accidental death cover and certain forms of legal assistance. Support is also available in cases involving the loss or theft of travel documents.
Pre-existing, congenital and chronic conditions are excluded from medical coverage.
The programme applies to passengers arriving through six designated airports, including Tocumen International Airport in Panama City, Panamá Pacífico International Airport and airports serving Chiriquí, Coclé, Colón and Bocas del Toro.
Travellers requiring assistance must contact the programme’s designated assistance centre, which operates around the clock and coordinates eligible medical and other services.
The initiative comes as Panama records strong growth in international tourism. According to ATP preliminary figures, international visitor arrivals increased by 17.4% year on year during the first six months of 2026. Tourism revenues over the same period reached approximately $3.79 billion, representing an annual increase of 14.7%.
Panama has positioned the insurance programme as an additional benefit for international visitors and a means of increasing confidence in the destination.
The complimentary cover does not necessarily remove the need for travellers to purchase their own comprehensive travel insurance, particularly for trips lasting longer than 10 days or where broader benefits and higher medical limits may be required.