Panama Reinstates Free Tourist Insurance for All Visitors Arriving by Air in 2026

• Panama reinstated its Seguro al Turista programme on September 10, 2026, giving foreign tourists automatic free insurance coverage
• The free insurance covers tourists for their first 10 days in Panama across six participating airports, with no forms or fees required
• Coverage includes medical care, emergency transfers, legal assistance, and air ambulance services up to $50,000 under specific conditions

Panama has brought back its "Seguro al Turista" programme, offering free insurance to international visitors who arrive in the country by air, with no application, payment, or paperwork required on the traveller's part.

The benefit became active on September 10, 2026. Any foreign tourist who enters Panama legally through an air port is automatically enrolled in the coverage for their first ten days in the country.

The programme also extends to Panamanian citizens who live abroad and return home through the same entry points.

Panama's government finances the scheme entirely, setting it apart from travel insurance requirements introduced recently in other countries, where visitors must purchase coverage before departure.

Which airports are included

The free insurance applies to travellers arriving at six airports: Tocumen International Airport in Panama City, Panama Pacific International Airport, Enrique Malek International Airport in the province of Chiriquí, Scarlett Martínez Airport in Río Hato in the province of Coclé, Enrique Adolfo Jiménez Airport in the province of Colón, and José Ezequiel Hall Airport on Isla Colón in the Bocas del Toro archipelago.

Visitors entering Panama by land or sea are not covered under the scheme. The programme is also limited to travellers aged under 86.

What the insurance covers

According to the Visit Panamá official portal, the policy covers medical and hospital care, medical transfers, international repatriation, and legal assistance in cases involving theft or accidents. Support is available around the clock in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese.

The individual benefit limits are as follows: hospitalisation and certain medical expenses up to $15,000; medical transfer to a hospital within Panama up to $10,000; and air ambulance transfer abroad up to $50,000 when the patient's condition requires it.

Dental costs arising from an accident are covered up to $1,000, while prescription medicines taken outside hospital are capped at $500. In the event of accidental death, the policy pays up to $20,000, with $10,000 available for the repatriation of remains.

The $50,000 figure that appears in some summaries of the scheme refers specifically to international air ambulance transport and does not represent the total ceiling for all medical benefits, each of which carries its own separate limit.

African countries eligible for Panama visa-free entry

Legit.ng earlier reported that the Republic of Panama has officially published a list of African countries whose citizens qualify to enter the Central American nation without obtaining a visa in advance.