Venezuela Travel Insurance
Everything you need to know before your trip
Healthcare Cost Level
Low
Avg. ER Visit
$50
Recommended Coverage
$500,000
Evacuation Risk
Critical
Insurance Coverage Warning
Many travel insurers completely exclude Venezuela or charge extreme premiums due to political instability, healthcare system collapse, and security risks
Healthcare in Venezuela
What to expect if you need medical care
Venezuela's healthcare system has experienced a complete collapse, resulting in poor quality medical care across the country. While you might pay only $50 for an emergency room visit or $100 per hospital day, these low costs reflect the dire state of facilities rather than affordable quality care. Hospitals face severe shortages of essential medications, medical supplies, and functioning equipment. The infrastructure is unreliable, with frequent power outages and water shortages affecting medical facilities. English-speaking medical staff are rare, making communication during emergencies extremely challenging. For any serious medical condition, the local healthcare system simply cannot provide adequate treatment, making medical evacuation to neighboring Colombia almost inevitable. This reality means you're not just paying for local care but for the certainty of needing emergency transport out of the country.
What Your Policy Should Cover
Country-specific considerations for Venezuela
Your policy must prioritize comprehensive medical evacuation coverage, as you'll almost certainly need transport to Colombia for serious conditions. Given Venezuela's year-round high risks for malaria, yellow fever, and dengue fever, ensure your policy covers tropical disease treatment and evacuation. The moderate risks of Zika virus and chikungunya also warrant attention. Critically, verify that your insurer actually covers Venezuela—many exclude it entirely due to political instability and the high crime and kidnapping risks that persist throughout the year. Security-related coverage, including emergency extraction and repatriation, becomes essential given these dangers. Adventure activities present additional challenges due to extremely limited rescue capabilities, so confirm coverage if you plan any outdoor excursions. Be prepared for extensive documentation requirements, as the limited medical infrastructure and security concerns make claim verification difficult.
Malaria
High Risk
Peak: year-round
Yellow Fever
High Risk
Peak: year-round
Dengue Fever
High Risk
Peak: year-round
Zika Virus
Moderate Risk
Peak: year-round
Chikungunya
Moderate Risk
Peak: year-round
Political Instability
High Risk
Peak: year-round
Crime And Kidnapping
High Risk
Peak: year-round
Activity-Specific Coverage
All Travel: Many insurers exclude Venezuela entirely due to security situation
Adventure Activities: Extremely limited rescue capabilities
How Much Coverage Do You Need?
Our recommendation based on Venezuela's healthcare costs
The recommended $500,000 coverage amount reflects the critical reality that medical evacuation is almost certain for serious conditions. While local healthcare costs are low, they're meaningless when facilities lack supplies and functioning equipment. Emergency medical transport from Venezuela to quality hospitals in Colombia is extremely expensive, and you'll need coverage that handles not just the evacuation itself but subsequent treatment abroad. The minimum $250,000 provides basic protection, but $500,000 ensures you're covered for extended treatment, multiple evacuations if needed, and complications arising from the challenging security environment and infrastructure failures.
Minimum
$250,000
Basic emergencies only
Recommended
$500,000
Full protection
Making a Claim in Venezuela
Tips for smooth claims processing
Documentation Required: Extensive documentation required due to limited medical infrastructure and security concerns affecting claim verification
- Obtain and keep all medical documentation immediately, as Venezuela's limited infrastructure makes retrieving records later extremely difficult or impossible.
- Document everything with photos and detailed notes, including facility conditions, medication shortages, and reasons for evacuation, as insurers require extensive verification due to the collapsed healthcare system.
- Keep copies of all receipts and payment records in multiple formats (physical and digital), as the security situation may prevent you from returning to obtain documentation.
- Contact your insurer immediately upon any medical incident, as they'll need to arrange evacuation quickly and verify coverage given that many policies exclude Venezuela entirely.
- Maintain detailed records of your travel dates, locations, and any security incidents, as these may be necessary to support claims given the country's ongoing political instability and crime risks.
Get Covered for Venezuela
Adventure destinations like Venezuela require solid evacuation coverage. Don't leave without it.
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