Cuba🇨🇺

Yes. Cuba is one of the few Caribbean destinations where medical insurance is a condition of entry.

• The US Embassy in Havana writes that Cuba requires visitors to have non U.S. medical insurance. It says this is usually included in the ticket price on flights originating in the United States, or can be purchased at the airport on arrival. It also tells travelers to keep their boarding pass, because it is needed to obtain medical care.
• The Government of Canada says you must present proof of medical insurance on arrival, and that if your documentation is not adequate you will be required to buy Cuban insurance.

The practical point for US travelers is the phrase non U.S. A policy administered in the United States may not be accepted as your entry proof. Treat the cover bundled with your ticket, or the policy sold at the airport, as the document that satisfies Cuban officials, and treat any other plan as additional protection. The detail is in Cuba travel insurance requirements.

You will also need an electronic visa and the D'Viajeros online arrival form, which the UK Foreign Office says must be completed within 72 hours before entry.

Only some. In Ombrela's plan catalog, the Atlas International plans and the Safe Travels International plans list Cuba as a restricted destination, so they cannot be issued for a Cuba trip. Patriot International Lite and Patriot Platinum International do not list Cuba as restricted.

Before you rely on one of those two:

• Read the certificate wording for any sanctions clause and confirm with the plan administrator that claims arising in Cuba are payable for your citizenship and country of residence.
• Remember that it sits on top of, and does not replace, the insurance Cuba itself asks for at the border.
• If you are subject to US jurisdiction, make sure your trip fits one of the 12 travel categories authorized by OFAC. Tourism is not one of them.

You can compare plans on Ombrela at travel medical insurance quotes. Enter Cuba as the destination so that plans which exclude it drop out.

The US Embassy in Havana says medical care in Cuba typically does not meet US standards. It describes medical professionals as generally competent but says many facilities face shortages of supplies and bed space, and that many medications are unavailable. The UK Foreign Office reports severe shortages of basic medicines and says facilities in Havana are better than elsewhere on the island.

Foreign visitors in the Havana area are generally referred to Clinica Central Cira Garcia in the Miramar district, according to the US Embassy. Canada's travel advice notes that international clinics in resort areas offer better care than public facilities but still face shortages.

Payment needs planning:

• The UK Foreign Office says treatment requires payment up front in foreign currency.
• Canada's advice says cards issued by or affiliated with US banks are not accepted, and that as of June 6, 2026, Visa and Mastercard no longer work in Cuba. Older US Embassy wording says hospitals generally require card payment. Because official sources differ, carry enough cash in a currency the hospital accepts and ask your insurer whether it can guarantee payment directly.
• Canada also warns that Cuban authorities will not let you leave with unpaid medical bills.

Conditions changed sharply during 2026, so read the current official advice before you book.

• Shortages and outages. On September 28, 2026, the Government of Canada advised against non essential travel to Cuba, citing worsening shortages of fuel, electricity, food, water and medicine, and said Canadian airlines had suspended service. Long power cuts affect refrigeration, water pumping and transport.
• Illnesses spread by mosquitoes. The CDC lists dengue, Zika and chikungunya for Cuba. Canada and the UK also list Oropouche virus disease.
• Rabies. The CDC notes that rabid dogs are found in Cuba and advises immediate care after any bite.
• Food and water. The CDC recommends hepatitis A vaccination for travelers who have not had it and careful food and water habits. The US Embassy says hepatitis A is common in summer.
• Medicines. The US Embassy advises bringing prescription and over the counter medicines in original containers, with a copy of the prescription.

Check the current US State Department travel advisory level for Cuba directly on travel.state.gov. It has cited crime and unreliable electrical power, and it can be revised at short notice.

Given the shortages described by three governments, evacuation matters more here than almost anywhere else in the region.

• Emergency medical evacuation to a third country or to your home country. The US Embassy notes an evacuation to the United States may cost more than $50,000 and advises that plans cover evacuation by air and repatriation of remains. See how evacuation cover works.
• A policy maximum large enough for hospital treatment outside Cuba after an evacuation, not only for the first clinic visit.
• A 24 hour assistance line that can arrange a payment guarantee, since card payment may not be possible.
• Clear wording on Cuba, with no sanctions exclusion that defeats the purpose.

Medicare usually does not cover care outside the US, according to Medicare.gov, and the US Embassy notes that many domestic health insurers do not either. Compare the eligible plans at travel medical insurance.

Have the paperwork on you, because internet access and power can fail when you need them.

• Print your policy, the assistance phone number and your D'Viajeros form. Keep your boarding pass, which the US Embassy says is needed to obtain care under the insurance bundled with a US flight.
• For an ambulance dial 104. Outside cities, a taxi or hotel transport may reach a clinic sooner.
• Call your plan's assistance line before treatment where you can. Ask whether it will guarantee payment to the clinic or whether you must pay cash and claim later.
• Collect itemized bills and medical reports before you leave the facility. They are hard to obtain later.
• Settle the bill before your departure date. Canada warns that unpaid medical bills can prevent you from leaving.