‘Jamaica Cares’ is an ‘end-to-end’ travel insurance plan that provides visitors with emergency medical and crisis response services. The catch? Purchase is compulsory. Olivia Palamountain reports

Since Jamaica reopened to visitors on June 15, tourists have had to undergo temperature checks, provide proof of a negative Covid-19 test result and complete a Travel Authorisation application upon entering the country.

Now, all non-Jamaican passport holders will be required to purchase an insurance policy called “Jamaica Cares”. For the price of US$40 per person, the cover comes courtesy of a “public-private partnership” with emergency services firm Global Rescue, according to Edmund Bartlett, Jamaica’s tourism minister.

The policy will cover services such as “case management, transport logistics, field rescue, evacuation and repatriation for medical emergencies including Covid-19, along with crises including natural disasters,” said officials at a Zoom briefing on the programme.

Plans include international health coverage up to US$100,000 for visitors travelling to and from Jamaica and on-island health coverage up to US$50,000. The programme combines Global Rescue’s emergency services with domestic and international travel medical insurance, said Jamaican officials.

Jamaica is not the only destination offering augmented insurance in the fight to stimulate tourism. Destinations around the world including the Dominican Republic, Portugal, Turkey and Uzbekistan are getting creative and offering enhanced Covid-19 travel insurance for holidaymakers. 

Airlines such as Virgin Atlantic and Etihad are at it too, as are travel companies such as The Greek Villas,  eDreams Odigeo and Saga.

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