Travel insurance for the Maldives: what to check

For a tourist visa, no. The entry requirements listed by Maldives missions are a valid passport, an onward or return ticket, and a confirmed accommodation booking or proof of funds. You also complete the free IMUGA Traveller Declaration online within 96 hours before you arrive. Proof of insurance is not on that list. See our visa and entry requirements guide for the full detail.

Rules can change, so check with Maldives Immigration or your airline before you fly. Some liveaboards, dive centres and course providers may ask to see proof of cover before they take you out, so keep a copy to hand.

The Maldives is safe and well used to visitors. The reason insurance matters is geography, not danger.

• Distance. Around 1,200 islands are spread along a long chain of atolls. Many are hours by boat from the capital.
• Where the hospitals are. Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) in Malé is the main state hospital. The UK government’s travel advice notes that the only fully equipped hospitals are in Malé and Hulhumalé.
• Island health centres. Many inhabited islands have a government health centre. They treat minor problems and stabilise more serious cases, but anything complex usually goes to Malé.
• Getting you there. A transfer to Malé may be by speedboat, domestic flight or seaplane, depending on the island and the time of day. Seaplanes only fly in daylight.
• Going further. Some serious cases need care abroad, which is very expensive without cover.

Our health and safety guide covers medical care and everyday risks in more depth.

Read the policy wording, not just the summary. These are the points that matter most for a Maldives trip.

Medical treatment and evacuation

• Emergency medical treatment, including hospital stays, with a limit that would cover a serious case.
• Medical evacuation and repatriation, stated clearly. Check it covers transfer from an outer island to Malé, not only flights home.
• Whether the insurer must approve treatment or transfers first.
• Pre-existing conditions. Declare them honestly; undeclared conditions are a common reason claims fail.
• Pregnancy, if relevant. Check limits on how far along you can be when you travel.

Diving and freediving

Many standard policies exclude scuba diving, or only cover it as an add-on. Check:

• That scuba diving is covered at all, including during a course.
• The depth limit in the policy. The Maldives’ recreational diving regulation sets a 30 m limit for recreational divers, and your policy may set a shallower one depending on your certification. Diving beyond your policy limit can void your cover.
• Whether you must dive with a qualified instructor or a buddy, and hold a recognised certification.
• Hyperbaric (recompression) treatment for decompression illness. The country has only a few chambers, so the cost of getting to one can be part of the claim.
• Freediving, which some policies treat separately from scuba.

If you are new to diving, read learning to dive in the Maldives and freediving in the Maldives, which explain the safety questions to ask before you go in.

Snorkelling and water sports

Snorkelling is usually covered as standard, but check the list of included activities. Some policies treat these differently:

• surfing
• kitesurfing and windsurfing
• parasailing, jet skis and other motorised water sports
• deep-sea or big-game fishing
• boat trips far offshore

If you plan to surf or try water sports, match the policy list against your plans. Our guides to water sports in the Maldives and diving in the Maldives help you work out what you will actually do.

Weather, boats and missed connections

Most travel between islands is by sea. Speedboats can be cancelled or delayed in rough weather, especially during the southwest monsoon (mid-May to November). MTCC public ferries don’t run on Fridays on most routes. Seaplanes don’t fly after dark.

Check what your policy says about:

• Missed departure. If a cancelled boat makes you miss your international flight, are the extra costs covered? Many policies only cover this if you left a reasonable margin.
• Travel delay. Is there a payment for long delays, and does it apply to boats as well as flights?
• Weather. Some policies only cover disruption from named events, not routine rough seas.

The simplest protection is planning: get back to the Malé area the day before a long-haul flight, especially in the wet season. Our best time to visit guide explains the monsoons, and getting around the Maldives covers boats, ferries and flights. For seaplane and domestic flight rules, see seaplanes and domestic flights.

Cancellation and curtailment

• Cover for cancelling before you travel for reasons such as illness, injury or family emergencies.
• Cover for cutting your trip short.
• Whether non-refundable guesthouse deposits and pre-paid transfers are included.
• When cover starts. Buying early protects more of your trip.

Belongings

• Phones, cameras and drones often have low single-item limits, and water damage is often excluded.
• Items left unattended on a beach or boat may not be covered.

• Alcohol or drugs. Most policies exclude claims linked to being drunk or under the influence. Remember that alcohol is not sold or allowed on local islands.
• Breaking local law or ignoring advice. Claims can fail if you were acting against local rules or official advice.
• Unlicensed activities. Diving or water sports with an unregistered operator, or beyond your training, may not be covered.
• Motorbikes and scooters. Riding without a valid licence, or without a helmet, is a common exclusion.

• Bring enough of any regular medicine for the whole trip, plus a few days spare in case of delays.
• Keep medicines in original packaging with a copy of your prescription or a doctor’s letter. Some medicines that are legal at home are controlled in the Maldives, so check with a Maldives mission before you travel if you are unsure.
• If you have a medical condition, ask your insurer whether you need a medical screening before cover applies.

1. Get help first. The national emergency number is 911. You can also call ambulance 102, police 119 and fire 118. On a local island, the health centre or your guesthouse host can help you reach care quickly.

2. Call your insurer’s emergency line early, ideally before any transfer or major treatment, so they can approve and arrange it.

3. Keep every document. Medical reports, receipts, boat or flight cancellation notices and a police report if anything is stolen.

4. Photograph everything and send copies to your own email so you don’t lose them.

Before you leave home, put these in one place on your phone and on paper:

• policy number and the 24-hour emergency phone number
• a copy of the policy wording, so you can check cover offline
• your passport, flight and accommodation details
• dive certification and logbook, if you dive
• your doctor’s letter and prescriptions

Signal can drop at sea, so offline copies matter. Our packing list has more ideas for what to carry.

Dhiffushi, in North Malé (Kaafu) Atoll, is about 37 km north-east of Malé, 40–50 minutes by shared speedboat. As on most local islands, serious medical cases go to Malé. Because the public ferry doesn’t run on Fridays and boats can be held back by rough seas, it is worth checking your policy’s missed-departure cover before your trip home. See how to get to Dhiffushi and our planning page for practical details.