Best Travel Insurance for Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka, a paradise island in the heart of the Indian Ocean, has captivated travelers from around the world with its stunning landscapes, rich culture, and hospitable people. And although it may seem like a destination with minimal risks, it's always advisable to travel with proper insurance, just in case any mini-tragedy occurs (knock on wood). In this article, we will attempt to address one of the most common questions that arises when planning this trip: what is the best travel insurance for Sri Lanka?

Organize your adventure with our tips for traveling to Sri Lanka

To avoid unpleasant surprises, it is vital to purchase good insurance that takes care of everything in case of an emergency, accident, or provides assistance in other circumstances. In this article, we will give you all the keys to help you choose the insurance that best fits this trip and your personal situation. However, if you want to skip the long explanation, you can contract IATI Backpacker insurance directly here (with a 5% discount), which, as you will see, is perfect for an adventure in Sri Lanka.

It is true that public healthcare is free, but let's not kid ourselves, Sri Lanka is a country with very limited infrastructure, having medical centers lacking advanced resources, poorly qualified professionals, and limited investment. A good friend who lives there shared with us the hardships he faced to treat a foot injury after stepping on a nail, and we were shocked.

There are several private hospitals with modern facilities and better services (even on par with any European country), but they are out of reach for most of the local population due to their high costs. These will be the recommended centers in case you need medical assistance, and your travel insurance will cover all expenses, which will not be cheap.

There are no mandatory vaccinations for traveling to Sri Lanka, except for Yellow Fever if you have been in a high-risk country beforehand. However, there are recommended vaccinations, such as Hepatitis A and B, Typhoid Fever, or Japanese Encephalitis, in addition to more generic immunizations like rabies, tetanus, and the MMR vaccine. The best approach is to visit an international vaccination center a few weeks before your trip for guidance.

Also, remember to bring a good mosquito repellent (there is a risk of dengue, but not malaria) and sunscreen: it is essential to protect against bites and the strong sun.

Having travel insurance is not a strict requirement for entering the country; however, it is highly recommended to have insurance that covers you in case of an accident or emergency. The good news is that these insurances also include coverage for lost or damaged luggage, flight delays, and other delicate situations (make sure to read all coverage details before contracting any insurance).

When planning a trip to the tear of India, you will likely inform yourself about its history and discover that, not long ago, it was the site of a brutal civil war (which ended in 2009). Since then, Sri Lanka has undergone significant changes, and efforts to promote tourism and political stability have been monumental.

Unfortunately, in 2019, the country suffered a series of coordinated terrorist attacks targeting luxury hotels and temples (in Colombo). Evidently, tourism was heavily affected for a while, but things have calmed down now. There are still hot areas in the north of the country, but they are off-limits to tourists and outside the typical route.

Recently Sri Lanka went through a severe economic crisis marked by shortages of goods, exorbitant price hikes, and suffering, especially among the lower classes. However, these economic problems seem to be in the past, and the tourism boom it is experiencing will aid its recovery.

Considering this context and hoping for continued tranquility, we can say that Sri Lanka is a 100% safe country for independent travel. Generally, the people are friendly and welcoming to tourists. However, be cautious, as it can be a bit overwhelming if you are a girl or woman traveling alone...

For some reason, there are many lecherous and undesirable onlookers in Sri Lanka who take advantage of bus commotions or confusing moments to inappropriately extend their hands. Unfortunately, this happens quite often, as they see it as a harmless game rather than sexual harassment.

I personally had a couple of tense moments, to use a euphemism... Both occurred on a bus when two men crossed the line. So if you are a girl traveling alone, be extra vigilant (the usual daily bread, I suppose). Even in this last trip, I felt somewhat "harassed" when I was alone in Kandy for just 15 minutes. Luckily, nothing happened this time, but girls know when they are subjected to unwelcome glances and comments. It's a shame, but be cautious and use common sense.

If you ever experience an unpleasant incident of this nature in public, we recommend reporting it, even if just by raising your voice and confronting the person. Usually, they will back down and face repercussions from those around.

One trend among travelers is to rent a tuk-tuk and drive around the country independently. Although the idea sounds fantastic, certain caution is required: the roads are generally in good condition, but there are potholes, and the traffic is, to say the least, chaotic.

Our recommendation is that if you plan to travel this way, spend the first few days in a quieter area practicing driving your new travel companion

-> More travel recommendations from the Foreign Ministry

This is undoubtedly one of the countries where we had the best time. We came here for the first time over 10 years ago and have returned a couple of times since then. During this time, we have seen its evolution, although certain things have hardly changed (one is public transport, which seems to miraculously endure). Luckily, we never had to use their healthcare system; nevertheless, we have always purchased insurance, just in case.

In this last trip, we spent nearly three weeks exploring the country with family (there were eight of us in total) in a van with a driver. But it's entirely feasible to move around on local buses, which, although slow, reach every corner of the country. Of course, you also have the option to rent a tuk-tuk for the entire trip, one of the few places in the world where you can do so.

Regarding insurance, we have been relying on IATI insurance for years, and in our case, we have the IATI Annual Multi-Trip policy, which provides coverage for trips of up to three months throughout the year. With a medical assistance limit of up to €300,000, it includes services such as emergency repatriation, compensation for damages to luggage, reimbursements for transportation delays, and, interestingly, coverage for common adventure sports (even search and rescue with a limit of up to €3,000). However, if we engage in scuba diving, an additional coverage extension is necessary for a small extra cost.

As for the rest of the trip participants, they opted for the IATI Backpacker insurance, which we believe is the perfect option for a trip with these characteristics. It was, in fact, us who chose it for them, haha. It is ideal if you want to enjoy trekking in the Highlands, snorkeling or surfing on the southern beaches, kitesurfing in Kalpitiya, diving in Mirissa, and generally having a calm and carefree trip.

However, if you want a slightly more economical alternative that's still comprehensive, we suggest the IATI Standard, which has a limit on medical expenses of €500,000 in addition to other interesting coverages. Obviously, there are many other insurances in the market, but we always travel with IATI, and when we have needed it, they have delivered exceptional service.

• Here we talk about our experience with IATI

Enough spoilers, and let's discuss the reasons why we think IATI Backpacker is the best travel insurance for Sri Lanka:

Firstly, it has a very high medical assistance limit (€600,000), which we consider to be the most important aspect.

It includes coverage for sports and adventure activities (including search and rescue) and is one of the few insurances that covers diving up to 40 meters deep and heights of up to 5,400 meters.

It has no deductible, so you won't have to pay a single rupee upfront.

Comprehensive coverage for traffic accidents (many insurances do NOT include this).

Compensation for lost luggage, damages, and theft.

24/7 assistance in your language at no extra cost.

An option (which is interesting) for cancellation expenses*, which reimburses up to €3,500 in case you have to cancel your trip (always check the accepted causes noted in the policy).

COVID coverage, which includes: medical assistance for COVID-19 (with no special limits), testing to detect the virus, expenses related to possible quarantine, repatriation, etc.

Some of these coverages are common in all IATI insurances, like the new APP where you can view insurance details and access a medical chat ideal for medical consultations and specific questions (even three days before starting the trip). Through this APP, you can also request assistance and call the insurance for free, wherever you are.

This is an optional coverage that you will have the option to add when purchasing your insurance. It ensures compensation in case you are forced to cancel the trip before it starts, as long as it is for one of the listed reasons. In that case, you will receive compensation of up to €3,500.

NOTE: You can only benefit from this cancellation guarantee if you purchase the insurance within a week of buying the flights or making the vacation package reservation.

Although we recommend IATI Backpacker as the best travel insurance for Sri Lanka, this company also offers other comprehensive and competitive insurances that can adapt to your circumstances. Below, we provide a summary table comparing their coverages:

From our perspective, spending on travel insurance is fundamental when calculating your budget. And in reality, it's not so much a cost but an investment - not only for when you need it (let's hope you don't!), but simply for the peace of mind it provides knowing you have a company behind you that will take care of your needs.

To give you an idea, we show you the prices of the three insurances compared above (with the 5% discount applied), for trips of 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks, without the cancellation supplement:

Finally, to summarize, we answer the most common questions people have before purchasing travel insurance for Sri Lanka:

It is not one of the requirements for entering Sri Lanka, such as a visa or having a passport valid for 6 months, but it is highly recommended.

The first step is to contact your health insurance provider to inform them about the issue and wait for them to provide you with the steps to follow. You can do this through the contact methods they provide; for IATI, they have an APP with a chat feature and the ability to call at no cost, although you can also call by phone or email. Generally, they will take note of your needs and reach out to you within a few minutes with instructions (hospital to visit, transport, ambulance, etc.).

It's crucial to do it this way; however, if for any reason you need to call emergency services directly, you will have to pay all costs out of pocket, although later you can submit your receipts to your insurer for reimbursement (up to the limit of your policy). We know IATI does not have problems with this, but keep in mind that other companies may not facilitate this reimbursement.

No, most insurances (including IATI) coordinate with local health services to cover the bills with no deductible. Therefore, you will not have to pay anything upfront.

It is important to read the conditions of each insurer in particular to check this. All IATI insurances, which we have used for some time, do include medical assistance in case of traffic accidents, but obviously do not cover damage to the car or third parties (for that, there are separate insurance policies from rental companies).

We hope that after reading this article, you are now clearer about which insurance is best for traveling to Sri Lanka and can implement all our health advice. And if you still have any questions, we're here to try to resolve them!

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