Cuba Insurance Requirements

[airiq]

I was reading that upon arrival to Cuba, they verify health travel insurance.

I have OSDE, but need to verify coverage internationally, as well as how to prove it, assuming it does.

I also read that one can purchase a Cuban plan upon arrival for a few bucks a day.

Has anyone travelled there recently and been able to use OSDE or purchased a plan on arrival?

 

[Ceviche]

Exited to hear about your Cuba trip. Its on my agenda too

 

[Dublin2BuenosAires]

Went in august, varadero and havanna, didnt bring any documentation of my osde plan and no one mentioned anything about it? First i heard of it was on this thread.

We had 5 nights of lazy bliss in varedero (great beach, lovely warm water) and 2 nights music and cocktails in havanna. Enjoy!

 

[Rich One]

I was reading that upon arrival to Cuba, they verify health travel insurance.

I have OSDE, but need to verify coverage internationally, as well as how to prove it, assuming it does.

I also read that one can purchase a Cuban plan upon arrival for a few bucks a day.

Has anyone travelled there recently and been able to use OSDE or purchased a plan on arrival?

Most health insurance companies provide a letter stating coverage in Cuba, this letter is required by the Cuban Consulate to issue your Visa Card.... Contact OSDE

 

[Joe]

When I went to Cuba three years ago this was also a requirement but no one mentioned it when I went through customs and passport control. Although I was thoroughly inspected and could have gone to jail - but not because of insurance.

I had bought some Coca Leaves in Bolivia and totally forgot them. I was interrogated for a long time and then they went through my bags. I imagine the dog had smelled it and I was marked for inspection. The customs agent put the small bag of leaves on the table and gave me a look and then he put everything back in my bag. Guess they didn't want the hassle of doing an arrest...

 

[Napoleon]

When I went to Cuba three years ago this was also a requirement but no one mentioned it when I went through customs and passport control. Although I was thoroughly inspected and could have gone to jail - but not because of insurance.

I had bought some Coca Leaves in Bolivia and totally forgot them. I was interrogated for a long time and then they went through my bags. I imagine the dog had smelled it and I was marked for inspection. The customs agent put the small bag of leaves on the table and gave me a look and then he put everything back in my bag. Guess they didn't want the hassle f doing an arrest...

An Aussie couple that I met about 5 or 6 years ago here in BA told me that they did a Cocaine Tour (or something like that) in Colombia where you go into the jungle and see how the stuff is made. They said that it took about the equivalent of 4 or 5 extra large plastic bags that you would use for bagging leaves in the fall in other countries to make one gram of coke.

A sandwich bag size of coca leaves would barely make a few specs of powder. I'm sure that they know this and realize how stupid it would be to waste time arresting you for about the potential of what they could probably actually get off of a US$100 bill.

 

[germano]

I was reading that upon arrival to Cuba, they verify health travel insurance.

I have OSDE, but need to verify coverage internationally, as well as how to prove it, assuming it does.

I also read that one can purchase a Cuban plan upon arrival for a few bucks a day.

Has anyone travelled there recently and been able to use OSDE or purchased a plan on arrival?

I traveled there a few months ago but not on an OSDE plan. Purchased a plan from www.worldnomads.com. A friend who traveled with me bought the travel health insurance from the travel agent (it was more expensive though). They did not check our insurance upon arrival in Havana but from what I saw - other travelers did have to show their proof of insurance. While at the beach my friend had an incident and needed to see a doctor (every hotel seems to have one) at that point we had to show the insurance papers.