Travel Insurance for Egypt (2026): What You Need, What to Avoid, and How to Choose

It's not legally required for most travelers, but Egypt trips commonly involve heat exposure, multi-stop itineraries, water activities, desert tours, and Nile cruises—all of which create specific risks. Insurance is strongly recommended for medical coverage, evacuation, and trip disruption protection.

Look for clear coverage for doctor visits, emergency treatment, tests, hospitalization, and prescribed medication. Equally important is strong medical evacuation and repatriation coverage, plus 24/7 assistance that can coordinate care in an unfamiliar healthcare system.

Most policies cover Nile cruises as standard travel, but check your trip interruption and delay coverage carefully. Cruise schedules are fixed, so if you miss a departure or need to disembark due to illness, you want coverage that helps with additional transport and accommodation costs.

Scuba diving is often excluded from standard policies or requires a specific sports/activities extension. Check for depth limits (commonly 30m or 40m), certification requirements, and whether guided dives are treated differently from independent diving. Don't assume it's included.

Many policies classify quad biking, ATV tours, and off-road driving as "hazardous activities" and exclude them by default. If you plan to do desert tours—even once—you'll likely need a specific activities extension. This is a common reason for claim denials.

Heat-related illness (dehydration, heat exhaustion) and food-related stomach issues are common in Egypt. A good policy covers clinic visits, tests, IV fluids if needed, and prescribed medication. The key is having 24/7 assistance that can guide you to appropriate care quickly.

Many policies include missed connection coverage, but check the specific terms. Multi-stop Egypt itineraries (Cairo → Luxor → Aswan → Red Sea) are disruption-sensitive. Look for trip delay and missed connection benefits that cover additional transport, accommodation, and meal costs.

Trip disruption coverage can help with costs if your cruise is delayed or cancelled for covered reasons. If you prepaid a Nile cruise package, cancellation coverage purchased close to booking time protects your investment if you need to cancel before departure.

Contact your insurer's 24/7 assistance line as soon as possible. They can guide you to appropriate facilities and help with documentation. Collect medical reports, itemized invoices, proof of payment (if you pay upfront), and prescriptions. Good assistance reduces the "pay first, claim later" hassle.

Snorkeling is often included in standard policies, but verify it. Some policies distinguish between "recreational" snorkeling and more structured boat-based snorkeling trips. Check whether guided activities are treated differently and confirm there are no unexpected exclusions.

For medical issues: medical reports, itemized invoices, proof of payment, prescriptions. For theft: police report (usually required), proof of ownership, incident documentation. For delays: written confirmation from the carrier, receipts for extra costs, original booking confirmations. Documentation = payout.

Yes, but policies vary significantly. Some exclude anything related to the condition, some cover under specific rules, some require disclosure. Tell your broker upfront so they can filter policies correctly. It's one of the biggest "looks fine until you claim" traps in travel insurance.