What do we know about insurance in Egypt?

Health insurance for the entire duration of the trip to Egypt was considered not mandatory for tourists. However, it would be at least unwise to remain without possible qualified medical care in an Arab country.

The most common diseases  for tourists are stomach ache, overheating in the sun and various types of injuries received when getting acquainted with the beauty of the Red Sea. 

 Is health insurance mandatory for a trip to Egypt in 2021?
Before the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, health insurance for travel to Egypt was not mandatory. However, after the opening of the borders for tourists on July 1, 2020, the Egyptian authorities added an insurance policy to the list of mandatory documents for entering the country. Since the threat of Covid-19 persists, the requirement for mandatory insurance for entry to Egypt is valid in 2021.
Although it is quite obvious that the availability of insurance is dictated by the threat of infection with coronavirus in Egypt, the condition for the mandatory coverage of the Covid-19 treatment policy is not presented on the official Egyptian websites.
How would it be better to issue policies that provide protection against this infection, since its treatment can be very expensive.

So how can you choose a good insurance assistance?
The insurance is offered by travel operators includes a minimum of options. Such a policy usually has a budget assistance, but the final quality of services depends on it. The assistance company is engaged in finding a suitable clinic, communicating with the administration, drafting a letter of guarantee, etc. If a transfer to the hospital is required, then this is also the responsibility of the assistance manager.
Therefore, experienced tourists first of all pay attention to who they will have to deal with in case of an insured event. The level of assistance depends on which clinic you will be assigned to and how quickly the problem will be solved.

Top assistance in Egypt:
Euro-Center Holding
 Oxygen Assistance
Euro-Center Holding is a successful company with an excellent reputation. The insurance amount is up to 100 thousand dollars. The cost per day starts from $ 1.86. It operates all over the world and offers a wide selection of clinics and hospitals. The basic package includes help with sunburn and exacerbation of chronic diseases. Only this assistance pays for the treatment of injuries received as a result of alcohol or drug intoxication. Also, pregnant women should pay attention to Euro-Center Holding, since the package includes hospitalization for complications. One significant disadvantage of insurance is the high price.
Oxygen Assistance is a reliable assistance company. The price of insurance starts from $ 0.98 per day. Price depends  on the insurance package. It is 35-50 thousand dollars. This insurance is the best value for money. This insurance has several packages to choose from: a,b,c and Premium. The minimum package is suitable as protection against minor insurance cases, such as acute respiratory infections, poisoning, injuries. It is better to arrange insurance for children. The only drawback is that you can't buy insurance if you are already abroad.
If the budget of your trip to Egypt does not force you to count every penny, it is better to take out ERV insurance.
In this option, you get the support of the Euro-Center Holding assistance, which is leading in the rating, and protection from the greatest number of risks that tourists may face.

What  are  insurance cases included in the travel insurance for Egypt?
Many tourists, seeing that their insurance in Egypt includes outpatient treatment and hospitalization, decide: this is enough. However, the insurance rules of many companies hide a lot of reservations, restrictions and exceptions, which reduce the set of cases in which you can get the promised assistance to almost zero.
- Outpatient care may be limited to two hospital visits.
— You may have to pay for the diagnosis yourself.
— And help with a variety of diseases is provided only when life is threatened, or is limited to a modest amount of money.
First of all, it is worth adding accident insurance to the basic medical insurance, since there are many snakes, scorpions, spiders and other unpleasant creatures in Egypt, and sea urchins, jellyfish and sharks are found in the sea. If you are not lucky enough to meet with any of them, the usual basic insurance will not save you, since this is an accident.
Those who suffer from gastritis or other diseases related to digestion should additionally insure against exacerbations of chronic diseases. An unusual kitchen can provoke seizures.
Egypt is a popular place for diving, so those who are going to dive need special insurance for divers.
It is better to take care of this in advance. It is better to get insurance before traveling in the country of residence.

How can you act if an insured event has occurred?
If something has happened to you (you are ill, injured, etc.), first of all, you must inform the assist company whose phone number is indicated in your policy;
During the call, you need to inform:
- Policy number
- FULL name of the insured person
- Location (address of the hotel, hospital)
-The reason for seeking help
-Your contact phone number
Please note that self-treatment, without the consent of an assistant, may cause the refusal of insurance payments. You must coordinate all your actions with your insurance company.
After you receive an appeal about the occurrence of an insured event, you will be asked to wait for a call with further instructions. If you do not get a call back for a long time, then you need to call again and remind about your application. Due to the large number of requests, your application may be lost. Such cases are rare, but they still happen.
If you come to the hospital, the employee will contact your assistance company himself.

Below is a list of the main hospitals in Hurghada.

•  Nile Hospital               Airport Road, Hurghada, Egypt. +2 065 355 09 74 (/75/76/77/78)
• El Salam Hospital        Arabiya Beach, Hurghada, Egypt. +2 065 3615 012
•  El Gouna Hospital      El Gouna, Red Sea, Hurghada, Egypt. +20 65 358 0011
• Egyptian Hospital        El-Kawther area, Hurghada, Egypt. +2 065 348 2538
• El - Kawther Hospital   El-Kawther area, 37, near the Barclays Bank, Hurghada, Egypt. +2 065 348 2838
• Red Sea Hospital        Dahar area, Nasr Street towards Sakkala area, Hurghada, Egypt. +2 065 35 43 850
• Asil  Medical Center    El-Hadaba area, Red Sea, Hurghada, Egypt. +2 0111 11 07006