New Kyrgyzstan tours must now come with traveller insurance
Foreign visitors booking through local operators will receive medical or accident cover, although the measure does not introduce a new insurance check at the border.
The Kyrgyz government decree from 28 August requires the measure to enter into force ten days after its official publication. It applies to tour operators rather than to travellers directly. Kyrgyzstan’s Tourism Law already states that tourism businesses must arrange medical or accident insurance through licensed national insurers.
The novelty is not a new visa or border-entry condition, and the government has not said independent visitors will need to present an insurance policy on arrival.
What foreign tourists should check
The regulator’s announcement does not reproduce the full insurance terms. However, the government’s official consultation package, published while the rules were being prepared, proposed a minimum cover of:
- 3m soms (about $34,300) for conventional tourism;
- 5m soms (about $57,200) for extreme or adventure tourism.
The supporting draft said the policy should cover traveller stays. Adventure policies were expected to cover three days of search-and-rescue.
If their policy meets minimum limits, covers the entire trip, and is in Kyrgyz, Russian, or English, visitors insured by a foreign or Kyrgyz company would not need duplicate coverage under the draft law. Travellers should ensure their operator includes this provision in their final policy.
Read more: Kyrgyzstan introduces fixed domestic airfare tariffs
Adventure activities may need to be named
The government draft excluded a number of higher-risk activities unless expressly included in the contract.
These activities included:
- mountaineering with ropes or guides;
- rafting;
- diving;
- caving;
- quad biking;
- skiing;
- snowboarding;
- motorsport;
- organised competitive sport;
- and some forms of recreational flight.
Any person booking a climbing, ski or expedition package should therefore ask for written confirmation that the particular activity, search and helicopter evacuation are included.
Read more: Three climbers feared dead after summiting Kyrgyzstan’s 6,600m Korumdu Peak
According to the government’s impact assessment, the premiums are between 400 and 500 soms ($4.60-$5.70) a day. It established a standard policy of five to seven days at about 3,000 soms ($34), with total trip cover ranging from 3,000 to 10,000 soms ($34-114).
