Is medical insurance for tourists in Panama really free now? Yes, within limits. On September 10, 2026, Panama launched the Seguro al Turista, a state-funded policy that covers foreign visitors and Panamanians living abroad for their first 10 days in the country. It costs the traveler nothing, requires no registration, and switches on automatically when an immigration officer stamps the passport.
The policy is financed by the Autoridad de Turismo de Panama (ATP) and administered by Compania Internacional de Seguros, S.A. Coverage is valid across the entire national territory, and there are no tiered plans. Every eligible visitor gets the same policy.
What Does the Seguro al Turista Actually Cover?
The ATP lists the following benefits, with total coverage reaching up to $50,000 depending on which benefit is used.
| Benefit | What it applies to |
|---|---|
| Medical and hospital care | Injuries from accidents, or illness contracted in Panama that is not pre-existing |
| Medical emergencies | Emergency treatment during the covered period |
| Medication | Prescribed medicines related to a covered event |
| Emergency dental | Urgent dental treatment only |
| Medical evacuation and transfer | Transport to an appropriate facility within Panama |
| International repatriation | Return to the traveler’s home country, including repatriation of remains |
| Accidental death | Benefit paid in the event of accidental death |
| Legal and administrative assistance | Support following an accident or a theft |
| Lost or stolen documents | Assistance replacing passports and travel documents |
Eligibility runs to age 86. There is no separate plan for older travelers and no upgrade to buy.
Which Airports Are Included?
Coverage is triggered by arrival at one of six participating airports. This is the detail most coverage of the announcement leaves out, and it matters.
| Airport | Code | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Tocumen International Airport | PTY | Panama City |
| Panama Pacifico International Airport | BLB | Panama West |
| Enrique Malek International Airport | DAV | David, Chiriqui |
| Scarlett Martinez International Airport | RIH | Rio Hato, Cocle |
| Enrique Adolfo Jimenez International Airport | ONX | Colon |
| Jose Ezequiel Hall International Airport | BOC | Isla Colon, Bocas del Toro |
The underlying government instrument describes the policy as covering those who enter Panamanian territory by air. Travelers crossing the land border at Paso Canoas from Costa Rica, or arriving by sea, are not described as covered.
Who Qualifies, and Who Does Not
The policy is aimed at two groups: foreign tourists, and Panamanian nationals who reside abroad. Both must enter the country legally through a participating airport.
Foreign residents of Panama are not the target of this program. If you already hold Panamanian residency and live here, arriving home from a trip is not a tourist entry, and you should continue to rely on your existing private or public health coverage.
What This Policy Does Not Replace
Three limits are worth reading carefully before anyone treats this as a substitute for travel insurance.
Pre-existing conditions are excluded. The coverage applies to accidents and to illness contracted in Panama that is not pre-existing. A chronic condition brought into the country is not covered.
Ten days is a short window. Anyone staying two weeks, a month, or a full property-hunting season is uninsured under this program from day 11 onward.
The ceiling is modest by international standards. A serious hospitalization or an air ambulance evacuation can exceed $50,000. This is meaningful baseline protection, not comprehensive medical cover.
How Do You Use It If Something Happens?
There is no card to carry and no claim to pre-register. Travelers who need help contact the Centro de Asistencia al Turista, which the ATP says operates 24 hours a day in Spanish, English, Portuguese, and French.
WhatsApp: +1 305 722 5824
Phone: +507 840 4585
Email: [email protected]
Why Is Panama Paying for This?
The program is not new. Panama ran a similar tourist policy between 2011 and 2014 before letting it lapse. Reviving it took most of two years of procurement and budget work.
The tender was awarded to Compania Internacional de Seguros at $1.59 per tourist, below the ATP reference price of $1.85, for a term of 60 months. The Cabinet Council then approved a supplementary credit of up to B/. 3,500,000 to the ATP’s operating budget to fund the policy. We covered that approval stage in April in Panama Moves to Bring Back Tourist Insurance for Air Arrivals.
The arithmetic explains the timing. Panama recorded more than 3 million international visitors in 2025, up 8.2% over 2024, with Tocumen alone handling more than 2 million of them. ATP administrator Gloria De Leon, who serves as Panama’s tourism minister, has projected 3.1 to 3.2 million visitors for 2026. At roughly $1.59 a head, insuring that volume is one of the cheaper competitive levers a destination can pull.
De Leon framed the launch around arrival-day confidence, saying the government wants visitors to “feel supported from the moment they arrive.”
What It Means If You Are Coming to Look at Property
Most buyers see Panama for the first time on a scouting trip that lasts a week to ten days. That is precisely the window this policy covers, and it removes one line item and one worry from a first visit to Boquete, the Pacific beaches near Panama City, or Bocas del Toro.
The airport list rewards a closer look, too. Four of the six participating airports sit outside Panama City, in David, Rio Hato, Colon, and Bocas del Toro. A visitor flying directly into David to see highland property in Volcan or Boquete is covered on the same terms as someone landing at Tocumen.
The practical takeaway is narrow but real: budget for proper travel medical insurance if your trip runs past ten days or if you have a pre-existing condition, and treat this policy as a floor rather than a plan.
Casa Solution Can Help
If you are planning a property-viewing trip to Panama, we can help you structure it around the right airport, the right communities, and a realistic schedule. Casa Solution has represented buyers and sellers across Panama for years, and we are happy to talk through what a first visit should look like before you book anything. Reach us through casasolution.com.
Insurance terms, coverage limits, and program eligibility can change, and individual circumstances vary. This article is general information and should not replace confirmation from the ATP, the insurer, or a qualified professional.
Article written: September 12, 2026
