Burkina Faso Travel Insurance
Everything you need to know before your trip
Healthcare Cost Level
Low
Avg. ER Visit
$50
Recommended Coverage
$250,000
Evacuation Risk
High
Insurance Coverage Warning
Many insurers exclude coverage in northern and eastern regions due to security risks and government travel advisories
Healthcare in Burkina Faso
What to expect if you need medical care
Healthcare in Burkina Faso operates on a low-cost tier, with an average emergency room visit costing around $50 and a hospital day approximately $100. However, these low costs reflect the limited quality of medical facilities available. Outside the capital city of Ouagadougou, medical infrastructure is severely restricted, and even in urban areas, facilities lack the equipment and expertise you'd expect for serious conditions. English-speaking medical staff are rare, creating communication barriers during treatment. While basic care is affordable, the quality limitations mean that for any serious illness or injury, you'll likely need evacuation to a country with better facilities, such as Ghana, which dramatically changes the cost equation.
What Your Policy Should Cover
Country-specific considerations for Burkina Faso
Your policy must include robust medical evacuation coverage, as this is where your greatest financial exposure lies given the high evacuation risk and limited facilities outside Ouagadougou. Ensure coverage for malaria and meningitis treatment, both high-risk concerns year-round and during dry season respectively. Verify that your policy covers dengue fever during rainy season visits. Critically, check whether your policy excludes travel to northern and eastern regions—many insurers won't cover these areas due to security warnings and terrorist attack risks. Confirm that overland travel is covered despite poor road conditions. Your policy should also address security-related incidents, as terrorist attacks pose year-round risks. Don't assume standard policies will cover all areas of Burkina Faso.
Malaria
High Risk
Peak: year-round
Meningitis
High Risk
Peak: dry season
Terrorist Attacks
High Risk
Peak: year-round
Dengue Fever
Moderate Risk
Peak: rainy season
Yellow Fever
Moderate Risk
Peak: year-round
Activity-Specific Coverage
Travel To Northern Regions: May be excluded due to security warnings
Overland Travel: Road conditions and security may affect coverage
How Much Coverage Do You Need?
Our recommendation based on Burkina Faso's healthcare costs
The recommended $250,000 coverage level far exceeds typical local healthcare costs—a hospital day runs only $100—but reflects the high probability of needing emergency evacuation. Medical evacuation from Burkina Faso to the nearest quality hospital in Ghana involves air ambulance services, specialized medical staff, and international coordination, easily reaching tens of thousands of dollars. The $100,000 minimum provides basic protection, but $250,000 gives you adequate coverage for complex evacuations, extended treatment abroad, and potential security-related complications that could arise from the region's instability.
Minimum
$100,000
Basic emergencies only
Recommended
$250,000
Full protection
Making a Claim in Burkina Faso
Tips for smooth claims processing
Documentation Required: Medical reports, receipts, police reports for security incidents, proof of evacuation necessity
- Keep all medical receipts and reports, even for minor treatments, as documentation requirements for claims are stringent and the claims process is considered difficult in Burkina Faso
- Obtain police reports immediately for any security-related incidents, as these are required documentation for claims involving terrorist attacks or security situations
- Document proof of evacuation necessity with written statements from local medical facilities explaining why treatment cannot be provided locally—this justifies expensive evacuation claims
- Photograph all medical documentation before leaving facilities, as retrieving records later can be challenging given limited administrative infrastructure
- Verify before departure which regions of Burkina Faso your policy actually covers, as northern and eastern areas are commonly excluded due to government travel advisories
Get Covered for Burkina Faso
Adventure destinations like Burkina Faso require solid evacuation coverage. Don't leave without it.
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