We evaluated 13 major travel insurance providers for Middle East coverage, scoring each on affordability, coverage quality, claims service and financial stability. IMG Choice ranks first with $100,000 in medical coverage, political evacuation benefits and Arabic-speaking assistance centers.
Best Travel Insurance for the Middle East
IMG Choice ranks first for Middle East travel with a 94 out of 100 MoneyGeek score. The plan includes $100,000 in medical coverage and $500,000 in evacuation protection for $78.
Find the best travel insurance for your Middle East trip below.
Updated: June 9, 2026
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Key Takeaways
IMG Choice costs $78 for seven-day Middle East trips and includes 75% cancel for any reason coverage with no dollar cap.
Travelex excludes Israel and the Palestinian Territories from all plans; IMG, Generali, Allianz and World Nomads cover the full region.
Choose plans with minimum $250,000 evacuation coverage for remote destinations like Petra, Cappadocia and Oman.
Best Travel Insurance Companies for the Middle East
1 | IMG | Choice | 94 | $78 | $100,000 | $500,000 | Yes |
2 | Generali | Standard | 92 | $123 | $50,000 | $250,000 | Yes |
3 | Travel Insured | Essential | 91 | $81 | $50,000 | $200,000 | Yes |
4 | BHTP | ExactCare Value | 91 | $69 | $15,000 | $150,000 | Yes |
5 | Nationwide | Essential | 91 | $71 | $75,000 | $500,000 | Yes |
*Costs based on a 30-year-old traveler, seven-day trip, $2,500 trip cost to the UAE.
IMG
Best Overall for Middle East Trips
MoneyGeek Score: 94 out of 100
IMG Choice costs $78 for seven-day Middle East trips. It covers $100,000 in emergency medical costs, $500,000 in medical evacuation and $1,000 in baggage protection. The plan includes 75% cancel for any reason coverage with no dollar cap. That matters for travelers who need flexibility around the region's political volatility. IMG has regional assistance centers with Arabic-speaking staff and covers the UAE, Turkey and Israel.
Travelex
Best for Budget Travelers
MoneyGeek Score: 87 out of 100
Travelex Essential covers seven-day Middle East trips for $62. It includes $25,000 in emergency medical benefits, $200,000 in evacuation and $750 in baggage coverage. The plan excludes Israel, the Palestinian Territories, Russia, Ukraine and Belarus but covers the UAE and Turkey without restrictions.
IMG
Best Medical Coverage
MoneyGeek Score: 88 out of 100
IMG LX covers $500,000 in emergency medical costs and $1 million in medical evacuation, the highest limits available for Middle East travel. The plan covers up to $150,000 in trip cancellation costs and includes 75% cancel for any reason coverage. It also covers political evacuation for emergency departures from unstable regions.
Generali Global Assistance
Best for Turkey Trips
MoneyGeek Score: 92 out of 100
Generali Standard costs $73 for seven-day Turkey trips. The plan covers $50,000 in emergency medical care, $250,000 in evacuation and 100% of trip costs up to $50,000. Turkey adventure activities like hot air ballooning in Cappadocia and Mediterranean diving receive standard coverage. No riders needed. Generali's Istanbul assistance center works with American Hospital and Acibadem. The pre-existing condition waiver applies when you buy within 24 hours of your first trip deposit.
Travel Insured
Best for UAE/Dubai Trips
MoneyGeek Score: 91 out of 100
Travel Insured Essential covers $50,000 in emergency medical costs, $200,000 in evacuation and $750 in baggage protection for $81. A night at Dubai's Mediclinic Parkview costs $2,500. The 24/7 assistance team works with Dubai Healthcare City facilities and handles direct billing to Rashid Hospital and Emirates hospitals.
How Much Is Travel Insurance for Middle East Trips?
Turkey costs less than the UAE because of lower regional medical expenses. A $2,500 seven-day trip to Turkey costs $62 to $171. The same UAE trip costs $69 to $171. A $10,000 Dubai trip runs $268 to $835, depending on coverage level.
Average Cost by Destination and Trip Cost
Travelex Essential | $62 | $202 | $481 | $62 | $202 | $481 |
BHTP ExactCare Value | $69 | $151 | $316 | $69 | $151 | $316 |
Nationwide Essential | $71 | $222 | $522 | $69 | $215 | $507 |
IMG Choice | $78 | $146 | $281 | $78 | $146 | $281 |
Travel Insured Essential | $81 | $143 | $268 | $81 | $143 | $268 |
Generali Standard | $123 | $235 | $459 | $73 | $140 | $275 |
IMG LX | $171 | $393 | $835 | $171 | $393 | $835 |
*Prices based on a single 30-year-old traveler for a seven-day trip purchased 60 days before departure.
What Travel Insurance Covers in the Middle East
Dubai hospital stays run $2,500+ a night. Turkey's costs are lower, but hospitals there don't accept U.S. insurance, so you'll need coverage either way. An air ambulance from Dubai to London costs $85,000.
Recommended minimum coverage:
- Emergency medical: $50,000 for short trips, $100,000 for extended trips, $250,000 for long-term stays
- Medical evacuation: $250,000 minimum, $500,000 or more for remote areas
- Trip cancellation: 100% of prepaid costs
- Pre-existing condition waiver: Purchase within 14 to 21 days of your first deposit
What Middle East travelers need:
- High evacuation limits if you're traveling to or through remote areas
- Political evacuation coverage for unstable regions (IMG LX, World Nomads Epic and BHTP LuxuryCare all include this)
- Cancel for any reason coverage, which gives you flexibility if regional political situations change
- 24/7 multilingual emergency assistance
Coverage by Middle East Destination
Dubai and UAE Travel Insurance
Dubai hospitals charge $2,500+ a night for standard stays. A three-day hospitalization costs $10,000 to $20,000, with ER visits starting at $800 and ICU care running $3,000+ a night.
Standard coverage applies to desert safaris, dune bashing, indoor skiing and scuba diving. Skydiving requires a sports rider, which adds $40 to $75 to the plan cost.
Turkey Travel Insurance
Istanbul and Ankara hospitals charge $150 to $300 a day. Emergency care runs $500 to $1,500. Rural areas lack advanced facilities, so buy evacuation coverage if you're heading to Cappadocia, eastern regions or remote areas.
Hot air balloon rides receive standard coverage. Paragliding, whitewater rafting and technical climbing require an extreme sports rider ($50 to $100).
Israel Travel Insurance
Hospital stays cost $1,500 to $3,000 a day. ER visits run $600 to $1,200. Travelex excludes Israel and the Palestinian Territories entirely, so check that your policy covers Israel before you buy. Plan for at least $100,000 in medical coverage and $250,000 in evacuation coverage for any Israel trip.
Middle East Travel Insurance Coverage Comparison
IMG | Yes | Yes | Yes | Up to $500,000 | Up to $1 million | Yes (75%) |
Generali | Yes | Yes | Yes | Up to $250,000 | Up to $1 million | Yes (75%) |
Allianz | Yes | Yes | Yes | Up to $75,000 | Up to $1 million | Yes (80%) |
Travel Insured | Yes | Yes | Yes | Up to $500,000 | Up to $1 million | Bundle option |
World Nomads | Yes | Yes | Yes | Up to $250,000 | Up to $1 million | Yes (50–75%) |
BHTP | Yes | Yes | Yes | Up to $100,000 | Up to $1 million | Yes (50%) |
AXA | Yes | Yes | Yes | Up to $250,000 | Up to $1 million | Yes (75%) |
Nationwide | Yes | Yes | Yes | Up to $150,000 | Up to $1 million | Yes (75%) |
Travel Guard | Yes | Yes | Yes | Up to $150,000 | Up to $1 million | Yes (50%) |
Seven Corners | Yes | Yes | Yes | Up to $500,000 | Up to $1 million | Yes (75%) |
Tin Leg | Yes | Yes | Yes | Up to $500,000 | Up to $1 million | Yes (75%) |
World Trips | Yes | Yes | Yes | Varies by state | Up to $1 million | Yes (50–75%) |
Travelex | Yes | Yes | No | Up to $250,000 | Up to $1 million | Yes (75%) |
Do You Need Travel Insurance for Middle East Trips?
Middle East destinations don't require travel insurance for U.S. travelers. But high medical costs and evacuation expenses mean most travelers should buy coverage.
- Dubai and the UAE charge U.S.-level prices for medical care. A broken bone treatment runs $8,000 to $15,000. All travelers should carry coverage.
- Turkey's hospitals don't accept U.S. insurance and require upfront cash payments. Buy coverage for trips longer than seven days or when planning adventure activities.
- Israel trips combine high medical costs with political risk. Security situations change fast, so cancel for any reason coverage is worth buying for all Israel trips.
- Remote destinations like Petra, Cappadocia, Oman and rural areas need high evacuation coverage because medical facilities are limited. Adventure activities, including hot air ballooning, scuba diving, desert safaris and paragliding, require sports coverage riders.
- Travelers with pre-existing conditions like heart disease, diabetes or chronic illnesses need coverage because regional hospitals may lack specialized care.
- Short Dubai trips don't need separate travel insurance if you have credit card coverage with minimum $100,000 medical and $250,000 evacuation limits, and you can cover $10,000 or more in medical costs out of pocket.
- Istanbul business travelers can skip coverage if their employer offers international health insurance and they're staying near major hospitals.
- Trips with prepaid expenses under $1,000 don't justify insurance costs if you can absorb the loss.
How to Choose Travel Insurance for Middle East Trips
- 1Verify Middle East Destination Coverage
Travelex excludes Israel, the Palestinian Territories and several high-risk regions. Most insurers cover the UAE, Turkey, Jordan and Oman. Review geographic exclusions in your policy before you buy.
- 2Assess Middle East Evacuation Coverage Limits
Choose plans with a minimum of $250,000 medical evacuation coverage for remote areas like Petra, Cappadocia, Wadi Rum and Oman's desert regions.
- 3Compare Emergency Medical Coverage
Buy at least $50,000 in emergency medical coverage for short trips and $100,000 or more for extended stays.
- 4Review Trip Cancellation Protection
Cancel for any reason coverage reimburses 50% to 80% of prepaid costs, which gives you flexibility for political changes or trip uncertainty.
- 5Confirm 24/7 Emergency Assistance
Choose insurers with multilingual teams in Middle East time zones. IMG, Generali and Allianz have regional centers with Arabic-speaking staff.
Middle East Travel Insurance: FAQ
Most plans cover COVID-19 as a standard illness but exclude cancellations due to fear of infection. To cancel for COVID concerns, you need cancel for any reason coverage, which reimburses 50% to 80% of trip costs.
Seven Corners, World Nomads and IMG allow purchases after trip start for travelers already abroad. Coverage begins 24 to 48 hours after purchase and excludes any incidents occurring before policy activation. Prices run 20% to 40% higher than pre-departure purchases.
Credit card coverage maxes at $100,000 for medical evacuation and often excludes destinations with State Department warnings. Cards also require charging the full trip cost to qualify and may not cover trip cancellation for illness. A dedicated travel insurance plan offers higher limits and broader regional coverage.
How We Chose the Best Travel Insurance for the Middle East
MoneyGeek analyzed travel insurance plans from 13 major providers for Middle East destinations. We evaluated companies using a weighted scoring system: affordability (40%), coverage quality (30%), claims and service (25%), and financial stability (5%).
Quotes reflect rates for 30-year-old California residents traveling to the UAE and Turkey for seven days, with trip costs of $2,500, $5,000 and $10,000. MoneyGeek pulled all quotes in October 2024. Each quote used a purchase date 60 days before departure.
MoneyGeek reviewed policy documents for emergency medical limits, evacuation benefits, trip cancellation protection and geographic restrictions. We also verified which providers exclude Israel and other Middle East destinations from coverage.
About Mark Fitzpatrick
Mark Fitzpatrick, a licensed Property and Casualty (P&C) Insurance Producer in Connecticut, is MoneyGeek's resident insurance expert. He has spent nearly a decade analyzing the market, first at LendingTree and now at MoneyGeek, where he produces original research on hundreds of carriers and millions of rates across auto, home, renters, health and life insurance.
He covers economics and insurance at MoneyGeek, and his work has been featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times and NPR, among other outlets.
Like all MoneyGeek analysts, he draws on independent cost and consumer experience data. No insurance company partnership influences his recommendations.
Mark holds a B.A. from Boston College and an M.A. in Economics and International Relations from Johns Hopkins University. He started his career in financial risk management at State Street and is also a five-time “Jeopardy!” champion.