Ecuador is relatively a small country in South America that gets its name due to its proximity to the Equator. The majority of the people in Ecuador speak Spanish.

You will be required to present proof of proper health insurance only if you plan to visit the Galapagos Islands, which are a part of Ecuador. Fortunately, we have many travel health insurance plans available to meet this requirement. The requirement for health insurance to visit other parts of Ecuador has been abolished by the Ecuadorian Congress as of 2021. 

Healthcare in Ecuador

Ecuador has both public and private healthcare systems. Foreign tourists to Ecuador are not eligible to use their public healthcare system. In any case, the public healthcare system is very basic, lacks adequate facilities, and has very long wait times.

Therefore, having a private health insurance is a necessity for Ecuador tourists. Even though private healthcare facilities are adequate in major cities, their standards may not up to the same standards of Western countries. In case of serious illness or injury where local treatment cannot be given adequately, travel medical insurance is very useful as it would cover emergency medical evacuation, which is transportation to the nearest place where adequate care can be given.

Even though their healthcare is obviously not as expensive as it is in the US or other major countries, for any extensive treatment, it can still be quite expensive; especially in the private hospitals that provide care on par with international standards.

Health Tips in Ecuador

Ecuador has tropical weather; many diseases common to tropical climates are a concern in Ecuador as well.

For example, many areas are rife with mosquito borne diseases such as dengue fever, malaria, and zika virus. Additionally, typhoid and yellow fever are prevalent in some parts of Ecuador.

Parts of Ecuador have very high elevation where the high altitude lowers chances of mosquito borne diseases, but at such high altitude, there is still the problem of altitude sickness from such dizzying heights.

Expatriate Health Insurance

For short visits to Ecuador, travel health insurance is sufficient. However, if you are planning to move to Ecuador for a few years or longer, you should consider purchasing expatriate health insurance, which are annually renewable major medical insurance plans.

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DISCLAIMER: The information within this article is intended as a broad summary of benefits and services and is meant for informational purposes only. The information does not describe all scenarios, coverages or exclusions of any insurance plan. The benefits and services of an insurance plan are subject to change. This is not your policy/certificate of insurance. If there is any discrepancy between the information in this article and the language of your policy/certificate wording, the language of the policy/certificate wording will prevail.