Mauritania Travel Insurance
Everything you need to know before your trip
Healthcare Cost Level
Moderate
Avg. ER Visit
$150
Recommended Coverage
$250,000
Evacuation Risk
High
Healthcare in Mauritania
What to expect if you need medical care
Mauritania's healthcare system presents significant challenges for travelers. The infrastructure is limited, particularly outside Nouakchott, with few facilities equipped to handle serious medical emergencies. While costs are moderate compared to Western standards—around $150 for an emergency room visit and $400 per hospital day—the quality of care available is limited. English-speaking medical staff are rare, so you'll likely need to communicate in French or Arabic. For serious medical conditions, you may need evacuation to Morocco or Senegal where quality care is available. The combination of limited facilities, language barriers, and the potential need for international evacuation makes adequate insurance coverage crucial for any visit.
What Your Policy Should Cover
Country-specific considerations for Mauritania
Your policy should prioritize medical evacuation coverage given Mauritania's high evacuation risk and remote desert locations. Ensure your plan covers year-round malaria, which poses a high risk throughout the country, as well as meningitis outbreaks that occur from December to June. If you're planning desert travel in the Sahara regions, verify that your policy doesn't exclude high-risk activities in remote areas, as these are commonly limited. Road accidents represent a high risk year-round, so confirm coverage for vehicle-related injuries, especially for off-road driving in remote locations. Your policy should also cover desert-related injuries and provide adequate support for the difficult claims process, which requires documentation in French or Arabic.
Malaria
High Risk
Peak: year-round
Meningitis Outbreaks
Moderate Risk
Peak: December-June
Yellow Fever
Moderate Risk
Peak: year-round
Desert-Related Injuries
Moderate Risk
Peak: year-round
Road Accidents
High Risk
Peak: year-round
Activity-Specific Coverage
Desert Travel: High risk activities in remote Sahara regions may have limited coverage
Off-Road Driving: Verify coverage for vehicle accidents in remote areas
How Much Coverage Do You Need?
Our recommendation based on Mauritania's healthcare costs
The recommended $250,000 coverage amount accounts for Mauritania's high evacuation risks and limited local healthcare options. While daily hospital costs average $400 and emergency visits around $150, these figures don't reflect the true financial exposure. Medical evacuations to Morocco or Senegal for quality care can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Given the remote desert terrain, poor road conditions, and year-round health risks like malaria, you need coverage that handles both local treatment and expensive international evacuation scenarios without leaving you financially vulnerable.
Minimum
$100,000
Basic emergencies only
Recommended
$250,000
Full protection
Making a Claim in Mauritania
Tips for smooth claims processing
Documentation Required: Medical reports in French or Arabic, receipts, police reports for accidents, embassy documentation for evacuations
- Obtain all medical documentation in French or Arabic, as these are the languages required for claims processing in Mauritania
- Keep detailed receipts for all medical expenses, no matter how small, as documentation requirements are strict
- File a police report immediately for any road accidents, as this documentation is mandatory for accident-related claims
- Contact your embassy and request documentation if medical evacuation becomes necessary, as embassy records are required for evacuation claims
- Prepare for a difficult claims process by photographing all documents and keeping multiple copies, given the limited administrative infrastructure
Get Covered for Mauritania
Adventure destinations like Mauritania require solid evacuation coverage. Don't leave without it.
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