Paraguay does not require any travel insurance upon entry, and it is precisely this that leads many travellers to leave without insurance, or with insufficient cover. The problem is not the frequency of accidents: it is their cost when they happen outside Asuncion. A medical repatriation from the Chaco, a fracture requiring evacuation from Filadelfia, or a multi-day hospitalisation can run to several tens of thousands of euros without cover. This guide draws on official recommendations (France Diplomatie, WHO, CDC) and the reading grid for a travel insurance contract published by Service-Public.fr, without selling you any particular product.
What a Serious Contract Must Cover
The 3 non-negotiable guarantees
- •Medical repatriation with no low limit, or a very high limit (150,000 EUR or more)
- •Medical expenses abroad, 100,000 EUR minimum, ideally 300,000 EUR
- •Assistance with direct cover (insurer pays upfront)
| Guarantee by guarantee: what to check | |
|---|---|
| Medical expenses abroad | 100,000 EUR minimum; check if dental and pharmacy are included |
| Medical repatriation | Unlimited or very high limit; check that the Chaco is NOT excluded |
| Public liability | 1,500,000 EUR is a decent standard |
| Cancellation / interruption | Useful if flights and accommodation are non-refundable |
| Baggage | Low limit (300-800 EUR); don't rely on it for camera gear |
| Risk activities | Trekking, 4x4, kayak: often excluded from the basic contract |
A point that comparison sites rarely highlight: the difference between reimbursement and direct cover changes everything in a real emergency. A contract that only reimburses after the fact requires you to source several thousand euros locally for a hospitalisation before even knowing if the reimbursement will be full. A contract with direct cover has the insurer intervene with the hospital from admission, which concretely changes how an accident far from home plays out.
Comparison by Profile and Budget
The right level of cover depends less on the number of days than on the actual travel profile: a circuit around Asuncion does not expose you to the same risk as an expedition in the Chaco. When comparing dozens of contracts, one observation recurs: the cheapest insurance almost always reduces the same items (cancellation, baggage) while maintaining decent limits for medical expenses and repatriation. That is the right saving strategy.
| What cover for your situation | |
|---|---|
| Short stay (1-3 weeks), classic circuit | Standard multi-risk contract, medical expenses 100,000 EUR+, unlimited repatriation |
| Family with children | Check the limit per person and paediatric cover |
| Senior person or pre-existing condition | Declare any condition at the time of taking out the policy |
| Trekking, Chaco, water sports | Add the sports and risk activities option |
| Expatriation or long stay (3 months+) | Expatriation insurance or supplementary international health cover |
- 1Compare at least 3 quotes on an independent comparison site: the difference often exceeds 30% for equivalent guarantees
- 2A premium bank card sometimes includes insurance, but check the repatriation limit and exclusion of rural areas
- 3Increasing the excess lowers the premium without affecting critical limits: that is the right saving lever
- 4Avoid over-insuring baggage: the limit is low anyway
Health at the Destination, Vaccines and Claims
According to the CDC and WHO country profiles, yellow fever is advised (not mandatory) for rural areas and the Chaco. Hepatitis A, typhoid and tetanus vaccines are also recommended. In terms of infrastructure, Asuncion has facilities capable of handling most emergencies. As soon as you move away from the capital, healthcare provision drops markedly, which explains why medical repatriation is the most important guarantee in Paraguay.
Dengue is widespread, even in urban areas, and has no systematically recommended vaccine. Prevention relies mainly on mosquito protection, detailed on the hygiene and health at the destination page. Visiting a travel clinic six to eight weeks before departure remains the best reflex: yellow fever must be administered at least 10 days before to be valid.
In the event of a claim, the most important reflex: contact the insurer's assistance service before even going to the hospital if your health allows. That call activates direct cover. Keep all original receipts, store a copy of the contract accessible offline (network is not guaranteed in the Chaco), and file a police report in case of theft within 24 hours.
What Changes with the Chaco and Your Bank Card
Most generalist insurance guides treat Paraguay like any South American destination. This is a mistake: the Chaco, which represents almost two thirds of the territory, has extremely limited healthcare provision, sometimes several hours of dirt road between the accident site and the first decent medical centre. A repatriation from Filadelfia or Mariscal Estigarribia may require a medical flight, costing several tens of thousands of euros without adequate cover. Check explicitly that the contract does not exclude rural areas or areas outside the capital.
Many travellers think they are covered by their premium bank card without ever having read the associated terms. These insurances almost always require that the flight ticket was paid entirely with that card, and rarely cover more than 90 days. They also exclude activities classified as risk sports, a category that may include hiking on rough terrain. Finally, most operate on a reimbursement basis, not direct cover: in the event of a serious hospitalisation, you must pay upfront, which requires having the necessary liquidity on the spot.
Last updated:
Sources
- France Diplomatie: Travel Advice Paraguay (2025)
- WHO: Paraguay Country Health Profile (2024)
- Service-Public.fr: Travel abroad: which insurance to choose? (2025)
- CDC: Travel Health Notices Paraguay (2025)
- Ameli.fr: Care received abroad (2025)
- ACPR (Banque de France): Choosing your travel insurance wisely (2024)
- U.S. Department of State: Paraguay Travel Advisory (2025)
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This page is written from France, sourced as carefully as possible, but I can be wrong or miss on-the-ground detail. A price that changed, outdated info, a photo to share? Every correction is credited if you want.
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