Travel insurance for the Dominican Republic: all-inclusive doesn't mean all-covered

An all-inclusive resort covers your food and drinks, not a hospital bill. Here is what travel insurance for the Dominican Republic should cover and why evacuation matters.

Most US trips to the Dominican Republic are resort-based, which can create a false sense that everything is handled — but "all-inclusive" refers to food, drinks and activities at the resort, never to medical care. Domestic US health insurance, including Medicare, generally does not cover treatment outside the country.

Why evacuation coverage matters here specifically

Major resort areas like Punta Cana and Puerto Plata have private clinics equipped for common tourist injuries and illness, but serious cases — major trauma, cardiac events, complications needing specialist care — are often better treated back in the US, and a medical evacuation flight without insurance can run well into five figures. Look for a policy with at least $50,000 in medical coverage and $100,000 or more in evacuation coverage.

What else to check

If your trip includes excursions like ATV tours, zip-lining, catamaran trips or scuba diving — all common add-ons sold at Dominican resorts — confirm the policy does not exclude "adventure" or water activities by default; many do unless you add a rider. Also confirm the policy covers illness from food and water, since digestive illness is one of the more common claims from Caribbean resort trips.

Typical cost

For a one-week resort stay, a solid policy for a healthy adult typically runs $30–$55 — a small fraction of what an uninsured hospital stay or evacuation would cost.