The Caribbean is a region of the Americas consisting of 700 islands. A tourist hot spot, only less than ten percent of the total islands are inhabited. The chain of islands surrounds the Caribbean Sea. Up north, the Gulf of Mexico borders the region, while the Straits of Florida and the Northern Atlantic Ocean lies to the east and northeast. On the other hand, the coastline of South America is situated down south. With over 43 million in population, the Caribbean has strong cultural and historical connections to Africa.
The Caribbean enjoys a tropical climate. Islands in the region vary from tropical rainforest, tropical monsoon, and tropical savanna. The Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico have a tropical rainforest climate, whereas, Cuba and Colombia have a seasonally dry tropical savanna climate. The wet season is from May to November, while the dry and sunny season is from December to April. It is important to note that hurricane season falls from June till November. However, the northern islands see it in August and September.
Just like the climate, medical facilities vary from island to island. The Bahamas is known for its excellent healthcare since most of the retired expats live here. Not only that, it is a hub for most tourists and Westerners. Hence, expats can rely on quality healthcare here. On the other hand, Cuba thrives as a medical tourism industry. You’re likely to find better care in the capital city of Havana. However, when it comes to rural areas, the standards may vary. Other islands like Jamaica, has relatively poor medical facilities in both the private and public sectors. It is generally not up to par with Western standards.
The Caribbean has a long way to go when it comes to a proper healthcare system. The World Health Organization states that Jamaica is 53rd in the world when it comes to the effectiveness of its health care system. That means there’s only one doctor for every 2000 patients. But countries like the Dominican Republic can vary. It’s private medical facilities and treatments are similar to those in developed countries.
With varying degrees of medical standards, expats, digital nomads, and global citizens planning to move to the Caribbean should consider getting comprehensive healthcare insurance. It is also essential to always have cash in hand as some hospitals and clinics may require an upfront payment for treatments. Additionally, you should also carry enough money to cover evacuation or repatriation if necessary. Of course, it can be reimbursed through your employer or insurance company. But ensure your policy covers these factors when purchasing international health insurance.
Barbados: 115, 119 (Ambulance), 113, 119 (Fire), and 112, 119 (Police)
Cayman Islands: 911
Haiti: 118 (Ambulance), 114 (Police)
St. Kitts & Nevis: 911
International citizens looking to travel or move to the Caribbean should seek global insurance coverage. Several insurance companies offer international health care plans that cover treatment at private hospitals. As an expat in the Caribbean, you should research the best global health insurance policies and choose the one that suits you. From our extensive experience, most expats prefer Cigna Global Medical due to its extensive plans and services. The Allianz global health plan is also an excellent choice for expats in the Caribbean. An important tip is to always secure the insurance before moving to another country. It is the easiest way to mitigate any unforeseen or unpleasant situation afterward.
Contact Us
EXPAT FINANCIAL & Design is a registered trademark of TFG Global Insurance Solutions Ltd.
Note: Some of the products and services described or advertised on this site may not be available to residents of certain jurisdictions, depending on regulatory constraints, including Canada and the U.S. Please contact TFG Global Insurance Solutions Ltd. for more information about your specific jurisdiction. The policies we offer via TFG Global Insurance Solutions Ltd. or its related websites are unavailable to US citizens who will be remaining in the USA for more than 180 days per policy year or are currently residing in NY State.
We use cookies to make sure the website can function, to measure traffic and to support the marketing of our services. By clicking on "Allow" or using the website, you agree to our use of cookies, our Privacy Statement & Legal Terms of Use. Please read our Cookie Notice for further information about our use of cookies. You may change your consent by rejecting optional cookies in the settings or by blocking cookies in your browser.
We may request cookies to be set on your device. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website.
Click on the different category headings to find out more. You can also change some of your preferences. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer.
Essential Website CookiesThese cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features.
Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refusing them will have impact how our site functions. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site.
We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain.
We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. You can check these in your browser security settings.
Check to enable permanent hiding of message bar and refuse all cookies if you do not opt in. We need 2 cookies to store this setting. Otherwise you will be prompted again when opening a new browser window or new a tab.
Click to enable/disable essential site cookies. Other external servicesWe also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Changes will take effect once you reload the page.
Google Webfont Settings:
Click to enable/disable Google Webfonts.Google Map Settings:
Click to enable/disable Google Maps.Google reCaptcha Settings:
Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha.Vimeo and Youtube video embeds:
Click to enable/disable video embeds. Privacy PolicyYou can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page.
