Medical Care in Tangier: Getting Reimbursed by Your Travel Insurance

To be reimbursed for care received in Tangier you need three things obtained on the spot: an itemised, named, paid invoice; a medical document describing the care given; and proof of payment. Notify your insurer or assistance platform while you are still travelling — many policies require a declaration within 48 hours, and some make cover conditional on prior approval. Photographing these documents the same day prevents most rejections.

The three documents to ask for before the consultation ends

1. The paid invoice. It should carry your name, the date, an itemised list of procedures and medication given, the amount, the currency, the identity of the practitioner or organisation, and confirmation that the sum was paid.
2. A medical document. A consultation report, certificate or letter describing the reason for the visit, the findings and the treatment. An insurer reimburses justified care, not an isolated accounting line.
3. The prescription and pharmacy receipts. Medication is often reimbursable, provided the pharmacy receipt can be tied to the matching prescription.

Photograph everything immediately. Thermal receipts fade to illegibility within weeks, and that is a perfectly avoidable reason for refusal.

When should you call your insurer?

As early as possible — ideally before non-urgent care. Three reasons:

• Some policies impose a short declaration window, often 48 hours.
• Some require prior approval above a certain amount, or for admission to hospital.
• Many offer direct billing with certain facilities, meaning you pay nothing upfront.

If the situation is urgent, get treated first and call afterwards: no serious policy penalises a call made after a genuine emergency. Just note the time and the case reference the assistance line gives you.

What policies usually cover — and what they do not

Travel policies vary a great deal, but the underlying logic is usually the same.

Usually covered

• A medical consultation for illness or injury arising during the trip.
• Medication prescribed on that occasion.
• Investigations and hospital admission, often subject to conditions.
• Medical repatriation when the assistance company's doctor decides on it.

Frequently excluded

• Follow-up of a pre-existing condition known before departure, unless you bought the option.
• Non-urgent care that could have waited until you got home, including some dental work.
• Injuries from undeclared high-risk sports.
• Costs incurred without medical documentation.
• Harm sustained under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Read the excess line in your policy: a low-cost consultation can end up entirely at your expense simply because it falls under the threshold.

Does a bank card count as insurance?

Some premium cards include medical assistance abroad, usually conditional on having paid for the trip with the card, capped, and time-limited — frequently 90 days per trip. It is genuine cover, but rarely sufficient on its own. Check the terms before you leave rather than afterwards.

A note for residents

If you are affiliated to a Moroccan scheme, the logic is different: the invoice has to meet that organisation's requirements and the filing deadlines are tighter. We cover that route in our article on reimbursement after a home consultation.

The checklist to keep on your phone

• Insurer name, policy number, and an assistance number reachable from abroad.
• A photo of your insurance card or policy summary.
• The itemised paid invoice, photographed the same day.
• A medical document describing the care.
• The prescription and pharmacy receipts.
• The case reference given by the assistance line, with the date of the call.