Two questions come up again and again: do you need travel insurance for Morocco, and is Morocco "Europe" for travel insurance? Morocco does not ask to see insurance when you arrive as a UK tourist. But the Foreign Office tells everyone travelling to get appropriate cover, and Morocco sits outside the systems that help you in Europe.
Is Morocco in Europe for travel insurance?
Morocco is in North Africa, not in the EU or the European Economic Area. How it is treated depends on your insurer: some policies put Mediterranean countries such as Morocco in their "Europe" zone, others place it in "Worldwide". There is no general rule, so read your policy's list of countries before you rely on it. The same goes for Marrakech: the city is in Morocco, so whatever applies to Morocco applies to it.
Does the GHIC work in Morocco?
No. The UK Global Health Insurance Card (and the older EHIC) only applies in the EU and a handful of other countries; Morocco is not one of them. You may be asked to pay a clinic up front, which is why a policy with a 24-hour assistance line that can arrange payment matters.
What the FCDO says
The FCDO's Morocco advice (reviewed on 19 August 2026) says to "get appropriate travel insurance" and that it "should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency". In practice that means medical and hospital costs, repatriation on medical grounds, and the activities you actually plan to do.
| Check in the policy | Why |
|---|---|
| Morocco is covered | Policies split the world into zones and Morocco is in Africa: check it is on your policy's country list. |
| Medical and hospital costs | The FCDO says insurance should cover expenses in an emergency. |
| Repatriation | Getting you home on medical grounds is the most expensive item. |
| 24-hour assistance number | You call it before going to a clinic: save it in your phone and on paper. |
| Planned activities | The FCDO says the policy should cover your planned activities: trekking, quad bikes, surfing and desert trips can be excluded. |
| Excess and limits | What you pay yourself on each claim, and the maximum the policy pays. |
If you need help in Morocco
- Call your insurer's assistance number first: it tells you where to go and can arrange payment with the clinic.
- Keep every invoice, prescription and medical report for the claim.
- Report theft to the police; for a lost or stolen passport, the FCDO says you need a police report to leave the country.
Before you go, also read vaccinations for Morocco and our things to know before going to Morocco checklist.
Being able to reach your insurer
Assistance lines take calls, and many also work through an app or messaging with photos of documents. An eSIM gives you data from the moment you land, without hunting for Wi-Fi: our plans run from 1 day (€6) to 30 days (€79). See the Morocco eSIM plans and how to contact your travel insurer without local signal.