Photo: Isaiah Maghanga, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0Health insurance in Tanzania: NHIF, universal cover and private plans
Universal health insurance (Bima ya Afya kwa Wote)
According to the National Health Insurance Fund, universal health insurance started on 26 January 2026 with poor households, whose contributions the government pays. The basic package costs TZS 150,000 per household of up to six people: the member, a spouse and four dependants.
You can read about the scheme on NHIF's Health insurance for all page and register online through NHIF's self-service portal.
The role of TIRA
TIRA's 2024 report says it issued the Universal Health Insurance Regulations, 2024 and that the number of health service providers registered with it rose from 2 in 2023 to 121 in 2024. Health insurance premiums reached TZS 187.5 billion in 2024, 12.4% of the market.
Private health insurance: what to compare
- Inpatient vs outpatient: many plans cover hospital stays first; outpatient visits and medicines are often an add-on.
- Annual limit per person and per family, and sub-limits (maternity, dental, optical, chronic conditions).
- Waiting periods before some benefits start, and how pre-existing conditions are treated.
- Hospital network: which hospitals accept the card without you paying first.
- Co-payment: the share of each bill you pay.
Ask for the benefit schedule in writing and compare it line by line. Check the insurer on the TIRA register — Jubilee Health Insurance Company of Tanzania is one of the specialised health insurers listed there.
NHIF packages and yearly prices
Beyond the universal basic package, NHIF sells five packages to individuals and families. Yearly contributions from NHIF's packages flyer (August 2025), in TZS:
| Who | Tarangire | Ngorongoro | Mikumi | Serengeti | Tanzanite |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child 0–17 | — | 240,000 | 432,000 | 660,000 | 1,500,000 |
| Adult 18–35 | 168,000 | 432,000 | 480,000 | 792,000 | 2,712,000 |
| Adult 36–59 | 192,000 | 540,000 | 744,000 | 1,620,000 | 2,880,000 |
| Adult 60+ | 240,000 | 708,000 | 1,140,000 | 3,336,000 | 6,708,000 |
| Couple 18–35 | 330,960 | 820,800 | 945,600 | 1,504,800 | 5,342,640 |
| Couple + 4 children, 36–59 | 843,840 | 1,890,000 | 3,141,840 | 5,454,000 | 11,493,600 |
- Where you are treated: Tarangire covers dispensaries up to regional referral hospitals; the other four packages cover more than 10,000 facilities up to national hospitals, by referral.
- Waiting period: 30 days after you register and pay.
- Renewal: within 30 days of expiry, or you re-join as a new member.
- Dependants: a spouse and up to four children under 21; families get up to 10% off dependants' contributions.
- Dialysis, cancer and delivery: covered with a 50% co-payment. CT and MRI scans are not covered by Tarangire.
- How to join: online at selfservice.nhif.or.tz, one lump-sum payment; NHIF's free helpline is 199.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does NHIF cost in Tanzania?
NHIF announced a basic universal health insurance package of TZS 150,000 per year for a household of up to six people (member, spouse and four dependants), starting on 26 January 2026.
Who regulates health insurance in Tanzania?
TIRA, under the Universal Health Insurance Regulations, 2024, alongside the NHIF for the public scheme.