Brunei: all foreign citizens must have private health insurance

Proof of valid insurance will have to be provided by foreigners when entering Brunei.

Brunei has mandated that all foreign citizens in the country must have a minimum level of private health insurance coverage.

This new requirement is in part due to a sharp increase in overall expenditures of Brunei’s public healthcare system, which previously extended free coverage to permanent residents and foreign spouses of Brunei citizens, WTW noted in a September 2025 article.

Starting 1 January 2026, holders of employment pass for the private sector must have a minimum health insurance coverage of BND100,000.

Dependent pass holdiers— spouse and non-schooling children— must have a coverage of BND10,000; and student pass holders must have at least BND5,000 coverage.

Proof of valid insurance will have to be provided for foreigners entering or already in the country, or else their entry pass or permit will be limited to two weeks.

Nearly all or 93% of employers in Brunei surveyed by WTW provide supplemental health benefits, primarily private medical insurance to cover their employees and their dependents for surgery or hospitalization and, to a lesser extent, outpatient treatment.