TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin SXM NOT going to require Covid insurance?

Jeff Berger's newsletter says that Jeff was told by a government official that the story in the Daily Herald a few days ago that SXM was going to require Covid insurance for travelers, that the story is FALSE. Thoughts?

(For those who missed it, here is a link to the post made here regarding this topic a few days ago.
Link)

I read most things Jeff puts in newsletter with a grain of salt. There have been instances of miss quotes and miss information. I'll wait for an official announcement from the Government.

Likewise, Scuba. Too much of what Mr. Berger says is gleaned from hearsay and rumor and things he finds on other websites and chat forums and while he does sometimes get a good hit, too often his info is available elsewhere in locations you can count on without concern. Just MY opinion based on what I’ve seen and experienced over too many years.

Why should one be required to buy a government sponsored Insurance policy when that same person has coverage from their own health insurance policy as well as evacuation insurance through a policy they already have.
In my case ; we have coverage through our current US insurance policy while in St Maarten or anywhere else we travel to out of the country. In addition we have a separate policy for evacuation due to illness or accident or death.
The cost of the Government sponsored insurance is extremely high in my opinion especially for those who are over 75 years old and who stay on Island for longer periods of time than a week or 2.
How about the cruise people who have stopovers on Island. If one of them falls ill or arrive on Island with Covid 19 disease; will they be made to buy the insurance required by other travelers arriving on Island? I doubt it.

As others have said, I definitely don't take Jeff Berger's word as gospel. In this case, I hope he's right.

I just wish they'd make a decision one way or another - how is anyone supposed to make plans for a vacation in SXM?

My thoughts are that I wish he is right, although I fear that he is wrong. The Tourism Minister has had this bug to require insurance ever since the beginning. IF the story is not true, one wonders why there has not been an official statement to that effect. I suppose it is possible that the story was given to the DH to see what the reaction was, and depending on the reaction, they would then decide what to do??

But as Tim says--just make a freaking decision, people!!

They have waffled and flip-flopped on many other things, I would expect this to be nothing different.

I don't need SXM to make a decision. I've already made mine.

Doesn't really say a lot other than they are still trying to figure it out.

..and that Berger's source that said it wasn't going to happen was mistaken, apparently.

There can't possibly have been any issues or concerns regarding a tourist arriving and getting positive AFTER arriving...and then using up medical resources......can there? Or is this a money grab?

BeachKitten--one ASSUMES that would be the case, that they are concerned about someone getting sick after they arrive.
But it is really curious, as someone said in the other thread, that the reason why SXM says they want to do it is to protect their IMAGE... That doesn't sit well.

As I tried to explain in the previous post, it seems to me that they are trying to save the island from visitors using up their medical resources. For the island, it would probably be better just to get you off the island and back home if you contract Covid-19.

"it would probably be better just to get you off the island and back home if you contract Covid-19."
Just contacting the virus and being positive is a lot different than needing hospitalization required for typical evacuation.