Updated on 16 September 2026 ·
source checked daily
Benin — official level as of 16 September 2026: Level 2/4 ("Exercise Increased Caution"), from the U.S. Department of State. Maximum Insurance covers this country: hospital settled directly, unlimited repatriation, CHF 1.5M, certificate on payment.
Four official readings
United StatesState Departmentsource ↗Our reference level — the one shown across this site
Is the whole country advised against?Nono restriction on the whole country
Level 2/4 — “Exercise Increased Caution”levels 1 and 2 are advice to be careful, not travel restrictions
FranceFrance Diplomatiesource ↗Added on top of the U.S. level, under its own rules: red or orange AREAS
Is the whole country advised against?Nono restriction on the whole country+ red areas
our reading: some areas are classified red (formally advised against)
United KingdomFCDOsource ↗Added on top of the U.S. level, under its own rules: travel statuses
Is the whole country advised against?Nono restriction on the whole country+ parts of the country
our reading: all travel advised against to parts of the country · all but essential travel advised against to parts of the country
source reviewed 15 December 2025
SwitzerlandFDFAsource ↗Advisory cited by the Maximum policy
Is the whole country advised against?Nono restriction on the whole country+ parts of the country
our reading: Switzerland’s FDFA advises against travel to certain regions
advice published 01.05.2026
The four readings on record agree: no restriction on the whole country — France still flags red areas; the United Kingdom still flags parts of the country; Switzerland still flags parts of the country.Our comparison reading: 15 September 2026
Every country has its own scale, so we ask them all the same question: is the whole country advised against?
An advisory covering only areas of the country does not raise the answer: it stays “No”, and the area is shown in the relevant column.
The level shown on this page — and across this site — is the one published by the U.S. State Department, from 1 (normal precautions) to 4 (do not travel). France and the United Kingdom publish their own advisories, with their own rules: they add to that level, they do not replace it.
2 recorded incidents (UCDP)hover, click to open it in the briefing
Level 2/4 — Exercise Increased Caution
Checked on 16 September 2026 · U.S. State Department
Country briefing
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The comparator
What is your current insurance?
The verdict
No area exclusion at this level — but three written limits: deductible and prior approval, 90-day cap, advance under conditions.
Exact wording (official French text): « Des Voyages vers des pays où Votre gouvernement a conseillé de ne pas voyager » — general exclusion n° 11, applying to ALL travel covers.
Travelling only once? Below three trips a year, this contract is probably not for you.
Where, exactly?
What the national level does not tell you
The level is national. Risk areas are in the state advisories below.
U.S. State Department — the full advisory details the regions concerned and the reasons (crime, terrorism, kidnapping, civil unrest)
(read the advisory)
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (United Kingdom) — the United Kingdom advises against all travel to PARTS of the country and advises against all but essential travel to parts · reviewed 15 December 2025 Last announced change : « FCDO now advises against all but essential travel to the remaining areas of the Alibori and Atacora departments. FCDO continues to advise against all but essential travel and all travel to other areas in Benin (‘Warnings and insurance’ page » (read the advisory)
France Diplomatie — France classifies SOME AREAS of the country as red (travel formally advised against) — the advisory is geographic, check it for your exact destination (read the Security advisory)
No major event in progress is located in this country at this morning's check.
What happened, and where
Over 1 January 2026 → 30 June 2026, UCDP (Uppsala University) recorded 2 geolocated violent incidents in this country, for 20 documented deaths.
Most affected areas Alibori department 1 · Atacora department 1
Most recent incidents
7 March 2026 · Atacora department · Pendjari Lodge Benin March 2026;#Benin;Bénin ;Bénin 🇧🇯 | [Suite];Footage;JNIM · 1 death(range 0–6)Source: Crisis Watch;@fabsenbln;@Wamaps_news;@Wamaps_news;@BrantPhil · 6 April 2026 · JNIM; army source; local sources · UCDP #623517 ↗
4 March 2026 · Alibori department · Kofouno village Jihadists stage deadly attack on Benin troops: source;Ce que nous savons de l'attaque qui a coûté la vie à 15 soldats au Bénin;Benin March 2026;15 sol · 19 deaths(range 19–26)Source: Agence France Presse;BBC;Crisis Watch;Vanguard;@Wamaps_news; · 5 March 2026 · JNIM; military source; army spokesman · UCDP #620403 ↗
Source: UCDP Georeferenced Event Dataset (Uppsala Conflict Data Program), file GEDEvent_v26_01_26_06.csv, CC BY 4.0 licence. We keep only incidents UCDP codes as "Clear" and whose location is precise enough to be placed — about 58% of the dataset. An incident may be revised, moved or withdrawn by UCDP in a later release: these figures describe a closed period, not a live situation.
What we do locate on the map are events in progress — earthquakes and disasters reported by USGS and GDACS (UN / European Commission), which do have real coordinates. Hover a dot for details, click to open it in this briefing.
What is happening in Benin right now
Live alerts and level changes, each with its official source. Continuously updated.
No level change recorded for this country since the log opened. The live alerts above are updated continuously.
What public sources give around Porto Novo: hospitals and clinics, nearest evacuation airport. In an emergency, one reflex: +41 22 ••• •• ••.
The closest to the city centre is Clinique Rapha, 2.0 km away. A medical evacuation would depart from Aéroport International Cardinal Bernardin Gantin (COO), 28.7 km from Porto Novo.
🏥 Medical network — Porto Novo
Clinique Raphaemergency department2.0 km from the centre of Porto Novo
Hôpital Musulmanemergency department2.4 km from the centre of Porto Novo
Clinique Louis Pasteur de Djassinemergency department2.5 km from the centre of Porto Novo
Centre Hopitalier Universitaire Départemental de l'Ouémé-Plateauemergency department2.7 km from the centre of Porto Novo
ONG action prospérité et bien être socialemergency department4.8 km from the centre of Porto Novo · tel. 66086767
Clinique centrale de l'oueme "Clinico"emergency department5.0 km from the centre of Porto Novo
Cabinet de soins le bon secoursemergency department5.3 km from the centre of Porto Novo · tel. 97442699
Clinique St Nicolasemergency department5.5 km from the centre of Porto Novo
✈️ Aéroport International Cardinal Bernardin GantinCOO28.7 kmNearest evacuation airport from Porto Novo — unlimited medical evacuation and repatriation included.
💱 Currency: XOF Fr · 🗣 Language: French In an emergency from Porto Novo, your reflex remains +41 22 ••• •• •• — Full number in your client area.
None of these facilities is a Maximum Insurance “partner”, and none is presented as waiving upfront payment: this list is a reading of public map data, nothing more. A direct payment guarantee is arranged CASE BY CASE by our assistance desk, facility by facility and when the need arises — one number, +41 22 ••• •• ••.
Level 2/4 ("Exercise Increased Caution") according to the U.S. Department of State, retrieved on 16 September 2026. Maximum Insurance checks this official source every day.
What does Maximum Insurance do in Benin?
The Pack VIP ($990 for twelve months, unlimited trips) covers CHF 1.5M emergency medical expenses, unlimited evacuation and repatriation, the direct payment guarantee in hospital, and a nominative certificate in the format visa applications require, Schengen included. The Pack VIP Extreme adds crisis management & security and Kidnap & Ransom (subject to eligibility).
Do I need an insurance certificate for a Benin visa?
Many consulates require proof of international medical cover before issuing a visa — Schengen included for non-European travellers. Maximum Insurance issues the official named certificate on payment, accepted for these procedures.
What should I do if hospitalised in Benin?
One reflex: call +41 22 ••• •• •• (24/7). Within our worldwide medical network — 45,000 medical providers — the insurer sends its direct payment guarantee: the hospital is settled directly, no deposit advanced by the traveller.
Is an Amex, Visa or Mastercard enough in Benin?
These are travel-insurance options, with a public notice. At level 4/4 (Do Not Travel), several notices rule the trip out (Amex, exclusion no. 11; Mastercard Fortuneo, art. 5.5). Below that, the area exclusion generally does not apply — 90 days max, reimbursement afterwards, no visa certificate remain. The VIP Pack runs 12 months, pays the hospital, and issues the certificate on payment.
Are a health plan or a travel policy enough in Benin?
A health plan treats you at home: the hospital here asks for a guarantee before admission. A travel policy has its own terms — often a territorial clause at level 4/4, and 90 days. Without the document (IPID number or PDF), we cannot say. Ask a Maximum Insurance expert to call you back.
The displayed level comes from the State Department, checked every morning. Before departure, always cross-check your country of residence's advisory: that is what your policy cites.
The level shown is the official U.S. Department of State level, checked daily. Maximum Insurance is an insurance distributor — general information, not personal advice.