Frequently Asked Questions

774. May U.S. insurers issue policies and pay claims related to group health, life, and travel insurance on behalf of third-country nationals traveling to or within Cuba?

Yes, provided that the insurance policy is a global policy, and not specific to the third-country national’s travel to or within Cuba. Section 515.580 of the CACR authorizes persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction to issue or provide global health, life, or travel insurance policies for individuals… Read more

775. May U.S. insurers, either directly or through third-country subsidiaries, issue policies, or pay insurance or reinsurance claims related to non-U.S. persons providing goods or services that facilitate travel by third-country nationals from a third country to Cuba?

Other than certain global health, life, or travel insurance policies for individuals authorized by 31 CFR § 515.580 , absent specific authorization from OFAC, U.S. insurers and their subsidiaries are not permitted to issue policies, provide reinsurance coverage, or pay insurance or reinsurance… Read more

776. Are health, life, or travel insurance policies that are issued to a “group” (e.g., an employer and its employees) authorized by the CACR?

Section 515.580 of the CACR authorizes global health, life, or travel insurance policies covering individuals ordinarily resident in a country outside of Cuba traveling to Cuba. The policy may be issued to a group, such as all employees of a company. The “global” requirement means it cannot be… Read more

777. May persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction provide certain insurance-related services (such as cargo or hull insurance, or reinsurance) to persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction who are engaging in authorized activity in Cuba?

Where the provision of insurance-related services is directly incident to activity authorized by general or specific license, then the provision of such services is authorized as well. For example, § 515.566 of the CACR authorizes travel and travel-related transactions directly incident to engaging… Read more

778. Does a person subject to U.S. jurisdiction require an OFAC specific license to pay an insurance claim that arises from authorized activity in Cuba if the payment involves a Cuban national?

Where the provision of insurance-related services is authorized by general license, either expressly or as a transaction ordinarily incident to a licensed transaction, this authorization extends to the payment or settlement of claims, including to a Cuban …

779. What are the “180-day rule” and the “goods/passengers-on-board rule”?

The 180-day rule is a statutory restriction prohibiting any vessel that enters a port or place in Cuba to engage in the trade of goods or the purchase or provision of services there from entering any U.S. port for the purpose of loading or unloading freight for 180 days after leaving Cuba, unless… Read more

780. Are there any exceptions to the 180-day rule and the goods/passengers-on-board rule?

Yes. OFAC has authorized by general license certain exceptions to these rules. If a vessel engages only in one or more of the following activities with Cuba, it will qualify for the general license and therefore will not be subject to the 180-day rule or the goods/passengers-on-board rule: Engaging… Read more

781. Do the exceptions to the 180-day rule authorize shipments to or from Cuba?

No. The general licenses involving the 180-day rule only authorize certain vessels to enter a U.S. port within 180 days after leaving a port or place in Cuba; they do not authorize any shipments to or from Cuba. Shipments to or from Cuba may be separately authorized under other provisions of the… Read more

782. If a foreign vessel is traveling to the United States via Cuba with cargo destined for the United States, may goods remain aboard the vessel for delivery to the United States while the vessel is docked in a Cuban port, and may that vessel and its cargo then enter the United States without being subject to the 180-day rule or the goods/passengers-on-board rule?

Yes, provided that no other factors trigger the 180-day rule or the goods/passengers-on-board rule. For example, no goods may be unloaded in Cuba other than goods that would be designated as EAR99 or controlled on the Commerce Control List only for anti-terrorism reasons if they had been exported… Read more

783. May companies that use different ocean carriers as part of a broader shipping service utilizing code-sharing agreements take advantage of the exceptions to the “180-day rule”?

The exceptions to the 180-day rule apply to each individual vessel that meets the requirements of the general license irrespective of any code-sharing arrangement. Thus, any shipping company may deploy a vessel in a broader shipping arrangement and, so long as the vessel meets the terms of the… Read more

Frequently Asked Questions

Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence