Travel and health insurance is always a topic that comes up in conversation among digital nomads. What insurance do you have? Is it good? Have you ever filed a claim? Would you recommend this insurance?
As we started our digital nomad journey, we slowly started learning about the different nomad insurances through people we met and by doing some research – and, WOW, there’s a lot we didn’t know in the beginning.
I don’t think we realized how important and also how easy it is to actually get good nomad health insurance even after you’ve left your home country.
Since this nomad lifestyle is relatively new and banks, travel companies, and other places you get travel insurance from still aren’t fully prepared for (or even offer) this kind of health and nomad insurance. It’s important to turn to the companies that have actually specialized in insurance specifically for nomads.
There are a bunch of different nomad insurances out there and it can be hard and time-consuming figuring out which one is the best one for you and your unique situation…
In this post, we are comparing the two that we’ve found to be the best of the best: SafetyWing vs World Nomads.
We hope this post helps you figure out which nomad insurance is the better option for your needs!
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links which means if you decide to use the links and make a valid purchase, we will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you <3
SafetyWing vs World Nomads: Which insurance to pick?
Life as a digital nomad isn’t the most conventional lifestyle and with this kind of lifestyle come things like health insurance and travel insurance that most people don’t think about before planning to live abroad!
Whether you’re an American living abroad in South America or a Brit living in South-East Asia you always want to make sure you’re covered with nomad and travel insurance to protect yourself from any unexpected situation. Some countries also require it!
For us, it’s such a small monthly expense (it’s a lot cheaper than you think) that gives us complete peace of mind.
What is nomad health insurance?
Before we dive into the comparison of World Nomads vs SafetyWing, let’s quickly cover what a nomad health insurance actually is…
A nomad health insurance isn’t that different from a normal travel insurance but it is catered towards digital nomads.
A nomad health insurance covers both medical and travel.
Medical meaning that if you get sick and need help from a doctor or go to the hospital, you will be covered for medical assistance. Travel meaning that if you get delayed on your trip, lose your checked luggage, have emergencies, natural disasters, and personal liability, you will be covered.
One of our favourite things about nomad insurance vs regular travel insurance is the fact that you can buy nomad health insurance while you’re already abroad!
This means you don’t have to sign up before you leave your home country.
Alright, now that that’s covered, let’s look into the two different insurances we recommend: SafetyWing vs World Nomads.
SafetyWing Nomad Insurance
SafetyWing is our go-to insurance because we simply love the company!
At the end of the day, lots of these travel and nomad insurances will have similar pros and cons but for us, one of the most important things is the customer service and support you get from the company. And SafetyWing always delivers!
Pros for Safetywing:
- You can buy your nomad insurance while you’re already abroad.
- You can easily pick start and stop dates for your nomad or health insurance.
- They offer automatic payments!
- Very affordable with plans that start at $56/4 weeks.
- For a small price increase, you can use the nomad insurance in the US for up to 30 days.
- You can get both medical and travel insurance through SafetyWing.
World Nomads Travel Insurance
World Nomads Travel Insurance is another go-to when looking for a reliable and consistent nomad insurance while being abroad. A fun fact about World Nomads Travel Insurance is that it was designed by travelers for travelers.
Anything you can think of that may need to be covered while you’re on the road and living your nomad lifestyle the team probably already has covered.
World Nomads also has great customer service that’s 24/7 and another reliable company when considering nomad insurance.
Pros for World Nomads Travel Insurance:
- You can also buy their insurance if you’ve already started your travels.
- World Nomads covers 200+ activities.
- They have a 24/7 multilingual assistance team ready to serve you.
- Easily customize your plan based on your country of residence and time abroad.
- One of the best travel insurances for digital nomads that’s out there.
Comparing SafetyWing vs World Nomads
SafetyWing
Pros:
✅ Can be bought while you’re already abroad
✅ 24/7 assistance via chat
✅ Offers emergency medical coverage
✅ Cheap and easy to set up ($56/4 weeks)
✅ Offers full coverage worldwide
✅ $0 deductible policy
✅ Covers lost luggage and travel delays
✅ For every 90 days abroad, you get 30 days of coverage in your home country (15 if you’re from the US)
Cons:
❌ Is more expensive if you’re in the US, Hong Kong and Singapore
❌ Limited to no coverage for high-risk sports activities
❌ Doesn’t cover electronics
❌ Doesn’t cover pre-existing disease or injury
❌ Doesn’t cover cancer treatment
World Nomads
Pros:
✅ Can be bought while you’re already abroad
✅ 24/7 multilingual assistance
✅ Offers emergency medical coverage
✅ Created by travelers for travelers
✅ Customized plans
✅ Gear and electronics protection
✅ Covers lost luggage and travel delays
Cons:
❌ Does NOT offer insurance for all countries of residence
❌ Price varies depending on where you’re residing. Averaging around $120 a month
❌ Doesn’t cover pre-existing disease or injury
❌ Doesn’t cover cancer treatment
Other related questions to nomad insurance
What does the travel insurance cover?
Travel insurance covers a wide variety of things. SafetyWing and World Nomads cover things like medical emergencies, trip cancelation, delays, lost and delayed luggage, and injuries from plenty of different activities.
Is it necessary to have travel insurance?
It isn’t always necessary to have travel insurance depending on where you’re traveling to and from. However, the comfort and safety of having travel insurance will make your travels much more enjoyable.
Both SafetyWing and World Nomads have very affordable monthly plans so that you can be covered throughout your trip.
How do I choose the best travel insurance?
Choosing travel insurance has to be a person’s individual preference based on a policy that covers your needs.
Doing research, reading reviews, and going with a company that you trust and believe in is very important.
That’s why we recommend and reviewed both SafetyWing and World Nomads because we know how reliable their policies are.
How far in advance should I book travel insurance?
The sooner the better is always the best way to look at it when it comes to booking travel insurance.
Travel insurance is definitely one of those things you don’t want to mess around with so the sooner the better if you can.
If for some reason you’re already travelling and don’t have travel or nomad insurance then don’t worry… Both SafetyWing and World Nomads let you buy nomad insurance even if your travels have already started.
Can I use my health insurance in another country?
Unfortunately, you cannot use your health insurance in another country (unless you’re from the EU and you’re travelling in the EU, then it might).
That’s why companies like SafetyWing and World Nomads have made it affordable to get nomad insurances that cover medical expenses.*
*Both companies offer emergency medical coverage.
You may also like…
- What is the Best Bank for Digital Nomads?
- 7 Epic Locations for Digital Nomads in Portugal
- 19 Amazing Cities for Digital Nomads Around the World
- Living in Bansko as a Digital Nomad
- How to get a Digital Nomad Visa in Portugal
Recap of nomad health and travel insurance you should look into
From our experiences and the experiences of fellow nomad friends, we’ve come to the conclusion that both SafetyWing and World Nomads travel insurance are the best of the best when it comes to travel insurance.
They both offer similar policies with slightly different perks. We can recommend both companies and they both have great customer service and you’ll feel well taken care of while you’re abroad traveling or living as a digital nomad.
However, our personal go-to for nomad insurance is SafetyWing. And that is for three main reasons:
- SafetyWing covers us with our residency in the Czech Republic (World Nomad doesn’t).
- SafetyWing is more affordable.
- We absolutely love SafetyWing and everything they stand for. We’ve met them at travel conferences before and both their staff and brand is amazing. And this is key for us.
If you have more questions about travel insurance or which policy to look into you can always look on their websites or reach out to us via DM on Instagram or leave a comment below!
Save this nomad insurance post to Pinterest!
Thanks for the great insight!
Thanks Cas! <3