Finances vacationers love saving cash — myself included. However one of many bills that we shouldn’t be low cost with is journey insurance coverage.
After over 17 years of touring the world, I nonetheless by no means go away house with out it.
Why?
As a result of I’ve seen firsthand how helpful it may be — and the way a lot cash it may save.
I’ve misplaced baggage, had my digicam damaged, and even wanted emergency medical assist over time.
Journey insurance coverage has been there for me every time. Not solely has it saved me cash nevertheless it’s supplied me with peace of thoughts as I discover.
I’ve written extensively over time about why you want insurance coverage, learn how to decide the precise firm, and listed my most well-liked suppliers.
Immediately, I need to discuss my favourite journey insurance coverage firm: SafetyWing.
Who’s SafetyWing?
SafetyWing is an insurance coverage firm that focuses on reasonably priced protection for price range vacationers and digital nomads (although you don’t need to be both to get protection). It’s run by nomads and expats who know precisely what such vacationers want.
SafetyWing presents fundamental insurance coverage (known as “Nomad Important”) for a fraction of what different corporations cost, though they’re additionally much less complete. To me, they’re the most effective general journey insurance coverage firm on the market.
Their customary Nomad Insurance coverage protection prices simply $56.28 USD for 4 weeks (for vacationers aged 10-39). That’s one of many lowest costs on the market for dependable journey insurance coverage. They’re tremendous aggressive relating to value.


Their protection extends all the way in which to age 69, nevertheless, vacationers aged 60-69 ought to anticipate to pay upwards of $196 USD per 30 days for protection. Nonetheless very cheap, to be sincere.
However is the protection truly good? What concerning the customer support?
Immediately I need to overview Security Wing and discuss when it’s — and isn’t — price utilizing so you’ll be able to higher put together to your subsequent journey and guarantee you have got the protection you want.
What Does SafetyWing Cowl?
SafetyWing’s customary Nomad Insurance coverage plan is the Important plan. It’s simply $56.28 USD for 4 weeks of journey (exterior the US). That works out to only $1.87 USD per day!
For vacationers beneath age 64, that plan consists of the next:
- $250,000 USD in emergency medical protection
- $1,000 USD for emergency dental care
- $100,000 USD for medical evacuation ($25,000 USD if the reason for medical evacuation is acute onset of pre-existing situation)
- $10,000 USD for an evacuation attributable to political upheaval
- $5,000 USD for a visit interruption
- As much as $100 a day after a 12-hour delay interval requiring an unplanned in a single day keep. Topic to a most of two days.
- $12,500–25,000 USD for dying or dismemberment
- $20,000 USD for repatriation of stays
Remember to verify the outline of protection for any circumstances that apply.




Its $100,000 USD for medical evacuation is on the low finish, however except you’re heading out into the distant wilderness, that needs to be tremendous. (If you’d like increased protection, get MedJet.)
Its travel-delay payout is fairly low, however airways and most journey bank cards present journey delay help too so that you may not even want the protection provided by SafetyWing. Moreover, it doesn’t actually cowl costly electronics, which sucks when you have an expensive digicam or video gear.
As with most traditional journey insurance coverage, this one doesn’t embody pre-existing circumstances or sure journey sports activities, so it’s not a great coverage when you’re going to do a whole lot of journey actions on the street.
They do supply a pair useful add-ons that I believe a whole lot of vacationers will recognize, together with protection for journey actions and electronics theft. That implies that when you want the protection, you’ll be able to pay further for it. Nonetheless, when you don’t want it you then don’t need to pay for it, preserving your prices low. I recognize that, as somebody who all the time wants digital protection however who by no means wants journey exercise protection (I’m not a giant adrenaline junkie).
What’s Not Coated?
The Important plan is primarily geared in the direction of masking medical emergencies and fundamental journey mishaps (like delays and misplaced baggage). Listed below are some issues that aren’t lined:
- Alcohol- or drug-related incidents.
- Excessive sports activities & journey actions (except you buy the journey sports activities add-on, which is out there for non-US residents)
- Pre-existing circumstances or normal check-ups
- Journey cancellation
- Misplaced or stolen money
Nomad Full: Protection for Digital Nomads and Lengthy-Time period Vacationers
In 2023, SafetyWing launched Nomad Well being (now known as their “Full” plan). It’s insurance coverage for digital nomads, distant staff, and long-term vacationers. This new plan presents a mixture of the usual emergency protection that we’ve been discussing above together with “common” well being care protection, comparable to routine visits and preventive care.
The Full plan additionally presents protection in 175 international locations, consists of wellness advantages, psychological well being care, and the power for people to decide on their very own physician whereas touring. They are going to be increasing protection too, together with an add-on for “electronics theft” (which, as somebody who has been robbed whereas touring, I believe is a good concept).
It’s just like the type of medical insurance you’d discover in your house nation, making certain that you simply’re sorted it doesn’t matter what occurs when you’re overseas.
You’ll be able to study extra and evaluate the plans right here.
When you’re simply heading out for a pair weeks or a pair months, SafetyWing’s Important plan is the choice for you. It’s excellent for emergencies, is tremendous reasonably priced, and is designed for price range vacationers. It’s the plan I take advantage of after I journey lately.
Nonetheless, when you’re going to be working overseas or touring for months (or years), then their new Full plan is the higher choice. It presents way more protection whereas nonetheless being reasonably priced. In reality, it’s the plan I want I had after I began touring long-term!
You’ll be able to study extra concerning the Full plan in my devoted overview.
Making a Declare
SafetyWing makes it simple to file a declare by means of their on-line portal. You simply add all of the required paperwork, screenshots, and images, and wait to listen to again. Whereas claims can take as much as 45 enterprise days, most are dealt with in lower than per week (as of writing, the typical wait time is 4 days).
When you learn the opinions on-line, most individuals who had a destructive expertise both didn’t know concerning the deductible (SafetyWing eliminated their deductible for non-US residents as of 2024) or hated the size of time it took to receives a commission. However that’s fairly regular for individuals to complain about.
On the plus facet, SafetyWing’s common time to deal with a declare is down to only 4 days. That’s method sooner than most corporations!
A Observe About COVID
SafetyWing does embody protection for COVID-19. So long as the virus was not contracted earlier than your plan begins, then it will likely be lined (so long as it’s medically crucial).
SafetyWing additionally covers quarantine prices (exterior your private home nation) for as much as $50 USD/day for 10 days (supplied that you simply’ve had your plan for a minimum of 28 days).
Execs and Cons of SafetyWing
Right here’s a glance that the professionals and cons of SafetyWing at a look that will help you determine if it’s the most effective insurance coverage supplier for you and your journey:
Most reasonably priced journey insurance coverage on the market
Solely covers as much as age 69
Gives protection for COVID-19
Restricted protection for gear/electronics
You should buy plans on-line even when you’re already
in your journey
Restricted protection for journey actions
Simple to submit claims on-line
No journey cancellation protection
After being overseas for 90 days, you retain your
medical protection for 30 days in your house
nation (15 days when you’re from the U.S.)
As much as 2 youngsters beneath 10 per household
(1 per grownup) might be included at no cost
No must set an finish date (subscription
renews each 4 weeks)
Two totally different plans imply you’ll be able to simply discover one which works for you/your price range
Who’s SafetyWing Good — and Not Good For?
SafetyWing is designed as primarily medical protection. Since SafetyWing is designed for the budget-conscious digital nomad, it doesn’t cowl some areas that is perhaps extra of a precedence for a shorter-term traveler. Right here’s a fast chart that will help you determine if SafetyWing is best for you:
Finances vacationers
Folks touring with a TON of electronics
Somebody in search of easy emergency protection
Anybody needing complete journey delay
or cancellation
Folks with out a number of costly electronics
Folks doing extreme excessive sports activities/actions
Digital nomads who want medical protection
for long-term journey
Journey insurance coverage is one thing I by no means go away house with out. I do know it’s a boring matter to examine and analysis, however it may actually prevent a whole bunch or 1000’s of {dollars} in payments! I by no means, ever go away house with out it. You shouldn’t both.
So, the subsequent time you’re on the street, think about SafetyWing. To me, they’re the most effective journey insurance coverage firm on the market for price range vacationers.
You should use the reserving widget beneath to get a quote (it’s free):
E book Your Journey: Logistical Suggestions and Tips
E book Your Flight
Discover a low cost flight by utilizing Skyscanner. It’s my favourite search engine as a result of it searches web sites and airways across the globe so that you all the time know no stone is being left unturned.
E book Your Lodging
You’ll be able to guide your hostel with Hostelworld. If you wish to keep someplace aside from a hostel, use Reserving.com because it constantly returns the most affordable charges for guesthouses and lodges.
Don’t Neglect Journey Insurance coverage
Journey insurance coverage will defend you in opposition to sickness, damage, theft, and cancellations. It’s complete safety in case something goes fallacious. I by no means go on a visit with out it as I’ve had to make use of it many instances previously. My favourite corporations that provide the most effective service and worth are:
Need to Journey for Free?
Journey bank cards can help you earn factors that may be redeemed at no cost flights and lodging — all with none further spending. Try my information to choosing the right card and my present favorites to get began and see the most recent greatest offers.
Want a Rental Automotive?
Uncover Automobiles is a budget-friendly worldwide automotive rental web site. Regardless of the place you’re headed, they’ll be capable to discover the most effective — and most cost-effective — rental to your journey!
Want Assist Discovering Actions for Your Journey?
Get Your Information is a big on-line market the place yow will discover cool strolling excursions, enjoyable excursions, skip-the-line tickets, non-public guides, and extra.
Able to E book Your Journey?
Try my useful resource web page for the most effective corporations to make use of whenever you journey. I listing all those I take advantage of after I journey. They’re the most effective in school and you’ll’t go fallacious utilizing them in your journey.