Introduction
You’ve started your digital nomad journey or are just about to go on your first trip and keep hearing the term “digital nomad insurance”. Or maybe you are already abroad and forgot health insurance completely.
Being safe and covered in case something happens on your travels is something we don’t like to think about, yet it’s still important. In this blog, I want to give you an overview of the difference between digital nomad insurance and regular health insurance, why you should have insurance and which options are out there.
Can I Go Traveling Without Insurance?
Absolutely not! This is not just me saying it because I’m German and we are known for loving insurance. Even if you rarely get sick or have never needed to cancel a flight before, trust me when I tell you it is worth investing a bit of money in good insurance.
When traveling, you are exposed to a variety of healthcare standards that are potentially more risky than in your home country.
This can be due to different climates, less regulations on food hygiene or simply going on fun adventures involving physical activities.
Here’s a personal example: When I last travelled Indonesia, my leg touched a hot scooter exhaust pipe for less than a second, resulting in a burn blister that later on got infected due to dirty water.
The overall medical cost to get that small blister treated ended up being around 500 euros for medicine and visits to the doctor. Luckily, I was insured and got 100% of that money back.
Here are a few more scenarios where you’d rather have insurance to cover you:
- You need to book a last-minute flight home because of a family emergency.
- You have a tiny mosquito bite and end up with dengue fever and a two-week hospital stay.
- You get food poisoning and need a doctor to come to your hotel for an IV drip.
- You end up in heavy rain on the way to your accommodation and your laptop is damaged.
- Your work phone gets stolen and you need immediate replacement.
All of the above would absolutely suck and I hope they never happen to you. By having good insurance in place, you at least do not have to deal with extra expenses in addition to dealing with the situation.
What's so Special About Digital Nomad Insurance Compared to Regular Health Insurance?
As the term suggests, digital nomad insurance is designed specifically for the digital nomad lifestyle of remote work and long-term traveling. Here are a few key differences:
Duration of Digital Nomad Insurance
Unlike traditional travel insurance that usually covers short periods of travel for several days to a maximum of a few months, digital nomad insurance is designed for periods ranging from several months up to multiple years. While traditional travel insurance is sold for specific trips and fixed durations, many digital nomad insurance options are more flexible and allow monthly payments with flexible coverage plans.
Coverage of Digital Nomad Insurance
Due to insurance for digital nomads focusing on long-term travelers, they tend to provide more cover than regular travel insurance. This can include routine check-ups, dental treatments, mental health support, treatment of pre-conditions, and coverage during visits to your home country. Some digital nomad insurance providers even cover electronic devices, lost luggage, and flight cancellations for non-medical reasons.
Booking Insurance While Already Abroad
Traditional travel insurance tends to start on your day of departure and end with your return to your home country. Buying traditional travel insurance while already being abroad is rarely possible. With insurance options specifically for digital nomads, you can usually purchase and extend them while already being in a foreign country. This can be great if you forgot to buy travel insurance or want to extend your insurance when traveling longer than originally planned.
Which Insurance is the Best for Digital Nomads?
Choosing the right insurance depends on various factors such as travel plans, budget, and your specific needs. If you plan to travel for a long period and visit multiple countries, choosing digital nomad insurance with a monthly subscription is a great option for you. If you plan to spend time in your home country between trips, a paid-by-day insurance might be more suitable.
No matter which type of insurance you choose, a few things are good to know when it comes to travel insurance for digital nomads:
- Most insurance providers charge extra for trips to the USA.
- Some common holiday activities are not included in regular insurance options. A good example is diving, kiteboarding, or some forms of hiking. Make sure to check the insurance policy when planning high-risk activities.
- Motorbike and scooter accidents are only covered if you have a valid license that allows you to drive those vehicles.
- There is no “one size fits all” plan. Insurance options are very individual and I am no insurance expert. You should always do your own research before making a purchase decision.
In this blog we will look at four different providers as an example. There are many more insurance providers out there. Click below to see our extended list of insurance providers.
Digital Nomad Insurance with Monthly Payment
SafetyWing is an insurance provider tailored specifically to digital nomads and remote workers.
Its main mission is to offer flexibility and affordable health insurance plans as well as travel-related incidents like lost luggage.
- Buy travel insurance after departure: Yes
- Price starting from: $56 for 4 weeks
- Medical policy limit: $250,000
- Lost luggage included: Yes, if checked in
- Emergency flights home: Yes
- Home country coverage: Up to 30 days per 90 days abroad
- Good to know: Additional coverage needed for certain adventure sports.
Genki is a popular health insurance focused on digital nomads that offers two main options which you could classify as the basic travel insurance and a premium insurance.
The details below are for the Genki Explorer package which will cover worldwide travels for up to two years.
- Buy travel insurance while abroad: Yes, with a 14-day waiting period for non-emergency health cases.
- Starting from: $51 per month
- Max policy limit: No limit for most cases
- Lost luggage: No
- Emergency flights home: Only for medical reasons
- Home country coverage: Up to 6 weeks per 180 days for accidents and emergencies
- Good to know: Some adventure sports like kiteboarding are included.
Nomad Insurance Paid by Day
World Nomads seems like a more expensive option compared to other insurances but covers a lot more scenarios, including lost travel documents, stolen money, or flight delays.
Unlike the above, World Nomads is not a monthly insurance subscription. You choose the duration of your trip and will be charged per day with the longest possible period being 365 days.
During your coverage period, you are allowed two home visits, during which you will not be covered. Depending on the length of your home visits, it can be worth buying insurance for multiple individual trips rather than one long period.
- Buy insurance while abroad: Yes, with a 72-hour waiting period before coverage starts.
- Starting from: $154 per month
- Max policy limit: ~ $5,300,000
- Lost luggage: Yes, plus coverage for delayed luggage.
- Emergency flights home: Yes, even for scenarios like exam-resits.
- Home country coverage: No
- Good to know: Covers flight delays, lost items or travel documents, and changes of your trip length.
Insured Nomads is an insurance company focused on digital nomads, remote workers, expats, and remote companies. As with World Nomads, you will pay per day of your trip instead of monthly and the insurance covers much more than just basic health insurance.
Depending on the plan you choose, you can claim for lost luggage or personal liability cover.
Most Insured Nomads plans also include a membership to their INC benefits program which comes with lounge access at airports, mental health support, and more.
- Buy travel insurance after departure: Yes, for some plans.
- Starting from: $86 with a $500 deductible, increasing with a lower deductible.
- Max policy limit: $250,000 to $2,000,000.
- Lost luggage: Yes
- Emergency flights home: Yes, even including emergency pet transportation.
- Home country coverage: Up to 15 days per 90-day period.
- Good to know: Requires basic insurance in your home country, includes an INC membership for extra benefits.
The Best Digital Nomad Health Insurance for You
In the end, the best digital nomad health and travel insurance is the one that matches your travel plans, fits your budget, and has coverage that lets you sleep well at night.
Whether you choose a monthly plan like the ones provided by SafetyWing or Genki, or a per-day plan like World Nomad or Insured Nomad, make sure it aligns with your travel lifestyle.
I am not an insurance expert and all information provided above is researched online and subject to change. Some prices were converted to USD from other currencies.
You should always do your own research and have a close look into the policies before making a purchase. Stay safe and enjoy your next adventure!
