As we returned to travel during the pandemic, Jedd and I felt that trip insurance and travel medical insurance were more important than ever for our trips.
We first learned about SafetyWing at a digital nomad conference. With further research, specifically considering all the uncertainties around Covid-19 and travel restriction changes, we decided to use SafetyWing for our trips.
In this post, I’ll share the pros and cons of SafetyWing and other important things to know about their Nomad Insurance.
What is SafetyWing Nomad Insurance?
SafetyWing is travel medical insurance. It was designed for digital nomads, remote workers, and long-term travelers.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of our links, we may receive a small commission, at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!
Advantage of SafetyWing over other travel insurance include:
– Better prices for long term travel
– You can purchase a policy even after you’ve started traveling
– Covid-19 coverage is included
– You can pay a monthly subscription and cancel at any time
Unlike many insurance plans, SafetyWing will insure you even if your trip doesn’t have an end date or you’re traveling on a one-way ticket. Coverage is worldwide so you don’t need to know where you’re going next!
There’s even some coverage in your home country, if you’re abroad for at least 90 days and then return home for a short time (15 days in the US).
Pricing is based solely on your age and whether or not you need to be covered while in the United States. One child under 10 per parent (total of two children) can be included in the plan for free.
Get a quote from SafetyWing here:
About SafetyWing’s Coronavirus Coverage
According to their website:
[Covid] Coverage works the same as any other illness as long as it was not contracted before your coverage start date, and does not fall under any other policy exclusion or limitation.
Testing for COVID-19 will only be covered if deemed medically necessary by a physician. The antibody test is not covered, as it is not medically necessary.
As of April 15th 2021, Nomad Insurance also covers quarantine outside your home country of $50/day for up to 10 days (with the limitation of being once within a 364-day period). The coverage requires that:
– You are covered by Nomad Insurance for a minimum of 28 days.
– Your quarantine is mandated by a physician or governmental authority, because you have either tested positive for COVID-19 OR you are symptomatic and waiting for your test results.
When we were preparing for a trip in January 2022 during the Omicron outbreak, I wrote to SafetyWing to find out: “Does SafetyWing have any coverage that applies if a trip has to get rescheduled because a PCR Covid test result (required to enter the country) does not get processed in the 72 hours before the departure flight?”
The answer is no. While there is Trip Delay and Trip Interruption coverage, a delayed test result would not qualify for this benefit.
I also asked: “Would there be coverage if a government suddenly changes restrictions and someone is no longer able to fly?”
This answer is also no. To cover potential trip cancelation costs, then, you can either:
1) book flights that are refundable/changeable, or
2) purchase a separate trip cancellation insurance at the time of booking, or
3) book with a travel credit card that includes trip cancelation coverage
What is covered by SafetyWing:
- Hospital: Room and nursing services
- Intensive care: Up to the overall maximum limit
- Ambulance: Usual, reasonable and customary charges when covered illness or injury results in hospitalization
- Urgent charges: $50 co-payment, not subject to deductible.
- Physical therapy and chiropractic care: Up to $50 per day. Must be ordered in advance by a physician.
- Emergency dental: Up to $1,000. Not subject to deductible.
- All Other Eligible Medical Expenses: Up to the overall maximum limit.
Trip interruption: Up to $5,000. No deductible
Travel delay: Up to $100 a day after a 12-hour delay period requiring an unplanned overnight stay. Subject to a maximum of 2 days. No deductible
Lost checked luggage*: Up to $3,000 per certificate period; $500 per item. Up to $6,000 lifetime limit. No deductible.
Natural disaster — a new place to stay: Up to $100 a day for 5 days. No deductible
Political evacuation: Up to $10,000 lifetime maximum. Not subject to deductible
Emergency medical evacuation: Up to $100,000 lifetime maximum. Not subject to deductible or overall maximum limit.
Personal liability: Third person injury ($25,000), Third person property ($25,000), Related third person property ($2,500), Lifetime maximum of $25,000. Not subject to deductible or overall maximum limit.
Accidental death & dismemberment (AD&D): Loss of limb ($12,500), Loss of 2 limbs ($25,000), Death ($25,000), Lifetime maximum ($25,000)
- Bedside visit: Up to $1500 to cover transport for one relative to visit you if you are in hospital intensive care with a life threatening injury or illness.
- Emergency reunion: Up to $50,000 (maximum 15 days) for transport, lodging and meals for one relative to visit you after an emergency medical evacuation.
View SafetyWing prices for your trip here >
Save money, work smarter, travel deeper with
our free Resource Guide for Digital Nomads.
What to know about SafetyWing
Here are a few key things to know about SafetyWing to help you decide if this is the right travel insurance for you.
1. SafetyWing focuses on medical emergency coverage. This helps keep costs low, but it does mean that traditional cancelation coverage is not included.
2. Iran, North Korea, and Cuba are not included in the coverage. Citizens from these countries are not able to use SafetyWing, and travelers going to these countries will not receive insurance benefits (with the exception of U.S. citizens visiting Cuba with permission from the U.S. government).
3. Many sports and adventure activities are covered like bungee jumping, horseback riding, surfing, skiing, snowboarding, and cycling. Even motorbike and scooter accidents are covered as long as racing and intoxication are not involved.
However, some extreme sports are not covered – check the website for exclusions.
4. There is a $250 deductible. This is what you will pay when you make your first claim in a given year.
After the deductible is paid, SafetyWing will reimburse up to US $250,000 of covered expenses (or up to $100,000 for those age 65 years and above).
5. Emergency medical coverage does not include routine or preventive care, cancer treatment, or pre-existing conditions (acute onset of pre-existing conditions can be covered to an extent).
For more comprehensive health insurance abroad, see SafetyWing’s Remote Health plan.
7. Lost checked luggage is covered but stolen baggage or stolen electronics are not.
8. SafetyWing does not cover travelers age 70 and over.
9. Claims are submitted online and administered byTokio Marine, one of the largest insurance companies in the world. Most reports of the claims process are really good. You can see reviews by people who have made claims onTrust Pilot.
Purchase a SafetyWing policy >
Is SafetyWing insurance for travelers worth it?
We think so. SafetyWing is flexible, affordable, and offers the coverage that most digital nomads and long term travelers need.
While we haven’t needed to make a claim yet, we have purchased SafetyWing Nomad Insurance policies for two long-term international trips during Covid.
We plan to continue insuring our international travels through SafetyWing in 2024. We also make sure to book travel with a Chase Sapphire credit card which includes trip cancellation coverage, since this is not include in SafetyWing plans.
