Even the most dream-like destination can turn into a financial nightmare, as a disaster can strike at any moment. From bad food or a toothache to a state of national emergency, our trip can always surprise us, and in those situations, the best course of action is to turn to your insurance. A good cover can offer you not only financial protection, but assist in medical emergencies abroad and help you get in touch with local doctors and professionals. For digital nomads, loss of equipment or a health issue can be even more disruptive, as it can affect your cashflow.
We have collected five of the most popular solutions for digital nomads, helping you choose the best option and travel the world with peace of mind.
SafetyWing stands out as one of the few services specifically designed for digital nomads. Their Nomad Insurance includes both Medical coverage, up to $250,000, as well as Travel insurance, which includes travel delays, lost luggage, personal liability and more. Their medical coverage includes medical expenses, hospital stays, prescription drugs and more, so you can travel in peace. It also covers Covid-19. Bear in mind if you plan to partake in high-risk sports activities those will not be covered.
You can get insured while you are away from your home country, and the coverage will be auto-renewed monthly, so you will stay insured and safe while travelling.
Contacting their emergency team is simple and effective, and they will get in touch with the relevant medical authority in the country and help you arrange the treatment.
If you want to travel with your family, the Nomad Insurance includes up to 2 children under 10 per family (1 per adult) free of charge, making it an excellent option if you travel with young ones.
Their pricing calculator allows you to easily calculate how much the insurance will cost, which will help you plan your costs (their individual packages start from 42 USD).
Learn more at their website and calculate your insurance here!
2. World Nomads
Designed by seasoned travellers, World Nomads is a flexible solution which works with local insurance providers, so every insurance will be tailored to your needs, depending on which countries you are travelling to.
They offer two tiers: Standard and Explorer: Standard is the more affordable option, while Explorer covers more activities. In fact, World Nomads cover over 150 adventure activities: if you are into extreme sports and high-adrenaline activities, then they cover a range of activities like bungee jumping, diving, rock climbing, skydiving, kayaking and more!
It provides up to $100,000 USD in coverage on both the Standard and Explorer Plans. The Explorer plan also covers up to $35,000 rental car damage, which can be a plus if you drive a lot.
They operate a 24-hour helpline with Generali, which will offer help whenever you are in the world.
However, they do not cover pre-existing conditions (such as diabetes) or general check-ups, as well as incidents that happen if you were “reckless” (and they do not define what this entails). Furthermore, if you use the equipment for professional purposes, it may not be covered.
Insured Nomads is created by a team of nomads spread across five continents, who understand the needs of their target audience very well, as they have experienced the lifestyle first-hand.
They offer Travel Insurance, focused on short trips abroad, which is useful if you want to do some short-term exploring while you work. It covers general medical treatments and expenses, including COVID-19 coverage and pre-existing conditions, as well as other covers like ambulance transport, evacuation, flight coverage and more. They also include Cybersecurity and online privacy protection.
For digital nomads and those who plan to stay abroad for longer, they offer the Global Health option, which fits users who go on long (12 months) trips. It covers inpatient (Hospital Stay, Surgery & Related Care, Oncology, Organ Transplant) and outpatient care (Physician consultations, ER or Urgent Care, Diagnostic tests), as well as ambulances, vaccinations, prescription, maternity and more.
Prices for this service are around $300 per month for individuals, making Insured Nomads one of the pricier options.
4. Travelex
Travelex is a more general travel insurance service, which can still be useful for nomads, especially if you have a very varied travel schedule.
They offer different plans and you can choose the best one according to your needs. Their Basic plan covers the essential medical treatments – however, extra coverages such as taking part in adventure sports, are paid separately.
The Travel Select plan allows you to customise your cover, which can be useful for both weekend getaways, as well as long-term stays, so it is worth building a personalised plan and seeing if suits your needs well.
This is another service built especially for digital nomads. They offer three tiers of cover: Starter, Remote and Comfort.
Starter is for nomads travelling for fewer than 6 months and will cover medical expenses, equipment search and rescue, loss of baggage and extreme sports. Remote is for travellers who will be outside of their home country for more than 6 months, while Comfort is their premium solution (for over 12 months travellers), which offers the best coverage.
You can also get add-ons to your coverage, for theft, extreme sports, luggage, etc.
The unique thing about the service is that you get a special Red Card, which eliminated the wait to get reimbursed. Just go to their app, make a claim and PassportCard Nomads will load money onto your card for you to pay any expenses right away.
Regardless of what adventures you plan to go on, remember that disaster can always surprise you. In this case, insurance can save you thousands of dollars in bills, so don’t risk bankruptcy – find the best insurance provider and get covered! Safe travels!
