Funds 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 will possibly save.
I’ve misplaced baggage, had my digicam damaged, and even wanted emergency medical assist through the years.
Journey insurance coverage has been there for me every time. Not solely has it saved me cash however it’s supplied me with peace of thoughts as I discover.
I’ve written extensively through the years about why you want insurance coverage, learn how to choose the appropriate firm, and listed my most well-liked suppliers.
Immediately, I need to speak about my favourite journey insurance coverage firm: SafetyWing.
Who’s SafetyWing?
SafetyWing is an insurance coverage firm that focuses on reasonably priced protection for finances vacationers and digital nomads (although you don’t should be both to get protection). It’s run by nomads and expats who know precisely what such vacationers want.
SafetyWing gives primary 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 on the subject of worth.


Their protection extends all the way in which to age 69, nonetheless, vacationers aged 60-69 ought to anticipate to pay upwards of $196 USD monthly for protection. Nonetheless very affordable, to be sincere.
However is the protection truly good? What concerning the customer support?
Immediately I need to evaluation Security Wing and speak about when it’s — and isn’t — value utilizing so you may higher put together in your subsequent journey and guarantee you’ve 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 below 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 resulting from 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 loss of life or dismemberment
- $20,000 USD for repatriation of stays
Make sure you verify the outline of protection for any situations that apply.




Its $100,000 USD for medical evacuation is on the low finish, however until you’re heading out into the distant wilderness, that must be effective. (If you would like greater 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 won’t even want the protection provided by SafetyWing. Moreover, it doesn’t actually cowl costly electronics, which sucks when you’ve got a dear digicam or video gear.
As with most traditional journey insurance coverage, this one doesn’t embody pre-existing situations or sure journey sports activities, so it’s not a great coverage when you’re going to do lots of journey actions on the highway.
They do provide a pair useful add-ons that I feel lots of vacationers will respect, together with protection for journey actions and electronics theft. That implies that when you want the protection, you may pay further for it. Nevertheless, when you don’t want it then you definitely don’t should pay for it, protecting your prices low. I respect that, as somebody who at all times wants digital protection however who by no means wants journey exercise protection (I’m not an enormous adrenaline junkie).
What’s Not Lined?
The Important plan is primarily geared in the direction of protecting medical emergencies and primary journey mishaps (like delays and misplaced baggage). Listed here are some issues that aren’t lined:
- Alcohol- or drug-related incidents.
- Excessive sports activities & journey actions (until you buy the journey sports activities add-on, which is offered for non-US residents)
- Pre-existing situations or common 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 employees, and long-term vacationers. This new plan gives 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 gives 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 feel is a superb concept).
It’s just like the form of medical insurance you’d discover in your house nation, guaranteeing that you just’re sorted it doesn’t matter what occurs when you’re overseas.
You’ll be able to be taught extra and evaluate the plans right here.
If you happen to’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 finances vacationers. It’s the plan I exploit after I journey lately.
Nevertheless, when you’re going to be working overseas or touring for months (or years), then their new Full plan is the higher possibility. It gives far 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 be taught extra concerning the Full plan in my devoted evaluation.
Making a Declare
SafetyWing makes it straightforward to file a declare by 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 every week (as of writing, the common wait time is 4 days).
If you happen to learn the evaluations on-line, most individuals who had a unfavourable 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 folks to complain about.
On the plus aspect, SafetyWing’s common time to deal with a declare is down to only 4 days. That’s method quicker 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 will probably be lined (so long as it’s medically mandatory).
SafetyWing additionally covers quarantine prices (exterior your house nation) for as much as $50 USD/day for 10 days (supplied that you just’ve had your plan for at the least 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 resolve 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
Provides protection for COVID-19
Restricted protection for gear/electronics
You should purchase plans on-line even when you’re already
in your journey
Restricted protection for journey actions
Straightforward 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 kids below 10 per household
(1 per grownup) might be included totally free
No must set an finish date (subscription
renews each 4 weeks)
Two completely different plans imply you may simply discover one which works for you/your finances
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 resolve if SafetyWing is best for you:
Funds vacationers
Individuals touring with a TON of electronics
Somebody on the lookout for easy emergency protection
Anybody needing complete journey delay
or cancellation
Individuals with out a lot of costly electronics
Individuals 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 will possibly actually prevent tons of or 1000’s of {dollars} in payments! I by no means, ever go away house with out it. You shouldn’t both.
So, the following time you’re on the highway, take into account SafetyWing. To me, they’re the most effective journey insurance coverage firm on the market for finances vacationers.
You need to 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 through the use of Skyscanner. It’s my favourite search engine as a result of it searches web sites and airways across the globe so that you at all times know no stone is being left unturned.
E-book Your Lodging
You’ll be able to e book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you wish to keep someplace aside from a hostel, use Reserving.com because it persistently returns the most affordable charges for guesthouses and motels.
Don’t Neglect Journey Insurance coverage
Journey insurance coverage will shield 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 prior to now. My favourite corporations that provide the most effective service and worth are:
Wish to Journey for Free?
Journey bank cards can help you earn factors that may be redeemed totally free flights and lodging — all with none further spending. Take a look at my information to choosing the right card and my present favorites to get began and see the most recent finest offers.
Want a Rental Automotive?
Uncover Automobiles is a budget-friendly worldwide automotive rental web site. Irrespective of the place you’re headed, they’ll have the ability to discover the most effective — and most cost-effective — rental in your journey!
Want Assist Discovering Actions for Your Journey?
Get Your Information is a large on-line market the place you’ll find cool strolling excursions, enjoyable excursions, skip-the-line tickets, non-public guides, and extra.
Able to E-book Your Journey?
Take a look at my useful resource web page for the most effective corporations to make use of while you journey. I record all those I exploit after I journey. They’re the most effective in school and you may’t go fallacious utilizing them in your journey.