| Why You Should Consider Getting SafetyWing Travel Insurance: Fact 1: Things go wrong – often. Fact 2: Just when you think it won’t happen to you, it does. Fact 3: When you are least expecting it, it goes wrong. Fact 4: It’s normally expensive/painful or both. Fact 5: Travel insurance can help. |
Before Andy and I started our life of travel and living abroad, we had both travelled fairly extensively. Taking every opportunity to get out of England, we both ran off to various corners of the world for a week or two (or longer) at a time in search of sand, sea, sun, and adventure. So, along the way, we picked up our fair share of holiday-related stories.
On reflection, most of the stories are about the bad things that have happened. After all, no one is really interested in hearing that the beach was fantastic, the food was great, and the weather was perfect during your recent week in Spain. They want to know about the lost passport, the pickpocket in the bus station, the terrible dose of the runs you got from the rat on a stick, and the day the hotel flooded.
Sounds dramatic, but all of those things have happened personally to us at some point or another. And that was just on normal one or two-week holidays from work!
On longer trips, we’ve been on a boat that sank, got caught in a typhoon, crashed in a taxi, nearly been wiped out in a tuk-tuk by a truck, almost died in an Airbnb fire, got sick, had flights delayed and cancelled and lost luggage. The most expensive was flying home from Mexico due to a family emergency. It’s all part of travelling and accepting there are risks involved, especially if you like to head more off the beaten track like us.
And that is why we have always made sure we are covered by insurance. You hope you never need it, but are so thankful for it when you do.
SafetyWing has changed and expanded its insurance options over the years, so we’ve updated this post to reflect its current Nomad Insurance Essential and Complete plans. As always, check the latest policy wording before buying, as prices, limits, add-ons and exclusions can change.
This is useful because the post is about insurance, and SafetyWing’s current offer includes Essential and Complete plans. SafetyWing currently describes Essential as travel medical insurance and Complete as full health insurance with extra travel protections.
Affiliate Link Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you use them to make a purchase, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This does not affect the price you pay. As with all insurance, always check the latest policy wording, limits and exclusions before buying. Learn more in our Affiliate Link Disclosure.
SafetyWing Travel Insurance
We’ve become fans of SafetyWing travel insurance over the years. And it’s not only us. After a few years of being abroad, you get to hear from many other people about their terrible travel tales and how their insurance companies dealt with them. SafetyWing often seems to come out on top when it comes to customer service and coverage.
SafetyWing can be a good option for short breaks, annual holidays, longer trips and flexible travel plans. It offers travel medical cover and selected travel benefits at competitive prices, especially for travellers who want cover that can work across multiple countries. You can check the latest price and policy details for the Nomad Insurance Essential plan here.
Not only is SafetyWing great for a normal holiday or trip away, but it really comes into its own when you need travel insurance for longer or indefinite trips.
Remote working as a digital nomad, as we did in Siem Reap, Cambodia, or as a location-independent freelancer, presents the problem of finding adequate insurance. Most policies only cover you for a number of weeks per year away from home. They also need you to purchase the cover from your own country and to return to your own country for several days between trips. That’s not very convenient if you are planning a two-year round-the-world cycling expedition or a six-month workcation in the Philippines. Even less convenient if you decide to spend another two years cycling back the way you came, or decide to take another year-long contract in your new job. This is another area where SafetyWing travel insurance surpasses the competition.
What is SafetyWing?
In 2018, three remote workers (Sondre, Sarah and Hans) were staying in their friend’s place in Norway. One of them was working on the Norwegian social safety net system and had the idea of rolling the safety net system out into the remote working world. The eventual aim was to provide remote workers with the same level of security that the Norwegian government offers its citizens. The first item on the agenda was health care. So, the first product they designed and launched was travel insurance that was suitable for short holidays and longer remote working trips.
SafetyWing travel insurance proved deeply popular and now offers cover for holidaymakers, travellers and nomads across 180+ countries. The co-founders are remote workers, as are many of the staff team, which puts them in a good position to understand the nuances of customers’ situations. Empathy goes a long way when the person on the end of the phone is having a personal crisis!
SafetyWing Insurance Products
Over the past few years, SafetyWing has expanded its insurance products for travellers, remote workers, digital nomads and remote teams. Its main Nomad Insurance options are now Nomad Insurance Essential and Nomad Insurance Complete. It also offers Remote Health for businesses and teams.
SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Essential
SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Essential is the lower-cost travel medical insurance option. It’s aimed at travellers, holidaymakers, long-term backpackers, digital nomads and remote workers who mainly want cover for unexpected illness or injury while they are away.
Essential can be a good starting point if you want flexible cover for a trip with changing dates or multiple countries. It can cover you for up to 364 days at a time and includes treatment for new, unexpected medical issues while travelling, as well as hospital stays, surgery, medication, lost checked luggage, travel delays and emergency evacuation.
It also includes limited medical cover for short visits back to your home country, currently up to 30 days. This can be useful if you are travelling long-term but plan to pop home briefly during your trip.
At the time of checking, SafetyWing lists Nomad Insurance Essential from US$62.72 per 4 weeks for ages 18-39. The final price can vary depending on your age, destination, trip length, add-ons, and whether you include US cover, so always check the latest quote before buying.
CHECK THE LATEST NOMAD INSURANCE ESSENTIAL PRICE HERE
SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Complete
SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Complete is the fuller health insurance option. It includes everything in the Essential plan, plus broader medical and travel benefits for people living, working or travelling abroad for longer periods.
Complete is more suited to remote workers, digital nomads, expats and families who want more than emergency travel medical cover. It can include routine and emergency medical care anywhere in the world, wellness therapies, mental health support, cancer treatment, burglary cover, cancelled accommodation and delayed luggage.
Another key difference is that Complete has ongoing cover that is renewable indefinitely and no coverage restrictions at home. This makes it a better fit if you are based abroad, split your time between countries, or want more continuous health-style cover rather than shorter-term travel medical insurance.
At the time of checking, SafetyWing lists Nomad Insurance Complete from US$177.50 per month for ages 18-39. Prices vary depending on age, location, add-ons and payment options, so check the latest plan details carefully before deciding.
CHECK OUT NOMAD INSURANCE COMPLETE PRICE HERE
SafetyWing Remote Health
If your solopreneur enterprise has flourished and you now need coverage for global remote workers, SafetyWing Remote Health may be worth looking at. It is designed especially so that you can offer your team the reassurance and care they truly deserve. It gives them peace of mind and helps you protect your team, no matter which rocky outcrop they decide to work from.
This is another new product that is bucking the trend and leading the way for remote teams. If you are self-employed, check SafetyWing’s latest Remote Health eligibility and policy details to see whether it fits your situation.
8 Reasons to Choose SafetyWing Travel Insurance
So, if you are not sold already, let’s dive deeper into the advantages of SafetyWing. Here are 8 reasons to consider SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Essential, even if you’re not a digital nomad or remote worker:
1. The Competitive Price
SafetyWing typically offers competitive rates, especially for long-term travellers. At the time of checking, Nomad Insurance Essential starts from US$62.72 per 4 weeks for ages 18-39, although the final price depends on your age, destination, add-ons and whether you include US cover.
2. Flexibility
You can buy cover before you leave or at any point during your travels, which is useful if your plans change or you decide to stay away longer.
3. Cover in Multiple Countries
One policy can cover you across multiple countries, which is ideal if you are backpacking, travelling long-term or moving around as a digital nomad. As always, check the latest country exclusions and whether you need to add US cover.
4. Coverage in 180+ Countries
SafetyWing currently offers cover across 180+ countries. US coverage is extra, and there may still be excluded destinations or restrictions, so check your exact itinerary before buying.
5. Monthly Payments
You can choose cover for specific dates or pay on a rolling 4-week basis for Essential. SafetyWing currently states that Essential can cover you for up to 364 days at a time.
6. Covers Visits Home
Nomad Insurance Essential currently includes limited medical cover for short visits to your home country, up to 30 days. If you need broader cover at home, compare Essential carefully with Complete before buying.
7. Children Covered For Free
Children may be able to be added to a SafetyWing policy, but check the latest family and child eligibility rules directly with SafetyWing before buying, as these details can change.
8. Sports Coverage
Essential includes cover for many leisure sports and activities, but not every activity is covered automatically. SafetyWing also shows adventure sports as an optional extra in its current pricing calculator, so check the covered activities list before buying if your trip includes hiking, diving, skiing, motorbiking or other higher-risk activities.
This is the service that made SafetyWing famous.
CHECK YOUR SAFETYWING PRICE HERE
Things to Check Before Buying SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Essential
Nothing is perfect, and every insurance policy is a compromise. SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Essential can be a great option for flexible, affordable travel medical cover, but it is not designed to cover absolutely everything. Read the points below carefully and check the latest policy wording before buying. If any of these are deal breakers, SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Complete or a different provider may be a better fit.
- Check the deductible and policy limits: SafetyWing’s policy details have changed over time, so check the latest policy wording for deductibles, limits and exclusions before buying.
- Age limits apply: SafetyWing’s current pricing calculator shows age bands up to 60-69 for Essential, so check eligibility carefully if you are buying for older travellers or children.
- Electronics cover isn’t automatic: SafetyWing currently shows electronics theft as an optional add-on. If you are travelling with a laptop, camera or expensive phone, check the add-on limits, conditions and proof requirements carefully.
- Trip cancellation may be limited: Essential includes trip interruption in specific circumstances, but it is not the same as a comprehensive trip cancellation policy. If cancellation cover is important to you, compare the details carefully.
- US cover costs extra: SafetyWing currently states that global cover is across 180+ countries, but US coverage is extra.
- Some activities need extra cover: Leisure sports and activities may be covered, but SafetyWing also lists adventure sports as an optional add-on, so check your planned activities before buying.
- Essential doesn’t cover everything medically: SafetyWing states that Essential does not cover pre-existing conditions, maternity care or cancer treatment.
- Prices are in USD: SafetyWing lists prices in USD, so your final cost may vary depending on exchange rates and your card provider’s fees.
The main concern for Andy and me has always been gadget cover, as our laptops, cameras and phones are tools of our trade. SafetyWing now shows electronics theft as an optional add-on, but I’d still check the limits and conditions carefully and consider separate gadget cover if you travel with expensive equipment.
SafetyWing Travel Insurance Conclusion
SafetyWing travel insurance can offer good value, flexible cover for long-term travellers, digital nomads, remote workers and holidaymakers who want insurance that can work across multiple countries. Its Nomad Insurance Essential plan is likely to be the best starting point for many travellers, while Complete is worth comparing if you want broader health-style cover while living or working abroad.
CHECK THE LATEST SAFETYWING PRICES HERE
As with all travel and health insurance, read the latest SafetyWing policy wording, ask SafetyWing any questions directly and make sure the policy covers your exact situation, destinations, activities, health needs and belongings. Check add-ons carefully too, especially if you need US cover, adventure sports cover or electronics theft cover.
After all, it’s not unheard of for people to go on a week’s holiday and decide to stay a while longer, like a year or ten.
Read More Travel PlanningMobile Data for Long-Term TravelChecklist for Long-Term Travel or Moving Overseas Long-Term Travel Insurance – True Traveller and World Nomads |
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