Are you looking for a SafetyWing insurance review that is open, honest, and detailed and isn’t sycophantic to the point of starry-eyed fandom?
I’ve got you.
For the record, it took me a long time to come on board, and as a man with high standards, I ask a lot. Sometimes I’m left disappointed. Other times, my lofty expectations are met, and I’m euphoric.
When it comes to travel insurance, cynicism is understandable. That’s why I promise to leave no stone unturned in this comprehensive review of SafetyWing’s Nomad Insurance Essential Plan so you can feel confidently armed with all the necessary information.
SafetyWing: Two Plans for Every Traveller
SafetyWing Nomad Insurance now offers two distinct plans to cater to different types of travellers:
- Essential Plan
- Complete Plan
The Essential Plan is the more affordable option, designed to cover key travel needs such as emergency medical treatment, evacuation, trip interruption, and other core benefits that provide peace of mind during your travels.
On the other hand, the Complete Plan caters to travellers seeking more comprehensive protection, including coverage for trip cancellation, higher limits for various claims, and additional perks for those who want maximum security while on the road.
This review will primarily cover the Nomad Insurance Essential plan, but feel free to explore the Complete Plan on SafetyWing’s website.
Do I Need Travel Insurance?
Do you really need travel insurance when you go travelling? Or is it all just one big, conspiratorial, filthy scam?
It is yet another unnecessary financial burden designed to ruin your fun and games on the road. Or is it an obligatory cost that you’d be certifiably insane not to purchase?
Well, there’s also this poor lady who broke every bone in her face while driving in Thailand. To be fair to her, she assumed her credit card insurance would cover her, but sadly, it was not the case, which is why you need to be incredibly well-versed in what travel insurance you have, exactly what it covers (and what it does not) before you jet off.
Did you hear the one about the lad who left home forever on a one-way ticket to Malaysia with only £1000 in his pocket? Two months into his life-affirming journey, he was almost broke and grew a freakish squash-ball size tumour inside his mouth and had to get plastic surgery in Thailand to remove it.
You probably haven’t, but that lad was me.
My travel insurance at the time only covered me for one of those two operations. If I had known then what I know now, I’d have chosen another company, but I was a bright-eyed, naive novice, and I had to learn the hard way.
I ended up making the money myself, and the horrendous stress of the situation was a blessing in disguise, pushing me into a corner towards a breakthrough for making a living online. Let’s face it, though, this is an example of the anomaly and most people in this situation would be royally screwed.
Personal anecdotes aside – I’ve heard countless terrible stories regarding travellers who left without insurance, got into an accident and have spent a lifetime paying off the debts that they brought back from their holiday from hell.
Don’t take your health for granted when travelling; this is not the time to be a cheapskate, and there are no Hardcore Harry medals given out in the post for those who don’t have a backup plan.
Get travel insurance before you leave.
Why I Use SafetyWing
The universe was not just ‘speaking to me’. It was screaming in my face, “Anthony, you are a fu**ing moron. Sort your travel insurance out once and for all,” as I had a near-death experience scuba diving in Belize.
Money was picking up a little after working my arse off while living in Medellin, and I was due to go hardcore back on the road for a long unspecified time.
This latest flirtation with the Grim Reaper was the straw that broke the camel’s back, so I signed up for travel insurance giants World Nomads for my one-year(ish) trip. To be frank, as good as their customer service and reputation are – my eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when I saw the total of $1500, which I reluctantly paid.
One year later, word on the digital nomad street spread about some new kids on the block called SafetyWing Nomad Insurance. I thought it was too good to be true when I checked out their policy for what they covered; their flexibility for a long-term traveller like me was unprecedented, and most importantly… so was the price!
How Does SafetyWing Work?
SafetyWing’s party line is; “For Nomads, Created By Nomads.”
Most travel insurance policies are designed for the usual gap year or short-term vacation crew, and we long-term travellers and digital nomads living abroad seem to get left behind. This makes perfect sense, as when I first started more than 10 years ago, there was only a very small percentage of us self-exiled weirdos living this lifestyle.
When I finally allowed my distrustfully raised eyebrow to relax, I opened up my heart to be vulnerable and hurt once again, throwing myself into the sweet-talking, promising arms of SafetyWing insurance as they allowed me to sign up for a monthly subscription.
Hallelujah!
Not only that, but they allowed me to sign up from outside of the UK (I was doing the Mexico City Digital Nomad thing at the time), and the signup part was easy… spookily easy.
It felt like an inconceivably perfect first date. I signed up for a month, and as any true cult member would, I sang their name from the rooftops to everyone and spread the gospel about the impending insurance utopia at hand.
The first rule about SafetyWing is… always talk about SafetyWing.
How Much Does SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Essential Cost?
As always with insurance, the final cost depends on a number of factors such as age, lifestyle and health. On my 4-weekly plan, I currently pay a lovely and affordable $93 USD per month after VAT, and I can cancel this agreement at any time with no fuss, spam or infuriating bureaucracy.
Still, SafetyWing’s cost is around a third of what their main competitors charge in the travel insurance market and with less hassle in terms of sign-up and payment.
Typically, people aged 10-39 years pay an even more impressive price. The older you are, the higher your SafetyWing insurance cost will be, and if you plan to travel in the USA, your price will significantly rise to close to double the amount.
| Age | Monthly Price | Monthly Price With USA Travel |
| 18-39 | $57 | $104 |
| 40-49 | $93 | $172 |
| 50-59 | $145 | $282 |
| 60-69 | $197 | $386 |
You can get a quote for SafetyWing Nomad Insurance on their website or fill in your details below.
What SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Essential Covers
I have already waxed lyrically about the price and flexibility of SafetyWing, but that doesn’t mean anything if your cover sucks.
Is there any merit to this low-cost nomad insurance, or is SafetyWing insurance a classic case of “all fur coat and no knickers?”
Let’s take a look at what exactly Nomad Insurance Essential provides coverage for so you can see whether they are for you or not:
Here’s what the Nomad Insurance Essential Plan includes:
- Medical Coverage:
- Emergency Medical Expenses: Up to $250,000 per policy period for unexpected medical treatments, including hospital stays, doctor visits, and necessary prescriptions.
- Emergency Dental: Coverage for urgent dental care, capped at $1,000 per policy period.
- Emergency Medical Evacuation: Lifetime coverage of up to $100,000 to transport you to the nearest suitable medical facility if adequate local treatment isn’t available.
- Repatriation of Remains: In the unfortunate event of death, up to $20,000 is provided for the return of remains to your home country.
- Travel-Related Coverage:
- Trip Interruption: Reimbursement of up to $5,000 for interruptions caused by illness, injury, or the death of a family member.
- Travel Delay: Compensation of up to $100 per day (up to 2 days) for delays exceeding 12 hours, covering unplanned overnight stays.
- Lost Checked Luggage: Up to $3,000 per policy period for lost luggage, with a $500 cap per item and a lifetime maximum of $6,000.
- Natural Disaster Accommodation: If you’re displaced due to a natural disaster, you’ll receive up to $100 per day for up to 5 days.
- Additional Benefits:
- Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D): Coverage up to $25,000, depending on the type of loss.
- Personal Liability: Provides up to $25,000 in coverage for personal liability incidents.
- Political Evacuation: Lifetime coverage of up to $10,000 for evacuation in cases of political instability or natural disasters.
- Special Conditions:
- Motorbike and Scooter Accidents: Coverage for incidents involving motorbikes or scooters, provided you hold a valid license and wear a helmet.
- Adventure Sports: Basic coverage includes some adventure sports, with an optional add-on for expanded coverage.
- Electronics Theft: Theft of electronics can be covered by an add-on.
- Limitations and Exclusions:
- Pre-Existing Conditions: This plan does not include coverage for pre-existing conditions.
- Limited Home Country Coverage: After 90 days abroad, you can access up to 30 days of coverage in your home country (15 days for U.S. residents).
- Age Restrictions: Coverage is available for individuals up to the age of 69.
- Exclusions: The plan does not cover maternity care, routine check-ups, or cancer treatment.
- The electronics theft add-on covers thefts and muggings.
- Routine checkups are covered by The Complete Plan
What SafetyWing Essential Plan Doesn’t Cover
I promised an honest SafetyWing review, so here’s the reality check—they don’t withhold anything unreasonable or drastically different from what other insurance companies typically exclude.
- Cancer treatment
- Missed flights. It goes without saying, really. Set off earlier, you bum!
- Pre-existing conditions. Standard practice for all insurance plans. If you’d prefer more comprehensive health insurance while travelling, there are more customised options with SafetyWing’s Complete Plan.
- Travel to North Korea, Iran and Cuba. These countries are on the blacklist and are not in any way covered by SafetyWing.
- Trip cancellation. This isn’t included in the Essential plan, but it is covered under the Complete plan.
- Sexually transmitted diseases
- Substance abuse or addiction
- Mental health disorders
- Obesity or operations that require weight modification.
- Self-inflicted injury. Don’t feel pressure from chest-thumping bros to risk long-drop water jumps, ignore your monkey brain when drunk and take personal accountability, or you will be paying the bill for your mishap yourself.
- Kidnapping. For those of us who really like to go off the beaten path, We still have the usual cover in volatile countries, with the exception of kidnapping: A quote from SafetyWing themselves; “You’re not covered for kidnapping or express kidnapping that begins in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nigeria, Somalia or Venezuela or any country for which we are prohibited from transaction due to sanctions and restrictions by the United States Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). An example of express kidnapping is someone holding the victim at gunpoint and forcing them to withdraw cash from an ATM.”
- Extreme sports coverage. If you’re really into any then you should check their website to be 100% sure. Anything above the norm or competitive sports are not covered. Mountain climbing up to 4,500 metres is covered, so with something like climbing Mount Kinabalu, you’ll be fine, but with Everest, not so much. Adventure Sports Coverage: SafetyWing’s Essential plan includes basic adventure sports coverage, such as mountain climbing up to 4,500 meters. For more extreme or competitive sports—like paragliding, scuba diving, or climbing peaks above 4,500 meters—you’ll need the Adventure Sports Add-On, which expands coverage for higher-risk activities. Be sure to review the specifics on SafetyWing’s website to confirm whether your chosen activity is covered.
How To Make A Claim With SafetyWing
Since SafetyWing became its own carrier, the claims process has been faster and easier than ever. Submitting a claim now takes just 2 minutes via their online portal, and eligible refunds are processed within 10 business days.
I have made 4 claims in 4 years (I am either accident-prone, careless or cursed, but hey, at least I am alive).
24/7 Support: Faster Than Ever
SafetyWing no longer outsources support, offering 24/7 website support with response times under 1 minute. This is a significant improvement and makes a big difference for travellers needing quick assistance.
How Do I Choose The Right Hospital or Doctor?
Your SafetyWing claim doesn’t always necessarily have to be retroactive. What I mean by this is there is an option with SafetyWing Insurance before your medical treatment.
Some may require you to pay first (which will hopefully be reimbursed); this is based on the individual policy of the medical facility that you visit; in my experience – and the opinion shared by SafetyWing, you will have a better experience as an international traveller at a private hospital than you would in a public hospital.
If you bring your SafetyWing membership card from your profile, the hospital will send the bill to SafetyWing.
The SafetyWing insurance member card looks like this; you will find it in your profile dashboard under ‘Nomad Insurance.’
Print it off if you can, but there will be no drama if you screenshot it. This was fine when I did it in Thailand at a fancy hospital that was pretty much like a 5-star hotel!
I always contact customer service via phone call at +1 866-635-216 (which is free via Skype) beforehand to get a good feel for whether my reason for medical intervention is covered by SafetyWing or not.
Online chat is also an option, but I guess I’m just old-school.
How Long Does the SafetyWing Insurance Claims Process Take?
SafetyWing has streamlined its claims process, allowing for claim submissions in just 2 minutes, with responses and eligible refunds processed within 10 business days. This is a significant improvement from the previous processing time of up to 45 days.
Updated Claims Process: Once your claim is approved, financial compensation is typically processed within 10 business days and deposited into your registered bank account.
If your claim is unsuccessful, you can appeal the decision through SafetyWing’s improved claims portal. Appeals are now managed directly through their Nomad Insurance dashboard, as SafetyWing no longer relies on World Trips for claims processing. Be sure to monitor your portal for updates and provide any additional information requested to support your appeal.
I successfully appealed a rejected claim with SafetyWing on one occasion in my adopted city Chiang Mai, Thailand, it’s almost always worth appealing (unless you were clearly refused based upon a situation that they do not cover).
Pros and Cons of SafetyWing Insurance
I will have already mentioned some of these, but I will give more substance to them while also adding more pros and cons of SafetyWing so that you can make a final decision.
Pros of SafetyWing
- The flexibility of the plan. (You can cancel any month if you want to, with no fuss).
- They are very affordable. Maybe the best thing about them is that they’re way cheaper than their competition is undisputed.
- Easy sign-up process. They make it easy for impatient folk like myself to get a quote.
- Second-chance payment. I changed my registered card and forgot to update it; SafetyWing gave me a week to sort that out before booting me out.
- American Express accepted. Bagging those precious airline points monthly while having travel insurance is a win.
- Fantastic 24/7 phone customer service. When it comes to looking for a local hospital for your problem or an explanation of your claim, they are extremely helpful.
- Coverage in your home country for up to 30 days for every 90 days abroad.
- Coverage of up to 4,500 metres of mountain hikes is generous. A lot can go wrong at altitude, and being covered for emergency evacuation up to this height is an impressive extra perk, in my opinion.
- Flexible monthly subscription.
- Affordable pricing compared to competitors
- Adventure sports and electronics theft add-ons are available.
- No deductible.
Cons of SafetyWing Essential plan
- New customer numbers every year. You will need to renew your subscription every 12 months, which is quickly done, but you will receive a unique customer number yearly. This can become tricky when you have an active claim and I find it unnecessary.
- There is no coverage for trip cancellations (although The Complete Plan does offer that).
- Does not cover electronics. Hold onto that Mac, Kindle, and iPhone like they are your newborn child—alternatively, purchase an electrics addon.
- Extreme Sports.” I get that jumping out of a plane, or bungee jumping off the Macau Tower is a no-no, but I thought volcano boarding in Nicaragua or cycling the Death Road in Bolivia would have been given the green light. I appreciate the staff at SafetyWing, and some readers would probably find that notion absurd! If you’re unsure, click here and see if your adventure sport is eligible for coverage.
My 4 Years of Experience With SafetyWing Nomad Insurance
Regarding my appeal that I mentioned before, which was after emergency dental surgery… I had a root canal which took 5 awful visits, I also chipped my crown and got it replaced. Dental crowns are classed as aesthetics and are not covered under SafetyWing’s policy. I appealed as the crown was chipped during the operation, and BINGO, the appeal was successful.
I also received most of my money back for an MRI for a torn rotator cuff in the gym and a colonoscopy (sorry if this is TMI, but an honest SafetyWing review is what I promised, and nuance around health is vital when discussing insurance options).
In the 9 years that I have been with SafetyWing, I have put in 4 claims.
In those 9 years, I would say that I was very satisfied with the overall experience, and I can safely say that I never thought about jumping ship as I did with World Nomads. This is not a slight towards WN; they treated me well, and honestly, I also found their claims process to be less than perfect.
Let’s be pragmatic for a second; it’s all part of the game. Travel insurance companies are a business, and if they can find a loophole to legally not pay you, then it is their job to look for that exact loophole.
Another “let’s be real” subject is one of the reasons you will see World Nomads getting pushed hard by travel bloggers and influencers, is that they pay a very handsome affiliate commission to those who do. I also get a commission if you sign up for SafetyWing insurance via this post, you don’t go to work for free and neither do I!
I like to think the value that I provide here is the raw honesty about the good, bad and frustrating with this SafetyWing nomads insurance review, and I believe that I have been successful in my promise of leaving no stone unturned here (but feel free to shoot me an email if I missed out anything important).
In my 9+ years of using SafetyWing, I’ve been consistently satisfied with their affordability, coverage, and support. The Nomad Insurance Essential plan is perfect for budget-conscious travellers who want reliable medical coverage without breaking the bank.
If you’re a long-term traveller or digital nomad, I’d highly recommend giving SafetyWing a shot. Their updated plans, improved claims process, and 24/7 support make them a solid choice.
