Torn between SafetyWing and World Nomads for your upcoming travels?
With more and more remote workers travelling and working from anywhere in the world, the need for a comprehensive travel health insurance is at an all-time high.
With any kind of insurance, you need to do a pretty in-depth review to find the best. But this time, you don’t have to! I’ve created this “SafetyWing vs. World Nomads” comparison to help you make up your mind and choose the best travel insurance plan for you.
In this post, I’ll provide you with all you need to know about the two insurance providers. I’ve broken down their insurance plans, premiums, customer service, and client reviews. Pretty much everything you need to know before you buy travel insurance.
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Quick Comparison of World Nomads and SafetyWing
 |  | |
Monthly Price | From $120 for 4 weeks (depending on which plan) | From $45 for 4 weeks (depending on age) |
Deductible | $100 | $250 |
Plans | Standard or Explorer Plan | One plan only |
Coverage | Travel delays, medical, emergency evacuation, unexpected illness while abroad, trip cancellation | Travel delays, medical, emergency evacuation, unexpected illness while abroad, personal liability |
Coverage for Children | No | Free coverage for one child under 10 per each adult (max 2 children) |
Countries Covered | Worldwide except North Korea, Syria, Iran, Cuba, and Sudan for US citizens. Countries may differ depending on country of origin | Worldwide except Iran, Cuba, Syria, and North Korea. |
Home Country Coverage | No | 30 days of coverage for every 90 days of coverage abroad (15 days for US citizens) |
US Coverage | Included | For an additional $38 per 4 weeks |
Covid-19 Coverage | Included, subject to T&Cs | Included, subject to T&Cs |
Buy when already overseas | Yes | Yes |
Extend when overseas | Yes | Yes |
Adventure Activities | Included in Standard plan, with extreme adventure activities included in Explorer plan | Limited adventure activities included |
Personal Belongings | Yes | Yes |
Lost Baggage | Yes | Yes |
Equipment | Yes, electronics and gear included | No, unless it's lost in checked baggage |
Pre-Existing Health Conditions | Not covered | Not covered |
Routine Examinations | Not covered | Not covered |
Customer Service | 24 hour customer support via email or phone | 24 hour customer support via live chat, email or phone |
Why is Insurance Necessary for Digital Nomads
Insurance for digital nomads is, quite simply, a no-brainer. Let’s start with the obvious.
You’re not just travelling, you’re also working. This means your laptop, your phone, and any other gadget you need for work are your lifelines.
If these get lost, stolen, or damaged, it can put a real spanner in your work-life balance. That’s where insurance can step in to save your day (and your wallet!).
But that’s not all.
While flitting from one exotic location to another sounds like a dream, it also exposes us digital nomads to a higher risk of unpredictable events. Natural disasters, political unrest, health emergencies. Having a solid insurance coverage can offer the much-needed peace of mind in these situations.
Last but definitely not least, healthcare. Your own insurance may have your back in your home country, but once you’re outside the country, medical expenses can skyrocket faster than you can say ‘touch wood’.
With a good insurance plan, you’ve got coverage for everything from a dodgy stomach to a skiing accident.
In short, insurance for digital nomads is like that sturdy umbrella you’re thankful to have when a sudden downpour tries to rain on your parade. Sure, it might be sunny right now, but it’s always safer to be prepared.
Note: This article is based on my own experience and research on the two companies. You should carry out your own research and always read the fine print for any insurance package you plan to purchase.
SafetyWing vs World Nomads: An Overview
Before diving deep into a detailed comparison between the two travel insurance companies, let’s first take a quick look at each:
SafetyWing
SafetyWing is a Norwegian travel insurance provider that was launched in 2018.
It provides budget-friendly international travel and medical insurance plans for digital nomads and long-term travellers.
What’s cool about SafetyWing travel insurance is that the company is run entirely remotely by digital nomads, which makes it a real “by nomads for nomads” company!
SafetyWing currently provides services in almost all the world’s countries, except a small few (which we’ll go into later).
The company offers insurance policies with terms starting from as little as five days and reaching up to one year. You can also customise the duration based on your own needs.
What sets SafetyWing apart is the cost of its plans, which come at a fraction of the price of many other competitors.
Pros
- Allows you to buy the insurance policy while you’re already abroad
- Offers free coverage for one child under 10 per each adult (maximum of two children)
- Provides 30 days of coverage in your home country for every 90 days of coverage in a foreign country
- Offers 24/7 support service
- Coverage in the case of natural disasters
- Provides one of the best insurance policy prices in the market
Cons
- Offers very limited coverage for electronics and gear
- Covers only a limited number of adventurous activities and sports compared to other insurance companies
- Has a high deductible of $250
World Nomads
World Nomads is a travel insurer that has been serving a vast number of independent travellers all the way back to 2002, so I’m sure you’ve already heard of them. The company offers worldwide travel and medical coverage for long-term travellers.
World Nomads has a more comprehensive coverage compared to many other travel insurance providers in the market.
It offers two plans with varying coverage scopes for different types of travellers.
Pros
- Covers a wide range of adventurous sports and activities
- The Explorer plan covers various extreme sports, such as tandem skydiving, hang gliding, and mountain biking.
- Provides 24/7 multilingual support service
- Offers coverage for electronics and gear
- Coverage in the case of natural disasters
- Provides covid-19 coverage
Cons
- Doesn’t provide free coverage for children
- Their policies, especially the Explore plan, are a bit costly for some travellers
SafetyWing vs. World Nomads: A Comprehensive Comparison
Luckily, both SafetyWing and World Nomads are highly reputable companies that provide superior service. So you’ll be in good hands, whichever one you go with.
But, you should still be aware of the ins and outs of their offerings and costs to pick the one that perfectly suits your needs.
Below is my thorough comparison between the two companies to help you decide on the best option for you:
Plans and Included Coverage
SafetyWing provides one travel insurance policy, while World Nomads offers two plans. Each of these policies comes with a distinctive set of benefits that fits different types of travellers.
Let’s take a look:
SafetyWing
SafetyWing provides a robust plan called “Nomad Insurance” that includes a wide range of benefits. Here’s what this plan covers:
- Travel delays for any unexpected reason
- Lost checked luggage
- Offers worldwide coverage for medical emergencies, unexpected injury, or illness. This includes emergency medical evacuation, hospital stays, prescriptions, and doctor’s fees.
- Provides 30 days of insurance coverage in your country of origin for every 90 days of coverage abroad. US citizens note: you get only 15 days instead of 30.
- You can add one child under 10 to each adult’s insurance policy for no additional cost (up to a maximum of 2 children).
On the other hand, the plan doesn’t cover the following:
- Expensive electronics like cameras, GoPros, lenses, laptops, iPads, and the like
- Extreme sports and high-risk activities
- Treatments for pre-existing injury or disease
- Cancer treatment
- Preventive examinations and routine checkups
World Nomads
World Nomads Insurance comes in two plans: the Standard plan and the Explorer plan. The Standard plan provides coverage for various medical conditions as well as some adventure activities.
The Explorer plan, on the other hand, provides more extensive coverage for even more peace of mind to those wanting to take part in adventure sports.
Nonetheless, both plans cover the following:
- Emergency medical expenses, including prescriptions, dental treatment, hospital stays, emergency evacuation, and other related services.
- Unexpected trip cancellation, trip interruption, travel delays, or missed flights.
- Gear and equipment in cases of damage, loss, or theft
- The loss of various travel documents
- Over 200 adventure activities and sports, including scooter accidents. The Explorer plan even covers high-risk sports.
- Assault and terrorist attacks
- Coverage inside the US for US citizens
However, the policy doesn’t cover the following:
- Cancer treatments
- Pre-existing conditions
- Preventive care and routine checkups
The Verdict on Plans and Coverage
Both companies provide excellent plans that suit a wide variety of travellers.
Nonetheless, the World Nomads policy includes extra benefits that some digital nomads really need. These advantages include gear protection and coverage for over 200 adventurous activities and extreme sports.
The company also provides coverage for domestic travel inside the US, which is a plus.
On the other hand, SafetyWing provides free coverage for one to two children, which can be a sought-after option for parents.
That said, to get the complete picture, read the full policy of both companies before signing up for any of their plans.
Cost
There’s a considerable distinction between the premiums for each of the compared companies. Here’s what you can expect to pay for each one’s plans:
SafetyWing
The premiums of SafetyWing start at $45 per 28 days as of the date of this article. This makes it a very affordable insurance policy.
However, the exact fees you’ll pay for the policy depend on your age and whether you need additional coverage inside the US.
World Nomads
The premiums of World Nomads are highly variable. It’s based on a number of factors, including your travelling destinations, your country of residence, and the type of plan you choose.
However, you can expect an insurance fee starting at $120 monthly.
To find out how much exactly you’ll pay for the entire policy duration, you can get a free quote through Word Nomads.
You’ll just need to enter your travel details to get an immediate estimation of your quote.
The Verdict on Cost
SafetyWing is significantly more affordable than World Nomads, with its plan starting from $45 per 28 days.
On the other hand, World Nomads’ standard plan starts from around $120 a month.
The precise amount you can expect to pay for either policy will depend on certain other factors, such as age, your travelling destination and the country of your residence.
Deductibles
In case you don’t know, deductibles are the amount you, as a policyholder, contribute as a portion of the overall claim value.
For example, if the claim requires $1000 and the deductibles are $100, you contribute $100, and the insurance company pays the remaining $900.
Let’s take a look:
SafetyWing
SafetyWing charges a $250 deductible. In other words, you would need to pay $250 from the total value of your claim in most cases.
This can be a high amount in case of minor accidents. However, it’s, of course, a drop in the bucket in case of significant issues or emergencies.
World Nomads
World Nomads don’t apply any deductibles for US residents. This means they’ll cover the whole claim value, if accepted, without you having to contribute any amount.
However, if you’re not a US resident, World Nomads will charge you a deductible starting from $100 or €70.
The Verdict on Deductibles
World Nomads doesn’t charge US clients any deductibles. However, for digital nomads and travellers from other countries, you need to pay a deductible starting from $100.
On the other hand, SafetyWing charges a larger $250 deductible for both US and international clients.
Policy Period and Payments
It’s also really good to know how long each company’s insurance policy remains effective. Let’s check this out:
SafetyWing
SafetyWing follows a 4-week subscription-based travel insurance model. This means you’ll receive a plan valid for four weeks or 28 days when you sign up.
Then, to extend the duration of the coverage, you need to pay for another month, and so on.
You can activate the auto-renewal option to allow the company to automatically extend the policy duration and deduct the premiums from your credit card each month, which is handy.
SafetyWing provides another option that allows you to determine the entire insurance policy period and pay it upfront.
With this option, the maximum period is 364 days, and the minimum is five days. You can always extend the coverage in case your travel plans change.
World Nomads
Like SafetyWing, World Nomads offers you a highly flexible coverage period, whereby you can set the coverage start date and end date yourself.
You can also always extend the coverage if you make adjustments to your travel plans for any reason. And let’s face it, digital nomads are pretty known for changing plans!
The Verdict on Policy Period and Payments
Both companies offer flexible subscription options that allow you to determine the policy period and pay the whole cost upfront.
Further, SafetyWing gives you an extra option: paying on a 28-day basis.
That said, the two companies allow you to extend your coverage whenever there’s any change in your plans.
Covered Countries
SafetyWing and World Nomads provide worldwide coverage but exclude a few countries.
SafetyWing
SafetyWing provides coverage all around the world except in Iran, Cuba, Syria, and North Korea.
It also provides US residents with coverage inside the US for an extra cost of $38 per 4 weeks.
World Nomads
World Nomad provides US residents with coverage worldwide except in North Korea, Syria, Iran, Cuba, and Sudan.
This list can slightly change, however, if you’re a resident of another country. That way, make sure to check the countries covered by World Nomads for your own country of origin.
The Verdict on Covered Countries
Both insurance companies provide coverage for digital nomads in almost all world countries except for a few countries.
Support Service
How fast do each of the compared companies respond to their customers’ inquiries? More importantly, how effective and helpful are they in doing so?
SafetyWing
SafetyWing clients can reach out to the company via phone anytime in case of a medical emergency.
The company also provides its clients with multiple ways to contact the support service 24/7 in case of regular inquiries.
You can contact them via live chat and get a response within one minute.
Alternatively, you can email your inquiry or submit your question to the company’s community on Reddit, where they’re pretty active.
World Nomads
World Nomads provides 24/7 emergency assistance to its traveller clients worldwide.
Similarly, they offer support services for general inquiries and claims to US clients around the clock. You can reach out to them via email address or phone anytime.
However, they do have slightly limited contact options for the non-emergency support service of non-US clients.
Non-US travellers can only contact the regular support service during specific working hours. So, make sure to check their availability times for your country on the official website.
The Verdict on Support Service
Both companies provide highly responsive assistance you can rely on in an emergency.
Nonetheless, SafetyWing is faster and generally more responsive to inquiries and issues of non-US travellers than World Nomads.
It also provides live chat support, while World Nomads doesn’t offer this option.
Client Reviews
It’s easy to say which is the better option based on my own personal experiences, but how satisfied are other clients of each of the two companies?
What do clients say about SafetyWing and World Nomads, and how do they rate the service they’ve received?
SafetyWing
Most clients have reported that the support service of SafetyWing is fast, responsive, and helpful.
They say the company’s support representatives provided all the necessary information and helped them file their claims.
On the other hand, a small few clients reported that SafetyWing wasn’t prompt in covering their emergency cases when they occurred. They said that the process of proceeding with the claim took a longer time than expected.
Overall, the company scored 4.2 out of 5 on the popular reviews website Trustpilot with over 800 reviewers.
World Nomads
Many World Nomads clients reported having excellent responsive customer support service that assisted them anytime needed. A lot of these customers claimed they’d been clients of World Nomads for years.
Nonetheless, other customers reported some issues related to delays in processing their claims and reimbursements.
Overall, the company scored 3.6 out of 5 on Trustpilot.
There are also a lot of mixed opinions on online forums and Reddit about the company’s experience. That said, the majority of client feedback is positive.
The Verdict
Both companies have received mixed opinions about their service and the customer support responsiveness level.
However, SafetyWing scored a little higher with overall satisfying experience from customers.
The Final Verdict: Which to Choose – SafetyWing vs World Nomads?
If you’re looking for insurance with essential medical and travel coverage at low premiums, SafetyWing is the way to go.
This company also offers free coverage for one to two children, which can be a great deal if you’re a travelling parent.
In addition, SafetyWing provides a responsive support service that’s slightly better than that of World Nomads.
On the other hand, if you need a more comprehensive plan, World Nomads is your ideal choice. Its policy covers various medical and travel conditions.
It also covers a wide range of sports and activities. The company offers reliable protection for gear, equipment, and travel documents as well.
Vourneen is a travel junkie and chronic illness warrior. Although she was late to game in terms of travelling, she has picked up numerous tips and tricks from the almost 30 countries she has visited in the past 5 years.
