I Spent $2,400 on a Hospital in Vietnam. Cash.
Food poisoning. Three days hooked up to an IV in Hanoi. Tests, medication, the whole thing.
Didn't have travel insurance. Thought I was saving money. Forty bucks a month, right? I'll just be careful.
Yeah. That worked out great.
Here's the thing though—regular travel insurance wouldn't have helped anyway. It's designed for people going on vacation for two weeks. Not for people like us who live abroad indefinitely, work from laptops, and have no idea when we're "going home."
Most policies literally exclude "working." Even typing on your laptop in a cafe counts. And they cap trips at 30-90 days. After that you're supposed to return to your home country. Cool. Very helpful.
So what actually works?
If you just want the answer: SafetyWing. It's what I use. Forty-something dollars a month, designed for nomads, no weird rules. Done.
But if you want to know why, keep reading.
The Options at a Glance
| Provider | Cost/Month | Medical | Electronics | Who It's For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SafetyWing | $45-70 | $250K | Add separately | Most nomads |
| World Nomads | $100-200 | Up to $1M | Included | Adventure stuff |
| Genki | €35-60 | €1M+ | Add separately | Europe people |
| Passport Card | $150-250 | $1M | Included | Want the best |
| Insured Nomads | $80-150 | $1M+ | Add separately | Americans |
What You Actually Need to Check
Does It Cover Working?
This one catches people. You're in Bali, working from a cafe, you slip and break your wrist. Normal travel insurance? "Sorry, you were conducting business activities. Excluded."
Nomad insurance doesn't care. Work all you want.
How Much Medical Coverage?
US hospitals charge ten grand a night. Not joking. Even in "cheap" countries, anything serious gets expensive fast.
I wouldn't go below $100K coverage. $250K is better. Some people want a million. Up to you.
Emergency Evacuation
A friend's appendix burst in rural Thailand. Middle of nowhere. Needed to get to Bangkok, then home.
Evacuation cost: $80,000.
Insurance covered it. If he didn't have insurance? I don't know. Sell a kidney maybe.
This stuff happens. Get the evacuation coverage.
Trip Length Limits
Normal insurance makes you go home after 30-90 days. Nomad insurance lets you renew monthly. Forever. Much better.
Electronics
Your laptop dies, you need a new one today. Not next week. Today.
Some policies cover electronics. Some don't. Some have tiny limits like $500. Check this.
My Actual Opinions on Each One
SafetyWing
This is what I have. Eighteen months now.
It's... fine? Like, genuinely fine. Nothing exciting. It just works. You pay monthly, it renews automatically, you can sign up from anywhere. If something happens, you file a claim. Never had issues.
The numbers:
- Around $45/month if you're under 40
- $250K medical, $250 deductible
- $100K evacuation
- You can visit home for 30 days every 90 days and still be covered
What's good: Cheap. Simple. Made for nomads.
What sucks: Lower limits than fancy options. Electronics not included—you gotta buy that separately. US coverage is weird and limited.
But for the price? Hard to beat.
World Nomads
Okay so if you're actually going to DO stuff—diving, skiing, rock climbing, motorbike rentals—this is the one.
Most insurance sees "adventure activities" and runs away. World Nomads covers like 200 different activities. I used them for a month in Indonesia when I was diving every day.
The numbers:
- $100-200/month depending on what you pick
- Medical goes up to $1M on higher plans
- Electronics included ($500-3000 depending)
- Covers the fun stuff
What's good: Adventure coverage. Electronics included.
What sucks: Expensive. Trip limits of 6-12 months—not truly indefinite.
Genki
German company. Really good for Europe.
If you're doing the Portugal digital nomad visa thing, or spending serious time in the EU, this might be what you need. It meets all the visa requirements.
The numbers:
- €35-60/month
- Over €1M medical
- Meets Schengen visa requirements
What's good: Cheap. Europe-focused. Visa compliant.
What sucks: It's really built for Europe. Coverage elsewhere exists but... it's not the focus.
Passport Card
The expensive one.
High limits on everything. Electronics covered. Dental covered. They have an app that actually works. Direct billing at hospitals so you don't pay upfront.
The numbers:
- $150-250/month
- $1M+ medical
- $2,500 electronics included
- Emergency dental included
What's good: Best coverage. Direct hospital billing. No hassle claims.
What sucks: Three to five times the price of SafetyWing. Overkill for most people.
Insured Nomads
Built for Americans dealing with... American healthcare stuff.
US coverage is better than the others. Works with ACA requirements. Has telemedicine.
The numbers:
- $80-150/month
- $1M+ medical
- Better US coverage
- 24/7 doctor calls included
What's good: Actually works in America.
What sucks: Only really matters if you're American and need US coverage.
Stuff That's NOT Covered
Just so you know:
Pre-existing conditions. Basically never covered. Some policies cover sudden worsening. But ongoing management? Nope.
Routine checkups. This is emergency insurance. Not regular health insurance.
Pregnancy. Usually excluded after a certain point. Check the specifics.
Extreme sports. Unless they're specifically listed. Skydiving probably not covered unless you bought the adventure plan.
Mental health. Hit or miss. Some cover it. Many don't. If this matters to you, check specifically.
Quick Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
With nomad insurance, yes. With regular travel insurance, usually no.
Mostly no. Some cover sudden worsening. For ongoing stuff you need real expat health insurance.
SafetyWing and Genki let you buy from anywhere. Traditional insurance usually requires buying before you leave.
Small stuff: pay yourself, submit receipts, get reimbursed. Big stuff: better providers bill the hospital directly. You don't pay anything upfront.
Just Pick One
Look. I spent way too long researching this stuff. Compared every plan. Read every review. Made spreadsheets.
You know what I learned? They're all basically fine. The differences matter less than just having something.
Most people: SafetyWing. Cheap, works, done.
Adventure stuff: World Nomads.
Europe-focused: Genki.
Want the best: Passport Card.
American: Insured Nomads.
Pick one. Sign up. Stop thinking about it.
The Real Talk
I know insurance feels like a waste. Nothing bad is going to happen. You're healthy. You're careful.
Then you're in a foreign hospital at 3am, no one speaks English, and you're trying to figure out if your credit card can handle the bill.
My $2,400 in Vietnam? That was minor. Food poisoning. Uncomfortable but not dangerous.
I've met people with $30K bills. $50K bills. One guy needed surgery in the Philippines—$70K.
SafetyWing costs like $45 a month. That's one mediocre dinner out. Skip one dinner. Get the insurance.
Future you will be grateful. Or at least not broke.
Planning your trip? Check the destination guide. Set up banking that works internationally. Get the boring stuff sorted before you go.
