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. Those policies? Built for families doing two weeks in Cancun. Not for someone bouncing between countries with no return ticket, working from random cafes, zero clue when "home" even happens.
Most policies literally exclude "working." Typing on your laptop counts. They cap trips at 30-90 days, then expect you back in your home country. Which... okay. That's not how any of this works.
So what actually covers us?
Short version: SafetyWing. I've had it eighteen months now. It's about $63 every four weeks if you're under 40, it renews on its own, and it doesn't care that you work from a laptop.
Want the longer explanation? That's below.
The Options at a Glance
| Provider | Cost/Month | Medical | Electronics | Who It's For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SafetyWing | ~$63 per 4 weeks | $250K | Add separately | Most nomads |
| World Nomads | Per-trip quote | Up to $1M | Limited | Adventure stuff |
| Genki | From €52 | €1M+ | Add separately | Europe people |
| Passport Card | Quote | $1M | Included | Want the best |
| Insured Nomads | Quote | $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.
Quick warning before the details. Every one of these got repriced in the last year or so, some more than once. Treat the numbers here as a starting point and get your own quote. Age and where you're going change everything.
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:
- $62.72 per 4 weeks for ages 18 to 39 (the plan got an update in February 2026)
- $250,000 max for medical
- Up to 30 days of medical coverage back in your home country
- No pre-existing conditions, maternity or cancer treatment on the Essential plan
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 250+ activities. I used them for a month in Indonesia when I was diving every day.
The numbers:
- Priced per trip, so get a quote for your dates
- Single trips up to 180 days on the US plans
- 12 months max per policy, extensions included
- Covers the fun stuff
What's good: Adventure coverage.
What sucks: Expensive. And a hard ceiling. A year per policy, max. Not built for people who've stopped counting.
Genki
German company. Really good for Europe. Their old Explorer plan is gone. It's Genki Traveler now, and Genki Native if you want full long-term health insurance.
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:
- Traveler from €52/month, depends on age, deductible and region
- Native from €180/month
- Meets Schengen visa requirements
- Coverage in the US and Canada is limited on both
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. And the US is basically emergency-only.
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:
- Prices depend a lot on the plan, so get a quote
- Direct payment at the hospital with the card
- Higher limits than the budget options
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:
- World Explorer covers single trips from 7 to 364 days
- You pick the max benefit ($250K, $1M or higher)
- Better US coverage than most
- 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.
A little. The Essential plan covers up to 30 days of medical care in your home country. Going home for longer? You'll need something else for that stretch.
Traveler is travel medical insurance, cheaper and fine for a year or two on the road. Native is real long-term health insurance with a one-year minimum. If you've basically moved abroad, Native.
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 about $63 every four weeks. That's two mediocre dinners out. Skip them. 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.
