Unless you’re some bionic supernatural human, most likely you’ve encountered some unlucky circumstances in your life. While I wish all of you a safe trip — whether it’s for one week or one year (and especially if you’re long-term travelers like me), the reality is that bad things happen, to all of us. Have I ever told you the story of my butthole abscess in Thailand? No? Well… Let’s leave it at that. You already know too much. Let’s just say I’m glad I had some form of digital nomad insurance then! Do you travel with a medical insurance or travel insurance plan?

Related: the best digital nomad visas for remote workers

It’s not the most fun subject, but an important one nonetheless — nomad travel insurance. Do you have one? Do you need one? Which one should you choose?

Before we get into all things digital nomad insurance, let us kindly tattoo this on your brain: “better safe than sorry” and “if you can afford to travel, you can afford travel insurance”. Take those in and let’s dive right into the wonderful world of travel insurance and medical expenses for digital nomads.

Why you need insurance

Life on the road is no different than when you’re living in your home country. Okay, maybe life is a bit different, but you’re not immune to having things stolen, the flu, natural disasters, broken bones, and lost luggage. In fact, these things are even more likely to happen to you while you travel.

Traveling can deplete your immune system due to the late nights or lack of nutrition (and don’t forget to take supplements!) in the local food and not every person you encounter in your hostel is as honest as you’d expect. Fever hits and things get stolen. Unfortunately, these are the realities of being a digital nomad!

If you’re a smart digital nomad (like I know you are), you’ll invest in travel insurance now rather than be hit with hospital bills and pay for a new laptop out of your own pocket later.

Travel insurance is always, always worth it!

What to look for when purchasing nomad travel insurance

When comparing travel insurance, here are some things to keep in mind:

* What type of medical careliability coverage does it provide? Aka if you damage property or another person — how much money value do they cover if you get sued? We’re getting real here, people.

* Does it cover trip cancelation or interruption? If there’s a hurricane or other natural disaster and you’re unable to fly to your destination – will they reimburse you for the plane ticket?

* Does it cover (at least some) of any lost or stolen property? As a digital nomad, you need your laptop to live! What happens if it gets stolen? How much will your nomad insurance cover, if anything?

Which insurance should you choose? What’s the best option?

With those things in mind, let’s look at the three most popular digital nomad travel insurance providers out there: World Nomads Travel Insurance, SafetyWing Travel Insurance, and Passportcard Nomads.

World Nomads digital nomad travel insurance

First off is the well known and often blogged about World Nomads Travel Insurance. While I encourage you to read more into it yourself, here are the basic ins and outs of World Nomads:

* Price: Basic coverage from World Nomads starts at $120 USD/month, but their rates depend on where your home base is, the region you’re traveling to, and what type of coverage you’re after.

* What’s covered?: World Nomads’ insurance offers worldwide coverage, with no specific country exclusions. Travel insurance includes any travel delays (missed, delayed, or canceled flights), lost or damaged baggage. Health coverage includes adventure sports injuries (with the Explorer Plan), unexpected injuries or illnesses, dental emergencies, hospital stays, emergency evacuation, and prescriptions.

* What’s not covered?: Any type of pre-existing condition such as cancer treatment. Routine checkups and preventive care are also not covered.

Overall: World Nomads is a solid option! They provide extremely comprehensive coverage (with two types of plans: Standard and Explorer) overall reviews are great and they work hard at making sure you’re reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses

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SafetyWing’s digital nomad travel insurance

A new kid on the digital nomad health insurance block has taken the insurance world by storm: SafetyWing, a travel insurance created by nomads, for nomads. Sounds promising.

* Price: SafetyWing’s price starts at a crazy $37 USD/4 weeks!

* What’s covered?: SafetyWing includes insurance for travel delays but not missed flights. They’ll cover lost luggage but not for your pricier items such as laptops, cameras etc. Health coverage includes unexpected injuries, hospital stays, and emergency medical evaluations, and covers you for 90 days minimum in your home country (perfect for digital nomads visiting home). US Citizens only have 15 days of coverage in the United States every 90 days.

* What’s not covered by this travel insurance company?: Any type of coverage in North Korea or Iran. Injuries due to sport and adventure activities and any type of pre-existing condition such as cancer treatment. Routine checkups and preventive care are also not covered. And missed flights or missing electronic items as listed above.

Overall: Safety Wing provides great medical coverage and they plan on increasing their coverage for theft and loss and medical evacuation in the coming year.

While I’ve only used World Nomads for myself and I can attest that they are great, I think that SafetyWing sounds like an incredible newcomer and I’ll be delighted to give them a try next time I travel abroad for an extended period of time. Have you tried any of them? Whichever one you chose, please make sure to always read the fine print of your insurance coverage to avoid bad surprises.

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Passportcard Nomads

Passportcard Nomads is a monthly subscription travel insurance provider that offers international health insurance for insured nomads. They understand that when you’re on the road, the most important thing is to have peace of mind knowing that you and your family members are covered from head to toe in case of any unexpected events. This is why they have created a comprehensive travel insurance policy specifically designed for nomads, providing coverage for medical expenses, trip cancellations, and more. With a price that’s affordable and accessible, Passportcard Nomads is the perfect choice for anyone looking for top-notch travel insurance.

* Price: From $59/Month

* What’s covered?: Passportcard Nomads offers a range of benefits that are designed to help you stay protected while you travel. From medical expenses to trip cancellations, they have got you covered. This means that no matter what happens on your trip, you can rest assured that you have the insurance coverage you need to get back on your feet.

* What’s not covered by this travel insurance company?: Coverage for trip cancellations may not be provided for pre-existing medical conditions. It’s always best to check with Passportcard Nomads directly to understand what their policies do and do not cover.

Overall: Passportcard Nomads is a top-notch travel insurance provider that offers affordable and comprehensive coverage for insured nomads. With a monthly subscription model, you can easily add or remove coverage as needed, making it easy to get the protection you need when you need it. Whether you’re exploring new destinations or working remotely, Passportcard Nomads gives you the peace of mind that comes with knowing that you and your family members are covered. So why wait? Sign up for Passportcard Nomads today and enjoy the freedom to travel worry-free.

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