SafetyWing Review – Insurance for Nomads
Today, we’re going to take a look at SafetyWing, one of the few companies that specialise in providing insurance for digital nomads. In this SafetyWing review, we’ll assess what is and isn’t covered and whether they are a good choice for nomads in Europe.
SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Review
Who are they?
SafetyWing are providers of travel and medical insurance that is designed specifically for digital nomads.
Essentially they appear to have plugged a gap in the market. Previously digital nomads and remote workers who travelled a lot, simply had to purchase travel insurance like a regular holiday-maker or traveller. However, clearly an active backpacking trip and its associated risks for example, will be quite different when compared to someone spending much of the week working on a laptop from the safety of a coworking space or airbnb apartment.
As such, SafetyWing have created an insurance package that is tailored towards nomads and remote workers who travel a lot with coverage that is geared towards that.
SafetyWing Insurance – The Basics
SafetyWing offer two main insurance packages. One is called remote health which is geared towards companies with a remote workforce in different countries. Unless you are an employer, running a team, this won’t be relevant so in this SafetyWing insurance review we’ll be focusing on their other package – Insurance for Nomads.
This is described as a “global travel medical insurance” meaning it can be used almost anywhere in the world outside of your home country. Essentially it is medical insurance first and foremost and offers cover should you fall sick or suffer an accident while abroad. In addition it provides some of the coverage you find on a typical travel insurance package such as support in the case of travel delays and lost luggage.
However the coverage is not quite as extensive as a more typical single-trip holiday insurance package might be for example. You should definitely read through and try to understand the full terms before deciding if it’s the right option for you, but there’s an overview below of what is and isn’t covered.
SafetyWing Insurance for Nomads – What is covered?
SafetyWing’s medical coverage includes expenses of up to $250,000 (roughly €235,000 at the time of writing), although that reduces to $100,000 if you’re 65 or over. It covers both accidents and falling sick and most associated medical expenses including:
- Hospital room & nursing services
- Intensive care (up to the limit)
- Physical therapy and chiropractic care – up to $50/day
- Emergency dental treatment – up to $1000
The travel part of the Insurance for Nomads package covers the following:
- Travel delay – up to $100 a day if you have a 12+ hour delay which requires an overnight stay
- Lost checked luggage – Up to $500 per item
- Natural disaster – Up to $100 a day for 5 days (for new accommodation)
- Political evacuation – Up to $10,000 (lifetime)
- Emergency medical evacuation – Up to $100,000 (lifetime)
- Personal liability – Up to $25,000 for 3rd person injury & property (lifetime)
- Accidental death & dismemberment – Up to $12,500 for loss of limb, up to $25,000 in the event of death or multiple lost limbs
Most of these points are highly unlikely to be things you will ever need to worry about. It is though useful to know that you will have coverage in the event of a long delay which causes you to change your travel plans or should your luggage mysteriously go missing due to the failings of an airline or airport.
What isn’t covered?
Most hiking activities are covered by SafetyWing, but some adventure sports are not.
There are some notable exceptions that you should be aware of when it comes to the medical insurance. You won’t be covered if you suffer injuries as the result of high risk sports activity. Therefore if you play certain sports regularly, it may be wise to look for an alternative provider. You can find a list of the sports SafetyWing consider high risk on this page.
Nor are you covered for the treatment of pre-existing diseases or injuries or cancer treatment. Likewise routine check-ups are not covered. These are factors to bear in mind, but they are also pretty standard across most travel insurance packages.
On the travel side of things, the main thing to consider is that while there is cover for lost checked luggage, SafetyWing do not cover items that are lost or stolen such as electronics. For digital nomads and remote workers who require lots of electronic equipment to do their work or a top of the range laptop, this is something to be aware of. Likewise you should note that while delays are covered, outright trip cancellation is not.
How much does SafetyWing’s Nomad Insurance cost?
Age | Cost (for 4 weeks) | Cost including US travel (for 4 weeks) |
10-39 | $42.00 | $76.72 |
40-49 | $68.04 | $126.56 |
50-59 | $106.68 | $208.04 |
60-69 | $144.76 | $284.20 |
These prices are accurate as of June 2022. As you can see there are significant price hikes as you get older and it’s also a lot more expensive if you need to travel in the US.
It’s really flexible though with only a 4 week minimum commitment so you can easily activate and deactivate it when you need to, a bit like a Netflix subscription! Therefore it’s a good option for short trips but can also be useful if you are basing yourself in the region for up to a year by taking advantage of one of Europe’s digital nomad visas – some of which do require you to get medical insurance to be eligible.
SafetyWing FAQ’s
SafetyWing vs World Nomads – Which is better?
The answer to this will depend on your circumstances. Despite their name, World Nomads offer insurance more geared towards independent travellers and backpackers rather than remote workers and digital nomads. Overall, their cover is typically slightly more extensive but also often more expensive. However there is no “one size fits all” answer seen as they don’t have a global pricing plan like SafetyWing and provide cover tailored to single trips with different prices for different countries.
We could write a whole article on this topic in truth but as a very broad overview, it might be fair to say that SafetyWing is a better fit for the needs of most digital nomads. However those who like to indulge in high adrenaline and riskier sports and activities may want to consider World Nomads who offer greater cover in that department.
Both World Nomads and SafetyWing are most certainly legit companies that are well reviewed having served tens of thousands of travellers. SafetyWing’s trust pilot rating is slightly higher though at 4.4 compared to World Nomads’ 3.9 at the time of writing.
I have an EHIC, do I still need insurance?
If you are from an EU country, you are entitled to a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) which gives you access to medically needed, state-provided healthcare in all 27 EU states, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. In many cases this will be free, however every European country is different and not every one provides free healthcare so an EHIC is not designed to be a substitute for travel or health insurance.
It essentially ensures you have access to healthcare if you need it wherever you are in the EU, so it’s certainly a very good idea to get one and it doesn’t cost anything. However it’s also advisable to get insurance on top of that as an EHIC doesn’t provide any financial assistance and is of no use, if for example, you need urgent transportation or care for medical reasons, or have any kind of travel problems.
Can I purchase SafetyWing if I’m already abroad?
Yes, while it always makes sense to get insured before you leave your own country, you can still sign up to SafetyWing in the normal way even if you’re already abroad.
Does it cover home visits?
There are some circumstances in which you can use your SafetyWing insurance in your own country. You cannot return home for the specific purpose of receiving treatment but if you are visiting home anyway for other reasons (for a period of up to 30 days* within any 90 day period) and fall ill or get injured, coverage is provided.
*15 days if you are from the USA.
Who can use SafetyWing?
As long as your home country is not Cuba, Iran, Syria, or North Korea, you can purchase SafetyWing’s nomad insurance.
Where can you travel?
SafetyWing will cover you in any country in the world except Cuba, Iran, Syria, and North Korea.
SafetyWing covers all of Europe, including all non-EU countries.
Conclusion – Is SafetyWing a good option for digital nomads in Europe?
Overall SafetyWing is a really good option for most digital nomads this year in Europe and around the world. It’s extremely flexible, easy to sign up for even if you’re already on the road and easy to cancel with no long-term commitments needed.
While it’s true that you may be able to find more extensive cover elsewhere and there may be certain companies offering cheaper deals in Europe, SafetyWing’s package is still really affordable by most standards.
Perhaps the most important point though is that they are a team of digital nomads based all around the world and therefore are genuine specialists in covering nomads with experience of dealing with the kinds of problems they may run into. Should you need to use their 24/7 support, you can be sure you’ll be in touch with someone who understands your situation and lifestyle which is rarely the case with other travel insurance providers, none of whom specialise in digital nomad insurance in the way SafetyWing does.