SafetyWing Travel Insurance: Honest & Detailed Review

One of the downsides of traveling is that anything can happen – accidents, diseases, theft – but this is also true even if you’re not traveling; I guess it’s just a downside of life. However, there’s a simple solution to feeling safer and more confident when traveling, which comes in the form of SafetyWing travel insurance. 

Each of us at the Miss Tourist team are avid travelers, and over the years, we have tried many insurance policies by different providers. That is until we came upon SafetyWing a few years back. Now, we’re all using SafetyWing’s travel insurance every time we embark on a trip, and we’ve never considered making a switch. 

If you’re having a tough time deciding on a travel insurance policy, I’m here to help! In this SafetyWing review, I will talk about what their policy covers, how much it will cost you, how to apply for a claim, and why it’s a good choice for all your travel insurance needs. 

Just remember to purchase an insurance policy before you start your trip. Even though it’s not as fun as planning your itinerary, it’s an essential part of traveling, and I can tell you that you’ll feel much better knowing that you’re all set in case of an emergency! 

Now, let’s dive into this review!

SafetyWing Insurance Overview

SafetyWing was founded in 2018 in Norway with the goal of providing travel medical insurance to travelers, remote workers, and digital nomads. The company’s primary goal was to provide insurance for people who don’t work in a traditional office environment, and health insurance is not as easily available to them. 

Even though SafetyWing’s main focus is on digital nomads, this also makes it an excellent choice for people who are constantly traveling. SafetyWing has tailor-made policies for frequent travelers, providing coverage across 6 continents and 180 countries – which proved particularly useful in 2020, when working remotely became the new normal. 

Nomad Insurance: SafetyWing’s Travel Insurance Policy

As soon as you enter SafetyWing’s website, the first offer you’ll notice is Nomad Insurance, the provider’s most popular offer and the one we’re going to review today. 

Nomad Insurance is SafetyWing’s main offer, but they also have 2 other great offers, which we’ll also take a quick look into later. But now, let’s dive into the Nomad Insurance policy and see what you’ll be getting if you decide to purchase this policy. 

Nomad Insurance coverage

The Nomad Insurance policy is a medical travel insurance policy that offers global coverage in case of a medical emergency or unforeseen travel-related costs. The policy will cover all of these costs while you’re staying outside of your home country and provide medical coverage for short visits home.

However, you’re probably wondering what exactly is covered under this policy, so I created a list of all the situations that make you eligible to submit a claim and how much money you can claim from the Nomad Insurance policy.

• Getting sick or injured while abroad – this includes hospital stays, ambulance for hospitalization, nursing care, diagnostic procedures such as an MRI, extended care, prescriptions, emergency dental, and more; maximum coverage up to US$250,000. 
• Evacuation to a better hospital – if the hospital where you first checked in can’t tend to your injuries or conditions, you can be transferred to a better-equipped hospital, and SafetyWing will cover the expenses, up to US$100,000 (lifetime max). 
• Repatriation – in case you suffer a serious medical injury and are in a life-threatening condition, you may need to be repatriated to your home country for further treatment; if so, SafetyWing will provide coverage of up to US$5,000. 
• Pregnancy complications – during the first 26 weeks of pregnancy, SafetyWing will provide coverage if you suffer any of the following complications: miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, pre-eclampsia, eclampsia, or other similar conditions, up to US$250,000. 
• Motor accidents – SafetyWing will pay out a maximum of US$250,000 in case of a motorbike accident if you were wearing all safety equipment and you were not intoxicated at the time of the accident. 
• Lost checked luggage – the Nomad Insurance policy provides coverage for lost luggage only if it was already checked; in this case, you can claim up to US$500 per item or a maximum total of US$3,000 per policy. 
• Flights to your home country in emergencies – if an urgent situation arises in your home country, such as a death in the family, and you need to return on short notice, the policy will cover up to US$5,000 of the expenses. 
• Meals & accommodation for travel delays longer than 12 hours – if you have travel delays, whether it’s a flight delay or cancellation, that are longer than 12 hours, the insurance will reimburse you US$100 per day for 2 days. 
• Continued coverage for home visits – if you visit home in between destinations, you get medical coverage for up to 30 days (15 days for US citizens). You get coverage up to US$250,000, but only if you previously traveled abroad for 90 days. 
• Transporting your body home / local burial – worst case scenario, if you die while abroad, the policy will cover up to US$20,000 for the transportation of your body, or US$10,000 if your next of kin opts for a local burial.
• ADD-ON: Injuries from adventure sports and leisure activities: SafetyWing will reimburse you up to US$100,000 in your lifetime for any injuries you suffer while participating in a wide range of adventure sports and activities. 
• ADD-ON: Electronics theft: if you’re traveling with valuable electronics, you can get this add-on that will provide coverage if any of your electronics are stolen; the coverage covers up to US$1,000 per electronic or US$3,000 per insurance period. 
• ADD-ON: US coverage – all of the aforementioned points are covered in nearly every country except the US. So, if you’re traveling to the US, you need to get this add-on that will provide the same coverage for the US as for the rest of the world. 

NOTE: SafetyWing has a separate policy for US citizens, which is slightly different from the general insurance policy that pertains to everyone. 

What’s not covered under Nomad Insurance & where?

Some of the things that are not covered under the Nomad Insurance travel policy include professional or high-risk sports activities, pre-existing conditions, cancer treatments, sexually transmitted diseases, trips that were canceled before you left, and lost or stolen personal belongings that were not a part of the checked baggage. Click here to find the full list of everything that’s not covered by the policy. 

SafetyWing will not provide coverage under the Nomad Insurance policy if you travel to Iran, Syria, Cuba, or North Korea. In case you’re traveling to any of these destinations, you should look into dedicated insurance policies that provide coverage for the country in question. 

Pricing

Now that we’ve gone through the major points of coverage (there are quite a lot more) of the Nomad Insurance policy, it’s time to talk money. In this section of my SafetyWing review, I will explain the company’s pricing model so you know what to expect before you hit that ‘Buy’ button.

Before we dive into the prices, I wanted to tell you about one of my favorite SafetyWing features: you can purchase the Nomad Insurance policy before you go on your trip or at any point of the trip, so even if you forget to get insurance before you travel, you can always do it at a later date – very convenient for the forgetful traveler! 

Let’s take a look at the Nomad Insurance prices and how they vary, depending on age:

Age Category	Price in USD per 4-week period	US coverage
Children under 10	Free*	/
People aged 10-39	US$56.28	US$48.16
People aged 40-49	US$92.40	US$79.52
People aged 50-59	US$145.04	US$137.76
People aged 60-69	US$196.84	US$189.28

*children under 10 can be added to a policy for no extra cost. There’s a limit of a maximum 2 children per adult policy, and regular pricing (10-39) applies to any other children. Currently, this offer is available to non-US citizens only. 

NOTE: the ‘Adventure Sports’ and the ‘Electronics Theft’ add-ons cost US$10 each, regardless of how old you are. The final cost of the policy will depend on how old you are and what type of add-ons you want to include. Lucky for you, SafetyWing has a pricing calculator on their website that can help you figure out how much your policy will cost. 

Other useful info for buying Nomad Insurance

Before we dive into the claims process, I wanted to share a few other pieces of information you might find useful when buying this SafetyWing policy. 

• Policy duration – you can buy a policy for any insurance period that’s convenient to you – the shortest insurance period is 5 days, while the longest is 364 days. 
• Unlimited number of policies – there’s no limit on how many Nomad Insurance policies you can buy in your lifetime, that is, until you turn 70, after which you can no longer be insured under this policy. 
• Defining pre-existing conditions – when you buy a new insurance policy, all the conditions you’ve claimed on a previous policy will be considered pre-existing conditions and won’t be covered under the new policy. 
• Validity – the coverage ends on the policy’s end date, but SafetyWing will send 2 reminder emails before it expires so you can renew it. 
• Cancellations – you can cancel the policy at any time; if you can cancel before the start date of the policy, you will be refunded in full, and if you cancel once your policy is active, your premiums will be refunded if you haven’t filed a claim, but you’ll have to pay a US$25 cancelation fee. 
• Deductibles – the first time you need to use your policy, you will need to pay a deductible of up to US$250 for most procedures/interventions. This amount is paid only once per certificate period, after which SafetyWing will cover all expenses up to the maximum limit, as well as reimburse you for the amount you paid. 

Submitting a claim

One of the main aspects of travel insurance is submitting a claim – and I know this process can seem scary and complicated. Well, you’ll be happy to hear that SafetyWing has made this extremely simple by offering a fully digital claims process. The claim forms are simple and streamlined it will take you no more than 5 minutes to fill them in.

To make it even easier for you, I’ve described the claim process step-by-step based on my personal experience with SafetyWing. 

1. Start your claim process by filling out the claimant’s statement with relevant information and bank details. The claim’s statement can be found here
2. Make sure to note your current policy ID
3. If you are filing a medical claim, make sure to attach:
   (a) your medical report (a note from your doctor that includes symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment)
   (b) a detailed invoice outlining what you paid for
   (c) proof of payment or receipt
4. Attach necessary documents by clicking on the paperclip icon. These are located at the bottom of pages 5, 7, and 8. You can add 1 document at each paper clip (maximum 3 documents).
5. If you need to add more documents, then please email these to [email protected]

IMPORTANT NOTICES:

• Each claim must be submitted 60 days before the end of your insurance period
• For some claims, you need to notify SafetyWing in advance so they can make proper arrangements (e.g., emergency transportation to a better-equipped hospital)
• In some cases, you can pay for the medical expenses yourself and then be reimbursed by SafetyWing, while for more expensive procedures, you need to contact SafetyWing, and they’ll pay the healthcare provided directly. 
• SafetyWing will reimburse you within 7 to 10 business days of submitting the claim unless your claim is denied
• If your claim is denied, you can submit an appeal at [email protected] within 6 months (180 days) of receiving the decision 

NOTE: the reimbursement period is quite long, and I think that’s the only downside to using this insurance provider. However, SafetyWing is using a 3rd party to process the claims, so you will actually be contacted and reimbursed by WorldTrips. 

Other SafetyWing insurance policies

I briefly mentioned that SafetyWing offers a couple of other policies in addition to Nomad Insurance. Even though you might not need them just for traveling, I thought you could be interested in what they have to offer, especially if you’re a digital nomad or a remote worker. 

Nomad Health

The Nomad Health policy was created with digital nomads in mind, and it offers global health insurance everywhere in the world, including your home country. If you opt for this policy, you can choose between 2 tiers: Standard and Premium. 

• Standard – it covers outpatient care up to US$5,000, screenings and vaccines up to US$350, and maternity up to US$2,000. The policy costs US$133/month for people aged 18-39, and there’s a 12-month minimum on the policy. 
• Premium – it covers everything included in the Standard tier but offers higher reimbursement limits, plus dental (up to US$1,500) and vision (up to US$500). The price for a Premium policy is US$208 per month for people in the 18-39 age group. 

Regardless of which of these 2 options you choose, once your claim is approved, you’ll receive your reimbursement within 7 to 15 days. 

NOTE: to avoid any confusion, I wanted to briefly talk about the difference between travel insurance (such as Nomad Insurance) and global health insurance (Nomad Health). Well, the first one covers only emergency medical expenses incurred while traveling, while the second one provides full-time medical coverage, even in non-emergency situations. 

Remote Health 

SafetyWing’s Remote Health policy is aimed at remote teams, specifically employers who want to provide medical coverage for their remote workers. Just like the other SafetyWing policies, this one provides worldwide coverage, plus some cool perks, such as wellness coverage (mental health, massages, etc.) and adding family members to the plan at the same rates. 

The employer can add new employees to the plan at any time and tailor their coverage depending on their employment status (full-time, part-time, or something in between). Prices start at US$92 per employee per month, but this will also depend on the plan you choose – you can book a call with SafetyWing to get more info on this policy. 

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SafetyWing customer support

One of my favorite things about SafetyWing is their customer support! It’s available 24/7, the response time is super quick, and the representatives you speak to are very friendly and knowledgeable, so they can help you with anything you need. 

There are a few ways you can reach the SafetyWing support team:

• 24/7 Live Chat – SafetyWing offers a round-the-clock live chat that puts you in touch with customer care representatives (real people, not bots) who only take under a minute to respond. The chat function is available through SafetyWing’s official website and via the dedicated mobile app for both Android and iOS. 
• Email – you can also get in touch with SafetyWing support via email at [email protected]. The email response time is between 1 and 2 hours and the service is just as good as over live chat. 
• Emergency numbers – in case of an emergency, you can also call the SafetyWing team at +1 844 531 0151, an international, toll-free number, or at +1 415 707 8606 if you’re in the US. 

I wanted to share my personal experience with SafetyWing’s support here, as I had a very pleasant experience. So far, I have reached out to them a couple of times via live chat, and they were really quick to respond and were able to provide the answer I needed. 

Don’t hesitate to reach out to the support team – you can ask them for advice on which hospital/doctor you should go to (although it’s not necessary), and you can even ask them whether something’s covered if you’re not sure or can’t find info on it in the policy. I’ve done this and they were super helpful, so if you’re unsure about something, contact support! 

Pros & cons of SafetyWing

We’re nearing the end, so I wanted to take one final look at all the aspects of the SafetyWing travel insurance policy – both the good and bad. And what better way to do it than a pros and cons list? 

In the table below, you’ll find the positives and the negatives of getting this specific policy based on my personal experience, objective observation, and, of course, other SafetyWing Nomad Insurance reviews. 

Pros	Cons
Worldwide availability	US coverage costs extra
Coverage for a wide range of emergencies	Long reimbursement period
Affordable
A digital claims process
Friendly and responsive customer support

A quick word of advice

Before we wrap up this section, I wanted to address some of the negative comments about SafetyWing you’ll surely find online, especially on various forums. First of all, I want to say that the Nomad Insurance travel policy is not a one-size-fits-all product, so it certainly won’t be for everyone. 

However, I did go through quite a few online complaints, and I want to spare you a possible negative experience, so I wanted to share some advice: 

• Get full documentation – this includes medical statements, doctors’ notes, prescriptions, police reports, etc. 
• Respect the rules – this should go without saying, but don’t drink and drive, participate in risky sports without a certification – just don’t do anything that seems irresponsible or is not in accordance with the policy guidelines. 
• Get in touch with them – if you find yourself in a situation where you don’t know what to do and where to go, ask for help from the SafetyWing team. And whatever is happening, get in touch and make them aware of the situation. 

My personal experience with SafetyWing

I know better than anyone that choosing the right travel insurance can be stressful, so if you’re unsure if SafetyWing is the right fit for you, that’s okay. I just wanted to share my personal experience, as well as that of a few friends, so you know what to expect. 

I’ve had to submit a SafetyWings a few times so far; luckily, it was nothing too serious or life-threatening, and it all turned out well in the end. 

• While swimming with sea lions in the Galapagos, I hurt my knee and had to see a doctor. So, I submitted a claim and was fully reimbursed. 
• During our travels to Montenegro, my husband broke his finger in the gym, so of course, we had to get that treated immediately. Again, full reimbursement. 
• In another case, while in the Czech Republic, we had some stomach issues and had to get treated, which was fully covered by SafetyWing. 
• One of my friends was in Bali during COVID-19, and SafetyWing paid for her repatriation flight back to Ireland. 
• Lastly, a couple of friends experienced some latitude issues while climbing Kilimanjaro and had to be airlifted, which was also fully covered by SafetyWing. 

I hope that these experiences have given you an idea of the different situations that can occur while traveling. Luckily, SafetyWing provided full reimbursements in each of these cases, and that should be reason enough to get their travel insurance policy. 

SafetyWing alternatives

I already mentioned that the SafetyWing travel insurance might not be a great match for everyone. I completely understand that – each traveler is unique and has different travel requirements. 

So, even though we at Miss Tourist love SafetyWing, I don’t want to leave you hanging if this is not the best choice for you. That’s why I researched (quite) a few other travel insurance providers and handpicked the best alternative to SafetyWing – check the list below. 

• Genki – provides worldwide coverage with any licensed healthcare provider and has no annual limits on coverage, with plans starting at US$48/month. 
• Heymondo – this provider offers 24/7 medical assistance, as well as live medical chat, a great app, free assistance calls, which will cost you upward of US$116 per month. 
• Faye – with this provider, you can choose between domestic, international, and cruise insurance, with prices as low as US$5.16 for international 14-day coverage. 
• World Nomad – if you need a flexible travel policy, this provider can customize the policy to fit your needs, with prices starting at around US$220/month. 

FAQs about SafetyWing travel insurance

✈️ Best travel insurance:	SafeyWing
📅 Yearly travel insurance:	Annual coverage
🕒 Multi-travel insurance:	90+ days travel
👧 Kids price:	Free (SafetyWing)
💲 Cheapest travel insurance:	SafeyWing

Final words on SafetyWing’s travel insurance

We’ve reached the end of this review of the SafetyWing travel insurance, and hopefully, you’ve already decided on them as your next insurance provider. 

If you do decide to buy the Nomad Insurance policy, be sure to carefully read all the rules stipulated in the policy – even the fine print! And in the case of an emergency, keep all the documents, notes, and receipts. Finally, all you have to do is follow my instructions for submitting a claim, and you’ll get a reimbursement for all your expenses. 

If you have any other questions about SafetyWing’s Nomad Insurance policy, or you want to share your personal experience with this provider, drop them in the comment section – I’d love to hear from you!

Safe travels, 

Yulia

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