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The Real Risks of Long-Term International Travel

Long term travel insurance is often seen as one of those expenses that you might think you can live without. In most cases, that should often be true – until it isn’t. The thing with nomad insurance is that, like any other insurance, you pay for it hoping that you will never need it. Let’s face it, who ever intentionally sets out to hurt themselves? 

The sad truth of the matter is that it’s those hidden things you don’t see that get you. A misstep leading to a nasty fall, a crash when you’re in a taxi, even something as small as a stomach bug brought on by some unwashed lettuce can all mean you could be really needing that nomad insurance!

My Experience

Of course, I am not saying these things will happen, it’s a gamble like anything else, when I first started travelling, I didn’t have insurance, I decided it wasn’t worth it, I was in my early 30’s, reasonably fit, and no major history of medical illnesses, the monthly cost seemed a bit pointless. One evening I was sitting with my friends, having a drink. I kept needing to go to the toilet a lot, 2 hours later I was in an emergency room being treated for an infection, I won’t go into the exact details but it wasn’t pleasant! They put me on a drip, started flushing out my system and to top it off came a $400 bill which was about as unpleasant as the infection!

It Could Have Been Much Worse

I regard myself as lucky, I only got hit with a $400 bill before I wised up and got insurance. I often travel around Asia and if you have ever been out this way, you will know about scooter rentals. Simply pay $5-$10 for the day and off you pop. This is where things can get really scary, one small slip-up on the road, one burst tire, or one person hitting you, and you’re in a world of hurt. If you do survive, the hospital costs can rack up into the tens of thousands of dollars, and yes – that’s dollars, not baht or dong! You can often see GoFundMe pages set up to help these people but in a lot of cases, these are varied in their success.

These are just some examples of why it is always a good idea to have long term travel insurance before you step foot on your departing flight!

Types of Insurance Coverage Available for Digital Nomads

When it comes to digital nomad insurance, there are only two names in the game. The first is Genki Travel Insurance, they offer a couple of different plans and you will often see these advertised on your favourite Instagram or TikTok influencers account. SafetyWing is the other name you might hear and these offer a couple of plans too, they have a clear pricing structure and you can easily sign up with them and cancel as and when you need them. Let’s look at each one in more detail.

Genki Travel Insurance 

Rating: ★★★★☆

Genki travel insurance is one that you may have already heard of through your favourite travel influencer. They are quite prominent on the social media scene which is making Genki Travel Insurance something of a household name among digital nomads and long-term travelers.

What is great about Genki is they have a simple, no-nonsense approach to travel insurance. By  focusing on keeping things easy, affordable, and comprehensive. Their flagship product, Genki Explorer, is designed specifically for long-term travelers, remote workers, and digital nomads, offering medical coverage in almost every country worldwide (except for a few high-risk areas).

What Can I expect?

You can expect no complicated paperwork or sneaky hidden fees. You sign up online, pay a flat monthly fee, and you’re good to go. If you’re wondering how much Genki is in 2025, plans start at around €180 per month which is on the high side but does cover a lot – with worldwide medical coverage that includes hospital stays, emergency treatments, and even routine doctor visits. Unlike some other providers, Genki also offers coverage for mental health treatments which is a major plus for nomads who want peace of mind while on the road.

The maximum coverage limit is €1,000,000, which is significantly higher than many other nomad insurance providers. Plus, if you’re an EU resident, you can even use Genki’s plans as a full health insurance replacement, making it an ideal choice for travelers who need a more permanent solution beyond standard travel insurance.

While Genki doesn’t offer specific add-ons like gear insurance (yet), its straightforward pricing, and no country restrictions make it a top pick for long-term travelers who want simple, transparent, and reliable coverage. If you’re looking for affordable global health coverage that you can use anywhere, signing up to Genki travel insurance is quick and definitely worth considering.

SafetyWing 

Rating: ★★★★☆

When it comes to long term travel insurance, SafetyWing is one of the best, earning an impressive 4 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot. As we discovered in our SafetyWing review, they are a Norwegian company currently operating out of Palo Alto, California since 2018. 

Their main products are the Nomad Insurance and Remote health coverage plans. The Nomad Insurance name is pretty self explanatory, it is aimed at long term travelers and digital nomads. The product itself is actually quite good and has a lot of things covered already, it starts at just $56.28 per four weeks and covers everywhere except the US. Coverage in the US can also be added on at an additional cost. The max coverage on this plan is $250,000 for most age brackets (60-69 year olds have a max coverage of up to $100,000).

The Remote health coverage product is aimed at employers who want to cover their team with a global health insurance policy. This starts from $92 per team member per month and covers a lot of countries but the US and other countries may not be covered in the plan. It is also worth noting that some countries are accepted to travel to but not for residents of. SafetyWing has an easy to check country list on their website. Every employee on the company plan benefits from the standard insurance plan.

Nomad Citizen (Coming Soon)

It is worth mentioning that SafetyWing currently advertise a new product that is coming up called Nomad Citizen which at the time of writing has a waiting list. They advertise this as an all in one global insurance package so it could be worth checking for access once they release additional details.
SafetyWing does a fantastic job when it comes to transparency.

The SafetyWing website has a pricing calculator that makes it really obvious how much you can expect to pay but it is worth mentioning that for things like electronic coverage, there is an additional monthly fee (usually $10). The SafetyWing Sign up process can be done in under 5 minutes and is a top choice for nomads and long term travelers.

When Standard Travel Insurance Falls Short

Now I know what you might be thinking – “I can get long term travel insurance with my bank or post office”. While it is cheaper per year on average, there are often strings attached. Firstly, what usually catches a lot of people out is that you cannot already be out of the country for a lot of these policies. If you are already abroad and take this out, sure – they will let you take out the policy, but when it comes to claim time, sadly – It will be a nullified claim.

Another thing to look out for, is a lot of these policies done through the bank are only for maximum trip times. For instance, even though you may input your travel time for a year, the policy may only be in effect for the first 90 days. This can be pretty pointless for trips after this. 

The Unpredicatability of Travel

Finally, even if you do manage to find a travel insurance policy that covers you for the full year, it can often be strictly for the countries you say you’re visiting. For anyone who has traveled before, I can tell you – It is unpredictable. You may think you’re going to be in Peru in 6 months, but you may find you hit it off with some new friends in that hostel and all of a sudden, you’re going to Bali instead. Travel has a way of making even the best laid plans go up in smoke. If this happens, you need to ensure your travel insurance doesn’t go up in smoke with it. 

This is why the best option for long term travel insurance is to choose a nomad insurance such as Genki or SafetyWing. These plans are specifically designed with the traveler in mind and offer the flexibility that every traveler needs. 

Making the Decision – Do You Really Need It?

At the end of the day, long-term travel insurance is one of those things you don’t truly appreciate until you need it. If you’re already a long-term traveler who has been lucky enough to avoid accidents, illnesses, or unexpected emergencies, it’s easy to think it’s an unnecessary expense. The sad truth is, all it takes is one bad day, one accident, one hospital visit, one stolen bag and suddenly, that monthly insurance fee seems like the best investment you ever made.

Nomad insurance like Genki or SafetyWing is specifically designed for people who don’t just take the occasional vacation but live life on the move. SafetyWing appears to be the cheaper option of the two. The flexibility, global coverage, and ease of signing up (and canceling) make them far superior to traditional travel insurance for nomads and long term travelers. So, do you really need digital nomad insurance in 2025? If you’re serious about protecting yourself and your finances while traveling, my answer to you is a most definite yes. So before you pack your bags and book that flight, take a moment to get yourself covered. Future you will thank you for it and if you never need it, that’s even better!

Nomad Insurance FAQs

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