I’ve been traveling full-time since 2018 and over the past few years, I’ve tried many long-term insurance policies to maintain coverage on the road.
Up until recently, I never had to make any significant claims. However, when I needed emergency surgery in Thailand to repair my ruptured bicep, I was thankful that I maintained my long-trip medical coverage.
Whether you’re finally embarking on that gap-year adventure or committing to full-time international travel and working online, finding the right insurance can be challenging. From digital nomad policies like SafetyWing to adventure-focused annual plans from WorldNomads, here are the policies I’ve personally used and reviewed to help you make an informed choice.
Overview: My Favorite Long-Term Travel Insurance Policies
Don't want to scroll? To cut to the chase, here are three popular options I've personally used, offering annual plans or viable travel insurance plans for longer trips.
1. Heymondo Long Stay 5% OFF
Heymondo is currently the most affordable long-trip travel insurance with a wide range of coverage and an excellent app to manage claims. I recently had to claim $10K+ for my bicep surgery in Thailand and it went well.
2. Safetywing
Safetywing offers some of the best insurance for remote workers and digital nomads. However, I used their Nomad Insurance for years as an affordable general backpacking insurance policy but never had to make a claim.
3. World Nomads
World Nomads offers more expensive peace-of-mind travel insurance with solid coverage for adventure travel activities. They have a very solid claims record and their annual plans are popular for wider trekking travel insurance coverage.
Disclaimer: I receive a fee when you get a quote from World Nomads using my links. I do not represent World Nomads. This is not a recommendation to buy travel insurance.
What I Look For When Choosing Travel Insurance for Longer Trips
What I've learned is that it doesn't matter what type of traveler you are, the most important thing to look for when choosing insurance for long trips or short is comprehensive medical coverage in case of emergency.
Important: Everybody's needs are different, so make sure to do your own research. This is what I look for when researching long-trip coverage for my travels but your situation will differ. So, factor in pre-existing conditions, state of residence, your age, and of course, read the fine print.
Long Term Travel Medical Coverage
Yeah, things like trip delays, trip cancellation coverage, and lost luggage protection offer peace of mind. But, for long trips, you're likely not going to keep (or be covered by) your health insurance in your home country.
As I found out, injuries happen and surgery is very expensive. Luckily, I was able to claim over $10,000 for a private hospital repair of my bicep since I was covered by my plan.
Here's what I look for first.
- Emergency Medical Coverage: Ensure the policy covers emergency medical expenses, including hospitalization and treatments.
- Medical Evacuation: Look for coverage that includes emergency medical evacuation and repatriation to your home country.
- Hospital Stays: Confirm that hospital stays, surgeries, and intensive care are covered.
- Doctor Visits: Verify that routine and specialist doctor visits are included. Check for follow-ups and potential physiotherapy after surgery too.
- Prescription Medications: Check if the policy covers the cost of prescribed medications.
- Chronic Condition Management: Ensure the policy provides coverage for managing chronic conditions during your travels.
- 24/7 Medical Assistance: Look for a policy that offers round-the-clock medical assistance and support services.
- Dental Emergencies: Check if emergency dental treatments are included because these are often separate.
Everything Else
Here's a table of typical coverage options and what they mean for your trip.
| Feature | Description | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| Trip Cancellation | Reimburses you for non-refundable trip costs if you need to cancel for a covered reason. | Provides peace of mind, especially for expensive, pre-booked travel plans. |
| Trip Delay | Covers additional expenses if your trip is delayed for a significant amount of time. | Important for avoiding unexpected costs due to delays. |
| Lost Luggage | Reimburses you for lost, stolen, or damaged luggage and personal belongings. | Essential for protecting your belongings during travel. |
| Adventure Activities | Covers activities like hiking, skiing, scuba diving and other adventure sports. | Necessary if your trip involves high-risk activities. |
| Personal Liability | Covers legal costs and damages if you accidentally cause injury or damage to others. | Crucial for protecting yourself against potential lawsuits and claims. |
| Travel Assistance Services | Provides 24/7 assistance for emergencies, travel advice, and support services. | Ensures you have help available when you need it most. |
| Financial Default | Covers losses if your travel provider goes bankrupt or ceases operations. | Useful for safeguarding against unforeseen provider insolvency. |
| Rental Car Coverage | Covers damages or theft of rental vehicles. | Important if you plan to rent cars during your travels. |
| Policy Flexibility | Offers options to modify, extend, or cancel the policy as needed. | Allows you to adapt coverage to changing travel plans. |
| Coverage Limits | Check the maximum payout amounts for different types of coverage. | Ensures you have adequate protection without excessive limits. |
Tip: These days, many travelers rely on their travel insurance provided by their credit card. However, remember the mantra read the fine print! In most of these cases, credit card travel insurance will only cover you if you purchase the return flights with the card. Long term travelers and those booking trips of 3 months or more usually do not purchase return flights– which means you won't be covered!
1. SafetyWing Nomad Insurance
SafetyWing specializes in Insurance for Nomads. These guys are a household name in digital nomad circles and known for travel medical insurance covering extended travel all over the world while outside your home country.
Here is what is covered with SafeyWing Nomad Insurance at time of writing:
- Trip Cancellation and Interruption: Reimburses non-refundable trip costs if you need to cancel or interrupt your trip for covered reasons.
- Trip Delay: Covers additional expenses for meals and accommodations if your trip is delayed by 12 hours or more.
- Lost Checked Luggage: Reimburses for lost, stolen, or damaged checked luggage up to $3,000 per certificate period.
- Emergency Medical Evacuation: Covers emergency air and ground transportation to the nearest suitable hospital, up to $100,000 lifetime maximum.
- Repatriation of Remains: Covers transportation of remains or ashes to your home country, up to $20,000.
- Return of Minor Children: Covers the cost of returning minor children home if you are hospitalized, up to $5,000.
- Natural Disaster - Replacement Accommodations: Covers costs of replacement accommodations if you are displaced due to a natural disaster, up to $100 per day for 5 days.
- Emergency Quarantine Indemnity - COVID-19: Provides $50 per day for up to 10 days if you are quarantined due to COVID-19, with proof of quarantine.
- Personal Liability: Covers legal costs and damages if you accidentally injure a third person or damage their property, up to $ 25,000-lifetime maximum.
- Accidental Death and Dismemberment: Pays a benefit for accidental death or loss of limbs, up to $25,000.
- Political Evacuation: Covers transportation to the nearest safe country or home country if a level 3 or higher travel advisory is issued, up to $10,000.
Get a Quote: SafetyWing Nomad Insurance
My Experience With SafetyWing
I used SafeyWing as my main medical travel insurance for many years. These guys offer a relatively affordable monthly plan, covering all my bases.
This has been a bit of a life hack for me even though I never had to make a claim. The peace of mind I got from general coverage with these guys worked out to be much cheaper for me than buying long-term medical insurance in my home country. And, it offered essentially the same level of coverage.
Pros
- Comprehensive Medical Coverage: Covers up to $250,000 for most medical expenses, which is ample for most travelers.
- Emergency Evacuation: Up to $100,000 for emergency medical evacuation, ensuring you get the necessary care quickly.
- Trip Interruption and Cancellation: Coverage up to $5,000 helps you recover costs from unexpected changes in plans.
- Return of Minor Children: Covers up to $5,000 to get your kids home if you end up in the hospital.
Cons
- Lost Luggage Protection: only $500 per item is not great if you're carrying travel camera gear.
- High Deductible: $250 per certificate period can add up, especially for minor claims.
- Age Restrictions: Reduced coverage limits for travelers aged 65 to 69, which might not be sufficient for older adventurers.
- U.S. Exclusion for Citizens: Doesn't cover U.S. citizens for travel within the U.S., limiting its usefulness for domestic trips.
2. HeyMondo Long Stay
HeyMondo is a relatively new option on the market that's been very popular with long term travelers over the past few years. Their policies are currently the most affordable that I could find online (less than $50 per month), while still offering very competitive inclusions.
- Trip Cancellation and Interruption: Reimburses non-refundable trip costs if you need to cancel or interrupt your trip for covered reasons.
- Trip Delay: Covers additional expenses for meals and accommodations if your trip is delayed by 12 hours or more, up to $300 USD ($50 USD every 12 hours).
- Lost Checked Luggage: Reimburses for lost, stolen, or damaged checked luggage up to $1,200 USD per certificate period.
- Emergency Medical Evacuation: Covers emergency air and ground transportation to the nearest suitable hospital, up to $500,000 USD.
- Repatriation of Remains: Covers transportation of remains or ashes to your home country, up to $100,000 USD.
- Natural Disaster - Replacement Accommodations: Covers costs of replacement accommodations if you are displaced due to a natural disaster, up to $1,000 USD.
- Emergency Quarantine Indemnity - COVID-19: Provides extended lodging expenses due to illness or medical quarantine, up to $1,500 USD ($100 USD per day).
- Personal Liability: Covers legal costs and damages if you accidentally injure a third person or damage their property, up to $60,000 USD.
- Accidental Death and Dismemberment: Pays a benefit for accidental death or loss of limbs, up to $5,000 USD.
- Political Evacuation: Not explicitly mentioned, coverage specifics need to be confirmed.
Get a Quote: HeyMondo Long Stay Insurance
My Experience With HeyMondo
I recently had emergency surgery in Thailand after a ruptured bicep tendon. I was really nervous because for an injury like this, the doctors told me that it was essential to have surgery as soon as possible (within 14 days) to avoid lifelong complications.
Luckily, I was able to have surgery within 10 days and HeyMondo covered almost all of it. However, there were some inclusions in the PDS that left me out of pocket about $2,000, since they didn't cover the surgical button I needed (implant). All in all, this was marginal compared to how much the surgery would have cost if I wasn't covered.
I still use HeyMondo currently for my long term travel insurance and rely on it as my only safety net for medical coverage since I travel full time.
Pros
- Comprehensive Medical Coverage: Medical expenses are covered up to $2.5 million USD, which is more than sufficient for most scenarios.
- High Evacuation Limits: Emergency medical evacuation is covered up to $500,000 USD, ensuring extensive support if needed.
- Inclusive Repatriation Coverage: Repatriation of remains is covered up to $100,000 USD, which is a substantial amount for such unfortunate events.
- Wide Coverage: Trip delay, lost luggage, and personal liability are all covered with reasonable limits.
- Excellent app: An easy to use app and 24/7 medical support over internet call and chat is very useful.
Cons
- Low Luggage Coverage: Theft and material damage to luggage are only covered up to $1,200 USD, which might not be enough for travelers with expensive gear.
- Modest Delay Compensation: Trip delay compensation is capped at $300 USD ($50 USD every 12 hours), which may not cover all additional expenses.
- No Explicit Political Evacuation Coverage: The policy does not explicitly mention coverage for political evacuation, which could be crucial for travelers visiting unstable regions.
- Some extra exclusions should be considered: HeyMondo does not cover surgical implants and non-emergency transport to hospitals.
3. World Nomads Long Term Travel Insurance
World Nomads offers peace of mind travel insurance that is generally targeted at the adventure travel audience.
They offer general travel insurance plans with varying levels of coverage (Explorer and Standard) but are both quite comprehensive. Unfortunately, I cannot give you a full list of inclusions since their policies vary by home country, trip duration, and destination country.
So, you'll need to get a quote for your trip. In general, you'll find most policies may offer:
- Overseas dental and medical expenses (including altitude sickness)
- Trip protection (trip cancellation)
- Stolen credit cards
- Delayed baggage
- Travel delay
- Emergency evacuation (medical evacuation coverage)
Below are some screenshots from the quotes page of World Nomads. However, their prices and inclusions vary by country so make sure to get a quote for yourself.
In general, World Nomads' policies are much more expensive than SafetyWing and HeyMondo. However, you'll have to consider yourself if some of their inclusions for adventure activities are a non-negotiable item on your long trip travel insurance list.
My Experience With World Nomads
World Nomads have been around for quite a while now. In fact, I used their annual policies when I first started traveling. In general, their policies are much more expensive but back then I was doing a lot of scuba diving, working as a Dive Master, and doing many high-altitude treks in Nepal and India.
Fortunately, I never had to make a claim with World Nomads but based on their reviews it looks like the standard has been maintained.
Get a Quote: WorldNomads Insurance
Pros
- Comprehensive Medical Coverage: Both the Standard and Explorer plans offer extensive medical expense coverage.
- Emergency Medical Transport: Strong coverage for emergency medical transport and repatriation.
- 24-Hour Assistance: Access to unlimited 24-hour assistance, providing help whenever needed, no matter the time zone.
- Flexible Cancellation and Interruption Coverage: Both plans provide good protection for trip cancellations and interruptions.
- Baggage and Personal Item Protection: The Explorer plan offers high coverage for theft or damage to baggage and personal items.
- Adventure and Sports Coverage: Known for covering a wide range of adventure sports and activities.
Cons
- Higher Premiums for Extensive Coverage: Typically involves a much higher premium and might be less affordable for budget travelers.
- Limited Dental and Alternative Therapy Coverage: Coverage for emergency dental treatment and alternative therapies is relatively limited.
- Baggage Delay Coverage: The compensation for baggage delays might not be sufficient for extended delays,.
- Personal Liability Coverage: The Standard plan offers lower personal liability coverage.
- Waiting Periods: If you've already started traveling when you buy your policy, you should check if waiting periods apply.
My First-Hand Experience with a Medical Claim in Thailand
In 2024, while traveling in Thailand, I had an emergency surgery due to a ruptured distal bicep tendon. This was my first major claim with HeyMondo, having previously only made small claims like when my backpack was stolen in Barcelona. Needing surgery within 14 days to avoid long-term damage, I was relieved to have an active HeyMondo policy, although my experience was mixed.
The claim process began smoothly with HeyMondo’s app, which allowed for an online call to report the injury. However, I had to arrange the initial hospital consultation and pay upfront to expedite the process. Hospital visits and the MRI scan, costing over $500, were promptly reimbursed. The surgery at Bangkok Hospital Phuket, costing over $10,000, was mostly covered by HeyMondo, but I had to pay $2,000 for the surgical implant not covered by the policy.
Overall, while HeyMondo covered the majority of the significant expenses, there were out-of-pocket costs for non-covered items like the surgical implant, travel expenses, and a brace. Despite some frustrations, I found HeyMondo to be a good low-cost insurance option with decent coverage. I still use HeyMondo’s Long Stay insurance for my travels, as it offers substantial savings compared to premium insurance plans.
So, What's the Verdict?
For long-term travelers and digital nomads, choosing the right travel insurance is crucial. Based on my experiences and the policies I've reviewed, each option has its strengths and is suited for different types of travelers.
- HeyMondo is ideal for budget-conscious travelers needing comprehensive medical coverage. It offers an easy-to-use app and excellent medical support but has specific exclusions that might leave you out of pocket for certain items.
- SafetyWing is perfect for digital nomads and remote workers. It provides good medical coverage and emergency evacuation at a reasonable price. However, it offers lower coverage for personal belongings and has higher deductibles.
- World Nomads offers peace of mind travel insurance for adventurous travelers though it comes with higher premiums typically.
And as always, remember that the policies change often and that you should always do your own research, read the PDS, levels of coverage, and the fine print. This is not a recommendation to buy travel insurance, but I hope you've gotten some value out of my experiences.