Safetywing vs World Nomads: A 2023 Review
There are two main rivals in the digital nomad insurance space – Safetywing vs World Nomads.
If you’re a digital nomad who gets to travel and work from anywhere, read on. If you don’t have travel medical insurance, continue reading.
Travel is so unpredictable. Accidents and emergencies can and do happen. So, if something happens to you, you’ll want to make sure you’re covered.
Most travellers have heard of World Nomads, but maybe not Safetywing, a relative newcomer to the digital nomads insurance market. This review will start with a side-by-side comparison and then delve into Safetywing Insurance to help you better understand this
So, who is SafetyWing, and how do they compare to World Nomads travel insurance? (Updated in 2023)
SafetyWing vs World Nomads Comparison
| SafetyWing Insurance | World Nomads Insurance | |
| What is the monthly price? | SafetyWing coverage starts at $42 USD /4 weeks (depending on age) | World Nomads coverage starts at about $120 USD/4 weeks (depending on the package of 2-tier plans) |
| What’s covered? | – Unexpected illness or injury abroad – Hospital, doctor, dental and prescription expenses – Emergency evacuation – Travel delays out of your control up to $5,000 – No trip cancellation – Only lost checked luggage is covered up to $3,000 – Personal liability coverage = $10,000 | – Unexpected illness or injury abroad – Hospital, doctor, dental and prescription expenses – Emergency evacuation – Travel delays out of your control up to $2,500 – Trip cancellations up to $2,500 – Lost checked luggage up to $1,000 and stolen/damaged gear – Personal liability coverage = none |
| What’s not covered? | – Routine check-ups and preventative care – Pre-existing conditions, like cancer treatment | – Routine check-ups and preventative care – Pre-existing conditions, like cancer treatment |
| Where are you covered? | Everywhere but North Korea, Cuba and Iran | Worldwide |
| Is equipment covered? | No, unless it’s lost in checked luggage | Yes, – Smartphones, Tablets – Computers, Laptops – Camera, camera gear |
| Are adventure sports covered? | Some, adventure sports and activities, but not all | Yes, but most are only covered with the Explorer package |
| How to buy coverage? | Buy coverage abroad and extend as much as you need while travelling | Buy coverage abroad and extend as much as you need while travelling |
| What are the plan options? | Super simple – all coverage is offered in one plan | Choose from the Standard Plan or the Explorer Plan |
| Is there an age limit? | The current cut-off is 70 years of age | The current cut-off is 70 years of age |
Safewing vs. World Nomads: Customer Reviews
| Safetywing Insurance | Nomads Insurance |
| Company Review (by TrustPilot) – Positive customer experience – Quality for the low cost of insurance | Company Review (by TrustPilot) – Benefits of offering two-tiered plans – High cost |
| 4/5 star rating | 3/5 star rating |
| Read SafetyWing reviews on TrustPilot | Read World Nomads reviews on TrustPilot |
Safetywing vs World Nomads: Pros & Cons
| Safetywing Insurance | Nomads Insurance |
| + Most affordable insurance ($42/4 weeks) Can be bought while you’re already abroad + 24/7 assistance via chat + + Offers full coverage worldwide + For every 90 days abroad, you get 30 days of coverage in your home country (15 if you’re from the US) + Covers lost luggage and travel delays | + Can be bought while you’re already abroad + 24/7 multilingual assistance + Customized 2-tier plans + Electronics protection ✅ Created by travelers for travelers ✅ ✅ Gear and electronics protection ✅ Covers lost luggage and travel delays |
| Safetywing Insurance | World Nomads Insurance |
| PROS: + best price for coverage being offered + worldwide and home coverage – includes 30 days for every 90 days of medical coverage in your home country (US only get 15 days of coverage) + includes family members (up to 2 children under 10 years old) + added COVID-19 travel insurance protection in 2020 (see below) | PROS: + covers electronics and gear + coverage for high-risk sports under the Explorer package + offers customized 2-tier insurance packages to choose from |
| CONS: – limited to no coverage for high-risk sports activities – doesn’t cover electronics or gear unless it’s in the checked luggage | CONS: – expensive – doesn’t offer insurance for home country residence – does not offer any COVID-19 protection in their plans |
COVID-19 Travel Insurance
As of August 1, 2020, SafetyWing modified its policy to include COVID-19 travel insurance, whereas World Nomads does not.
Here’s Safetywing travel insurance coverage for COVID-19:
- treats it like any other illness as long as it was not contracted before your coverage start date
- covers mandated quarantine period
- testing for COVID-19 if deemed medically required
About SafetyWing Insurance
SafetyWing Insurance is “for nomads, by nomads” – primarily designed to meet the medical and travel needs faced by digital nomads and remote workers while they are outside of their home country.
Their goal is simple- to build a global safety net for digital nomads and remote workers at an affordable cost.
Even though safety wing is a rather new company, they are backed by one of the most solid insurance companies in the world, Tokio Marine.
What Makes SafetyWing Travel Insurance Special
SafetyWing travel insurance strives to offer a high-touch customer experience. And that level of service extends well beyond any claims or inquiries.
SafetyWing is a real community builder.
They want to develop strong social bonds by hosting events, both online and in-person. They host events in cities around the world allowing members to feel connected to each other.
Safetywing creates an experience of always having your village nearby, wherever you might be in the world.
They believe that it’s through this social connection, bridging like-minded people together to create this sense of community. Don’t you just love that?!
Who is Using SafetyWing Travel Insurance
The biggest consumer for SafetyWing travel insurance is digital nomads.
Did you know that worldwide there are 35 million digital nomads in 2021? That is the fastest-growing global workforce trend.
If you are a digital nomad, it means you are someone who works remotely and is frequently travelling from one place to the next.
Some fun facts about digital nomads:
- 61% are married
- the average age is 32 years old
- 70% of digital nomads work 40 hours per week (or less)
- 80% of digital nomads stay in one place between 3 to 9 months and 66% stay in one place between 3 to 6 months
- an average digital nomad salary is $119,423 a year
Does SafetyWing cover Canada?
For my fellow Canadians, there are some important restrictions for us. Under Canadian law, you can only purchase SafetyWing insurance when physically outside Canada. When you return home, although the plan covers an additional 30 days, it will stop due to our superior health coverage. SafetyWing Insurance is not primarily a health insurance policy.
SafetyWing Insurance Review
SafetyWing is the ideal choice for those who need flexible digital nomads insurance while travelling.
The coverage is intended for long-term travellers who don’t really need much in the way of trip interruption or cancellation coverage which makes it the best choice for digital nomads insurance.
Think of SafetyWing as the Netflix or Spotify of travel insurance and remote health. It uses a subscription-based payment on a monthly basis. Complete flexibility that is easy and simple to use.
FAQ: Digitial Nomads Insurance
What to look for when buying travel insurance
When looking to purchase digital nomads insurance, choose a policy that covers these things:
- Emergency medical and dental expenses
- Hospital room and board
- Local ambulance
- Outpatient care
- Emergency evacuation
- Crisis response in case of emergency (terrorism, kidnapping, etc)
- Natural disaster coverage
- Return of remains
- Adventure activities
- Coverage of your belongings (electronics)
What are some digital nomads insurance tips?
No matter which company you choose, Safetywing vs World Nomads, here are some practical tips.
- Read the fine print carefully. Even when there is comprehensive coverage, know every detail.
- Find out what coverage you already have and determine what’s missing or where you might need extra coverage.
- Know how the plan works, so that in the event of an illness or emergency, you already know what to do and follow their claim process.
- Keep copies of all receipts and related information.
Is travel insurance woth it?
Travel insurance is one of the most important things that you can purchase for any international travel. So, whether you are going for a week or a year-long trip around the world, it is something that you should consider very seriously.
As a holidaymaker…
Travel insurance is not exactly the most exciting part of trip planning. But buying travel insurance is an investment, it’s your safety net to guard against those unplanned events or accidents. Hopefully, you’re likely never ever to need it, but when you do, you’ll be so glad you did.
Take the time, to research the different travel insurance companies, especially the two biggest players, Safetywing vs World Nomads, and choose the right one for you.
