This blog may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy for more info.
Looking to save money on travel insurance?
Us too, and that’s why we use SafetyWing on all of our overseas travels. In fact, they really helped us out when COVID-19 hit! We were evacuated from Colombia free of charge.
The thing is, since SafetyWing is one of the cheapest providers out there, you might be wondering whether or not you’re cutting corners by going with them. And to be fair, it may not be the right travel insurance for everyone, but that all comes down to what you’re looking for. So, after over 5 years of using SafetyWing, we’ve written an in-depth review to help you decide.
What is SafetyWing?


SafetyWing is a travel insurance company that’s geared towards digital nomads, although you don’t have to be one to use them! It focuses on healthcare coverage, which is useful if you’re living abroad for long periods of time, but they do also cover other things like lost luggage, travel delays, and emergency flights home. Basically, it’s nothing fancy, but it covers all of the essentials.
As well as their standard Nomad Insurance, they also offer a Remote Health plan. This is basically health insurance for those who are living abroad. It covers outpatient visits, screenings, and vaccines as standard. The premium version even covers dental and vision care!
Expats and digital nomads founded SafetyWing, so it’s run by people who know exactly what long-term travelers need. For example, one huge difference between SafetyWing and most travel insurance companies is that you can take the policy out after you leave your home country! There’s no deductible either, which is a huge bonus and makes budgeting so much easier.
Another cool feature of SafetyWing is that you pay monthly, rather than in a lump sum. We’ve also been able to claim refunds for unused time, which is a huge bonus.
What Does SafetyWing Cover?


Medical emergencies: You’re covered for up to $250,000 USD, and this includes $1,000 USD emergency dental coverage, too. So if you need an ambulance, prescriptions, hospital stays, or an MRI, then these expenses will be covered.
Evacuation to a better hospital: If the local medical facilities are not equipped to handle your condition, SafetyWing will arrange and cover the cost of evacuation to a better-equipped hospital, up to $100,000 USD. This one has a lifetime cap.
Injuries from leisure sports and activities: Okay, this doesn’t cover adventure sports, but if you get injured while hiking or sightseeing, for example, then SafetyWing covers the costs up to $250,000 USD. There’s also the option for non-US residents to buy additional coverage for adventure sports.
Lost luggage: If an airline loses your checked baggage, you can claim up to $500 USD per item, up to a total of $3,000 USD per policy. This isn’t a huge amount but it’s also often possible to get compensation from the airlines themselves.

Motor accidents: This is covered up to $250,000 USD. However, the stipulation is that you have to be properly licensed, wearing a helmet, and not intoxicated. So if you’re tearing around drunk on a scooter without a helmet, then SafetyWing won’t pay for that – which is totally fair.
Trip interruption: This applies if there’s an emergency back home, such as a death in the family. SafetyWing covers flights home up to $5,000 USD, which is usually more than enough.
Evacuation due to local unrest: If a travel warning is issued for your current destination, then you can claim up to $10,000 USD to either get home or to a nearby safe country, depending on the circumstances. This majorly helped us out when COVID-19 hit, as we were in Colombia!
Travel delay costs: If your flight is delayed for 12 hours or more, SafetyWing will cover costs up to $100 USD per day, for up to two days. This is pretty basic but airlines will often cover a lot of the cost, so it can be a helpful addition.

Coverage back home: If you return home after 90 days or more of travel, then your SafetyWing medical coverage of up to $250,000 USD will still apply for 30 days. If you’re a US resident, then you only get 15 days.
COVID-19 quarantine: COVID-19 is now treated like any other illness by SafetyWing. It’s (thankfully) unlikely these days, but if you do need to quarantine anywhere, SafetyWing covers you for up to $50 USD per day for up to 10 days.
Body repatriation or burial: This is never nice to think about, but it’s still important. If you die while abroad, SafetyWing covers the cost of transporting your body home up to $20,000 USD, or a local burial up to $10,000 USD.
Check out further details about what is covered here!
What is Not Covered?


High-risk sports: Only leisure sports and activities are covered under Nomad Insurance, but you can buy an extra adventure sports add-on if you’re planning to enjoy activities like skiing, scuba diving, rafting, and paragliding while you’re away (unless you’re a US resident).
Personal belongings: SafetyWing doesn’t pay out for lost or stolen items, but you can add electronics insurance to your policy, which covers up to $1,000 USD per item.
Accidents under the influence: If you’re driving while intoxicated, SafetyWing won’t cover any accidents. The same goes for if you’re not wearing a seatbelt or helmet, or don’t have the appropriate driving license.
Pre-existing conditions or cancer treatment: This is pretty standard for travel and health insurance policies.
Trip cancellation: If your trip gets canceled for any reason, SafetyWing will not reimburse you for any of the costs. However, since you’re able to purchase Nomad Insurance when you’re already abroad, this isn’t a huge concern.
Nomad Health

When we talk about SafetyWing in this article, we’re generally talking about their Nomad Insurance, which is their travel insurance option. However, they have also recently launched Nomad Health, which is a flexible health insurance for travelers. This is ideal for expats who want to be covered for more than just emergencies and are seeking the same kind of health insurance that they might get back home.
In my experience, in some countries, it can be difficult to get health insurance as a non-resident, so I think that this is the perfect alternative. You get a worldwide coverage of $1.5 million USD in over 175 countries, and outpatient care up to $5,000 USD. Best of all, if you’re having scheduled treatment or require an expensive procedure, you can also contact SafetyWing and have them arrange direct payment.
Whenever we spend more than a few months somewhere, we want to be covered for our routine healthcare needs. So we’re super excited that SafetyWing launched Nomad Health in 2023, as we’ll definitely be making use of it in the future.
Read more about SafetyWing’s plan options here to find the right one for you!
Pros of SafetyWing


Affordable
One of the biggest pros of SafetyWing is that it’s the most affordable travel insurance you can find. We don’t want to skimp on travel insurance, but we don’t want to spend a ton on it either. SafetyWing is the perfect middle ground because it covers all of the essentials for a very reasonable monthly fee, so we find it to be great value for money.
Month-to-month with refunds for unused time
We love the fact that SafetyWing is month-to-month for two reasons. First, you don’t need a return flight or an end date, and can just cancel when you’re ready to. Second, we’ve also been able to claim back money for unused time. So if you want to cancel your insurance after payment has been taken, you can get your money back if you haven’t filed a claim!
Easy to submit claims online
Thankfully, submitting a claim with SafetyWing doesn’t mean spending hours on the phone listening to hold music! All you need to do is upload your required documents and photos on their online portal – it really couldn’t be easier. It’s also worth noting that SafetyWing has really improved this process over the past few years, so don’t worry too much about older reviews.

Can purchase plans overseas (unlike regular travel insurance)
Normally, travel insurance has to be purchased before you go abroad, but SafetyWing allows you to start your plan while overseas. It’s perfect if you’ve been on the road for a while or living away from your home country. Since Bailey is from Canada and I’m Australian, one of us is always technically abroad, so this has been a real help for us.
Fast response time
SafetyWing offers 24/7 support through live chat and usually replies in less than a minute. Or, if you email them, they’ll get back to you in 1-2 hours. Meanwhile, they state that claims can take up to 45 business days, that’s not our experience at all. In reality, most claims are handled in under a week at the time of writing.
No deductibles for non-US residents
This is another major benefit that sets SafetyWing apart from traditional travel insurance companies – well, if you’re a non-US resident, anyway. They used to claim a $250 USD deductible per claim but recently waived this, so there are no hidden costs to worry about. This is a major win for budget travelers (and everyone, really!).

Continued coverage back home
Often, travelers cancel their medical insurance policies at home when they’re away for a long time. Fortunately, SafetyWing will cover you for 30 days in your home country, as long as you’ve already been away for 90 days or more. In the US, you get 15 days. This means that you’re covered for emergencies, just like you are overseas.
Great add-ons
We like that SafetyWing allows us to build our policy around our needs. Since we work on the road, it’s great to be able to cover our electronics. Meanwhile, we’re also able to add coverage for adventure sports when we go skiing. It means that we don’t end up paying for coverage we don’t need, but gives us the option to expand our policy when we need to.
Easy to pause or cancel
If you want to pause your policy for a few months or cancel it, you can do it via your customer dashboard. There’s no need to email anyone or go through customer care, you can just do it at the click of a button! This is so easy and, as mentioned, you can also claim a refund on your premium if you want to cancel after payment has been taken.

Can add kids for free
SafetyWing is ideal for nomadic families. You can add up to two children under 10 per family to your policy for free, as long as two adults are covered under the same policy. We think that this is fantastic because it’s a big money saver for parents and gives them peace of mind.
Covers motorbikes and scooters
Lots of travel insurance policies won’t cover road accidents if they happen on a motorbike or scooter. This can be a real problem in Southeast Asia especially, where mopeds are the best way to get around! But fortunately, SafetyWing will cover you for an accident on two wheels, as long as you’re driving safely and following all of the road rules. This gave us real peace of mind when traveling in Bali.
If you’re sold on SafetyWing, check out their policy options and purchase yours here!
Cons of SafetyWing


Doesn’t cover a lot of things
One of the biggest downsides is that SafetyWing doesn’t cover the loss or theft of personal items. It’s possible to buy electronics insurance but it costs extra and is capped at $1,000 USD per item. Lots of laptops, cameras, and even phones cost more than that these days.
It also doesn’t cover trip cancellation, which is unusual, and there’s no way to cover non-electronic personal items. So if your cash, jewelry, or other valuables are stolen, then you won’t be reimbursed for the loss.
Must be under 69
SafetyWing won’t provide coverage for travelers aged 70 and over, so it’s not a good choice for older travelers. It also gets significantly more expensive for travelers over 40! It’s definitely geared towards a younger crowd.
More expensive for USA coverage
US coverage costs more with SafetyWing, which is standard with travel insurance since healthcare is so expensive there. However, US residents also still have to pay the $250 USD deductible every time they make a claim. The $250,000 USD coverage limit is also reduced to $100,000 USD for those over 65 who live in the USA, so again, this might not be the best choice for older travelers.

Limited coverage on personal items
SafetyWing only covers lost checked luggage items up to $500 USD. Meanwhile, you have to pay extra to cover electronics, and again, the $1,000 USD amount isn’t super generous. With that said, there’s no deductible, which might make up the difference! There’s also no coverage for lost cash or personal items other than electronics, so you might need to consider insuring any other valuables separately.
No trip cancellation coverage
SafetyWing doesn’t offer trip cancellation coverage for any reason, even illness and natural disasters. This is a real drawback for travelers who want to be covered in all eventualities. However, if you’re not too worried about trip cancellation, then you can just buy your policy once you’ve safely arrived overseas.
US residents can’t add extras
The electronics and adventure sports coverage isn’t available to US residents at all. This means that US residents might need to get extra coverage from elsewhere for their valuables and extreme activities.
Related Read: Looking for more travel resources and tips? Check out our review of Viator and our experience with Discover Cars – we use both of these companies all the time!
My Personal Experience with SafetyWing

Bailey and I have been using SafetyWing’s travel insurance on and off since 2018. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, we were both fortunately using SafetyWing plans. Bailey was evacuated to Canada free of charge. Since I’m Australian, I couldn’t get covered to go to Canada, as I didn’t hold a visa at the time. They would only fly me to Australia, which is where I’m from, but obviously, Bailey and I wanted to stay together, so I ended up just paying for my ticket.
If I’m being honest, it was really hard to get through to SafetyWing at that time. But they’re a travel insurance company and the pandemic had just hit, so it was no surprise that they were backed up. All of their customers were trying to get home at once! Pretty much everything to do with travel was backed up then, but they still got us out of Colombia and we will forever be grateful to them for that.
More recently, we also got sick in Bali and made claims with no issues at all. I ended up in the hospital for several nights but didn’t have to pay for any of it, and the whole process was very simple. Therefore, I would say that SafetyWing offers the perfect coverage if your main concern is overseas hospital bills.
Because of these experiences, we continue to use SafetyWing to this day. We are affiliated with them, but choose to be because we love their affordable coverage and the peace of mind that they offer. SafetyWing has helped us out in some scary situations before, so we feel reassured that they’ve got our backs.
Would I use SafetyWing Travel Insurance Again?

We not only would use SafetyWing again, but we currently do! No insurance is perfect but they have really helped us out and saved us a lot of money over the past few years. If you’re after an affordable policy that covers the biggest concerns when traveling, SafetyWing is a great choice. We love using them and really trust them.
We highly recommend SafetyWing – book your travel insurance here for your next adventure!
Thanks for reading!

We hope you found this review of SafetyWing travel insurance helpful as you plan your next adventure! We’ve been super happy with their service and love knowing they’ve got our back while we travel. I’d recommend any traveler purchase their insurance through SafetyWing!
And now that you’ve got your travel insurance squared away, it’s time to hit the road! Check out our blog and let us help you plan your travels, we’ve hit nearly every corner of the world and have a ton of resources right at your fingertips.
5 SAFEST Places to Escape the Cold this Winter
ULTIMATE Guide to Renting a Campervan in New Zealand
33 BEST Places to Visit in South America (Must-Visit Destinations!)