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I started using Safetywing Nomad travel insurance in 2023. I’m going to share everything you need to know about Safetywing insurance, so you can decide if it’s the right travel insurance for you or not.
Deciding on the right travel insurance isn’t a fun task. It’s a bit annoying honestly, but it’s one of the most important things you need to do before your trip.
And, yes, before you even think about asking, you need travel insurance. You need to make sure you’re covered for any health emergencies you have while travelling.
You may think you’ll never need to use it (and I hope you never have to), but you need to have it just in case.
If you can’t afford travel insurance, you should really reconsider whether or not you can afford to take your trip.
You can’t risk getting sick or having an accident abroad and then being stuck with the cost of it. Even in countries that have a lower cost of healthcare than your home countries, you can still rack up a huge bill.
I know someone from a Facebook group who was injured in a motorcycle accident in Thailand. She had to spend a month in the hospital and have surgery. Even though medical coverage in Thailand is affordable, she would never have been able to pay for the treatment she received out-of-pocket.
She would have been in serious debt if she didn’t have travel insurance to cover the cost of her treatment.
Table of Contents
What is Safetywing Nomad Insurance?
I’m guessing that if you found this article, you have an idea of what Safetywing travel insurance is and what they offer.
Safetywing is a company that specialized in insurance for travellers, digital nomads, and remote teams. They’re experts in providing insurance for people who travel a lot or relocate to another country and don’t have insurance in that country.
Nomad Insurance
Nomad Insurance is the type of insurance most people will purchase. It’s for travellers and digital nomads.
I’m not going to talk about their other types of insurance in this article because you likely won’t need them, and I don’t have experience using them.
The thing that I like most about Safetywing insurance is that they only do insurance for remote workers/travellers. They know what they’re doing, and they do it better than any other company in my opinion.
You have a peace of mind that you’ll be covered for pretty much anything that comes up while abroad and will never have to stress about high medical fees if you need to access them abroad.
They’re the only company that I know of that doesn’t require you to be insured in your home country. This means they may be a tiny bit more expensive, but you don’t have to deal with the headache of your travel insurance coordinating with your local medical insurance and passing along medical records between the two companies.
My dad had to do that when he got injured in Dubai. He became so frustrated with the process that he just ended up cancelling his claim and paying his medical costs out-of-pocket.
You don’t have that headache with Safetywing. They take care of the whole claim. It’s a stress-free process. Well as stress-free as being sick in a foreign country and having to make an insurance claim can be.
Who is Safetywing Nomad Insurance Best For?
I’m not going to lie to you and tell you that everybody should get Safetywing is for everybody.
It isn’t, and that’s okay.
If you don’t travel often or for less than a month at a time, Safetywing Nomad isn’t the right travel insurance choice for you.
You likely already have travel insurance with your employer (assuming you’re not self-employed or not working) that included short-term travel insurance. That’s good enough for short trips. You don’t need to purchase anything in addition to that.
If you have employer-provided travel insurance that only covers 14 days of travel, and you’re gone for 21 days, you can purchase a separate travel insurance policy for the last few days of your trip.
You can purchase it through your bank, house/car insurance company, etc. A lot of places will sell you short-term travel insurance for a fairly low price.
But be sure to check to make sure that it covers all the activities and locations you’re visiting.
If you travel for more than a month at a time, are self-employed, or a digital nomad, Safetywing Nomad is a great option for you.
I think Safetywing is a no brainer for people who travel for long periods of time. It’s truly the most comprehensive and affordable (for what you get) long-term travel insurance I’ve been able to find.
I used to purchase a one-time plan through the AMA (think AAA) when I travelled for months. It was very expensive, didn’t cover as much as Safetywing does, and it would have been a headache if I needed to make a claim.
I wish I found Safetywing earlier in my travel journey.
It takes a lot of the stress out of travel insurance as a digital nomad who is on the road more often than not. You can travel and explore the world without worrying about your travel insurance.
Plus you can cancel at any time if you decide to go home. You’re also covered for a month in your home country if you’ve been outside your home country for more than 90 days.
That gives you time to find a new insurance provider or job with insurance benefits when you’re back home without stressing about not having coverage. Or you can be like me and use it when I stop home a couple of times a year to visit my family.
I’ve never heard of another travel insurance company providing me coverage for a month when I’m home and not travelling.
Bottom line: if you’re travelling long-term or are a digital nomad, you should really consider getting Safetywing Nomad insurance.
I spent a lot of hours researching different travel insurance companies during the pandemic, and Safetywing is the clear winner in my opinion.
Making a Claim with Safetywing
A lot of travel insurance companies make it difficult to file a claim. My dad hurt himself sand surfing in Dubai (and yes it was quite the sight to watch my 68-year old try to sand surf) and had to go to a medical centre. His travel insurance provider required that he call and get permission before going for medical treatment. If he didn’t call and get permission beforehand, they had the right not to provide him coverage because he didn’t follow the rules of his policy.
Thankfully, Safetywing isn’t like that.
You don’t have to notify them before getting medical treatment, and you’re allowed to go to any licensed medical clinic, hospital, or doctor of your choosing.
If you’re in a foreign country and don’t know how to choose what medical clinic to go to, you can contact Safetywing for help. They have a list of medical clinics that are known for providing excellent care (especially to foreigners), and Safetywing can help you find a medical clinic/doctor you’ll feel comfortable using.
You have no idea how much of a help that is until you’re stressed out in a foreign country trying to figure out a doctor to go to. You don’t know the medical system or how to choose a doctor. Having Safetywing to help out makes a stressful situation a little bit less stressful.
Filing a Claim
Okay. I’ve talked a bit about how nice Safeywing is to make claims with, so I guess I should tell you how to make a claim.
The easiest way to file a claim is directly on the Safetwing website. You have to sign up for Safetywing insurance before you can view the claim form, so I can’t link it here for you.
The form is really easy to find though. Once you’re signed up for Safetywing insurance, go to the profile tab of the website, and then there is a large button that says “Make a Claim”. Click that button and follow the steps.
You’ll be asked to provide receipts for the care you received as well as answer some questions about the claim you’re making.
If you have any trouble making the claim, the customer support team at Safetywing is amazing. They’re super responsive and always go above and beyond.
The easiest way to reach customer support is through the chat feature on their website. You normally instantly get a response, and the longest you ever have to wait if it is super busy is about 30 seconds!
You can also email them at support@safetywing.com or call them at +1 844 531 0151 (international toll free)/ +1 415 707 8606 (within the USA).
I recommend trying the chat first.
How Long Does a Claim Take to be Approved by Safetywing?
Safetywing typically settles claims within 30-45 days of submission.
I say typically because there are always outliers. Sometimes there is a complicated claim that requires more information, and it takes longer to settle. Sometimes there is an easy claim that can be settled quicker than 30 days.
If you have a pretty straightforward claim, you should see your claim settled within 4-6 weeks. That’s pretty quick in the travel insurance world.
Pros of Safetywing Nomad Insurance
There are a lot of pros that come with Safetywing insurance. It’s a unique travel insurance company that offers things that no other company offers. Here are some of the biggest (and most unqiue) pros of Safetywing Nomad Insurance.
- You can purchase travel insurance when you’re already abroad (most companies don’t let you do this)!
- You pay monthly, so you can cancel at any time. If you pre-purchased a year’s worth of insurance through another company and decided to go home early, you wouldn’t get a refund for the time you weren’t using the insurance. You don’t have that issue with Safetywing.
- You’re covered in your home country for 30 days upon return as long as you were out of the country for at least 90 days before returning.
- Travel insurances like lost baggage and cancelled flights are included.
- Dental and ambulance coverage.
- Incredible customer support.
Cons of Safetywing Nomad Insurance
Just like anything in life, Safetywing isn’t perfect. There are some downsides to it, and I’m going to tell you about them now.
- It isn’t a great option for short-term travellers.
- It is charged in USD, so you’ll see a currency conversion on your credit card statement if your home currency isn’t USD.
- Safetywing Nomad has a $250,000 coverage limit for most things. This is lower than some other travel insurance providers, but most other travel providers work with your health insurance in your home country to cover the majority of the costs.
- There is a $250 deductible. This isn’t a big deal if you’re making a larger claim, but it can be a bit annoying for smaller claims. You only need to pay the deductible once during your entire coverage with Safetywing though. If you cancel and renew your policy, it will reset, and you’ll need to pay the deductible on your next claim with your new policy.
Why I Choose to Use Safetywing Travel Insurance
The reasons I choose and love Safetywing and pretty much the same as the pros in this section.
I often find myself signing up for Safetywing while I’m abroad when a coverage I purchased to cover me while I’m the USA expires. I can easily sign up for Safetywing and know I’m covered even though I’m already abroad.
Side note: I don’t think getting coverage through Safetywing for trips to the USA is the best use of money. It costs twice as much as normal to get coverage that covers the USA. I just get a short-term policy through the AMA (think AAA if you’re from the USA) and use that for the one or two times I go to the USA every year.
I also love that I can cancel my policy and then sign up again any time. I often go back to Canada to spend time with my parents for a few months every year, and I don’t need coverage during that time. I just cancel my policy and then sign up again when I start travelling again.
The excellent coverage and top notch customer service is the cherry on top of the reasons I already love and choose to use Safetywing.
It more or less comes down to convenience and trust. I know Safetywing will have my back if anything goes wrong when I travel, and I love how flexible and convenient it is to get, use, and cancel my policy.
