Best digital nomad insurance, compared
Nearly every nomad visa requires private health insurance to apply. Here are the two policies built for remote workers, compared on what actually matters, coverage, price, age limits and adventure cover, with a clear pick for each kind of traveller.
Rolling monthly cover you can start, pause and cancel anytime. Nomad-built and simple, and it satisfies most visa requirements. The easy starting point.
Higher limits than the basic travel-medical plans, adventure sports included by default, and a true long-term health tier (Native). The value pick if you want fuller cover.
Side by side
| SafetyWing | Genki | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Travel-medical (Essential) + full health (Complete) | Travel-medical (Traveler) + full health (Native) |
| Max medical cover | $250k (Essential); $1.5M (Complete) | €1M per case (Traveler); unlimited (Native Premium) |
| Deductible | $0 (no deductible) | €50 per case (Traveler) |
| Billing | Rolling monthly, cancel anytime | Rolling monthly, cancel anytime |
| Max age | Up to 69 (Essential) | Up to 69 (Traveler) |
| Adventure sports | Paid add-on (~$10/mo) | Included by default |
| Covers home visits | 30 days per 90 (15 if US) | 42 days per 180 |
| From (under 40) | ~$63 / 4 weeks | from ~€52 / month |
Specs from each insurer; figures shown are for the travel-medical tier of each. Prices are rough starting points for a healthy traveller under 40 and rise with age and US coverage. Confirm current terms and a live quote before buying.
SafetyWing
Most popularBest for: Flexible long-term travel-medical cover
Subscription travel-medical insurance built for nomads. It rolls every 4 weeks so you can start, pause and resume, covers you across most countries, and satisfies the insurance requirement on most nomad visas. Its Complete tier adds full international health cover (routine care, dental, mental health) if you are settling somewhere longer.
- Rolling monthly, cancel anytime, no deductible
- $250k (Essential) up to $1.5M (Complete)
- Meets the requirement for most nomad visas
Genki
Best valueBest for: High limits and adventure sports included
A German-backed insurtech: its Traveler plan covers up to €1M per insurance case and includes most adventure sports by default, no add-on. Renews monthly like SafetyWing. Its Native tier is true long-term health insurance for people living abroad.
- Up to €1M per case (Traveler)
- Adventure sports included by default
- Native tier for long-term health
These are partner links: if you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. We only list insurers we would recommend to a friend, and the comparison above is the same whether or not a link earns. Always check a policy covers your destination and your visa's minimum before buying.
Torn between the two most popular? See our SafetyWing vs Genki head-to-head, or check what each costs at your age.
See live prices
Get a live quote from each insurer for your age and destination, without leaving the page. Quotes you start here go through our partner links, at no extra cost to you.
SafetyWing
Genki
Does your visa actually require it?
Usually, yes. The large majority of digital nomad visas list private health insurance as a mandatory document, and EU and Schengen-area visas commonly want at least €30,000 of medical cover for the duration of your stay. A nomad policy from either of the two above clears that bar. The exact requirement is on each country's page, so confirm yours before you buy a policy, then match the cover to it.
How to choose
By how long you are going
Open-ended travel suits a rolling monthly plan (SafetyWing or Genki Traveler). Settling somewhere for years points to a full international health plan (SafetyWing Complete or Genki Native).
By your age
Premiums step up at 40, 50 and 60, and most travel-medical plans cap around 69. If you are older, check the age limit and the long-term health tiers, which have their own enrollment cutoffs.
By what you will do
If you will dive, ski or climb, Genki includes most of it by default; with SafetyWing you add the sports rider. Match the policy to your actual plans, not the brochure.
Not sure which visa you need yet?
Check your visa eligibility →Nomad insurance FAQ
Do digital nomad visas require insurance?
Most do. Almost every nomad visa requires proof of private health insurance covering your stay as a condition of the application, and many specify a minimum (often around €30,000 of medical cover). Both insurers here comfortably exceed that, but check the exact figure on your country's page.
What is the difference between travel-medical and international health insurance?
Travel-medical insurance (SafetyWing Essential, Genki Traveler) covers emergencies and trip-related medical needs and is usually enough to satisfy a visa. International health insurance (SafetyWing Complete, Genki Native) is fuller, covering routine and preventive care too, and suits people settling somewhere long-term.
Which nomad insurance is best?
It depends on your trip. SafetyWing is the flexible default for open-ended travel, while Genki gives strong cover for the money, with higher limits than the basic plans and adventure sports included. Both exceed typical visa minimums.
How much does nomad insurance cost?
For a healthy traveller under 40, around $63 per 4 weeks for SafetyWing Essential, or from about €52 a month for Genki Traveler. Price rises with age and jumps significantly if you add US coverage, so always check a live quote.
Does nomad insurance cover me in my home country?
Partly. SafetyWing covers incidental home visits up to 30 days per 90-day period (15 if your home is the US), and Genki Traveler up to 42 days per 180. For full coverage back home you need a long-term health tier like SafetyWing Complete or Genki Native.
Does it cover adventure sports and COVID?
Both cover COVID-19 as a standard illness. For sports, Genki includes most adventure activities by default, while SafetyWing needs a paid add-on (about $10 a month) for higher-risk ones. If your trip is activity-heavy, check the specific list.
Can I buy nomad insurance after I have already left home?
Yes, and this is a key advantage over standard travel insurance. Both SafetyWing and Genki can be purchased while you are already abroad, so you are not locked out if you only sort cover once your trip is underway.
Insurance terms, prices and age limits change and depend on your nationality, age and destination. Figures reflect each insurer's published plans at the time of writing. This is general information, not insurance advice, so read the policy wording and confirm a live quote before you rely on any plan.