Long-term travel is very different from booking a two-week holiday. You might be travelling for several months, moving between multiple countries or even setting off without knowing exactly when you’ll be coming home.

That can make finding the right long term travel insurance considerably more complicated.

This is where SafetyWing Nomad Insurance becomes interesting.

SafetyWing has designed its insurance specifically with long-term travellers, backpackers, digital nomads and people living abroad in mind. Unlike many traditional travel insurance policies, you can even buy cover after you’ve already left your home country.

In this guide, we’re taking a detailed look at SafetyWing Nomad Insurance, including what it covers, how much it costs, the difference between its Essential and Complete plans and, most importantly, whether it makes sense for your trip.

Last checked: September 2026

Travel insurance policies, prices, limits and exclusions can change. Always check the latest policy wording and coverage directly with SafetyWing before purchasing.

Affiliate disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. If you purchase SafetyWing through one of our links, Travel Properly may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

SafetyWing Nomad Insurance: Our Quick Verdict

SafetyWing is one of the most interesting insurance options we’ve found for people travelling long term, particularly backpackers and digital nomads who want flexible cover without needing to know their entire itinerary in advance.

For most travellers, SafetyWing Essential is the plan we’d look at first.

It’s designed as travel medical insurance and currently provides up to US$250,000 in overall cover, alongside benefits for things such as emergency medical treatment, hospital stays, emergency evacuation, lost checked luggage, travel delays and trip interruption.

Perhaps its biggest advantage for long-term travellers is flexibility. You can purchase SafetyWing before leaving home or while you’re already travelling, and Essential can provide cover for up to 364 days at a time.

SafetyWing also offers Complete, which goes considerably further. This combines travel protection with broader international health insurance, including routine healthcare and additional benefits such as mental health support and cancer treatment.

For somebody backpacking around Southeast Asia for six months, Essential is likely to be the more relevant starting point. For somebody effectively living abroad as a digital nomad or expat and wanting ongoing healthcare as well as travel protection, Complete is the plan we’d investigate.

There are exclusions and limitations to understand before buying, however, and SafetyWing won’t be the right choice for every traveller. We’ll cover those in detail below.

At a Glance

SafetyWing Nomad Insurance	Details
Best for	Long-term travellers, backpackers and digital nomads
Essential price	From US$62.72 per 4 weeks for ages 18–39
Essential medical limit	Up to US$250,000
Maximum Essential period	Up to 364 days at a time
Complete price	From US$177.50 per month for ages 18–39
Complete overall limit	Up to US$1.5 million
Buy while already abroad?	Yes
Multi-country cover?	Yes – subject to policy terms and geographical coverage
USA	Available at additional cost
Pre-existing conditions	Generally excluded – check the applicable policy wording
Our pick for most travellers	SafetyWing Essential

Looking for Long-Term Travel Insurance?

If you’re planning an extended trip, you can enter your age and travel requirements directly with SafetyWing to see the current price and compare Essential and Complete before deciding whether it’s right for you.

👉 Check SafetyWing Prices & Coverage

Table Of Contents

What Is SafetyWing Nomad Insurance?

SafetyWing Nomad Insurance is designed specifically for people who travel or live abroad for extended periods.

That includes long-term travellers, backpackers, digital nomads, remote workers and expats who may find that a conventional single-trip travel insurance policy doesn’t fit the way they travel.

One of the biggest differences is flexibility.

You don’t necessarily need to arrange SafetyWing before leaving the UK or your home country. You can purchase a policy while you’re already abroad, making it particularly useful if you’ve started travelling and subsequently realised you need cover.

SafetyWing currently offers coverage across 180+ countries, although cover in the USA costs extra.

There are two main plans to choose from:

SafetyWing Essential is travel medical insurance. It’s primarily designed to protect you against unexpected medical problems and certain travel-related problems while you’re away.

SafetyWing Complete is much more comprehensive. It’s effectively international health insurance combined with additional travel protection, adding benefits such as routine healthcare, mental health support and cancer treatment.

For most people searching for long term travel insurance, we’d start by looking at Essential. Complete becomes more interesting if you’re living abroad for an extended period and want something closer to ongoing private healthcare.

SafetyWing Essential vs Complete

The first decision you’ll need to make is whether you need SafetyWing Essential or Complete.

Although they’re sold under the same Nomad Insurance umbrella, they’re designed for slightly different types of traveller.

Here’s how the two currently compare:

Feature	SafetyWing Essential	SafetyWing Complete
Type of cover	Travel medical insurance	International health insurance + travel protection
Best suited to	Long-term travellers & backpackers	Digital nomads, expats & people living abroad
Price, ages 18–39	From US$62.72 / 4 weeks	From US$177.50 / month
Overall medical limit	US$250,000	US$1.5 million
Maximum duration	Up to 364 days at a time	Renewable indefinitely
Emergency medical treatment	Yes	Yes
Hospital stays & surgery	Yes	Yes
Emergency evacuation	Yes	Yes
Lost checked luggage	Yes	Yes
Travel delay	Yes	Yes
Routine healthcare	No	Yes, subject to limits
Mental health support	No	Yes, subject to limits
Cancer treatment	No	Yes, subject to policy terms
Maternity care	No	Yes, subject to limits and waiting period
Home-country medical cover	Limited	No home-country coverage restriction
Pre-existing conditions	Not covered	Not covered

Prices and benefits shown were checked in September 2026 and can change. Coverage is subject to eligibility, exclusions, limits and the applicable policy wording.

SafetyWing Essential: Best for Most Long-Term Travellers

If you’re taking a gap year, backpacking through several countries or spending a few months travelling around Asia, Central America or Europe, Essential is probably the SafetyWing plan we’d investigate first.

It currently starts from US$62.72 every four weeks for travellers aged 18–39 and provides up to US$250,000 in overall cover.

The focus is on unexpected problems rather than everyday healthcare.

That includes things such as hospital treatment, surgery, medication, emergency medical evacuation, travel delays and lost checked luggage.

Essential can cover you for up to 364 days at a time, which is one of the reasons we think it’s particularly relevant when comparing travel insurance for long-term travel.

You also receive limited medical cover when returning temporarily to your home country – currently up to 30 days – although you should check the precise conditions before relying on this benefit.

SafetyWing Complete: Better for Living Abroad?

Complete is a different proposition.

Rather than simply protecting you against unexpected medical emergencies while travelling, it’s designed to provide ongoing international healthcare alongside travel protection.

It currently starts from US$177.50 per month for ages 18–39 and has an overall limit of up to US$1.5 million.

The additional cover includes areas that aren’t included with Essential, such as routine doctor and specialist visits, preventative care, mental health support, wellness therapies, cancer treatment and maternity care, although individual limits and waiting periods apply.

Complete can also be renewed indefinitely.

That potentially makes it much more suitable for somebody who isn’t simply travelling for six months but is actually living overseas or working remotely between different countries on a long-term basis.

The trade-off is obvious: it’s considerably more expensive.

If we were planning a six-month backpacking trip, we’d be looking much more closely at Essential. If we were moving abroad or becoming full-time digital nomads and wanted proper ongoing healthcare, that’s when we’d start comparing Complete.

Which SafetyWing Plan Should You Choose?

For most Travel Properly readers, we’d keep the decision relatively simple:

Choose Essential if: you’re primarily travelling and want protection against unexpected medical emergencies and common travel problems.

Consider Complete if: you’re effectively living abroad and want ongoing healthcare as well as travel protection.

Don’t automatically assume that the more expensive policy is the better choice. The best long term travel insurance is the policy that provides the cover you actually need, not simply the one with the longest list of benefits.

If you’re unsure, compare the current limits, exclusions and price of both plans based on your age and destination before buying.

👉 Compare SafetyWing Essential & Complete

How Much Does SafetyWing Cost?

The cost of SafetyWing depends primarily on your age, the plan you choose and whether you need coverage in the USA.

For travellers aged 18–39, SafetyWing Essential currently starts from US$62.72 every four weeks without US coverage.

That works out at roughly US$2.24 per day, although your actual price can be higher depending on your age and where you need to be covered.

SafetyWing Complete is considerably more expensive, currently starting from US$177.50 per month for ages 18–39.

The difference makes sense when you consider what you’re buying. Essential is primarily designed to cover unexpected medical emergencies and certain travel problems, while Complete provides much broader international healthcare.

SafetyWing Essential Cost

For a younger traveller who doesn’t require US coverage, the starting price of US$62.72 per four weeks makes Essential particularly interesting for extended trips.

Instead of buying insurance for one fixed holiday, you can keep your coverage running while you travel.

For example, somebody backpacking around Southeast Asia for several months could maintain their insurance as they move between countries rather than arranging a completely new policy for every destination.

There is an important distinction here, though: US coverage costs extra.

If your itinerary includes the United States, make sure you select the appropriate geographical coverage when getting your quote. Don’t assume a cheaper policy automatically covers every destination on your trip.

SafetyWing Complete Cost

SafetyWing Complete currently starts from US$177.50 per month for people aged 18–39.

That’s a substantial jump from Essential, but Complete isn’t really trying to be a slightly better version of ordinary travel insurance.

You’re paying for much broader international health cover, including benefits for routine healthcare, specialist visits and other ongoing medical needs that aren’t part of Essential.

For somebody simply travelling for a few months, that additional expense may be unnecessary.

For a full-time digital nomad or somebody living abroad without access to their usual healthcare system, the calculation could be very different.

Is SafetyWing Cheap for Long-Term Travel?

SafetyWing’s starting price certainly makes it worth comparing if you’re looking for affordable long term travel insurance, but we wouldn’t choose any insurance policy based on price alone.

A £10 saving isn’t particularly useful if the cheaper policy doesn’t cover the activities you’re planning, the countries you’re visiting or the type of medical treatment you might require.

Instead, compare:

• The total cost for the entire period you’re travelling
• Medical coverage limits
• Excesses or deductibles
• Countries included
• Adventure and sports coverage
• Baggage limits
• Emergency evacuation
• Trip interruption and delay cover
• Important exclusions

This is particularly important with long-term travel because your plans can change considerably over several months.

Get a SafetyWing Quote for Your Trip

The easiest way to see what SafetyWing would actually cost is to enter your age and travel requirements directly with SafetyWing.

We’d recommend comparing the final price against the level of cover you’re receiving rather than deciding based purely on the advertised starting price.

👉 Check Your SafetyWing Price

Prices referenced above were checked in September 2026. SafetyWing can change its pricing, benefits and policy terms, so check the latest quote and policy documentation before purchasing.

What Does SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Cover?

SafetyWing Nomad Insurance covers a combination of unexpected medical expenses and travel-related problems while you’re abroad.

For most long-term travellers considering SafetyWing, the Essential plan is the most relevant place to start. It currently has an overall maximum limit of US$250,000 and is primarily designed to protect you when something unexpected happens during your trip.

This isn’t comprehensive private healthcare. Essential is designed around new and unexpected medical problems rather than routine treatment or managing existing conditions.

Here’s a closer look at some of the most important areas of cover.

Emergency Medical Treatment and Hospitalisation

Medical cover is arguably the most important reason to have travel insurance in the first place.

SafetyWing Essential can cover eligible treatment for new and unexpected illnesses or injuries while travelling, including:

• Hospital stays
• Nursing care
• Surgery
• Ambulance transport for hospitalisation
• Diagnostic procedures such as MRI scans
• Prescription medication
• Extended care following hospitalisation
• Emergency dental treatment

The Essential plan currently has an overall maximum limit of US$250,000, with individual limits and conditions applying to certain benefits.

This is particularly important when travelling long term. A six-month trip gives you considerably more time for something unexpected to happen than a week-long holiday.

Emergency Medical Evacuation

If you become seriously ill or injured somewhere without appropriate medical facilities, you may need to be transported to a better-equipped hospital.

SafetyWing Essential currently provides eligible emergency medical evacuation cover up to a US$100,000 lifetime maximum.

This is a benefit we’d pay particular attention to when travelling through remote areas or countries where access to specialist healthcare can be limited.

If you’re planning trekking, island hopping or travelling considerably beyond major cities, emergency evacuation is something worth considering when comparing long term travel insurance policies.

Does SafetyWing Cover Lost Luggage?

SafetyWing Essential includes cover for lost checked luggage.

The current limit is:

US$500 per item, up to a US$3,000 maximum per plan.

Notice the word checked.

Don’t assume that every situation involving a missing backpack, phone, camera or laptop will automatically qualify. How the item was lost and the circumstances surrounding the loss matter.

If you travel with expensive electronics, cameras or laptops, check the policy limits carefully. SafetyWing also offers optional electronics theft coverage, which may be worth investigating if you’re travelling with particularly valuable equipment.

Travel Delay

Long-term travel often involves plenty of flights, trains and connections, which inevitably increases the chances of encountering delays.

SafetyWing Essential provides a benefit towards the cost of an unplanned overnight stay following an eligible travel delay.

Current benefits are:

US$60 for a delay of 3–8 hours

US$150 for delays of 8+ hours

As always, conditions apply, so don’t assume every delayed flight automatically results in a payout.

Trip Interruption

SafetyWing also provides limited trip interruption protection.

Under the Essential plan, an eligible interruption following the death of a qualifying family member can provide up to US$5,000 towards a ticket home.

This isn’t the same thing as comprehensive trip cancellation insurance.

That’s an important distinction if you’ve spent thousands of pounds upfront on flights, hotels, cruises or tours. Read the cancellation and interruption terms carefully and compare them with a more conventional travel insurance policy if protecting substantial prepaid costs is important to you.

Does SafetyWing Cover Sports and Activities?

SafetyWing Essential covers injuries resulting from a range of leisure sports and activities, subject to its terms and exclusions.

This could be particularly relevant to Travel Properly readers.

We regularly build trips around activities such as hiking, snorkelling and boat trips, and long-term travellers are likely to try far more activities over several months than they would during a conventional beach holiday.

However, don’t interpret “sports coverage” as meaning every activity is automatically covered.

If your trip involves activities such as scuba diving, skiing, trekking at altitude, climbing or other adventure sports, check SafetyWing’s current activity list and any applicable conditions before participating.

SafetyWing also offers an optional Adventure Sports add-on, so travellers planning more adventurous activities should compare the standard coverage with the additional protection available.

Motorbike and Car Accidents

This is particularly relevant if you’re travelling around destinations where scooters and motorbikes are a common way of getting around. The same applies if you’re planning to hire a car during your trip, especially if you’ll be driving across multiple destinations.

SafetyWing Essential can provide eligible medical cover following motor accidents, but there are important conditions.

You need to be properly licensed, wearing the required safety equipment and not intoxicated.

That might sound obvious, but it’s something we’d take very seriously.

Hiring a scooter in Thailand, Bali or Vietnam doesn’t mean you’re automatically insured simply because the rental company was willing to hand you the keys.

Make sure you’re legally entitled to drive the vehicle in that country and meet the insurance requirements before setting off.

Emergency Evacuation Due to Local Unrest

SafetyWing Essential also includes evacuation cover in certain circumstances involving local unrest.

The current lifetime maximum is US$10,000.

For somebody travelling between numerous countries over a year, this is another benefit that may be more relevant than it would be on a conventional one-week holiday.

What Happens in the Event of Death Abroad?

It’s not something anybody particularly wants to think about when planning a trip, but repatriation is an important part of travel insurance.

SafetyWing Essential currently provides up to US$20,000 for transportation of remains or up to US$10,000 for a local burial, subject to the policy terms.

Does SafetyWing Cover Visits Back Home?

One particularly useful feature for long-term travellers is limited medical coverage when temporarily returning to your home country.

SafetyWing Essential currently includes up to 30 days of home-country medical coverage.

This could be useful if you’re travelling for a year but plan to return home briefly to see friends and family before continuing your trip.

There are restrictions attached to this benefit, so check the latest policy wording before relying on it.

SafetyWing Complete works differently and currently advertises no home-country coverage restriction, which is another reason it may be more appropriate for people effectively living internationally rather than simply taking one long trip.

SafetyWing Covers More Than Just Medical Emergencies

The appeal of SafetyWing Essential isn’t any one individual benefit.

It’s the combination of emergency medical protection with several useful travel benefits in a policy designed around people who may be away for months rather than weeks.

For long-term travellers, the key areas include:

• Up to US$250,000 overall cover
• Emergency medical treatment and hospitalisation
• Emergency medical evacuation
• Lost checked luggage
• Travel delays
• Trip interruption
• Eligible sports and leisure activities
• Eligible motor accidents
• Evacuation following certain local unrest
• Limited medical cover during visits home

However, what isn’t covered is just as important as what is.

SafetyWing has exclusions and limitations that you need to understand before buying, particularly around pre-existing medical conditions, maternity care, cancer treatment and certain activities.

We’ll look at those next.

👉 Check the Latest SafetyWing Coverage

What Doesn’t SafetyWing Cover?

No travel insurance policy covers everything, and understanding the exclusions is just as important as looking at the headline coverage limits.

SafetyWing Nomad Insurance has several exclusions and limitations you should understand before purchasing. Some are particularly important if you’re planning to travel for several months or live abroad long term.

Pre-Existing Medical Conditions

One of the biggest limitations is pre-existing medical conditions.

SafetyWing states that pre-existing conditions are generally not covered under Nomad Insurance.

If you have an existing medical condition, don’t assume that treatment connected to it will be covered simply because you have an active SafetyWing policy.

This is an area where we’d strongly recommend reading the latest policy wording and, if necessary, contacting SafetyWing before purchasing.

Routine Healthcare Isn’t Included with Essential

SafetyWing Essential is primarily designed for unexpected illnesses and injuries while travelling.

It isn’t designed to pay for your normal ongoing healthcare.

Routine check-ups, preventative treatment and regular visits to a doctor aren’t generally what you’re buying Essential for.

This distinction becomes particularly important for digital nomads who may spend years rather than months outside their home country.

If you want ongoing international healthcare rather than primarily travel medical insurance, SafetyWing Complete is the more relevant plan to investigate.

Cancer Treatment

Cancer treatment isn’t covered under SafetyWing Essential.

Complete provides broader cancer-related benefits, subject to the applicable limits, eligibility requirements and policy terms.

This is another example of why Essential and Complete shouldn’t simply be viewed as cheaper and more expensive versions of the same policy. They’re designed for different types of traveller and different levels of healthcare protection.

Maternity and Pregnancy

Routine maternity care isn’t covered by SafetyWing Essential.

SafetyWing Complete does include maternity-related coverage, although waiting periods, limits and other conditions apply.

If pregnancy or maternity care could be relevant during your time abroad, we’d read the current terms carefully before choosing either plan.

Not Every Adventure Activity Is Automatically Covered

SafetyWing covers a range of sports and leisure activities, but that doesn’t mean you should assume every adventure activity is included.

This is particularly relevant to the type of travel we cover on Travel Properly.

We’ve done everything from hiking the Samaria Gorge in Crete to snorkelling, boat trips and other outdoor activities. If your long-term trip involves scuba diving, skiing, climbing, high-altitude trekking or other adventure sports, check the policy before taking part.

SafetyWing also offers an Adventure Sports add-on that extends protection to additional activities, subject to its own limits and exclusions.

Don’t wait until after an accident to discover whether the activity you were doing was covered.

Alcohol and Drugs Can Affect Your Cover

Travel insurance doesn’t remove your responsibility to travel safely.

Claims can be affected or excluded where alcohol or drugs are involved, particularly if intoxication contributed to an accident or injury.

This is especially important when scooters, motorbikes or other vehicles are involved.

If you’re driving abroad, make sure you’re legally licensed, follow local laws, wear any required protective equipment and never drive while intoxicated.

You Need to Be Properly Licensed to Drive

Being able to rent a scooter, motorbike or car doesn’t necessarily mean you’re legally entitled to drive it.

This can become particularly confusing on a long multi-country trip because licensing requirements can differ significantly between destinations.

If you’re planning to hire a car while travelling, check both the rental company’s requirements and the local driving laws before collecting the vehicle.

The same principle applies even more strongly to scooters and motorbikes.

An insurance claim is not the time you want to discover that your licence wasn’t valid for the vehicle you were riding.

Expensive Electronics Need Extra Attention

Digital nomads and long-term travellers often carry considerably more expensive equipment than the average holidaymaker.

A laptop, smartphone, camera, lenses and other electronics can easily be worth thousands of pounds.

SafetyWing offers optional electronics theft coverage for travellers who want additional protection for their devices, but limits and exclusions still apply. Check the value of your equipment against the current coverage before relying on it.

There is, however, an additional benefit available to Travel Properly readers.

Sign up to SafetyWing using referral code TRAVELPROPERLY and you’ll receive 8 weeks of electronics theft coverage for free.

If you’re already considering SafetyWing and travelling with valuable electronics, it’s a useful extra to have.

👉 Get SafetyWing + 8 Weeks Free Electronics Theft Coverage

Use code: TRAVELPROPERLY

Make sure you enter the code when signing up and check SafetyWing’s current electronics theft terms, limits and exclusions to understand exactly what is protected.

Trip Cancellation Cover Is Limited

This is another area we’d pay close attention to.

SafetyWing Essential shouldn’t automatically be treated as equivalent to a traditional comprehensive travel insurance policy with extensive trip cancellation protection.

If you’ve prepaid thousands of pounds for non-refundable flights, hotels, cruises or tours, check exactly what circumstances qualify for reimbursement before buying.

This matters even more on an expensive long-term trip.

If you’ve booked several hotels, flights and experiences across a three-month itinerary, for example, your financial exposure could be considerably greater than somebody travelling spontaneously and booking as they go.

Always Read the Policy Wording

Insurance isn’t something we’d recommend buying based solely on a comparison table or an affiliate recommendation – including ours.

SafetyWing can be an attractive option for long term travel insurance, but whether it’s suitable for you depends on your health, destinations, planned activities, belongings and the type of protection you actually need.

Before buying, check:

• The countries you’re visiting are covered
• Your planned activities are covered
• Medical limits are sufficient for your needs
• Any relevant medical exclusions
• Your excess or deductible
• Baggage and electronics limits
• Cancellation and interruption terms
• Driving and motorbike requirements
• Any optional add-ons you might need

If something is particularly important to your trip, verify it directly in the current policy documentation rather than assuming it’s covered.

👉 Check SafetyWing Coverage & Exclusions

Can You Buy Travel Insurance While Already Abroad?

Yes. SafetyWing allows you to buy travel insurance while you’re already abroad, which is one of the biggest reasons it stands out for long-term travellers and digital nomads.

Many travellers arrange insurance before leaving home, and we’d still recommend doing that wherever possible. But long-term travel doesn’t always go exactly to plan.

You might decide to extend a three-month trip to six months, continue travelling into another country or realise halfway through your journey that your existing insurance is about to expire.

With SafetyWing, being outside your home country doesn’t automatically prevent you from taking out cover.

How Does Buying SafetyWing While Abroad Work?

You can sign up online and select the date you want your SafetyWing coverage to begin.

That makes it particularly useful for:

• Backpackers extending their trip
• Digital nomads already living overseas
• Travellers whose existing insurance is expiring
• People travelling without a fixed return date
• Long-term travellers moving between several countries

However, buying insurance after something has already happened won’t retrospectively cover that event.

If you’ve already become ill, suffered an injury, lost your luggage or encountered another problem, you shouldn’t expect a newly purchased policy to cover something that happened before your coverage began.

For that reason, we’d still arrange insurance before travelling whenever possible rather than waiting until you need it.

What If You’re Travelling Without a Return Date?

This is where SafetyWing becomes particularly interesting.

Traditional travel insurance can be less convenient when you don’t know exactly how long you’ll be away or your itinerary is constantly changing.

SafetyWing Essential can provide cover for up to 364 days at a time, making it much better suited to open-ended travel than many conventional short-term policies.

That could mean backpacking through Southeast Asia, spending several months travelling around Latin America or working remotely while moving between countries.

We’ve travelled extensively through destinations including Thailand, where it’s easy to see how an originally short itinerary could turn into several months of travelling between Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Krabi and the islands.

With long-term travel, flexibility matters.

Don’t Forget the Other Essentials Before Travelling

Insurance is only one part of preparing for a longer trip.

You’ll also want to think about entry requirements, vaccinations where appropriate, access to money, driving licences, accommodation and staying connected while moving between countries.

For internet access, we’ve previously looked at using Saily eSIM while travelling, which can be considerably easier than buying a new physical SIM card every time you arrive somewhere new.

The fewer things you need to reorganise every time you cross a border, the easier long-term travel becomes.

Should You Wait Until You’re Abroad to Buy Travel Insurance?

We wouldn’t.

The ability to purchase SafetyWing while already abroad is a useful safety net, but it shouldn’t be the main plan.

Where possible, we’d arrange appropriate travel insurance before leaving home so your coverage is in place from the beginning of your trip.

But if you’re already overseas and looking for travel insurance while abroad, SafetyWing is certainly an option worth investigating.

You can get a quote online based on your age and coverage requirements without needing to return home first.

And remember, Travel Properly readers can currently receive 8 weeks of electronics theft coverage for free when signing up with our referral code.

👉 Get a SafetyWing Quote While Abroad

Use code TRAVELPROPERLY for 8 weeks of free electronics theft coverage.

Is SafetyWing Good for Long-Term Travel?

This is where we think SafetyWing makes the most sense.

If you’re taking a conventional one or two-week holiday, there are plenty of traditional travel insurance policies worth comparing. But once you’re travelling for several months, moving between countries or don’t have a fixed return date, finding suitable insurance can become more complicated.

SafetyWing has been designed around exactly this type of travel.

You can buy cover while already overseas, travel through multiple countries and keep Essential coverage in place for up to 364 days at a time.

For someone planning a gap year, six-month backpacking trip or extended journey through several countries, those features make SafetyWing particularly interesting.

Why SafetyWing Works Well for Long-Term Travellers

The biggest advantage is flexibility.

Long trips change.

You might arrive somewhere expecting to stay for a week and end up staying for a month. You might add another country to your itinerary or decide that you aren’t ready to come home yet.

We’ve experienced how quickly travel plans can expand ourselves. A trip through Thailand can easily involve Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Krabi and several islands before you’ve even thought about continuing into another Southeast Asian country.

SafetyWing is designed to accommodate this more flexible style of travel rather than requiring every element of your journey to be decided months in advance.

That doesn’t automatically make it the best long term travel insurance for everyone, though.

If you have significant pre-existing medical conditions, require extensive cancellation cover or are travelling with particularly expensive belongings, another insurer may provide protection that’s better suited to your circumstances.

Is SafetyWing Good for Digital Nomads?

SafetyWing is particularly well suited to digital nomads, which isn’t surprising given that this is one of the groups Nomad Insurance is specifically designed for.

Digital nomads face a slightly different insurance problem from conventional travellers.

If you’re working remotely while spending six months in Thailand, three months in Portugal and another few months elsewhere, you aren’t really taking a traditional holiday anymore.

You may need insurance that can move with you.

SafetyWing’s ability to provide multi-country coverage and allow travellers to purchase insurance while already abroad makes it an obvious option to compare.

There’s also an important choice between Essential and Complete.

Essential or Complete for Digital Nomads?

If you’re travelling for an extended period but still primarily want protection against unexpected medical emergencies and travel problems, Essential may be enough.

If you’re effectively living overseas and need access to ongoing healthcare, Complete becomes considerably more interesting.

Complete provides broader international health insurance, including eligible routine doctor visits, specialist treatment, mental health support, cancer treatment and other healthcare benefits that aren’t part of Essential.

The distinction we’d make is:

Travelling long term while working remotely? Start by looking at Essential.

Living internationally with no obvious end date? Compare Complete.

Your individual healthcare requirements matter much more than the label “digital nomad”.

A Useful Extra for Digital Nomads

There’s another SafetyWing feature that’s particularly relevant if you work while travelling: electronics theft coverage.

Most digital nomads aren’t travelling with just a phone.

You might have a £1,500 laptop, smartphone, camera, tablet, headphones and other equipment that you rely on to earn money.

SafetyWing offers optional electronics theft coverage, and Travel Properly readers currently get an additional benefit:

Use referral code TRAVELPROPERLY when signing up and you’ll receive 8 weeks of electronics theft coverage for free.

If you’re taking expensive equipment around the world, we’d still check the applicable limits against the actual value of your devices rather than assuming everything is fully covered.

Is SafetyWing Good for Backpackers?

SafetyWing Essential is probably more interesting for backpackers than Complete.

Backpacking often involves exactly the type of travel SafetyWing is designed around: long trips, multiple countries, changing itineraries and relatively little certainty about where you’ll be several months from now.

You might start with a three-month Southeast Asia itinerary and decide to continue travelling for another three months.

Being able to maintain insurance without arranging a completely new policy every time your plans change is a significant advantage.

The Essential plan’s current starting price also makes it accessible to travellers trying to keep their daily costs under control.

What Backpackers Should Check Before Buying

Price shouldn’t be your only consideration.

Backpacking tends to involve more activities and more varied transport than a conventional holiday.

Before purchasing, we’d check:

• Whether every country on your planned route is covered
• Medical and evacuation limits
• Adventure activity exclusions
• Scooter and motorbike requirements
• Baggage limits
• Electronics coverage
• Trip interruption protection
• Any excess or deductible

Scooters deserve particular attention.

They’re extremely common across Southeast Asia, but being able to hire one doesn’t necessarily mean you’re legally licensed or insured to ride it.

Similarly, if you’re planning to hire a car during a longer trip, check the local licensing requirements as well as your rental agreement and insurance protection.

Who Is SafetyWing Best For?

Based on its current coverage and flexibility, we’d put SafetyWing on the shortlist for:

• Long-term travellers
• Backpackers
• Gap-year travellers
• Digital nomads
• Remote workers travelling internationally
• People travelling through multiple countries
• Travellers without a fixed return date
• People who are already overseas and need insurance

It’s less clear-cut for someone taking a conventional short holiday.

If you’re flying from London to Spain for seven nights, for example, we’d compare SafetyWing against conventional single-trip or annual travel insurance rather than automatically choosing it.

But for somebody setting off around the world for six months with a backpack, laptop and an itinerary that’s likely to change?

That’s where SafetyWing starts to make a lot of sense.

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SafetyWing Pros and Cons

SafetyWing has some clear advantages for long-term travellers, but there are also limitations that mean it won’t be the right travel insurance for everyone.

Here’s our overall assessment.

SafetyWing Pros

Designed for long-term travel

This is SafetyWing’s biggest strength. Essential can provide coverage for up to 364 days at a time, making it particularly suitable for backpacking, gap years and extended trips.

You can buy it while already abroad

You don’t necessarily have to purchase SafetyWing before leaving your home country. If your existing insurance expires or you decide to extend your travels, you can apply while you’re overseas.

Suitable for multi-country trips

SafetyWing is designed for people moving between countries rather than simply travelling to one destination and returning home.

Competitive starting price

Essential currently starts from US$62.72 every four weeks for travellers aged 18–39 without US coverage. That makes it worth comparing if you’re travelling for several months.

Emergency medical coverage

Essential currently provides up to US$250,000 in overall cover, alongside benefits including eligible hospital treatment and emergency medical evacuation.

Useful travel benefits

Eligible lost checked luggage, travel delays and trip interruption are included alongside the medical protection.

Adventure Sports add-on available

Travellers planning more adventurous activities can investigate additional Adventure Sports coverage rather than assuming standard insurance will cover everything.

Complete is available for people living abroad

SafetyWing Complete goes beyond travel medical insurance and provides broader international healthcare. This makes SafetyWing relevant to both travellers and people effectively living overseas.

Free electronics theft coverage for Travel Properly readers

Use referral code TRAVELPROPERLY when signing up and you’ll currently receive 8 weeks of electronics theft coverage for free.

That’s a particularly useful bonus for digital nomads travelling with laptops, cameras and other valuable equipment.

SafetyWing Cons

Pre-existing conditions aren’t covered

This could immediately make SafetyWing unsuitable for some travellers. If you have an existing medical condition, investigate specialist insurance rather than assuming you’ll be protected.

Essential isn’t comprehensive health insurance

Routine healthcare isn’t the purpose of Essential. If you need regular doctor visits or ongoing medical care while living overseas, Complete or another international health insurance product may be more appropriate.

Limited trip cancellation protection

If you’ve prepaid a significant amount for non-refundable flights, hotels or tours, pay close attention to the cancellation and interruption terms. SafetyWing Essential shouldn’t automatically be treated as equivalent to a comprehensive traditional travel insurance policy.

Standard electronics protection may not be enough

If you’re travelling with thousands of pounds worth of laptops, cameras and other technology, check the applicable limits carefully. Optional electronics theft coverage is available, but don’t assume every device is automatically protected for its full replacement value.

USA coverage costs more

Travellers visiting the United States need to select the appropriate geographical coverage, which increases the price.

Not every activity is covered

Adventure travellers need to check SafetyWing’s activity exclusions carefully and determine whether the Adventure Sports add-on is necessary.

SafetyWing Pros and Cons: Our View

The strengths outweigh the drawbacks for the type of traveller SafetyWing is designed for.

If you’re backpacking around the world for six months, working remotely between several countries or travelling without a fixed return date, its flexibility is genuinely useful.

If you’re simply taking a two-week holiday with several thousand pounds of prepaid bookings, however, we’d compare SafetyWing carefully against conventional travel insurance before making a decision.

That brings us to an important question.

SafetyWing vs Traditional Travel Insurance: Which Is Better?

SafetyWing isn’t automatically better than traditional travel insurance.

It solves a somewhat different problem.

Traditional UK travel insurance is often built around either a single defined trip or multiple holidays taken under an annual policy.

SafetyWing is designed around people who may be travelling or living internationally for much longer periods.

SafetyWing vs Travel Insurance at a Glance

Feature	SafetyWing Essential	Traditional Travel Insurance
Long-term travel	Major strength	Depends heavily on policy
Buy while already abroad	Yes	Often more restrictive
Multi-country travel	Designed for it	Usually available
Fixed return date	More flexible	Often required
Emergency medical cover	Yes	Usually yes
Comprehensive cancellation cover	Limited	Often stronger
Pre-existing conditions	Generally excluded	Specialist/declared cover may be available
Routine healthcare	No	Usually no
Digital nomads	Particularly suitable	Depends on policy
Backpacking	Particularly suitable	Backpacker policies also available
Annual holidays	Not its main strength	Often ideal
USA coverage	Costs extra	Depends on destination policy

Traditional travel insurance varies significantly between insurers and policies. This comparison is intended as a general guide rather than suggesting every conventional policy works in the same way.

When We’d Choose SafetyWing

SafetyWing becomes particularly attractive when flexibility and duration are the priorities.

Imagine you’re planning to spend six months travelling around Southeast Asia.

You might start with Thailand, continue into Cambodia and Malaysia and then decide where to go next depending on how you feel.

You may not know exactly where you’ll be in four months’ time or precisely when you’ll return home.

That’s much closer to the type of traveller SafetyWing is built around.

We’d also seriously consider it if we were already overseas and needed new insurance, because the ability to purchase cover after leaving home removes a significant obstacle.

When We’d Choose Traditional Travel Insurance

For a conventional holiday, we’d still compare traditional policies.

Imagine you’re travelling to Chania in Crete for nine nights.

You’ve already booked your flights, hotel and perhaps several expensive experiences. You know exactly when you’re leaving and returning.

In that situation, strong cancellation protection for your prepaid holiday could be more important than the long-term flexibility SafetyWing offers.

Similarly, if you have a pre-existing medical condition, specialist travel insurance capable of covering that condition could be considerably more appropriate.

What About Annual Travel Insurance?

Annual multi-trip insurance can be excellent if you take several holidays every year but still live primarily in the UK.

That’s different from travelling continuously for six or twelve months.

Annual policies commonly place limits on the duration of each individual trip, so don’t assume that having annual travel insurance means you’re covered for an entire year abroad.

Check the maximum trip duration carefully.

Someone taking five separate two-week holidays has very different insurance requirements from somebody backpacking continuously for ten months.

What About Backpacker Travel Insurance?

Traditional backpacker travel insurance is probably SafetyWing Essential’s most direct alternative.

Both can be designed for extended trips through multiple countries.

This is where we’d compare the details rather than focusing on the product name.

Look at:

• Maximum trip duration
• Emergency medical limits
• Emergency evacuation
• Countries covered
• Adventure activities
• Motorbike and scooter restrictions
• Baggage and electronics
• Cancellation
• Ability to extend while travelling
• Whether you can purchase while already abroad
• Overall price

If another backpacker policy gives you better protection for the things that matter to your particular trip, choose it.

So, Is SafetyWing Better Than Normal Travel Insurance?

For long-term travel, it can be.

For a conventional holiday, not necessarily.

That’s ultimately why we like SafetyWing.

It isn’t trying to force a traditional two-week holiday insurance model onto somebody travelling around the world for a year.

Its strongest features – flexible duration, multi-country coverage and the ability to purchase while already abroad – become increasingly useful the longer and less predictable your trip becomes.

For most Travel Properly readers considering SafetyWing, Essential is the plan we’d investigate first.

If you’re effectively moving abroad rather than travelling, we’d then compare Essential against SafetyWing Complete.

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Which SafetyWing Plan Should You Choose?

For most people reading this guide, the choice comes down to one question:

Are you travelling long term, or are you effectively living abroad?

If you’re travelling, we’d start with SafetyWing Essential.

If you’re living internationally and need ongoing access to healthcare, we’d investigate SafetyWing Complete.

Who Should Choose SafetyWing Essential?

SafetyWing Essential is the plan we’d consider first for:

• Backpacking trips
• Gap years
• Round-the-world travel
• Multi-country trips
• Long holidays
• Travelling without a fixed return date
• Digital nomads primarily needing emergency medical protection
• Travellers who are already abroad and need insurance

Imagine you’re spending six months travelling around Asia.

You might start in Thailand, continue into Malaysia and Cambodia and decide where to go next while you’re travelling.

You aren’t necessarily looking for routine private healthcare. You primarily want protection if you’re unexpectedly ill, injured or need emergency medical treatment.

That’s the type of situation where Essential makes sense.

Who Should Choose SafetyWing Complete?

Complete becomes more relevant when the line between travelling and living abroad starts to disappear.

Consider it if you’re:

• Living overseas long term
• A full-time digital nomad
• Working remotely internationally with no planned return date
• Looking for routine healthcare as well as emergency protection
• Spending years rather than months abroad
• Looking for broader international health insurance

Complete currently provides benefits that aren’t part of Essential, including eligible routine healthcare, specialist visits, mental health support, cancer treatment and maternity care.

It’s considerably more expensive, but it’s also solving a much broader healthcare problem.

Our Pick for Most Travellers: Essential

For the typical Travel Properly reader looking for long term travel insurance, we’d start with Essential.

It’s cheaper, focused on the risks most travellers are trying to protect themselves against and has the flexibility that makes SafetyWing interesting in the first place.

Complete isn’t “better” simply because it costs more.

If you don’t need ongoing international healthcare, you could be paying for benefits that aren’t particularly relevant to your trip.

Compare both, understand the exclusions and choose according to how you’re actually travelling.

How to Buy SafetyWing Nomad Insurance

Getting a SafetyWing quote is relatively straightforward and can be done online.

You can arrange your insurance before travelling or, unusually, after you’ve already left your home country.

Step 1: Go to SafetyWing

Open SafetyWing and select Nomad Insurance.

You’ll be able to compare Essential and Complete before purchasing.

👉 Get a SafetyWing Quote

Step 2: Enter Your Details

Enter the information SafetyWing requests, including your age and coverage requirements.

Make sure the information you provide is accurate.

Your age and geographical coverage can affect the price, particularly if you require coverage in the United States.

Step 3: Choose Essential or Complete

Don’t automatically choose Complete because it has more benefits.

For most people travelling for several months, Essential is likely to be the first plan worth comparing.

If you’re living abroad and need routine healthcare as well as protection against emergencies, look more closely at Complete.

Step 4: Add Any Extra Coverage You Need

Think carefully about what you’ll actually be doing while travelling.

Depending on your trip, you may want to investigate optional cover such as:

• Adventure Sports
• Electronics theft
• US coverage

If you’re planning hiking, diving or other adventurous activities, check whether they’re included as standard or require additional protection.

Likewise, if you’re travelling with an expensive laptop, camera or other electronics, check the applicable electronics limits.

Step 5: Use Code TRAVELPROPERLY

Before completing your purchase, make sure you use our referral code:

TRAVELPROPERLY

Travel Properly readers who sign up using the code currently receive 8 weeks of electronics theft coverage for free.

That could be particularly valuable for backpackers and digital nomads travelling with laptops, cameras, smartphones and other expensive technology.

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Step 6: Read Your Policy Documents

This might be the least exciting part of planning your trip, but don’t skip it.

Read the policy documentation and make sure you understand:

• Your medical limits
• Excesses or deductibles
• Geographical coverage
• Exclusions
• Adventure activity restrictions
• Driving requirements
• Baggage limits
• Electronics limits
• Cancellation and interruption cover
• How to make a claim
• What to do during a medical emergency

Save a digital copy somewhere you can access while travelling.

We’d also save the relevant emergency contact details on our phones rather than relying on finding them when something has already gone wrong.

If you’re preparing for a longer trip, this is also a good time to organise practical essentials such as an eSIM for travelling abroad and, if you’re planning a road trip, compare car rental sites before booking.

Our Verdict: Is SafetyWing Worth It?

Yes – for the right type of traveller, we think SafetyWing is one of the most compelling long-term travel insurance options to investigate.

Its biggest strength isn’t necessarily having the longest list of benefits.

It’s flexibility.

You can buy SafetyWing while already abroad. Essential can cover extended periods of travel. It’s designed for moving between countries. And there’s a separate Complete plan for people who need something closer to ongoing international health insurance.

That combination makes SafetyWing particularly appealing for backpackers, digital nomads, gap-year travellers and anyone travelling internationally for several months.

What We Like Most

For us, the biggest advantages are:

The flexibility – particularly being able to arrange insurance while already overseas.

The long-term focus – SafetyWing has clearly been designed around people travelling for months rather than just taking a short holiday.

The simplicity – Essential and Complete serve two relatively distinct purposes.

The price – Essential’s starting price makes it worth comparing for extended travel.

Multi-country travel – particularly useful if your itinerary is likely to change.

And for Travel Properly readers, the 8 weeks of free electronics theft coverage with code TRAVELPROPERLY is a genuinely useful extra.

What We Don’t Like

SafetyWing isn’t perfect.

Pre-existing conditions are a significant limitation.

Essential also isn’t comprehensive private healthcare, and travellers with large amounts of prepaid non-refundable travel arrangements should pay particularly close attention to its cancellation protection.

If you’re travelling with expensive electronics or participating in adventurous activities, you may also need additional coverage.

These aren’t reasons to automatically avoid SafetyWing.

They’re reasons to read the policy before buying it.

Would We Recommend SafetyWing?

For a seven-night European holiday?

We’d shop around and compare conventional travel insurance as well.

For six months backpacking around Southeast Asia, a gap year, a round-the-world trip or working remotely while moving between countries?

SafetyWing would be high on our shortlist.

That’s where its flexibility starts to become considerably more valuable.

If you’re looking for long term travel insurance, we’d start by getting an Essential quote and comparing the actual coverage against your itinerary and requirements.

If you’re effectively living overseas rather than travelling, compare it with Complete instead.

👉 Check SafetyWing Prices & Coverage

Use referral code TRAVELPROPERLY when signing up to receive 8 weeks of electronics theft coverage for free.

Travel insurance policies, pricing, benefits and exclusions can change. Information in this guide was checked in September 2026. Always read the latest SafetyWing policy documentation before purchasing.

SafetyWing Travel Insurance FAQ

Still deciding whether SafetyWing is the right option for your trip? These are some of the most important questions to consider before buying long term travel insurance.

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