5 Best Health Insurance Plans for Travelers, Digital Nomads, and Expats in 2024
Whether heading abroad as a short or long-term traveler, digital nomad, or expat, having the right travel health insurance is crucial. In this guide, we'll explore the best travel health insurance plans available in 2024.
Why You Need Travel Health Insurance
Travel health insurance is essential for several reasons:
- Medical Emergencies: Covers unexpected medical costs, including hospitalization, doctor visits, and medications.
- Emergency Evacuation: Provides coverage for emergency medical evacuations, which can be extremely expensive.
- Trip Interruptions and Cancellations: Protects your investment in case of trip interruptions or cancellations due to health issues.
- Peace of Mind: Ensures you have access to quality medical care wherever you are in the world.
As a reminder, most health care coverage is home country specific (i.e. U.S., Canadian, and U.K. health insurance plans don't cover you when traveling abroad), thus it's extremely important to protect yourself from unexpected medical expenses when away from home.
We learned this the hard way in Mexico when Andy had to visit the emergency room in Playa del Carmen for an ear infection. In the waiting room, we also met another American who was hit by a car and sustained a serious knee injury. Given our U.S. based health insurance at the time did not cover us abroad, we were out hundreds of dollars while the tourist we met paid over $1,000 dollars for his hospital visit. Both situations could have been easily avoided with a few quick clicks online to purchase travel health insurance.
Key Features to Look For
When choosing travel health insurance, consider the following key features:
- Coverage Area: Ensure the plan covers your destinations.
- Medical Coverage: Look for comprehensive coverage, including hospitalization, doctor visits, and emergency services.
- Emergency Evacuation: Verify that emergency evacuation and repatriation are included.
- Coverage Limits: Check the maximum payout limits for medical expenses.
- Pre-Existing Conditions: See if the plan covers pre-existing conditions or offers a waiver.
- Adventure Sports: If you plan on participating in high-risk activities, make sure they're covered.
- Cost: Compare premiums and coverage to find the best value.
Top Travel Health Insurance Plans
1. SafetyWing: Nomad Insurance Plan [Travel Health Insurance]
Overview: SafetyWing is designed for travelers, digital nomads and expats including families. The Nomad Insurance Plan is their travel health insurance option or secondary insurance to supplement your primary health care in your home country when traveling. It offers flexible, subscription-based coverage that you can purchase even if you're already abroad. In addition, you can extend as needed and cancel anytime.
Key Features:
- Affordable monthly payments starting at $56 for four weeks.
- Comprehensive worldwide medical coverage, including hospitalization and emergency medical evacuation.
- Unlimited new insurance purchases from 5 to 364 days up to age 70.
- Optional extras include adventure sports and electronics theft.
- Covers visits to your home country.
Pros:
- Budget-friendly.
- Transparent pricing.
- Easy to extend coverage.
Cons:
- Limited coverage for high-risk activities.
- Does not cover pre-existing conditions or cancer treatment.
Bottom line: If you are planning short or long-term travel and will maintain health care in your home country, Nomad Insurance protects you from unexpected medical expenses while traveling. We've regularly used this product before on extended hiking trips before moving to Mexico from the U.S., and it's super easy to sign-up on their website.
2. SafetyWing: Nomad Health Plan [International Health Insurance Policy]
Overview: For long-term travelers, digital nomads, and expats who do not maintain home country health insurance and need primary health care insurance while abroad, SafetyWing offers an international health insurance policy called the Nomad Health Plan.
Key Features:
- Affordable monthly payments starting at $133 for four weeks with a 12-month contract.
- Standard and premium plans (includes dental and vision).
- Live and travel anywhere with coverage in 175+ countries including full coverage in your home country.
- Choose any doctor at any clinic or hospital, public or private.
Pros:
- Budget-friendly.
- Transparent pricing.
- Mexico can be your country of residence along with many others.
Cons:
- Potentially more expensive than private health insurance purchased directly from a provider in your country of residence.
Bottom line: If you are planning long-term travel or moving abroad and will not maintain health care in your home country, then choose the Nomad Health Plan. We know many expat travel bloggers in Mexico and around the world that use SafetyWing's Nomad Health Plan as their primary (and only) health insurance. [Note: click “Products” on the SafetyWing header for the Nomad Health Plan as the homepage defaults to the Nomad Insurance Plan.]
3. Genki: Explorer Plan [Travel Health Insurance]
Overview: Backed by Allianz Partners, a well-known European insurer with 130 years of experience, Genki is known for its extensive coverage and high-quality customer service. Catering to a wide range of travelers, digital nomads, expats, and families living abroad, the Genki Explorer Plan offers a flexible monthly subscription for people who continue to maintain health insurance in their home country.
Key Features
- Monthly insurance subscription starting at €48 (approximately $53) from one month up to two years.
- Extensive cover for medical treatment around the world.
- Any citizen, any residence, ages up to 69.
- Covers visits to your home country.
- Save up to 50% by limiting cover in the U.S. and Canada.
- Cancel anytime.
Pros:
- Extensive coverage.
- Some pre-existing conditions covered.
- No overall cost limit.
Cons:
- Limited coverage for high-risk activities.
- Pricing in €euros
Bottom line: The Genki Explorer Plan is fairly similar in coverage and cost to SafetyWing's Nomad Insurance Plan. We do like that there is no overall limit to cost cover and only pre-existing conditions for which you have received treatment or have sought medical advice within six months before your insurance starts are excluded. We point this out as we have one travel blogger friend who moved from SafetyWing to Genki for this very reason.
🌟 Pro tip - For certain pre-existing conditions, Genki Explorer may be preferable to SafetyWing Nomad Insurance.
4. Genki: Native Plan [International Health Insurance Policy]
Overview: For complete and long-term global health care for slow travelers, digital nomads, and expats, Genki also offers the Native Plan. Genki Native is an international health insurance policy, also known as International Private Medical Insurance (IPMI), which acts as your primary health insurance.
Key Features:
- Monthly insurance subscription starting at €180 (approximately $195) with a one-year minimum contract period.
- Basic and premium plans with €0/€500/€1000 deductible options.
- Comprehensive medical coverage in every country.
- Choose any doctor or hospital in the world.
Pros:
- Extensive coverage.
- Direct payment to any hospital.
Cons:
- More complex pricing structure with higher premiums.
- Potentially more expensive than private health insurance purchased directly from a provider in your country of residence.
Bottom line: Genki Native offers a number of benefits that make it a strong contender for long-term global health insurance. We love the premium plan with an unlimited maximum benefit, preventative care, dental, and vision, however, this comprehensive health care package comes with a higher cost.
5. AXA Mexico: Flex Plus Plan [Private Medical Insurance in Mexico]
Overview: AXA Mexico Flex Plus is a comprehensive private medical insurance plan designed to provide extensive health coverage tailored to meet the diverse needs of individuals and families residing in Mexico. For transparency and completeness, AXA Mexico is our health care provider and their Flex Plus is the policy we have as permanent residents in Mexico. We highlight this country-specific private medical insurance to point out that many countries have private medical insurance options which may be considerably less expensive than global health care coverage. Our policy runs us less than $250 USD for the two of us per month. In addition, we chose a plan that includes up to $100,000 USD of travel health insurance when traveling outside of Mexico, including the U.S.
Many of our neighbors use VUMI, who also partner with SafetyWing, for their private medical insurance in Mexico and then supplement travels outside of Mexico with travel health insurance like SafetyWing's Nomad Insurance Plan or Genki's Explorer Plan.
Additional Tips
We realize health insurance is not an easy topic in your home country much less navigating the nuances of international health care. Here are a few additional tips:
- Read the fine print: Make sure you understand the policy's terms, conditions, and exclusions.
- Purchase early: Many policies have waiting periods, so buy insurance as soon as you book your trip.
- Understand the claims process: Know whether you need to pay and submit a claim for reimbursement or if direct pay to the provider is available.
- Review cancellation policies: Confirm how to cancel to ensure you're not paying for more coverage than you need.
- Don't forget about travel credit card benefits: Many travel credit cards like our Chase Sapphire Reserve provide emergency evacuation, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, emergency medical and dental coverage up to $2,500, and many more. To learn more or apply, follow this link to get 60,000 bonus points (worth a whopping $900 according to Chase).
Let's Wrap This Up
Choosing the right travel health insurance makes for a safe and worry-free trip. Whether you're a digital nomad, an adventure traveler, or simply going on vacation, there’s a plan that fits your needs. SafetyWing, Genki, and AXA are all excellent options, each offering unique benefits.
Ready to secure your travel health insurance or international health insurance policy? Compare quotes from top providers and protect your adventure:
- For affordable, short or long-term coverage, purchase SafetyWing now!
- For comprehensive and flexible plans, purchase Genki now!
- For temporary and permanent residents of Mexico, purchase AXA Mexico Private Medical Insurance now!
Safe travels!
