As a full time traveller and digital nomad currently living in Peru, travel medical insurance was one of the most confusing things that I had to figure out.

It only takes a quick Google search to see that the two most popular options seem to be SafetyWing and World Nomads – but theres’ not a huge amount out there that tells you the difference between the two.

And, whilst they are the two most common names that keep popping up, they are quite different from each other. Not using the correct one for the type of travel that you’re doing could mean that you end up paying a significant amount more or not being covered when you actually need it.

Because I struggled, I decided to write this SafetyWing vs World Nomads comparison to help simplify things for you, so let’s dive in.

Disclaimer: This article is based on my personal experience and research. Always check policy details before purchasing.

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Quick Answer: SafetyWing vs World Nomads

If you’re tight on time, then I’m going to break things down simply for you.

SafetyWing is best for:

• long-term travelers
• digital nomads
• people already abroad
• short trips /adventure travellers who want something affordable but with slightly less coverage

I’ve been travelling full-time for 5 years and have used SafetyWing across 10 countries including solo travelling in Peru and making multiple successful claims. If you check the boxes above, you might want to read my full SafetyWing review instead or just go ahead and book it right away below:

🩺  book your insurance: SafetyWing

World Nomads is best for:

• adventure travel
• short trips
• backpackers
• higher coverage needs

That’s the short answer, but if you want all the nitty gritty, I’ve gone in to way more depth below.

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SafetyWing vs World Nomads: Key Differences

The key difference between SafetyWing and World Nomads that I found from researching them in depth was that SafetyWing is geared towards digital nomads looking for a reasonably priced travel medical insurance plan that runs on a subscription model. It doesn’t include trip cancellation (because you’re typically living somewhere rather than on a short trip) and it doesn’t include cover for electronics theft or adventure sports as standard. Because let’s be honest, if you’re a digital nomad you’re usually working from another country rather than going out and doing adventure activities. However, these can be added on for a small extra monthly cost. This is the plan I have and I pay extra for cover theft on my electronics, but I don’t bother with the adventure sports.

World Nomads on the other hand is geared towards adventure travellers who are taking short trips and backpackers. As such, their policies come at a higher cost but they do cover trip cancellation (which makes more sense for them to offer). They also include pretty extensive cover for adventure sports and you pay per trip rather than it being a subscription model – which again, just make sense given the type of policy they offer.

I’m a sucker for a comparison table, so I’ve put things in a nice side by side view for you below:

Feature	SafetyWing	World Nomads
Best for	Digital nomads	Adventure travellers
Price	Lower	Higher
Trip cancellation	No	Yes
Adventure sports	Limited	Extensive
Payment model	Subscription	Per trip

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My Experience Using SafetyWing Travel Insurance As A Traveller And Digital Nomad

I’ve had altitude sickness that led me to have to cancel my 4-day Inca hike to Machu Picchu. I’ve had food poisoning more times that I can count and had my phone stolen whilst walking down the street.

I’ve had to claim on my travel medical insurance withSafetyWing 2 times in the last few years and both times, they paid out in full and the process was relatively quick and easy. If I remember correctly, there was a slight delay with the first one – I don’t remember the reason exactly, but I also don’t remember being annoyed about it – and the second one took less than 7 days to process.

You can see a screenshot below. It says Amelia because that’s my full name, but I use Millie for short!

What I also love is that they cover trips back to my home country & I can easily add on adventure activities if I want to do something a bit more exciting or take a trip somewhere outside of my current home base where I’m mostly just writing travel blogs and creating content from laptop and phone.

I personally think SafetyWing covers me enough for any kind of place or travel I’m doing because they have some flexible add-ons and work out cheaper than World Nomads, but I’ll talk more about pricing later.

Of course, I still want this SafetyWing vs World Nomads review to be balanced, so in the next few sections I’m going to tell you more about each company.

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SafetyWing Overview

SafetyWing is a travel medical insurance that was started back around 2017 by digital nomads – their whole thing was to design an insurance for a location-independent lifestyle, not tied to one country.

What I personally love about it is that it works in 180+ different countries, you can start it whilst you’re in the country (usually a BIG no with regular travel insurance companies, making it particularly helpful if you’re a forgetful traveller) and you don’t need a fixed return date.

Because it works on a subscription model, you’re automatically billed every 4 weeks, which for me has been so helpful because it’s one less piece of admin to sit down and do every week.

They also offer a few different types of policies Nomad Insurance Essential (what I have) and Nomad Insurance Complete – which covers routine healthcare and screenings. The latter is a more comprehensive but a little more pricey.

The downside is that it often doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions – although, this isn’t unique to SafetyWing as most providers don’t, but the policy does include emergency treatment of pre-existing illness/injury (after the first 28 days of coverage).

A feature that’s also really cool with SafetyWing is their Nomad Care Map – which allows you to see what hospitals and care providers are in a specific area, their reviews an an English level score.

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World Nomads Overview

World Nomads has been going since 2002 and was originally meant for independent travellers booking trips online, however it was later acquired by some major insurance groups, which basically means a lot of it’s policies are underwritten by pretty big companies – making them a pretty solid and safe choice!

World Nomads definitely has a good reputation in the travelling community, and like SafetyWing, you’re able to extend your insurance policy whilst you’re already abroad – which again, is not something that most travel insurance companies offer so this is a pretty big positive – especially if you’re backpacking with no return ticket.

Another great thing about World Nomads is that they cover over 250 adventure activities, such as skiing, scuba diving, bungee jumping and trekking – all of which are pretty standard on things like a backpacking trip.

I would definitely consider going for World Nomads if I was still in my backpacking days rather than travelling slower and staying living abroad like I am now.

That being said, like SafetyWing, they do not cover pre-existing conditions and do have some mixed reviews when it comes to the claims process, but theres always going to be customers who have a bit more of a tricky situation.

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SafetyWing vs World Nomads Price Comparison

Below you’ll find a table comparing the costs and factors, but essentially what I’m showing you is that SafetyWing is typically 30–50% cheaper than World Nomads, but the latter has a broader coverage.

Factor	SafetyWing	World Nomads
Starting price	$62.72 / 4 weeks	$100–$150+ / 4 weeks
Payment style	Subscription (monthly)	One-time trip payment
Long-term cost	Lower overall	Higher overall
Price increase with age	Moderate	Steeper increases
Overall affordability	Budget-friendly	Premium pricing

If we take a look at your typical traveller (age 18–39), SafetyWing would cost you $62.72 a month (slightly more if you added the devices and adventure sports coverage), whereas World Nomads would cost you somewhere between $100 and $150 a month – which is a huge difference.

If you’re on a 6 month trip, that would mean around $376 with SafetyWing and somewhere between $600 and $900 for World Nomads.

In my opinion, the trade off really is the level coverage. SafetyWing offer a cheaper, flexible policy and World Nomads offer a more expensive but broader coverage, so it’s worth checking what activities you’re doing before heading on your trip.

If the activities fit within what SafetyWing offers, they’re going to be the best solution. If they don’t, then it’s World Nomads, but let’s take a look at the coverage comparison in more depth now.

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Coverage Comparison

Whenever I’m choosing a travel medical insurance, I always make sure I do some in-depth research into each policy because this is often where travellers and digital nomads can get caught out. It’s always a bit complicated and to be honest…a hassle. Luckily for you, I’ve done the hard work for you and summarised it very simply below!

Medical Coverage

The max limit when it comes to medical coverage are $250,000 on SafetyWing’s Nomad Insurance Essential and $1.5 million on their Nomad Insurance Complete plan. World Nomads is $100,000 – $250,000 depending on which plan and location you’re in.

Even though there is a gap, all of these are pretty high numbers – especially when you think that World Nomads is typically for shorter trips.

Emergency evacuation

SafetyWing have a $100,000 lifetime max, whereas World Nomads is much higher – $400,000 – $700,000 depending on plan.

This is a huge gap, however realistically, this is an area that’s probably one of the least common claims.

Hospital care

SafetyWing covers things like hospital stays, surgeries, diagnostics like MRI’s and ambulances – with a strong focus on emergency medical treatment under the Nomad Insurance Essential plan. It also includes some emergency dental cover, such as treatment for acute pain (up to $1,000) or care needed after an accident.

In comparison, World Nomads is more aligned with traditional travel insurance, offering broader coverage beyond medical, including a wider range of travel-related benefits.

Trip Cancellation

Trip cancellation is one of the biggest differences between the two companies but as I mentioned previously, it’s usually unlikely you’ll need to cancel a trip completely if you’re doing long trip or living a digital nomad lifestyle.

SafetyWing does not include this in their Nomad Insurance Essential plan but they do offer $5000 per active insurance period for trip interruption due to specific qualifying events (family member death/deathbed, or major home destruction), which is a meaningful. World Nomads on the other hand have this part fully covered.

If we think about who these two types of insurance’s are designed for, this makes sense. Those on shorter trips are usually paying a higher price for the trip and would expect it to be covered, whereas SafetyWing is typically used by digital nomads who are living and working abroad so they’re unlikely to need this level of coverage.

Adventure Sports Coverage

Adventure sports coverage is where there is also a big difference between the two companies which again, highlights who their target audience is.

The standard option with SafetyWing only includes cover for 119 sports including things like cycling, hot airballoons, rock climbing, snowboarding, etc – all under the regular plan, and you can see the full list here.

However, World Nomads covers 250+ activities and if you’re on the higher plan, even extreme sports, which is why most backpackers choose World Nomads – although of course, not every backpacker needs this level of coverage if they’re not into crazy activities. If that sounds like you, then SafetyWing could still be a good option and you’d get a better price.

Electronics and Gear Coverage

Electronics and gear coverage is automatically included with World Nomads, and depending on the plan, can cover up to $5000.

SafetyWing doesn’t include this as standard, but you can choose to add on the electronics theft cover which is what I do (and have claimed on without any issues). You can get reimbursed up to $1,000 per item (laptops, phones, cameras, etc.) with a $3,000 limit per active insurance period.

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Pros and Cons

SafetyWing Pros

• Affordable pricing
• Subscription model
• Built primarily for digital nomads
• Easy to use + fast support
• Family-friendly perks (kids under 10 often included for free on family plans)
• Buy/extend whilst abroad

SafetyWing Cons

• No cancellation protection
• Additional cost for electronics theft & adventure sports

World Nomads Pros

• Covers 200–300+ adventure activities by default
• Trip cancellation included
• Great gear protection
• Buy/extend whilst abroad

World Nomads Cons

• Expensive
• Less flexible

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SafetyWing vs World Nomads: Which Is Better for Different Travelers?

Best for Digital Nomads

The clear winner is SafetyWing.

Best for Backpackers

Either could be good here depending on what activities you’re doing. If you’re a super adventurous traveller, then World Nomads, but if you’re not, then SafetyWing will be more cost effective.

Best for Adventure Travel

World Nomads is better suited to adventure travel because of their extensive cover.

Best for Long-Term Travel

Without a doubt, SafetyWing is the better and more cost effective option which is why I’ve used it for so many years.

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Alternatives to SafetyWing and World Nomads

Of course, these two companies aren’t the only two out there. Some other popular ones are:

• Genki – newer insurance provider designed specifically for digital nomads and long-term travellers.
• True Traveller – a UK-based insurance provider
• Heymondo – a well-rounded option

I personally think SafetyWing or World Nomads are two of the best options, but if you’re not convinced then these are your next options to explore.

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Is SafetyWing or World Nomads Worth It?

Ultimately the answer is yes because I’d never recommend travelling without some kind of cover and I think both of these are great options – which one you choose will just depend on what type of traveller you are.

If I hadn’t had SafetyWing covering me the last few years, I would have ended up spending thousands in medical bills and replacing my phone.

You also never think anything is going to go wrong, but unfortunately that’s not always a reality. Imagine if you had to be evacuated for whatever reason – that could literally cost you tens of thousands. It’s much better to pay a little bit now, just in case you ever need it.

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FAQ

Is SafetyWing cheaper than World Nomads?

Yes – SafetyWing is typically 30–50% cheaper than World Nomads for long-term travel.

Can you buy SafetyWing after leaving your country?

Yes, you can buy SafetyWing after leaving your home country

Does World Nomads cover adventure sports?

Yes, World Nomads is one of the best for adventure sports cover.

Is SafetyWing good for digital nomads?

Yes, SafetyWing is one of the best options for digital nomads and that’s exactly why I’ve been using in for so long.

Which travel insurance is best for long-term travel?

SafetyWing is the best overall choice for long-term travel for most people.

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Final Verdict

So, whats the verdict on SafetyWing vs World Nomads? Well, choose SafetyWing if you travel long-term, you’re a digital nomad and you want cheaper coverage. Choose World Nomads if you’re going to be doing adventurous activities, want cancelation protection and higher coverage.

Read next: Top Remote Jobs For Travelers

Millie / Stay Wild Travels.