SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Complete Plan vs. Essential Plan (2025)18 min read

If you’re a digital nomad, expat, or long-term traveler, you know you need to get some type of travel insurance or international health insurance, but figuring out which one is right for you can be a total headache.

Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered in this article.

We’ve been living outside of the US since 2011, and have been digital nomads since 2018. We help couples who want to travel the world make it happen.

We’re breaking down SafetyWing’s two Nomad insurance options for individuals and families called Nomad Insurance Complete and Essential.

We’re comparing the two plans so you’ll know what’s covered, who it’s for, and which one makes sense for your lifestyle.

Whether you’re traveling for two weeks or two years, we’ll help you decide between your options and figure out which level of coverage actually fits your needs.

We know insurance is a really boring topic, so we’ve tried to break this information down as simply and quickly as possible. 

Note: This article is for educational purposes only, and we highly recommend that you always read the fine print of any insurance policy carefully before signing up because things can change.

What is SafetyWing?

In case you’re not familiar, SafetyWing is a Norwegian company that was founded in 2017 by digital nomads for digital nomads. They offer travel medical insurance for digital nomads, remote workers, and travelers for both short and long trips.  

SafetyWings’s Nomad Insurance is split into two tiers: Essential and Complete. 

The Complete plan is global health insurance. It offers extended travel protections for long-term travelers who want to keep the same insurance coverage year after year. The coverage includes medical emergencies, routine care, and maternity care. This coverage is better for people who are long-term travelers or digital nomads who plan to be abroad for over a year. 

The Essential plan is travel medical insurance geared toward people who want short-term coverage while they travel outside their home country for 5 to 364 days. The Essential Plan coverage is for accidents and emergency medical care, as well as coverage for travel problems such as lost luggage, meals and accommodation for unexpected long delays, and stolen electronics (available with an add-on). This is better for people who are going on vacation, backpackers, or travelers who plan to travel abroad for less than a year.

You can purchase either SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Complete or Essential before your trip, or you can get it once you’re already abroad. 

Nomad Insurance Complete

Since we typically write about long-term travel, let’s start with the Complete package.

Who is covered

Travelers up to 64 years old from almost anywhere in the world can be covered by SafetyWing’s Nomad Insurance Complete. 

However, you can be covered past age 64 as long as you signed up before you turned 64 and continue renewing your plan without any gaps. 

You are not eligible for a Nomad Insurance Complete plan if your country of residence is any of the following countries, but there is a caveat, so even if your country is on this list, keep reading. 

• Belarus
• Canada
• Cuba
• Democratic Republic of Congo
• Iran 
• Ireland
• North Korea
• Palau
• Portugal
• Saudi Arabia
• Somalia
• Sudan
• South Sudan
• Syria
• United Arab Emirates
• USA and its territories

For the purposes of the Complete plan, your country of residence is where you live for 6 months or more out of the year. If you don’t spend 6 months or more in any one country per year, your country of residence would be where you spend the most time, OR it can be where you want your body repatriated in case of death. 

If this seems confusing, you can chat with a SafetyWing representative to figure out which country of residence makes the most sense for your situation. SafetyWing has 24/7 human support and customer care specialists respond in less than a minute via live chat. We’ve used SafetyWing’s live chat before and were very impressed with how quickly a real human responded to answer our questions, especially in this new world of AI chat bots.  

Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult on a group policy. 18-24 year olds can remain on the same policy as their adult as long as they are full-time students.

Where is and isn’t covered    

[GRAPHIC] Worldwide coverage (limited coverage in Hong Kong, Singapore, and USA)

SafetyWing covers you in over 175 countries around the world. 

If you want to visit Hong Kong, Singapore and the USA, you are limited to 30 days per trip, up to 183 days per year, you will not be able to receive routine coverage, and only emergencies will be covered, unless you purchase the additional Hong Kong, Singapore, USA coverage add-on. 

If you do purchase the Hong Kong, Singapore, USA add-on, you will be able to have coverage in Hong Kong and Singapore for 12 months, and you can use those countries as your country of residence. You can also be covered in the US for up to six months per year, but the US cannot be your resident country. SafetyWing does not cover people who live in the US.

There are countries where direct billing with hospitals is not possible:

• Cuba
• Iran
• North Korea
• Palestine
• Somalia
• Sudan
• South Sudan
• Syria
• Zimbabwe

That doesn’t mean coverage is impossible in those countries, but you will need to pay for your treatment yourself up front and then get reimbursed by SafetyWing.

Length of coverage

[GRAPHIC] Coverage lasts one year and can be renewed

You can sign up for one year of coverage at a time. At the end of each policy year, you will have the option to sign on for another year as long as you meet all the requirements. 

This makes the Complete plan an option for long-term travelers who want to keep the same coverage year after year. If any long-term conditions arise during your insurance coverage, and then you stop your continual coverage, the next time you apply, those conditions will then be considered pre-existing conditions and will not be covered by your new policy. Pre-existing conditions are not covered.

Here, pre-existing conditions means any injury or illness that you received prior diagnosis or treatment for within two years of the start date OR there is reasonable medical certainty that the injury or illness existed within two years of the start date. That means even if you aren’t aware of a pre-existing condition, it may still exist. 

Deductible

There is no deductible for the Complete plan. However, there is a 10% co-insurance that applies to all outpatient services. So, for example, if you go in for something like:

• doctor’s visits for medically necessary treatment (nothing routine)
• specialist visits
• physical therapy
• prescription medications
• lab tests or diagnostic studies outside of hospital stays

And it cost $300, you would have to pay $30. There is a $5,000 maximum limit per policy year on outpatient procedures.

There is also a 20% co-insurance for all maternity benefits. 

It is also very important to note that for any procedure that is estimated to cost over $500USD, you must request pre-approval and direct billing. If you do not, you will receive 30% less on your coverage, even if everything should be covered. In case of an emergency, this must be done within 72 hours of receiving emergency treatment. 

Claims Process

SafetyWing has a simple claims process. There is an app available where you can upload your documents for your claims and see your policy information. 

Waiting Period

The Complete plan does not have a waiting period and is active from your start date. However, the application process can take up to 10 days. There is a ten-month waiting period for maternity benefits.

What is Covered

The Complete plan covers a wide range of things, like:

• Hospital stays, 
• Doctor visits, 
• Blood tests, 
• X-rays, 
• Surgeries, 
• Mental health, 
• Prescription medication, 
• Physiotherapy
• Screenings & vaccines
• Complementary/alternative therapies
• Maternity benefits (after a 10-month waiting period)

On top of the health coverage, the Complete plan covers potential travel complications, things like:

• Delayed transportation 
• Delayed luggage 
• Lost checked luggage
•  Inaccessible or canceled accommodation
•  Theft of wallet 
•  Trip cancellation 
•  Burglarized accommodation 
•  Emergency vision test and replacement glasses or contact lenses 
• Stolen passport or travel visa 
• Trip interruption
• Evacuation from local unrest 
• Support for your pet if you are hospitalized 
• Support for your children if you are hospitalized 
• Visit from a family member in relation to a serious illness or injury
•  Robbery

Different incidents have different limits and stipulations for coverage, make sure to read the fine print of the policy.

What is not Covered

Of course, no insurance plan covers absolutely everything. Here are some things that are not covered by SafetyWing’s Nomad Complete plan:

• Active duty, war and disturbances
• Aesthetic treatment
• Undeclared chronic conditions
• Over the counter medication
• Growth hormones
• Obesity and weight control treatments
• Professional sports
• Fertility treatments
• Sleep disorders
• Self inflicted injury or illness or criminal acts
• Pre-existing conditions

Again, here is SafetyWing’s definition of pre-existing conditions:

“Here, pre-existing conditions means any injury or illness that you received prior diagnosis or treatment for within two years of the start date OR there is reasonable medical certainty that the injury or illness existed within two years of the start date. That means even if you aren’t aware of a pre-existing condition, it may still exist.” 

There are even more specific things that aren’t covered, so make sure you understand the full scope of your policy and read the fine print.

Visiting your home country

There are no coverage limitations under the Complete plan in your country of residence, unless your country of residence is one of the following:

• Canada
• Democratic Republic of Congo
• Ireland
• Palau
• Portugal
• Saudi Arabia
• United Arab Emirates
• USA and its territories

Again, for the purposes of the Complete plan, your country of residence is where you live for 6+ months out of the year. If you don’t spend 6+ months in any one country per year, your country of residence would be where you spend the most time OR it can be where you’d want your body repatriated in case of death. If your country of residence is Hong Kong or Singapore, you will need to purchase the HK/SG/USA add-on for coverage in your home country.

Price

The price of your coverage with the Nomad Insurance Complete plan depends on your age and coverage add-ons.

Check out the price calculator.

The main factor in determining the price of your Complete plan is your age. There are five age brackets: Under 18, 18-39, 40-49, 50-59, and 60-64. The older you are, the more expensive your monthly payment.

You can pay for the Complete plan monthly, or you have the option to pay for an entire year in advance, for a savings of 10%.

The Complete plan comes with the Adventure sports package included, which means you are covered for higher-risk activities like motorbiking, SCUBA diving, and parachuting to name a few. Any professional or rewarded sports are not covered. 

There are three optional add-ons for the Nomad Insurance Complete coverage: Dental, Electronic Theft, and Hong Kong, Singapore, USA coverage. 

The Dental Add-On

The Dental add-on will cover you for up to $1000 per year for things like routine cleanings plus major procedures and even surgery. It’s important to note that reimbursement is limited to $250 for the first six months.

So, for example, if you were to get a $700 procedure done, you would get reimbursed for $250 right away, and then the rest of the reimbursement after six months of continuous dental coverage. The price for dental coverage increases with your age. 

The Electronics Theft Add-on

The Electronics Theft add-on covers things like your laptop, camera, tablet, getting stolen for up to $2000 per item, up to $5000 a year. You must have and be able to show proof of ownership, like a receipt, to get your stolen item covered.

SafetyWing will then determine how much the stolen item is worth based on its age and original value. You will also need to report the theft to the police within 24 hours of it happening.

The electronic theft add-on price does not increase as you age. 

The USA Coverage Add-on

Lastly, there is the Hong Kong, Singapore, USA add-on. If you plan to spend more than 30 days in Hong Kong, Singapore, or the USA during the year, you have the option to add extra coverage for up to twelve months in Singapore and Hong Kong and up to six months in the USA.

If you are a resident of Hong Kong or Singapore, the add-on is required.

Again, you can also be covered in the US for up to six months per year, but the US cannot be your resident country. 

Overall, the Nomad Insurance Complete plan is for digital nomads, expats, and long-term travelers who plan to be outside of their country of residence for at least a year and want more comprehensive health insurance coverage than just travel insurance. 

Now let’s get into what’s covered with SafetyWing’s Nomad Insurance Essential. 

Nomad Insurance Essential

SafetyWing’s Nomad Insurance Essential is geared toward travelers who are looking for shorter coverage periods for vacations or travel lasting less than a year. 

Coverage can be as short as five days, up to 364 days.

After 364 days, you will have to sign up for a new policy, and any conditions that were covered by the previous policy will now be considered preexisting. So you could get the Essential plan as a long-term traveler, but you would need to apply for a new plan after 364 days. 

This is the plan we used to have, although it had a different name in the past. We chose this plan because we wanted to be covered for emergencies, and then we paid out of pocket for routine care like annual check-ups.

We find that preventative care is much less expensive outside of the US, and over the years, we have gone to doctors and/or dentists in Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, India, China, Albania, Panama, and Costa Rica. In all of these places, we received great care from qualified, English-speaking medical professionals.

You need to decide what level of coverage you are personally comfortable with. 

Who is Covered

Safetywing’s Nomad insurance Essential plan covers almost everyone in the world, with a few exceptions. The few stipulations are that you must be at least 14 days old to sign up for the plan, though you’ll probably need some help if that’s the case, and the upper age limit is 70 years. So if you are between 2 and 3,640 weeks old, you are eligible. 

Another stipulation is that your home country cannot be under international sanctions, which at the time of writing includes North Korea, Syria, Cuba, and Iran, and you as an individual cannot be sanctioned.

The Essential plan does not cover travel in Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, Puerto Rico, Russia, or Belarus.

Travel to the USA is not covered, (unless you purchase the USA coverage add-on)

Waiting Period 

The Essential plan does not have a waiting period, but there are some stipulations as to when your coverage can begin.

Typically, the start date is the day you buy the insurance, and your coverage begins as soon as you receive your proof of insurance confirmation email. If you choose to start your coverage on a later date, your coverage begins at midnight UTC of that date. 

If you purchase your policy while you’re still in your home country, you will have to leave your home country for your policy to go into effect. 

Deductible

The Essential plan does not have a deductible.

Claims Process

SafetyWing has a simple claims process. There is an app available where you can upload your documents for your claims and see your policy information. 

What is Covered

The Essential plan coverage covers things like:

• Medically necessary treatment of unexpected illness or injury (inpatient or outpatient)
• Prescription drugs
• Ambulance and emergency transportation
• Emergency transportation to a better-equipped hospital (medical evacuation)
• Return for medical reasons (repatriation)
• Care outside hospital
• Diagnostics
• Physical therapy or chiropractor with a doctor’s referral 
• Pain-relieving emergency dental treatment
• Emergency dental treatment and surgery following an accident
• Emergency eye exam
• Pocket money while hospitalized (hospital indemnity)
• Visit from a family member in relation to serious illness or injury
• Medical coverage during visits to your home country

Different treatments have different overall limits and payouts. Make sure to read the fine print! The maximum limit per insurance period is $250,000USD

The Essential Plan also covers travel complications like:

• Unplanned overnight stay
• Lost checked luggage
• Stolen passport or travel visa
• An unforeseen event in your home country for which you to need to go home (trip interruption)
• Transportation home for your children if you are hospitalized
• Evacuation from local unrest
• Accommodation in a different place if a natural disaster causes evacuation
• Pet return

Again, different complications have different limits and stipulations. Read the fine print!

What is NOT Covered

Of course, there are some things that are not covered by the Essential plan, like:

• pre-existing illness or injury
• Any treatment that is not medically necessary.
• Charges exceeding usual, reasonable and customary amounts.
• Sleep apnea or other sleep disorders.
• mental health disorder
• And more

Home Country Coverage 

The Essential plan does provide coverage in your home country, but only under specific circumstances. The first being that your active insurance period must be longer than 90 days, meaning the time from the start date to the end date of your coverage. 

Second, you are only allowed 30 days of coverage in your home country per 90 days of active coverage, unless your home country is the USA, in which case, you only get 15 days per 90 days.

If you stay longer than 30 days, or 15 for the USA, your coverage will be paused until you leave and will resume once you’ve left, as long as you are still within your coverage dates. 

Another important stipulation is that you must be visiting your home country from abroad after the beginning of your insurance start date. If you want to make a claim, you will need to provide the date you entered your home country as well as the date you intended to leave, and both must be within your insurance coverage.

Finally, you cannot have traveled to your home country for the express purpose of receiving treatment for any illness or injury that happened abroad. 

To be able to be covered in your home country, you need to either A) begin your policy when you are already outside of your country of residence or B) leave your home country after your policy begins. 

Price

The price of coverage mostly depends on the age range you fall into: 0-10, 10-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69. The older you are, the more expensive it is. 

There are also three extra coverage options you can add to your policy for an additional cost. The first is Electronics Theft add-on.

That will cover stolen items like laptops, tablets, and cameras, up to $1000 per item, a yearly limit of $3,000, and a $6,000 lifetime limit. You must have proof of ownership, like a receipt, and report the theft to the police within 24 hours to be able to make a claim 

Next is the Adventure Sports add-on. This will cover you for the higher-risk activities, like skydiving, SCUBA diving, paragliding, and other things your mother probably wouldn’t want you doing.

Even with this add-on, you are still not covered for professional, organized, rewarded sports, or expeditions. There is a $100,000-lifetime cap on this benefit.

The last add-on is to add coverage in the USA. You will receive the same coverage as you would outside the USA. US citizens and residents are not eligible for the additional USA coverage. 

Safetywing offers two payment options for Essential:

Recurring, where you’re billed every 28 days from the start date of your policy until you cancel, or up to 364 days. This billing option allows you to use all three policy add-ons, Electronic Theft, Adventure Sports, and USA coverage.

You can also book coverage for a specific date range, from five days all the way up to 364 days. If you book your policy this way, you pay in full at the beginning of your policy. If you choose this option, you cannot use the Electronics Theft or Adventure Sports add-ons, only the USA coverage.

Again, make sure you read the fine print of the Essential plan so you know exactly what is covered.

You can get a quote for both the Complete Plan and the Essential Plan on the SafetyWing website:

Phew, that was a lot of info! We know how complicated and boring insurance can be, and we hope this article was helpful.

If you want more resources for digital nomads, check out this article. We’ll catch you there!