1. What Is SafetyWing?
Founded in 2017, SafetyWing is a global health and travel insurance provider based in the United States. It is known for providing value for money—its global travel and health insurance products are very well regarded in the industry.
2. What Is World Nomads?
Founded in 2002 and based in Australia, World Nomads is a travel insurance distributor for independent travelers and intrepid families. World Nomads products are popular for their all-encompassing range of features.
3. SafetyWing vs World Nomads: A Detailed Comparison
3.1. SafetyWing vs World Nomads: What Are the Plan Options?
SafetyWing offers a hybrid Nomad Insurance plan that includes medical and travel insurance benefits.
World Nomads provides two levels of coverage: the Standard and Explorer plans. The Explorer plan is the more comprehensive of the two.
3.2. SafetyWing vs World Nomads: What Is the Age Limit?
SafetyWing’s coverage is more inclusive in comparison, allowing entire families to travel with insurance. It is available for children 15 days old and covers adults up to 69 years of age.
World Nomads’ coverage includes travelers between the ages of 19 and 69.
3.3. SafetyWing vs World Nomads: What Is the Monthly Price?
If you want affordable travel insurance, SafetyWing is your best choice. It is available for a starting price of roughly $45.08 for four weeks. World Nomads plans start at $100 per month.
SafetyWing also charges roughly $38.36 per four weeks extra for coverage in the United States.If you’re a U.S. resident looking for coverage in the country, SafetyWing will still be more affordable than World Nomads.
What’s more? With SafetyWing, the payments or your trips don’t have to be consecutive. All products can be canceled at any time.
3.4. SafetyWing vs World Nomads: What’s Covered?
When it comes to coverage, World Nomads comes out on top. Its comprehensive package includes everything travelers need, from health insurance to laptop travel insurance. SafetyWing also provides a little bit of everything, but its major drawback is more limited coverage in comparison.
SafetyWing only provides a maximum medical coverage of $250,000 and a maximum travel coverage of up to $250,000 for the whole family or group. World Nomads has a much better offer for travelers with up to $5 million worth of emergency evacuation coverage and $100,000 worth of emergency medical coverage.
Here’s a list of everything SafetyWing covers:
- Health coverage for unexpected injuries and illnesses
- Emergency medical expenses
- Emergency medical transportation
- Lost checked baggage coverage
- Travel delays (situations out of the travelers’ control)
- Covid-19 (included in all plans)
- Personal liability coverage
- Emergency evacuation
- 30 days for every 90 days of coverage in your home country (15 days for U.S. citizens)
Here’s a list of everything World Nomads covers:
- Emergency medical expenses
- Emergency medical transportation
- Trip cancellation or interruption
- Emergency medical evacuation and repatriation
- Covid-19 (conditional)
- Gear protection (camera, tech, etc.)
- Delayed, damaged, or stolen baggage
- 24-hour assistance services
- Personal liability coverage
- And more (depending on country of residence)
3.5. What’s Not Covered?
Here are the limitations of SafetyWing’s plans:
- Pre-existing conditions
- Cancer treatment
- Routine checkups
- Preventive care
- Missed flights
- Electronics (laptops, cameras, tablets, and other such devices)
World Nomads’ plans don’t cover the following:
- Pre-existing conditions of six months before coverage
- Cancer treatment
- Routine checkups
- Preventive care
3.6. In Which Places Are You Covered?
Both companies provide worldwide insurance coverage. North Korea, Cuba, Iran, and Syria are the only areas not covered.
Moreover, SafetyWing covers travelers if they need to make a short trip to their home country between journeys.
3.7. Is Any Type of Equipment Required?
SafetyWing, in contrast, doesn’t provide coverage for any kind of equipment unless it’s lost in checked luggage.
World Nomads is the best option for travelers carrying smartphones, tablets, computers, laptops, cameras, and other devices.
3.8. Are Any Adventure Sports Covered?
SafetyWing provides coverage for some amateur and non-professional sports and activities, but not high-risk ones.
World Nomads covers some adventure activities in its various plans. However, only certain activities are covered under certain plans.
If you’re only looking to engage in high-risk activities while traveling, we suggest you check whether they are covered in your plan.
3.9. How to Buy the Plans?
World Nomads and SafetyWing allow travelers to buy insurance products even in the middle of their trip.
To sign up with SafetyWing, simply choose your plan from the website and sign up. Enter all the details asked for—personal and financial information, plus some travel information—and you’re set up!
With World Nomads, you only have to provide some personal details and information about your itinerary. You can then review your policy and make the payment. World Nomads’ plans also have extension options so travelers can easily extend coverage after the stated expiry date.
Note: Always check and confirm all the details related to your health or travel insurance requirements and the package you’ve chosen before making a purchase. Policy details change frequently—a feature you expected may no longer be included in your plan.
You should go on your trip with full assurance that your insurance provider has your back.
4. Safetywing vs WorldNomads: Customer Reviews
In contrast, SafetyWing has a 4.2-star rating out of 5 on Trustpilot. Although it only has 743 customer reviews, out of which around 76% are positive.
World Nomads has a 3.7-star rating out of 5 on Trustpilot. It has around 2,232 reviews, and 52% of them are 5-star ratings.
SafetyWing customers love it for its low-cost packages, helpful assistance, and easy claims process. Customers love World Nomads for the easy sign-up and claims process and economical products.
Both companies have accumulated some negative reviews, mainly about claims, refunds, and cancellation issues.
5. SafetyWing vs World Nomads: Pros & Cons
5.1. SafetyWing
5.1.1. Pros
- Provides Covid-19 insurance
- Affordable prices
- 30 days of coverage in the home country
- Can include children or other family members on the same plan
- 24/7 chat assistance
5.1.2. Cons
- $250 deductible
- No coverage for high-risk sports activities
- No gear or electronics coverage
5.2. World Nomads
5.2.1. Pros
- 2-tier plans
- U.S. coverage
- Gear and electronics protection
- Coverage for high-risk sports activities
- 24/7 multilingual assistance
5.2.2. Cons
- No Covid-19 insurance
- Relatively expensive
- $100 deductible
- No coverage in the home country
- No family members in the plan
6. Siwom’s Final Verdict
From our SafetyWing vs World Nomads review, it’s pretty clear why these two insurance providers are so popular among globetrotters.After sizing up their offerings, we think they’re great companies with products catering to different types of travelers.
SafetyWing is the more affordable choice of the two. However, World Nomads provides more comprehensive coverage for travelers.
If you need coverage to match a flexible travel schedule, such as those of seasoned travelers, SafetyWing is the better choice. It offers four-week plans and doesn’t require you to be away for extended periods. There’s also the added home country coverage to consider.
Both services are easy to sign up for and allow you to subscribe while on a trip, making things much easier for every type of digital nomad. They also provide excellent customer support.
Both companies also allow travelers to cancel their plans at any point.
Overall, SafetyWing is perfect for seasoned long-term travelers who prefer the laidback digital nomad life and need insurance coverage for unexpected health and travel expenses. We recommend World Nomads to travelers looking for an adventurous experience around the globe with a no-worries insurance plan to back them up.
7. FAQ
7.1. What types of activities are covered by SafetyWing and World Nomads travel insurance?
SafetyWing provides coverage for a limited range of non-professional or amateur sports and activities. It doesn’t cover any high-risk activities.
In comparison, World Nomads covers a wide range of sports and activities (including high-risk ones) in both plans.
7.2. Are there any age restrictions for purchasing travel insurance from SafetyWing or World Nomads?
SafetyWing’s plans cover a broad age group from babies only 15 days old to 69-year-old adults.
World Nomads only provides coverage for travelers between the ages of 19 and 69.
7.3. How do SafetyWing and World Nomads handle claims and reimbursements for medical expenses?
SafetyWing allows travelers to file claims through their accounts by filling out a form and uploading it with photos/screenshots of receipts to the WorldTrips online portal. It can take up to 45 days to process claims.
World Nomads requires users to log into their accounts and file a claim for the type of expense. The company will then request supporting documentation so they can review the claim. The processing of claims can take up to 10 business days.