Health insurance for digital nomads
Your home country health insurance stops covering you the moment you leave. As a nomad you need international health insurance — not travel insurance. SafetyWing is the affordable entry point. Cigna and Foyer for higher coverage limits and more comprehensive plans.
Key takeaways
National health systems and most domestic policies end at the border. You are uninsured the moment you leave.
Monthly subscription, cancel anytime, 185+ countries. From ~$45/month under 40. Accepted for most nomad visas.
SafetyWing's caps are low for serious medical events. Cigna or Foyer when you need proper expat coverage.
Most nomad visas require minimum coverage amounts. Download the certificate from your provider — you'll need it.
Why your existing insurance doesn't work abroad
Most national health systems — NHS, German Krankenkasse, Dutch health insurance — only cover you in your home country. Some offer limited emergency coverage in the EU, but that doesn't extend to Southeast Asia, Latin America, or most of the world a nomad actually visits. Private domestic health insurance typically excludes extended stays abroad entirely.
The result: the moment you leave for more than a few weeks, you're effectively uninsured for anything beyond emergency stabilisation. International health insurance fills this gap — it follows you across countries and covers routine care, hospitalisation, and emergencies wherever you are.
⚠️ Travel insurance is not the same thing
Travel insurance covers trips — cancellation, lost luggage, and emergency medical up to a limit. It's not designed for long-term nomadic life. Once you're stable after an emergency, it stops covering you. See the travel insurance guide for the full distinction.
SafetyWing — the nomad standard
SafetyWing built their product specifically for nomads. It works as a monthly subscription — buy it any time, cancel any time — and covers you across 185+ countries. There's no annual commitment and no need to be home when you start. Under 40, it starts at around $45/month. Get SafetyWing →
Coverage includes hospitalisation, surgery, emergency evacuation, and some outpatient care. The key limitations: US coverage is capped at 30 days per year (at a higher deductible), pre-existing conditions are excluded, and the overall medical limits are lower than traditional expat insurance. For a healthy nomad in their 20s or 30s, this is usually an acceptable trade-off for the price.
SafetyWing is accepted for most digital nomad visa applications. You can download an insurance certificate directly from the app.
Cigna Global — comprehensive expat coverage
Cigna Global is the step up from SafetyWing — a proper international health insurance product used by long-term expats and corporate employees abroad. Higher medical limits (up to $1–2M), better hospital networks, dental and vision add-ons, and genuine worldwide coverage including the US. Pricing starts around $100–200/month depending on age, country, and plan. Compare Cigna →
The trade-off is price and complexity. Cigna is not a simple monthly subscription — it's an annual policy with underwriting. Better for: nomads spending significant time in the US, older nomads, those with dependents, or anyone who wants coverage limits that would actually handle a serious illness.
Foyer Global Health — strong European alternative
Foyer Global Health is a Luxembourg-based insurer covering 180+ countries. Strong on outpatient care and dental, good for nomads based in or frequently visiting Europe. Worth comparing if Cigna feels too US-centric or too expensive. Compare Foyer →
SafetyWing vs Cigna — side by side
Nomad-built, monthly subscription, cancel anytime
- PriceFrom ~$45/month (under 40)
- Coverage185+ countries
- US coverage30 days/year (limited)
- Medical limit$250,000 per period
- Visa acceptedYes, most nomad visas
Comprehensive expat coverage, higher limits
- PriceFrom ~$100–200/month
- CoverageWorldwide incl. US
- US coverageFull (optional exclusion)
- Medical limitUp to $1–2M
- Visa acceptedYes
💡 Check the US coverage carefully
US healthcare costs are an order of magnitude higher than most of the world. A single emergency room visit can exceed $10,000. If you spend any time in the US, make sure your policy explicitly covers it — and at what limit. SafetyWing's US coverage is limited to 30 days/year. Cigna covers it fully (excluding US is optional to lower premiums).
When to upgrade from SafetyWing
SafetyWing is fine for most healthy nomads early in their nomad journey. Consider upgrading when: you spend significant time in the US or other high-cost medical countries, you're over 40 (prices increase but so do risks), you have a pre-existing condition, or you have dependents. At that point, the higher premium for Cigna or Foyer is worth it for the coverage difference.
The bottom line
Start with SafetyWing — it's the fastest, cheapest way to have coverage as a nomad, and it's accepted for visa applications. Upgrade to Cigna Global or Foyer when your situation warrants higher limits, more comprehensive coverage, or serious US travel is involved.
SafetyWing — health insurance for nomads
Monthly subscription, 185+ countries, cancel anytime. Accepted for most nomad visa applications. From ~$45/month under 40.
Get SafetyWing → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.Cigna Global — comprehensive expat coverage
Higher medical limits, worldwide including US, dental and vision add-ons. The upgrade when SafetyWing's caps aren't enough.
Compare Cigna →Foyer Global Health — European expat alternative
Strong outpatient and dental coverage, 180+ countries. Worth comparing if you spend significant time in Europe.
Compare Foyer →