Quick Answer
For long-term travelers, backpackers, remote workers, and digital nomads, I usually start with *SafetyWing. For fixed-date vacations, family trips, and travelers who want trip-specific protection, I usually compare quotes on *Heymondo. There are countless other providers, and more often than not, your credit card also includes some sort of travel insurance.
Do You Really Need Travel Insurance?
After visiting all 195 countries in the world, I have experienced canceled flights, lost luggage, border closures, unexpected illnesses, and countless situations where things simply did not go according to plan.
Fortunately, I have never had a truly catastrophic emergency abroad. But I have met enough travelers who have. A hospital visit in the United States can easily cost tens of thousands of dollars. A medical evacuation from a remote island is unaffordble for most travellers. Even a stolen backpack or missed connection can become expensive quickly.
Many travelers try to save money by skipping insurance. Personally, I think this is one of the worst places to cut costs.
Travel insurance can protect you against emergency medical expenses, hospital stays, emergency evacuations, lost luggage, travel delays, trip interruptions, theft, and unexpected emergencies abroad. Most trips go perfectly fine. Insurance is there for the rare occasions when they do not.
SafetyWing: Best for Long-Term Travelers
If you are a digital nomad, backpacker, remote worker, or someone traveling continuously for months at a time, *SafetyWing is usually my first recommendation.
What makes SafetyWing unique is its subscription model. Instead of buying insurance separately for every trip, SafetyWing works almost like Netflix: you subscribe, coverage renews automatically, and you stay covered while traveling.
This is particularly useful if you travel full-time, do not know exactly when you will return home, move between multiple countries, or work remotely while traveling. I really like that you can buy coverage before you depart or while you are already abroad.
SafetyWing Pricing
At the time of writing, SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Essential starts at $62.72 per 4 weeks for travelers aged 18 to 39. SafetyWing Complete starts at $177.50 per month for travelers aged 18 to 39.
Pricing increases with age and depends on optional add-ons such as US coverage, adventure sports, or electronics theft, but it remains highly competitive compared with many traditional travel insurance providers.
SafetyWing is built specifically for nomads and long-term travelers. Benefits include coverage in 180+ countries, subscription-style billing, travel medical coverage, lost luggage protection, travel delay benefits, emergency evacuation coverage, and limited coverage during visits home depending on the plan.
Heymondo: Best for Traditional Trips
If you are taking a normal vacation, a honeymoon, a family trip, a business trip, or a fixed-date round-the-world trip, *Heymondo is usually the provider I compare first.
Unlike SafetyWing, Heymondo follows a more traditional travel insurance model. You enter your destination, travel dates, age, and optional add-ons, then receive a custom quote for that specific trip.
This works especially well if your itinerary is clearly defined and you want tailored protection for that one trip rather than a rolling subscription.
Why Many Travelers Choose Heymondo
One of Heymondo's biggest strengths is its high coverage limits and flexible policy options. Depending on the policy and your country of residence, coverage may include medical expenses, baggage theft and damage, trip cancellation, repatriation, and 24/7 assistance through its app and medical chat services.
Many travelers also appreciate that Heymondo offers optional coverage for adventure sports,
electronics, cancellation protection, long-stay travel, and annual multi-trip policies.
I found that Heymondo is often cheaper, depending on which trip you go on, since it's not a "one fix for all" subscription like SafetyWing.
Heymondo pricing varies depending on destination, duration, age, and coverage level. For many shorter trips, prices can work out to only a few dollars per day.
SafetyWing vs Heymondo
If I had to simplify the decision, choose SafetyWing if you are traveling for months, working remotely, backpacking continuously, want subscription-style coverage, or do not know exactly when you will come home.
Choose Heymondo if you are taking a specific trip, have fixed travel dates, want cancellation coverage, travel a few times per year, or want a highly customizable policy for one journey.
Both companies have strong reputations among travelers. The important thing is choosing the option that matches your actual travel style rather than copying what someone else uses.
Recommended Travel Insurance
Long-term travelers, backpackers, and digital nomads: *Compare SafetyWing plans
Vacation travelers and fixed-date trips: *Get a Heymondo quote
Do Not Forget Credit Card Travel Insurance
Before buying any travel insurance, there is one thing you should always check first: your credit card may already include travel insurance.
Many premium travel credit cards include benefits such as emergency medical coverage, trip cancellation protection, trip interruption coverage, flight delay compensation, lost baggage protection, rental car insurance, and purchase protection.
The catch is that coverage varies enormously depending on the card and the country where it was issued. Some cards provide only basic protection, while others offer insurance packages that rival standalone travel insurance policies.
My Personal Favorite: American Express Platinum
Out of all the cards I have used while traveling around the world, my favorite remains the American Express Platinum Card.
Depending on the country of issuance, the Platinum card may include travel accident insurance, medical emergency coverage, trip cancellation and interruption coverage, rental car insurance, lost baggage coverage, flight delay benefits, and global travel assistance services.
The exact coverage differs between Germany, the United States, the UK, and other countries, so always read the official policy documentation carefully. If you travel frequently, the Amex Platinum is one of the strongest travel cards available in my opinion.
Revolut Has Entered the Travel Insurance Market
In recent years, Revolut has expanded its travel-related benefits. Premium plans such as Revolut Premium, Metal, and Ultra may include travel protections depending on your country of residence and subscription level.
Benefits can include medical emergency coverage, trip disruption protection, flight delays, lost luggage protection, and event cancellation coverage. Revolut has changed insurance providers and coverage structures several times over the years, so verify the current terms directly inside the Revolut app before relying on it for a trip.
Other Popular Travel Credit Cards
Depending on where you live, several other premium cards may offer strong travel protections. In the United States, popular examples include Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve, Capital One Venture X, and American Express Platinum.
In the United Kingdom, travelers often compare American Express Platinum, HSBC Premier World Elite, and Barclaycard Avios Plus. In Germany and Europe, options include American Express Platinum, Miles & More Gold, and various premium Mastercard or Visa Infinite products.
Should Credit Card Insurance Replace Travel Insurance?
Usually, no. Many credit card insurance packages have limitations such as maximum trip lengths, lower medical coverage limits, requirements to pay for the trip with the card, geographic restrictions, and exclusions for adventure activities.
For short vacations, credit card insurance may be sufficient. For long-term travel, backpacking trips, digital nomad lifestyles, or travel to remote destinations, I generally prefer having dedicated travel insurance such as SafetyWing or Heymondo in addition to any credit card benefits.
My approach is simple: check what my credit card already covers, identify any gaps in protection, and decide whether additional insurance is worthwhile. A few minutes spent reading your card's insurance policy can save money on duplicate coverage or prevent a nasty surprise when something important is not covered.