Best Health Insurance for Digital Nomads in 2022.
If you are looking to invest or get insured as a digital nomad, you can email me (advice@adamfayed.com) or use WhatsApp (+44-7393-450-837).
Introduction
Many travelers overlook the importance of health insurance while making plans for their trip. The needs of digital nomads, however, particularly differ from those of the typical traveler because they may spend a lot of time on the road. If you’re a digital nomad, it’s crucial to secure a health insurance or have yours updated if you haven’t already.
Reasons why you need health insurance as a digital nomad
Before bidding your home adieu, it will be more practical and efficient to first acquire an applicable health insurance. For starters, getting medical care abroad can be highly expensive, and depending on where you are, you might not be covered by any health insurance you have at home.
Additionally, you need to consider the dangers of visiting a foreign country, experimenting with new activities, and encountering the usual travel snafus. You shouldn’t depend on luck when it comes to your health either.
Obtaining residence or digital nomad visa
A policy of insurance is likely required in order to obtain a resident or digital nomad visa, such as in Schengen countries in Europe.
Even if you are aware of the existence of a free public healthcare system in the nation you are relocating to, you will still require your own health insurance plan because you won’t have access to it until after you have arrived.
Safeguarding your health thru an international health insurance
It’s accurate to say that not all nations will demand you to obtain expat or digital nomad insurance in order to enter the country.
However, you’ll be traveling to a foreign country that you don’t know well, which could put you at risk for health or safety problems. In light of this, it is always vital to take care of your own health and make sure you have access to medical coverage when you need it, even if you are not legally compelled to carry a policy. The best approach is secure an international health insurance policy that will protect your health and well-being in whichever corner of the world you may end up landing.
Access to superior healthcare
You’ll never really know what something is like until you get to experience it firsthand, which is also true for when you travel to another country. This means that even if you are aware of the existence of a public healthcare system in the country you are relocating to, you won’t understand how it operates until you arrive, particularly if you demand a specific kind of health coverage.
However, having health insurance gives you the peace of mind that, no matter what, you’ll have access to high-quality medical treatment. Therefore, you don’t need to be concerned about emergencies affecting you or your family.
Additionally, the private healthcare system is generally superior to the public one in most nations around the world. And if you have insurance, you can have easy access to the private system which could be very pricey without insurance.
Saving money via health insurance coverage
Health insurance is mandated in many nations for a compelling reason.
Even for the most basic services, out-of-pocket medical expenditures can be very high. This is especially true if you work remotely in the US, where the healthcare system is virtually entirely for-profit and extremely expensive.
It is therefore crucial to note that the costs of healthcare are likely to be exorbitant in the nations where this insurance mandate is in place.
Having access to great treatment is guaranteed by having international health insurance on top of giving assistance so you could avoid having to pay for astronomically high out-of-pocket medical expenses, which could essentially bankrupt you.
Travel Insurance vs Health Insurance
Digital nomads can use travel insurance but it’s better to get an international health insurance, especially if you plan to stay longer in a foreign place or perhaps even acquire residence instead of just staying as sort of a tourist.
Simply said, because most of these health insurance providers are international businesses, they can provide you with a high level of care regardless of where you now reside or where you wish to travel.
But what exactly are your international health insurance options as a digital nomad? Check out the list below:
Best Health Insurance for Digital Nomads: Cigna
The efficiency and customer service standards of American insurance provider Cigna are in line with those expected in the US.
Cigna strives to provide you with access to high-quality medical care without a lot of red tape wherever you are in the world, which is part of their business model.
The insurance firm has more than 180 million customer relationships and is present in numerous countries across the globe. So if you’re applying for a residency visa that is seeking for a health insurance policy to approve your application, Cigna should be able to help you check the requirements list.
It is simple to discover the correct plan for you and canceling the insurance policy is also straightforward once you have already acquired your residence, have access to the public healthcare system, and no longer wish to continue with your subscription.
Cigna really deserves its spot as one the best health insurance for digital nomads, but naturally I would advise you to continue reading to see which among the insurance providers in this list will be best suited for your needs.
Below is a rundown of some of the advantages and disadvantages of subscribing to Cigna:
Best Health Insurance for Digital Nomads: Pros of Cigna
- They offer adjustable deductibles, which allows you to control what you pay in advance
- You have a range of payment alternatives, such as monthly, trimester, or annual
- The company will pay your healthcare provider immediately, so you don’t need to submit a claim or request reimbursement.
- You can select from three different sorts of plans: Silver, Gold, and Platinum.
- The basic plan provides annual coverage for ophthalmic services worth up to $100 and various types of cancer screenings.
- Customers can contact them seven days a week, around the clock.
- They provide medical insurance policies in the Middle East.
- Along with renal dialysis procedures, their plans also cover for organ transplantation and organ transportation.
- Information on the financial system, culture, and educational system of the nation you are visiting is available on the company’s website.
- In accordance with the guidelines suggested by the World Health Organization, Cigna will pay for all potential costs associated with treating COVID-19 cases.
Best Health Insurance for Digital Nomads: Cons of Cigna
- In order to receive a tailored quote, you must enter a lot of personal information.
- The basic plan doesn’t cover maternity help, so if you intend to have a child while you’re traveling, you’ll have to shell out more cash to afford a more expensive policy.
Best Health Insurance for Digital Nomads: GeoBlue
GeoBlue, the trade name of Worldwide Insurance Services, is a fantastic choice for you if you’re looking for premium insurance with class A service, extensive coverage, and a wide range of options.
The firm strives to provide tailored service, offering a range of coverage selections for you to choose from as well as short- and long-term plans, in an effort to simplify life for individuals it covers.
In addition to this, GeoBlue also offers insurance packages for a variety of clients, including immigrants, yacht crews, teachers, students, missionaries, and digital nomads.
Below is a breakdown of some of the upsides and downsides of subscribing to GeoBlue:
Best Health Insurance for Digital Nomads: Pros of GeoBlue
- Clients can contact them seven days a week, around the clock.
- They offer a variety of plan alternatives.
- They have insurance for incidents resulting from extreme sports.
- They have unlimited medical service and don’t have any deductible payments for routine services or cancellations.
- They offer programs specifically created for Americans who live abroad, immigrants to the country, and digital nomads.
Best Health Insurance for Digital Nomads: Cons of GeoBlue
- They don’t provide coverage for anyone who reside in New York or Washington
Best Health Insurance for Digital Nomads: Allianz Care Global Assistance
Allianz, a German insurance business, is also a great option for health insurance. One of the firm’s best qualities is that it provides a special program designed specifically for expats.
Below is a rundown of some of the advantages and disadvantages of subscribing to Allianz:
Best Health Insurance for Digital Nomads: Pros of Allianz
- Since the business will pay your healthcare provider directly, you don’t need to submit a claim or request reimbursement.
- They offer customer service that is available seven days a week, around the clock.
- Six months after the beginning of your contract, they make a medical phone app available to you.
- Beyond your plan, they also provide a particular expat program (which includes details on the particular country you’re traveling to).
- All seven continents are covered by them.
Best Health Insurance for Digital Nomads: Cons of Allianz
- There aren’t many coverage options available for you to select from.
- Although they have a lot of information on COVID-19 on their website, their COVID coverage is rather unclear.
Best Health Insurance for Digital Nomads: IMG
IMG has worked in the insurance industry for more than 30 years and is regarded as one of the top health insurance providers for digital nomads.
The fact that IMG has a global customer support team and makes it simple to reach them is one of their primary advantages. You can ask inquiries about the plans and immediately receive responses when you need them using their live chat option.
Below is a breakdown of some of the upsides and downsides of subscribing to IMG:
Best Health Insurance for Digital Nomads: Pros of IMG
- They provide extensive coverage, boasting more than 17,000 doctors and clinics globally.
- There are five different plans from which you can select.
- You can earn a 50% deductible discount if you utilize your IMG policy with a healthcare provider outside of the US.
- For overseas missionaries, specific health insurance programs are available.
- There is a choice for automated debit payments.
- They have a functional web gateway that provides access to emergency services available around the clock, seven days a week.
- All nationalities are accommodated.
- COVID-19 is treated by the firm in the same manner as any other disease or injury, subject to the terms and circumstances of the policy.
Best Health Insurance for Digital Nomads: Cons of IMG
- Adults over the age of 75 are not eligible for any of the plans; however, if you purchase insurance when you are 65 or older, you may choose to enroll in IMG’s lifetime plan instead.
- Maternity care coverage is available exclusively with the most expensive plan (and it only offers it at a minimum of 10 months following the start of your policy)
Best Health Insurance for Digital Nomads: Global Underwriters
Another excellent insurance choice for digital nomads is Global Underwriters, a business that has been around for a while and has consistently provided policies with a variety of possibilities for travelers from all over the globe.
The two most well-regarded plans for digital nomads are Diplomat Long Term and Diplomat International; in both cases, the coverage is very comprehensive and adequately addresses the needs of foreign nationals traveling or living abroad.
Below is a rundown of some of the advantages and disadvantages of subscribing to Global Underwriters:
Best Health Insurance for Digital Nomads: Pros of Global Underwriters
- Up to $1 million in medical insurance coverage for unintentional injuries and fatalities
- Plans cover body repatriation, medical evacuations, and urgent dental care
- Enables you to receive assistance in the event that a medical emergency or lost luggage causes you to have to cut short your trip.
Best Health Insurance for Digital Nomads: Cons of Global Underwriters
- Cuba, Afghanistan, and Iran are not covered by the Diplomat Long Term plan.
- Diplomat International does not offer coverage for COVID-19 cases
- If you are a resident of New York, Maryland, South Dakota, Australia, and Iran, you are not covered by the Diplomat Long Term plan.
Best Health Insurance for Digital Nomads: SafetyWing
Today, SafetyWing is recognized as one of the top insurance firms for digital nomads because of its ability to quickly respond to market advances.
Simply visiting the website will show you how unique they are from other insurance providers. It has a contemporary, vibrant, and user-friendly layout, as well as alternatives for policies that include coverage for travel and medical costs.
They also have a few unique and cutting-edge choices, such as providing 30 days of health coverage in your home country for every 90 days you spend traveling abroad.
The website emphasizes self-service and is really clever. Having said that, it makes it simple for you to handle any problems you may encounter swiftly and with little effort.
Below is a breakdown of some of the upsides and downsides of subscribing to SafetyWing:
Best Health Insurance for Digital Nomads: Pros of SafetyWing
- You can tailor your plan based on your coverage requirements, just as with the other providers.
- The website is highly practical and offers you a clear picture of how much your plan will cost and how the coverage for each plan operates.
- They offer free coverage for kids who are below 10 years old.
- Dental, maternity care, physical therapy, family medicine, deductible costs, and outpatient services are a few extras you might include in your coverage.
- After an evacuation, they provide $100 in coverage for repatriation.
- SafetyWing will give you $125 per night for up to 30 nights of care if you receive free treatment at a public hospital or if your care is covered by another insurance.
- For reconstructive surgeries and cancer treatment, they provide full value coverage.
- They offer customer service every day of the week, 24 hours a day.
- Upon a doctor’s recommendation, they provide full COVID-19 coverage.
- Unlike most of its competitors, their website features an engaging, playful design that makes it much simpler to utilize.
Best Health Insurance for Digital Nomads: Cons of SafetyWing
- The price you see on the website does not include all costs; you must log in to view the whole cost.
- The cost of the plans for Singapore, Hong Kong, and the US is significantly higher than that of the other countries.
Best Health Insurance for Digital Nomads: Foyer Global Health
In the realm of health insurance, Foyer is a major participant and one of the biggest insurers in Europe.
For digital nomads looking for international health insurance, they are a great choice because they provide a wide variety of plan options.
Below is a rundown of some of the advantages and disadvantages of subscribing to Foyer Health:
Best Health Insurance for Digital Nomads: Pros of Foyer Health
- You can alter Foyer plans, just like you can with other companies, according with your unique features and medical requirements, like age, country of origin, dental care, vaccinations, pregnancy, small children, etc.
- You can also choose the degree of protection you want for each of these components, ranging from no protection to full protection.
- You can choose between a single-person plan and a family plan with or without kids.
- You don’t need to provide much information to acquire a quote from Foyer Health, unlike many other businesses, and the process is quite straightforward.
- There are numerous deductible alternatives available.
- For individuals who don’t intend to stay abroad for an extended period of time, they also offer short-term coverage.
- Finding the best plan for you is as simple as comparing the costs and coverage of several options.
- They provide digital nomads with travel insurance anywhere in Europe, as well as in different locations globally.
Best Health Insurance for Digital Nomads: Cons of Foyer Health
- Foyer Health’s most basic plan does not include maternity or infant care, as do the plans offered by the other providers.
- Despite doing the job, their customer service isn’t as useful as the other options on this list.
- The website is not particularly clear with regards to coverage constraints.
- They don’t make it obvious on their website whether their plan includes COVID therapies despite having a lot of information regarding COVID-19.
- For assistance in an emergency, there is a fee worth 5 euros.
- Aside from medical help for emergencies, digital nomads in the US have no access to health insurance from Foyer Health
Best Health Insurance for Digital Nomads: Now Health
Serving customers all over the world for many years, Now Health is one of the market leaders in the global health insurance industry.
The major goal of Now Health is to deliver a high-quality service with effective communication. As a result, one of their key attributes is how excellent their customer service is.
This organization also has a benefit in that it offers a variety of plans with customized features to suit the wants and profiles of its clients.
Below is a breakdown of some of the upsides and downsides of subscribing to Now Health:
Best Health Insurance for Digital Nomads: Pros of Now Health
- Covers more than 190 nations and areas.
- Offers plans that can be customized in a variety of ways.
- Has options for maternity insurance plans.
- Customers can contact them seven days a week, around the clock.
Best Health Insurance for Digital Nomads: Cons of Now Health
- Some tests and services require going through the business’s reimbursement process.
- You must comply with the 12-month wait period of the plan in order to access the maternity coverage.
Best Health Insurance for Digital Nomads: Aetna
Aetna has been in the insurance industry for more than 50 years, which is in addition to the quality of the service and its affordable health services.
Digital nomads can use one of the most affordable international health insurance plans from Aetna, one of the largest health insurance companies in the US.
They have a respectable customer care crew that is available to assist seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day.
Below is a rundown of some of the advantages and disadvantages of subscribing to Aetna:
Best Health Insurance for Digital Nomads: Pros of Aetna
- They provide options customized for digital nomads, depending on their travels and coverage requirements.
- They have been in business for 50 years and have locations in more than 15 nations.
- Their customer assistance is available 24/7.
- They’ve received accolades from several periodicals, including “Best International Private Health Insurance Provider” and “Health Insurer of the Year.”
- The vast majority of their policies cover hospitalization, cancer treatment, repatriation, and emergency evacuation.
Best Health Insurance for Digital Nomads: Cons of Aetna
- Their website doesn’t provide a lot of information regarding what is actually covered by their plans.
Best Health Insurance for Digital Nomads: Bottom Line
The needs of expats and digital nomads differ from those of the normal traveler in terms of travel health insurance, therefore it is advisable to pick a plan that fits your way of traveling. Also check for COVID-related coverage and medical claims, which are important considerations if you’re already abroad or plan on traveling in the near term. Ultimately, there is no perfect health insurance plan or provider; you must choose the best one that caters to your own needs the most.
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Adam is an internationally recognised author on financial matters, with over 760.2 million answer views on Quora.com, a widely sold book on Amazon, and a contributor on Forbes.
