SafetyWing sells two Nomad Insurance plans, Essential and Complete. They sound like a basic and a premium version of the same thing. They are not: Essential is travel medical insurance for emergencies, and Complete is full health insurance with travel extras. This page starts with what each plan does not cover and who should not buy it, because that is where most bad surprises come from.
This is general information, not insurance or medical advice, and not a recommendation for your situation. Every fact below is from SafetyWing’s public pages, checked on 23 October 2026. The policy document decides your cover.
The short answer
Essential covers new, unexpected illness and injury while you travel, for up to 364 days at a time. Complete adds routine and preventative care, ongoing cover renewable for life, and travel benefits such as burglary and trip cancellation. Neither covers pre-existing conditions. Complete costs well over twice as much and cannot be bought by residents of some countries, including the USA, Canada, Portugal and Ireland.
What neither plan covers
- Pre-existing conditions. SafetyWing says neither plan covers them, and the definitions differ by plan, so read the one for the plan you are considering.
- Professional sport. Both plans exclude it.
What Essential does not cover
From SafetyWing’s FAQ and plan page:
- Pre-existing conditions, high-risk or professional sport, regular check-ups, cancer and maternity care.
- Flights, accommodation or excursions cancelled before you left, and certain lost or stolen belongings. Gadget theft needs the optional Electronics Theft add-on; see our stolen laptop or phone guide.
- Only limited cover in your home country: up to 30 days of medical cover there.
- No US cover unless you buy the US add-on, which US citizens and residents cannot buy.
- Continuous cover for conditions. A plan runs for up to 364 days, then a new one starts, and SafetyWing says conditions that arose during the previous plan count as pre-existing under the new one.
- Search and rescue is not covered.
What Complete does not cover
- Pre-existing conditions, aesthetic or cosmetic treatment, orthodontic treatment, obesity or weight-control treatment, over-the-counter medicines, birth control, professional sport, and gym or fitness memberships.
- Waiting periods: 10 months for maternity benefits and 36 months for HIV/AIDS treatment.
- Residents of some countries. SafetyWing says it cannot cover residents (people living there six months or more a year) of Belarus, Canada, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iran, Iraq, the Republic of Ireland, North Korea, North Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, Palau, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, the United Arab Emirates, and the USA and its territories.
Who should not buy Essential
- Anyone looking for ongoing health insurance. SafetyWing itself says it “should not be used as ongoing health insurance”.
- People who need treatment for a condition they already have, or regular check-ups.
- Anyone who wants cancer or maternity cover.
- People who spend long stretches in their home country, given the limited home cover.
- People who mainly need trip cancellation or baggage delay cover for a short holiday. A standard trip policy may fit better.
- People over 69, who SafetyWing says cannot buy it.
Who should not buy Complete
- Residents of the countries listed above, including the USA, Canada, Portugal, Ireland and the UAE.
- Anyone 64 or over who is not already on the plan, because sign-up is for ages 18 to 64.
- People who already have full health cover where they live and only need emergency cover for trips. They would pay for health care they already have.
- People hoping it will cover a condition they already have. It will not.
- People planning a pregnancy within 10 months.
Side by side
| Essential | Complete | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Travel medical insurance | Full health insurance with travel protections |
| Length | Up to 364 days, then a new plan starts | Ongoing, renewable for life if you keep paying |
| Routine and preventative care | No | Yes |
| Pre-existing conditions | Not covered | Not covered |
| Cancer and maternity | Not covered | Covered (10-month maternity wait) |
| Home country | Up to 30 days of medical cover | No coverage restrictions at home |
| Who can sign up | Most people worldwide aged 14 days to 69 | Ages 18 to 64; residents of some countries excluded |
| Travel extras | Lost checked luggage, travel delay, trip interruption, evacuation | Most of Essential’s, plus trip cancellation, burglarised accommodation, cancelled accommodation and delayed luggage |
| Deductible | None | None |
| Price (ages 18 to 39) | SafetyWing quotes prices for Complete at well over twice Essential’s, and prices rise with age. Its pages showed different figures on the same day, so check the live price calculator for your age. | |
Who each plan suits
Essential suits healthy travellers who have health cover somewhere else, or who are moving for a few months, and want an affordable plan for emergencies. It can be bought while you are already abroad.
Complete suits people with no comprehensive health plan anywhere, who live between countries for years and want cover that continues if they develop a long-term condition. SafetyWing describes it as best for “those who don’t have access to a more comprehensive healthcare plan elsewhere”.
Neither is the only choice. Our guide to travel insurance and international health cover compares these types of cover with public systems and other international health insurance.
Bankrolled may earn a commission if you sign up through this link. It does not change the product or price.
Nomad Insurance Essential is underwritten by SafetyWing Insurance I.I., incorporated in Puerto Rico with its registered address in San Juan, and regulated by the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance of Puerto Rico. It is administered by SafetyWing (Managing General Agent), Ltd, registered in the Turks and Caicos Islands, and sold through the SafetyWing website, which is run by Safety Nest, Inc. of San Francisco. The insurer is not authorised by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority. The Financial Ombudsman Service and the Financial Services Compensation Scheme do not cover these policies, and no Puerto Rico guarantee fund protects them. Complaints that SafetyWing cannot settle can go to an independent dispute resolution provider that SafetyWing appoints.
See SafetyWing Nomad Insurance (affiliate link)
Frequently asked questions
Is Nomad Insurance Essential real health insurance?
No. SafetyWing says it is not a replacement for health insurance, because it covers emergency accidents and illnesses rather than preventative care, elective treatment or ongoing treatment of chronic conditions.
Does Complete cover pre-existing conditions?
No. Neither plan does. Complete will keep covering a condition that starts while you are on it, because it renews for life.
Can I live in the US and buy Complete?
No. SafetyWing cannot cover residents of the USA and its territories. US citizens can buy it if they live outside the US for at least six months a year.
Is there a deductible?
SafetyWing says neither plan has one.
What this page does not cover
It is not insurance or medical advice, and it does not tell you which plan to buy. It compares only SafetyWing’s two plans; it is not a ranking of insurers. Facts are from SafetyWing’s public pages, checked on 23 October 2026, and can change. The policy document decides your cover.
Sources
- SafetyWing Nomad Insurance FAQ, checked 23 October 2026
- SafetyWing Nomad Insurance plans page, checked 23 October 2026
- SafetyWing help centre: Extra benefit for electronics theft, checked 23 October 2026
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