An Honest SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Review: Our First-Hand Experience

When we set off on our two-year trip around Southeast Asia, the last thing we wanted to think about was something going wrong. Travel is unpredictable, though, and we’ve now claimed on SafetyWing twice — once after a cancelled flight in Istanbul, once after a delayed flight out of China. That’s the only reason this review is worth reading.

Before SafetyWing, we tried many other companies, switching depending on the trip. This is our honest take after more than two years on their policy: what it costs in 2026, what the plans actually cover, the one clause about scooters that caught us out, and what happened when we claimed. Full disclosure up front — we became SafetyWing ambassadors after our first year with them, so we earn a small amount if you buy through our links. It hasn’t changed a word below.

Why we chose SafetyWing

SafetyWing has been our go-to since we first switched to it, and it’s still one of the cheapest travel insurance we’ve found for long trips or recurring, hassle-free cover.

In fact, we are currently on their recurring plan, which means that they collect direct debit on your account each month, keep covering you even at home, and you can pause or suspend at any time.

Safetywing covered our ass in Turkey – Personal experience with Safetywing

We were in Istanbul, and our flight got cancelled, suddenly, when we had already arrived at the airport. If you are not covered by insurance, you will definitely panic. Well, we were not, and completely chilled, sipping a cup of coffee by the lounge.

We were not freaking out because we were covered by Safetywing, which allows you a spend of a max of $100 per day, including accommodation and meals, up to two days delay of your flight.

In fact, we were spending up to our insurance for meals, coffee, restaurant and transportation while the flight company took care of our accommodation. It was fantastic, and we were chilled and happy to spend an extra day in Istanbul.

Watch our Instagram Reel, where we share everything that happened!

Filing a claim from China: quick and easy

The second time we claimed was a delayed flight out of China that made us miss our connecting flight to Kuala Lumpur. The airline put us up in a hotel, so accommodation wasn’t something we had to claim for — what we submitted was small: coffee for breakfast, a few snacks, the kind of costs that quietly stack up when you’re stuck in a terminal.

The money came back in a timely manner, with no delay. What surprised us was how little friction there was — no restrictions on what we’d spent it on, nobody asking us to justify a coffee, no second round of paperwork. We submitted the receipts, they paid.

One practical tip: if you’re travelling as a couple on a single account, you each submit your own claims separately. Worth knowing before you’re sitting in a terminal working out whose name goes on what.

Vacation Insurance: Is It Worth It?

It’s easy to treat travel insurance as an optional extra right up until the moment it isn’t. The UK Foreign Office recommends travel insurance for any trip abroad and is clear that without it you’re personally liable for medical costs, which in some countries run to five figures before anyone asks how you intend to pay.

From our experience with SafetyWing, we’d say it’s a small price to pay for the security and support it offers. If you want to compare travel insurance, read our guide Safetywing VS Heymondo – This is another policy we use and suggest, perfect for small trips or families.

Safetywing Pricing

I think price is the most interesting thing, as SafetyWing is one of the cheapest long-stay travel insurance policies we’ve used ourselves. As of 2026, Nomad Insurance Essential runs $62.72 for four weeks (ages 18–39) with a $0 deductible on standard medical claims.

If you’re going for a shorter trip, it costs proportionally less. We used SafetyWing for 2 weeks in Croatia, and it worked out to about half the price of the four-week policy.

This is our first-hand experience as we had Safety Wing in Bali, and even though we didn’t need it, it was pleasant to know to have them at our back while driving through the uneven roads of Nusa Penida.

Does SafetyWing Cover Scooters and Motorbikes?

⚠️ The 50cc rule — read this before you rent a scooter. SafetyWing covers motorbike and scooter accidents on Nomad Insurance Essential only if all four of these are true: you hold a valid licence for that class of vehicle, you’re wearing a helmet, you’re not riding intoxicated or racing, and — the one nobody knows about — the bike is 50cc or under, unless you’ve bought the paid Adventure Sports add-on. Almost every scooter you can rent in Thailand, Bali or Vietnam is 110–125cc. That’s over the line. We didn’t know this ourselves until we went through the policy properly for this update, and we’ve ridden plenty of bikes in that range. Source: SafetyWing Help Centre — motorbike, scooter or moped cover.

That 50cc line matters more than it sounds, because almost nothing you can rent in Southeast Asia sits under it. The bikes we rented in Chiang Mai were 110–125cc automatics, which is the standard across Thailand. Same story for scooter hire on Nusa Penida, for renting a scooter in Bali, and for renting in Ninh Binh. If you’re picturing yourself on a scooter at any point, assume you need the add-on and price it in.

The licence condition catches people out too. The UK Foreign Office is unambiguous about Indonesia: you cannot drive on a UK licence there, you need an International Driving Permit — and the same advice warns of a sharp rise in moped and motorbike accidents in Bali, some of them fatal. If you hold a UK licence, GOV.UK’s driving abroad guidance explains how to get an IDP before you travel. It’s a ten-minute errand at a Post Office, and it’s the difference between a claim being paid and being refused. The same thinking applies to driving regulations in Morocco, where we spent a month behind the wheel.

Where We’ve Used SafetyWing

We haven’t tested this policy on one trip and written it up. It’s been our cover across most of the travelling we’ve done since, which is the only reason we can say anything useful about it.

It came with us through three weeks in Thailand and the slower loop around northern Thailand, including the months we spent based in Chiang Mai as digital nomads. It covered us backpacking Vietnam, through northern Vietnam and the scooter days around Ninh Binh. It was with us for two weeks in Laos, for a month in Morocco driving a hire car from the coast to the desert — a route we’ve since written up as Morocco in ten days — and for long stays in Sri Lanka.

Indonesia is where we’d most encourage you to double-check your cover before you land. We’ve written separately about the best travel insurance for Bali and what to sort out before ten days in Bali.

Is SafetyWing Legit?

Absolutely. Based on our firsthand experience, SafetyWing is a legitimate and reliable option for travel insurance. They have never let us down. The insurance did what it promised: it provided financial relief in stressful situations and peace of mind during our travels with on-chat support.

Who is SafetyWing?

Safetywing is one of the most popular travel insurance companies, covering digital nomads and travellers since 2018.

SafetyWing positions itself as insurance built specifically for nomads, with Nomad Insurance Essential priced at $62.72 USD for four weeks as of 2026.

Safetywing is strong on Trustpilot, too, boosting a modest 3.8 rating with over 1K positive reviews. What is impressive is that the attentive staff responds to every review, which demonstrates their constant support.

Pros and Cons of SafetyWing Travel Insurance

Pros:

• Affordable: Competitive pricing compared to other travel insurances.
• Monthly Plans: Recurring monthly plan with easy direct debit
• Comprehensive Coverage: Includes medical, travel, and global health insurance.
• 24/7 Support Team: An App ready and available with a chatbox to request support all day, every day.
• Ease of Use: Simple signup and claims process.
• Flexibility: Ideal for long-term travellers and digital nomads.
• Pause when not using: If you are not travelling or going back to your home country, you can pause the policy and reinstate it when on the road again.
• Purchase when abroad: If your trip is already started, you can still purchase the policy. We did it in Bali, when our Heymondo Policy ran out of 60-day trip.
• Excellent Electronic Coverage: You can cover your electronics and tools from theft only.

Cons:

• Max coverage is lower compared to other travel insurances (See Heymondo comparison)
• Safetywing policy doesn’t offer coverage for trips to Cuba, North Korea, and Iran
• Skydiving and paragliding aren’t covered – neither for the extra plan
• Does not cover personal belongings beyond checked luggage
• Over 70-year-olds aren’t covered

The signup process: Quick and Easy

Signing up for SafetyWing nomad insurance is easy. The website is user-friendly, and the process took us about 10 minutes. We entered our trip details and personal information and selected our coverage. If you opt for the recurring package, it will not ask you for each location, so you can travel as you please. 

You can also customise your cover to your needs. We carry electronics and wanted theft cover, which added just $10 to the price.

Also, we modified our recurring travel insurance when in Georgia, visiting remote villages, and going on some ski adventures, zip lines and hikes. Safety Wing has a particular policy, which is an add-on to the existing one and covers adventure activities.

How to get Safety Wing travel insurance

This step-by-step process will help you book your travel insurance through Safetywing:

Coverage: What’s Included?

SafetyWing offers comprehensive coverage. Here’s what stood out to us:

• Medical Insurance: Covers hospital visits, prescriptions, and even emergency evacuations. They have a 24/7 live chat to help you with emergencies and nearby clinics and hospitals.
• Travel Insurance: Covers lost luggage, trip interruptions, and delays.
• Global Health Insurance: Coverage in over 180 countries, including home country coverage for up to 30 days every 90 days.
• Nomad Insurance: Perfect for digital nomads who need ongoing coverage. You can start the policy when already abroad or pause at any time when not travelling.

It was reassuring to know we had global health insurance. This was our first time relying on travel medical insurance abroad, and we felt confident with SafetyWing’s extensive coverage.

Our Final Verdict – SafetyWing Travel Insurance review

If you’re like us and can’t stand having the trip ruined because life gets in the middle, then SafetyWing insurance could be your trusty sidekick. It offers solid coverage, is easy to use, and provides peace of mind.

While it isn’t perfect, the pros definitely outweigh the cons. We’ve had our fair share of travel mishaps, but knowing we had SafetyWing insurance made all the difference. So, if you’re planning your next trip, we’d recommend giving SafetyWing a go. After all, isn’t it better to be safe than sorry?