Travel Intelligence · SafetyWing coverage 2026
What Does SafetyWing Cover in 2026? Nomad Insurance Essential and Complete Limits and Exclusions, Plus Pre-Existing Conditions, Scooters, Diving, Dental and the US
SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Essential covers emergency medical treatment up to US$250,000 per active insurance period with no deductible, emergency medical evacuation up to US$100,000 for life and emergency dental pain relief up to US$1,000, for US$62.72 per four weeks at ages 18 to 39; it does not cover pre-existing conditions, mental health, cancer, routine dental care or anything that happens in the first 72 hours after purchase. SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Complete, at US$177.50 a month on a 12-month commitment, adds cancer treatment, mental health visits, maternity and outpatient care within a US$1,500,000 annual limit. This page sets out every benefit and limit in the Essential policy wording effective February 2026, the exclusions that decide claims, and the rules for scooters, diving, altitude, home visits and the United States. Essential scores 83/100 and ranks first of three in our long-term travel insurance ranking.
Verified 29 September 2026 · SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Essential policy wording effective February 2026 · safetywing.com · Nomad Insurance Complete plan page and April 2025 policy document · SafetyWing help centre · europa.eu · Trustpilot · re-read at source
What does SafetyWing cover?
SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Essential covers emergency medical treatment up to US$250,000 per active insurance period with no deductible, plus emergency medical evacuation, emergency dental and a set of travel benefits that each carry a smaller limit of their own, according to its policy wording effective February 2026. Essential is travel medical insurance: it pays for new illnesses and injuries while you are away. It is sold on safetywing.com as a subscription billed every four weeks until you cancel, or as a 364-day plan that saves 10%, and it is underwritten by SafetyWing Insurance I.I., a Puerto Rico-domiciled insurer. Limits given per active insurance period apply to each period of cover; limits given for life never reset, however many policies you buy.
Medical and evacuation benefits
| Benefit | Limit | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency medical treatment | US$250,000 per active insurance period, no deductible | Includes hospital stays in a semi-private room, intensive care and prescriptions for up to 60 days. |
| COVID-19 | Within the US$250,000 medical limit | Covered on the same terms as any other illness; testing is paid for only when medically necessary. |
| Emergency dental | US$1,000 per active insurance period | Pain relief only, with treatment sought within 72 hours of the pain starting and at least 14 days of cover in place. Dental surgery after an accident falls under the US$250,000 medical limit. |
| Emergency medical evacuation | US$100,000 for life | US$25,000 if the evacuation relates to a pre-existing condition; up to US$5,000 towards a ticket to return afterwards. |
| Repatriation of remains | US$20,000 for transport, or US$10,000 for a local burial | One or the other: transport of remains home, or burial locally. |
| Bedside visit | US$6,000 | Towards the travel costs of a bedside visit while you are in hospital. |
| Accidental death and dismemberment | US$25,000 on death; US$12,500 for the loss of one limb or eye; US$25,000 for two or more | US$25,000 for life across all claims. |
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Travel benefits
| Benefit | Limit | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Trip interruption | US$5,000 per active insurance period | US$10,000 for life. |
| Travel delay | US$60 for a delay of 3 to 8 hours; US$150 for 8 hours or more, plus US$150 a night after the first 8 hours | Up to US$450 per trip and US$900 per active insurance period. |
| Lost checked luggage | US$3,000 per active insurance period | US$500 per item; US$6,000 for life. |
| Political evacuation | US$5,000 | A separate benefit from the US$100,000 emergency medical evacuation limit. |
| Natural disaster | US$150 a day for up to 5 days | Five days at the full rate comes to US$750. |
The travel-delay payment is small next to what an airline may owe. On flights covered by EU Regulation 261/2004, those leaving an EU airport or arriving in the EU on an EU airline, an arrival three hours or more late can bring €250, €400 or €600 from the airline, depending on distance, unless extraordinary circumstances caused the delay. The EU's Your Europe passenger-rights page sets out the bands, and the claim is separate from anything SafetyWing pays. Our EU261 compensation calculator works out the amount. Claiming from the airline directly costs nothing; AirHelp handles the claim in exchange for a share of any payout.
Check a delayed or cancelled flight with AirHelp →
Add-ons
| Add-on | Limit | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| US cover | Medical cover inside the United States | US$100 co-pay per emergency-room visit and US$50 per urgent-care visit. US citizens are covered in the US only under the home-country rules, not through this add-on. |
| Adventure Sports | US$100,000 for life | Raises the altitude limit to 6,000 metres and adds more than 40 activities, including skydiving, paragliding and motorbikes over 50cc. It can only be added when the policy is bought, and it does not apply in your home country. |
| Electronics Theft | US$3,000 per active insurance period; US$1,000 per item; US$6,000 for life | Needs a police report within 24 hours of the theft and proof of ownership; item values are depreciated over 50 months. |
Add-on prices were not published on SafetyWing's plan page or in the policy wording on 29 September 2026. Whether an Essential certificate is accepted for a Schengen visa application is covered in our SafetyWing Schengen visa guide.
What does SafetyWing not cover?
SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Essential does not cover pre-existing conditions, mental health disorders, cancer, normal pregnancy, routine dental care, cosmetic treatment, war, self-inflicted injury, incidents involving alcohol or drugs, search-and-rescue services, professional sport, activities at 4,500 metres or higher without its Adventure Sports add-on, or anything that happens in the first 72 hours after purchase. The exclusions below come from the February 2026 policy wording and from SafetyWing's list of exclusions for the updated Essential plan, dated 7 May 2026.
Medical. Pre-existing conditions, with a 180-day lookback and one emergency exception, set out in the next section; mental health disorders; cancer or neoplasm; pregnancy and childbirth, apart from complications in the first 26 weeks; dental treatment other than emergency pain relief and surgery after an accident; glasses; and procedures for prophylactic, cosmetic or aesthetic reasons, except reconstructive surgery that follows surgery for a covered illness or injury.
Circumstances. War, terrorism and military action; negligent or self-inflicted injury; suicide or attempted suicide; incidents involving alcohol or drugs; costs payable under workers' compensation or employer's liability laws; and search-and-rescue services, including air transfers by helicopter or any other aircraft. Emergency medical evacuation is a separate, covered benefit; search and rescue is not.
Sport. Any sport as a professional or instructor, for reward or on an expedition; any activity at 4,500 metres or higher unless the Adventure Sports add-on was bought; and, even with the add-on, ATVs, BASE jumping, heli-skiing, cliff jumping, racing and off-piste skiing.
Timing. Anything that happens in the first 72 hours from the date and time of purchase. The help centre's list does not repeat this rule, but the policy wording, which is the contract, states it. Some benefits wait longer: emergency dental needs 14 days of cover, the pre-existing emergency exception 28 days and home-country visits 90 days.
Does SafetyWing cover pre-existing conditions?
No, apart from a narrow emergency exception: SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Essential excludes any illness or injury that had symptoms, treatment, medical advice or a change of medication in the 180 days before cover starts. The exception pays for emergency treatment of a sudden and unexpected flare-up of a pre-existing condition, within the US$250,000 medical limit, if treatment is received within 24 hours of symptoms starting and not during the first 28 days of cover. Chronic and congenital conditions stay excluded even then, and an evacuation linked to a pre-existing condition is capped at US$25,000 rather than US$100,000.
SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Complete does not cover pre-existing conditions either. Its plan page counts a condition as pre-existing if it was treated or diagnosed at any time, or showed symptoms in the two years before cover, and SafetyWing's help centre states that Complete does not cover them. Our best travel insurance for digital nomads guide compares the wider market.
Does SafetyWing cover scooters, scuba diving and adventure sports?
Yes, within limits: SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Essential covers scooters and motorbikes up to 50cc, certified scuba diving with no published depth limit, and a named list of sports below 4,500 metres; bigger bikes, higher altitudes and riskier sports need the Adventure Sports add-on, which can only be bought with the policy.
Scooters and motorbikes. The base policy covers riding a scooter, moped or motorbike of up to 50cc if you wear a helmet and hold the right licence for the vehicle where one is required. SafetyWing's help-centre article of 8 June 2026 adds that anything over 50cc is covered only with the Adventure Sports add-on, and that riding while intoxicated, racing, damage to the vehicle or other property, and other people's medical costs are never covered. Check the engine size on the rental agreement before riding: a scooter over 50cc without the add-on is not covered.
Scuba diving. Diving is on the base list, provided you hold the certification the dive requires, such as PADI, NAUI, SSI or BSAC. The February 2026 wording sets no depth limit. Cave diving needs the add-on and a certified instructor. For trips at sea, our diving liveaboard index covers the boats.
Adventure sports and altitude. The base policy names the sports it covers, from bungee jumping and canyoning to via ferrata and on-piste skiing, and excludes any activity at 4,500 metres or higher. The Adventure Sports add-on raises the altitude limit to 6,000 metres and adds more than 40 activities, including mountaineering below 6,000 metres, skydiving, paragliding, cave diving with a certified instructor and martial arts, up to US$100,000 for life. It cannot be added to a policy that is already running, and it does not apply in your home country. ATVs, BASE jumping, heli-skiing, cliff jumping, racing and off-piste skiing stay excluded. One conflict to settle before booking: the help centre says whitewater rafting up to grade 3 is covered with the add-on, while the policy wording lists whitewater rafting among the exclusions, so get SafetyWing's answer in writing first.
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Kilimanjaro is the clearest case: its summit is above the base limit and below the add-on's ceiling, so everything above 4,500 metres on a summit attempt is covered only if the add-on was bought at the start of the policy. Our Kilimanjaro routes and costs guide and high-altitude trekking insurance guide cover the rest of the planning.
Does SafetyWing cover mental health, cancer and pregnancy?
Not on SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Essential, which excludes mental health disorders and cancer and covers pregnancy only for complications in the first 26 weeks; SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Complete covers all three, with limits. Essential's pregnancy cover, set out in SafetyWing's help centre, pays for complications such as an ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, hyperemesis gravidarum, pre-eclampsia and eclampsia; normal pregnancy and childbirth are not covered.
Complete covers cancer within its US$1,500,000 annual limit and maternity up to US$2,500 after a 10-month waiting period. Mental health visits count against its US$5,000 annual outpatient limit: SafetyWing's plan page and its help-centre article of 27 August 2026 say 10 visits a year, while the April 2025 policy document says 15, so confirm the number with SafetyWing before relying on it. The first visit needs no approval; later visits must be pre-approved at least seven business days ahead, or the reimbursement is cut by 30%.
Does SafetyWing cover you at home and in the US?
Only for limited periods: SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Essential covers visits to your home country once you have an active insurance period of at least 90 days, for up to 30 days per visit in every 90 days (179 days in 364 on an annual plan), and it covers other travellers in the United States only through a paid add-on. Your home country, in the policy's words, is where you principally reside and receive regular mail. US residents get 15 days per visit home to the US, or 45 days in 180 on an annual plan, and US citizens are not covered inside the United States beyond that allowance. Everyone else needs the US add-on, which carries a US$100 co-pay per emergency-room visit and US$50 per urgent-care visit. Our does SafetyWing cover the US guide and SafetyWing for US citizens page work through the American cases.
Complete works differently. It covers health care in your chosen country of residence and while travelling in other eligible countries, but SafetyWing's help centre lists 17 countries of residence that cannot buy it, the United States and Canada among them, and cover in the United States, Hong Kong and Singapore needs an add-on.
What does SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Complete add?
SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Complete is health insurance with travel benefits attached: US$177.50 a month for ages 18 to 39 on a 12-month commitment, a US$1,500,000 annual limit, outpatient care up to US$5,000 a year, and cover for cancer, mental health and maternity that Essential leaves out. The two plans side by side, as published on 29 September 2026:
| Plan | Price, read 29 Sep 2026 | How long it runs | Overall medical limit | Doctor visits and outpatient care | Mental health | Cancer | Pregnancy | Dental | Pre-existing conditions | Who can join |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Essential | US$62.72 per four weeks, ages 18 to 39 | Renews every four weeks until you cancel; a 364-day plan saves 10% | US$250,000 per active insurance period, no deductible | For a new illness or injury, within the overall limit | Excluded | Excluded | Complications in the first 26 weeks only | Emergency pain relief up to US$1,000 per active insurance period | Excluded (180-day lookback), with a narrow emergency exception | Ages 14 days to 69 |
| SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Complete | US$177.50 a month, ages 18 to 39 | 12-month commitment, paid monthly or annually (annual saves 10%) | US$1,500,000 a year | Up to US$5,000 a year | Within the outpatient limit: 10 visits a year on the plan page, 15 in the April 2025 policy document | Covered within the annual limit | Maternity up to US$2,500 after a 10-month waiting period | Add-on: up to US$1,000 a year, US$250 in the first six months | Not covered | Up to age 64; residents of 17 listed countries, including the US and Canada, cannot buy it |
Complete's health cover is underwritten by VUMI Group I.I. and its travel benefits by SafetyWing's own insurer, with SafetyWing MGA and VIP Administration Services handling administration. Its April 2025 policy document pays physician and specialist visits at usual and customary rates within the outpatient limit, with no per-visit cap. Dental is an add-on rather than part of the plan, worth up to US$1,000 a year with US$250 available in the first six months, and an electronics add-on pays up to US$2,000 per stolen item and US$5,000 a year. Payment is monthly or annual, with 10% off for paying the year up front; our cancel SafetyWing guide covers leaving either plan.
How do you make a SafetyWing claim?
Submit a SafetyWing claim through your SafetyWing dashboard or by email to claims@safetywing.com within 60 days of the end of your active insurance period, with itemised invoices, medical reports and proof of payment. Electronics Theft claims also need a police report made within 24 hours of the theft and proof of ownership. SafetyWing holds 4.3 out of 5 from 4,109 reviews on Trustpilot, read on 29 September 2026. Our SafetyWing claim walkthrough goes through a claim step by step.
Six limits never reset. On SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Essential, emergency medical evacuation (US$100,000), trip interruption (US$10,000), lost checked luggage (US$6,000) and accidental death and dismemberment (US$25,000) are capped for life, as are the Adventure Sports add-on (US$100,000) and the Electronics Theft add-on (US$6,000). Anyone who keeps Essential for years should keep a note of what has already been paid out under each.
Three planning rules for SafetyWing cover
1 · Buy before you need it. Nothing that happens in the first 72 hours after purchase is covered, emergency dental needs 14 days of cover, the pre-existing emergency exception needs 28 days, and home-country visits need 90 days of active insurance. Start the policy several days before departure.
2 · Decide on the Adventure Sports add-on at purchase. It cannot be added to a policy that is already running, and without it a scooter over 50cc, anything at 4,500 metres or higher, and sports from skydiving to paragliding are not covered. If there is any chance of those, buy it at the start.
3 · Keep the paperwork as you go. Claims need itemised invoices, medical reports and proof of payment, an electronics theft needs a police report within 24 hours, and every claim must be in within 60 days of the end of the active insurance period. Photograph each document on the day.
What changed for SafetyWing cover in 2026
February 2026. SafetyWing's updated Nomad Insurance Essential policy wording took effect, naming SafetyWing Insurance I.I., a Puerto Rico-domiciled insurer, as underwriter. It sets the 180-day pre-existing lookback, the 4,500-metre altitude limit, the 72-hour exclusion and the benefit limits on this page.
8 June 2026. SafetyWing's help centre confirmed that motorbikes and scooters over 50cc are covered only with the Adventure Sports add-on, which can only be bought with the policy.
27 August 2026. SafetyWing's help centre set out Complete's mental health cover as 10 outpatient visits a year, with pre-approval required after the first visit.
29 September 2026. Prices read at source: Essential US$62.72 per four weeks and Complete US$177.50 a month, both for ages 18 to 39, against the US$56.28 and US$161.50 quoted by earlier versions of this page. This page was rebuilt the same day and corrected: political evacuation is US$5,000, not US$10,000; the pre-existing lookback is 180 days, not 90; pregnancy complications are covered to 26 weeks, not only in the first trimester; mental health is excluded on Essential; the 30-metre diving limit is not in the current wording; and on Complete, dental is an add-on, maternity follows a 10-month wait and doctor visits carry no US$75 cap. Essential scored 83/100 in our long-term travel insurance ranking on the same date.
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What does SafetyWing cover?
SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Essential covers emergency medical treatment up to US$250,000 per active insurance period with no deductible, including hospital stays, intensive care and prescriptions for up to 60 days; emergency dental pain relief up to US$1,000; emergency medical evacuation up to US$100,000 for life; repatriation of remains; trip interruption up to US$5,000; travel delay payments from US$60; lost checked luggage up to US$3,000; political evacuation up to US$5,000; and accidental death and dismemberment up to US$25,000, according to its policy wording effective February 2026. It costs US$62.72 per four weeks at ages 18 to 39.
What does SafetyWing not cover?
SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Essential does not cover pre-existing conditions (anything with symptoms, treatment, medical advice or a medication change in the 180 days before cover starts, apart from a narrow emergency exception), mental health disorders, cancer, normal pregnancy, routine dental care, cosmetic treatment, war and terrorism, negligent or self-inflicted injury, incidents involving alcohol or drugs, search-and-rescue services, professional or rewarded sport, activities at 4,500 metres or higher without the Adventure Sports add-on, or anything that happens in the first 72 hours after purchase, according to its February 2026 policy wording.
Does SafetyWing cover pre-existing conditions?
No, apart from a narrow emergency exception. SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Essential excludes any illness or injury that had symptoms, treatment, medical advice or a medication change in the 180 days before cover starts. It pays for emergency treatment of a sudden, unexpected flare-up only if treatment is received within 24 hours of symptoms starting and not during the first 28 days of cover; chronic and congenital conditions stay excluded, and evacuation linked to a pre-existing condition is capped at US$25,000. SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Complete does not cover pre-existing conditions either.
Does SafetyWing cover scooter and motorbike accidents?
Yes, for scooters and motorbikes of up to 50cc on SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Essential, provided you wear a helmet and hold the right licence for the vehicle where one is required. Anything over 50cc needs the Adventure Sports add-on, which SafetyWing's help centre says can only be added when the policy is bought. Riding while intoxicated and racing are excluded, and the policy does not pay for damage to the bike or for anyone else's injuries.
Does SafetyWing cover scuba diving?
Yes. SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Essential lists scuba diving as a covered activity, provided you hold the certification the dive requires, such as PADI, NAUI, SSI or BSAC, and its February 2026 policy wording sets no depth limit. Cave diving needs the Adventure Sports add-on and a certified instructor. Diving as a professional or instructor, for reward or on an expedition is excluded, as it is for every sport under the policy.
Does SafetyWing cover trekking at high altitude?
Below 4,500 metres on the base policy. SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Essential's February 2026 wording excludes activities at 4,500 metres or higher unless you buy the Adventure Sports add-on, which raises the limit to 6,000 metres, has a lifetime limit of US$100,000, does not apply in your home country and can only be added when the policy is bought. Search-and-rescue services are excluded. Kilimanjaro's summit, Uhuru Peak, is 5,895 metres, so a summit attempt needs the add-on.
Does SafetyWing cover dental?
Emergency dental only, on SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Essential: pain relief up to US$1,000 per active insurance period, if treatment is sought within 72 hours of the pain starting and the policy has been active for at least 14 days, plus dental surgery after an accident within the US$250,000 medical limit. Routine dental care is excluded. SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Complete offers a dental add-on of up to US$1,000 a year, with US$250 of it available in the first six months.
Does SafetyWing cover mental health, cancer or pregnancy?
Not on SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Essential, whose February 2026 policy wording excludes mental health disorders and cancer and covers pregnancy only for complications in the first 26 weeks, such as an ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage or pre-eclampsia. SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Complete, at US$177.50 a month for ages 18 to 39 on a 12-month commitment, covers cancer within its US$1,500,000 annual limit, mental health visits within its US$5,000 outpatient limit (10 a year on its plan page; its April 2025 policy document says 15) and maternity up to US$2,500 after a 10-month waiting period.
Does SafetyWing cover you in your home country or in the US?
Only for limited periods. SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Essential covers visits to your home country once you have an active insurance period of at least 90 days, for up to 30 days per visit in every 90 days, or 179 days in 364 on an annual plan; US residents get 15 days per visit to the US. Other travellers need the US add-on to be covered in the United States, with a US$100 co-pay per emergency-room visit and US$50 per urgent-care visit, and US citizens are not covered in the US beyond the home-country allowance.
Read next
- Best long-term travel insurance in 2026: SafetyWing, Genki, Insured Nomads and World Nomads scored
- SafetyWing claim walkthrough: how to file a claim, step by step
- Does SafetyWing cover the US?: the American question in full
- High-altitude trekking insurance: the altitude clauses that void standard policies