Your regular health insurance probably stops working the moment you leave your country. If you break a leg in Bali, you are paying cash.
Here is A Guide to International Health Insurance for Travelers (and why “Travel Insurance” isn’t enough).
Travel Insurance vs. Health Insurance
Travel Insurance (like World Nomads) is for emergencies. It fixes you up and sends you home. It does NOT cover check-ups, cancer treatment, or long-term care.
Global Health Insurance (like Cigna Global or IMG) is real insurance. You can go to a doctor for a flu, get prescriptions, and have major surgery without being flown home.
Who Needs Global Health Insurance?
If you are a nomad living abroad for 1+ years, you need this. Relying on “Trip Insurance” for 5 years is a gamble.
Top Providers
- Cigna Global: The gold standard. Expensive, but covers everything everywhere.
- GeoBlue: Great for US citizens. Access to the Blue Cross Blue Shield network.
- SafetyWing Remote Health: A new product specifically for nomads. Cheaper than Cigna but better than basic travel insurance.
Kiran’s Take: The “Exclude USA” Trick
Health insurance in the USA is insanely expensive. If you buy a Global policy, there is usually a checkbox: “Include coverage in the USA?”
If you uncheck it, your premium drops by 50%. If you only visit the US for 2 weeks a year, just buy a short-term travel policy for that trip. Save the money.
Conclusion
Health is wealth. Don’t be cheap with your body. One accident can bankrupt you.
Staying healthy? Read Nomad Health Tips.
