Best International Health Insurance for Expats and Nomads

Health insurance is the one expense that most digital nomads and expats would rather not think about, until a hospital bill arrives. A broken leg, an appendicitis or a dengue fever abroad can cost thousands of dollars, and your home country plan may not cover you at all once you live somewhere else. The good news is that there are now products designed for people who move around, from cheap monthly nomad plans to full international health insurance.

This guide explains the types of cover, what they really include, what they cost, and how to choose between the best-known options without overpaying or ending up uncovered.

This article is general information, not insurance, medical or financial advice.

Do you need international health insurance?

If you live or work abroad for months at a time, you probably do. Reasons include:

Your home plan may not cover you abroad, or only for short trips.
Local public systems may not cover foreigners, or have waiting lists and limits.
Emergency care and medical evacuation can be very expensive, especially in a country with private hospitals.
Some visas require it. Many digital nomad and residence visas ask for proof of medical insurance, sometimes with a minimum coverage amount.

The three main types of cover

Type	What it is	Typical cost	Best for
Nomad travel medical insurance	Monthly subscription for emergencies and accidents abroad, with limited routine care	Lowest	Young, healthy nomads who move often
International private medical insurance (IPMI)	Full health insurance for people who live abroad, with outpatient care, hospital cover and often maternity or mental health	Highest	Long-stay expats, families, people who want routine care
Local private or public insurance	Plans offered in the country where you live	Varies a lot	Long-term residents of a single country

Many people combine two layers, for example a cheap nomad plan while travelling and a full plan once they settle.

How to compare plans

Look at the same points for every option:

Type of cover: emergency only, or also routine, outpatient and chronic care.
Annual limit: the maximum the insurer will pay per year.
Outpatient and routine care: doctor visits, tests, prescriptions.
Pre-existing conditions: whether they are covered, excluded or subject to waiting periods.
Geography: where you are covered, and whether the United States is included, as it is the most expensive place for medical care.
Home country cover: whether you are covered when you visit your home country, and for how long.
Commitment: monthly and cancel anytime, or a 12-month contract.
Deductible and cost sharing: how much you pay before and after the insurer pays.
Claims and direct billing: whether the insurer pays hospitals directly or you pay first and get reimbursed.
Age limits and visa acceptance.

Comparison at a glance

Prices are the figures reported on provider pages and in 2026 reviews, and are indicative. Quotes depend on age, nationality, country of residence, deductible and add-ons. The providers are examples, not a ranking.

Plan (example)	Type	Indicative price	Annual limit	Routine care	Commitment
SafetyWing Nomad Essential	Nomad travel medical	From about $60 per 4 weeks (ages 18–39)	$250,000	Not covered	Subscription, cancel anytime
SafetyWing Nomad Complete	Nomad / expat health	From about $160–$180 per month (ages 18–39)	$1.5 million	Covered (with limits)	12-month commitment
Genki	Nomad / expat	Reported from roughly €115 per month for a 40-year-old on a mid-range plan	Varies by plan	Depends on plan	Monthly or longer
Cigna Global (Silver)	IPMI	Reported from about $185 to over $450 per month depending on age and options	$1 million	Optional add-on	12 months
Cigna Global (Gold / Platinum)	IPMI	Higher; reported around $310–$900 per month	$2 million / unlimited	Optional add-on	12 months
Allianz Care	IPMI	Quote-based	Varies by plan	Depends on plan	Mostly one year; a short-term plan exists

The main options in more detail

SafetyWing Nomad Insurance (Essential and Complete)

SafetyWing offers two products. Essential is a travel medical plan. For travellers aged 18 to 39, it was listed from about $62.72 per 4 weeks in 2026, while Complete was listed around $177.50 per month, with a lower rate for a 12-month commitment. Check the official page for current prices. Prices vary by age, so get a live quote.

Essential has a $250,000 medical limit and covers home country visits for up to 30 days per 90 days abroad, or 15 days if you are American. It is aimed at emergencies, so routine doctor visits are excluded, and the plan does not cover pre-existing conditions. You can buy it even when you are already abroad, but if you buy while still at home, cover starts only after you leave.

Complete is closer to real health insurance. Its medical limit rises to $1.5 million, it adds outpatient and specialist visits, and it includes home country time with no day cap in approved residence countries. Its official page lists benefits such as an outpatient limit of $5,000, a per-visit limit for wellness therapies and a set number of mental health visits per year. It requires a 12-month commitment.

Best for: young, healthy nomads on a budget (Essential), or people replacing domestic insurance who accept the commitment (Complete).
Watch out for: routine care and pre-existing conditions excluded on Essential, caps on outpatient and therapy benefits, and higher prices if you add US cover.

Cigna Global

Cigna Global is a full international private medical insurance product with Silver, Gold and Platinum tiers, with annual limits of about $1 million, $2 million and unlimited respectively. It is designed to work like your home country plan, only with worldwide cover. Reviews report that Silver for a 35-year-old can cost roughly $185 per month, and higher for older applicants or with extras, and that adding US cover can raise the premium sharply. It is intended more for long-stay expats with a stable base than for people who change country every week, and it typically requires a 12-month contract.

Best for: families, long-term expats and people who need ongoing care.
Watch out for: price, the annual commitment, and the extra cost of US coverage.

Genki

Genki sits between nomad subscription plans and traditional expat insurance. Reviews describe it as more expensive than SafetyWing but cheaper than Cigna, with different plans for travellers and for longer stays.

Best for: nomads who want more than emergency cover without a large IPMI premium.
Watch out for: plan details and age limits, which vary.

Allianz Care

Allianz Care offers international health insurance with a mix of plans. Most of its contracts are for one year, but it also has a short-term plan for people who need cover for less than a year. Whether pre-existing conditions are covered depends on the underwriting terms you accept.

Best for: people who want a mainstream insurer with customisable plans.
Watch out for: annual contracts and quote-based pricing.

Pre-existing conditions: the part people overlook

A pre-existing condition is any illness, injury or symptom that you had before your policy started. Insurers deal with it in two main ways:

Moratorium underwriting: there is no medical questionnaire, but pre-existing conditions are excluded for a set period, often two years, and may be covered after that if you have no symptoms or treatment. It is quick and often cheaper, but you do not know in advance what will be covered.
Full medical underwriting (FMU): you complete a medical questionnaire, and the insurer decides to cover, exclude, charge extra for, or decline each condition. It is slower, but you know where you stand from day one.

Nomad subscription plans usually exclude pre-existing conditions altogether. If you have an ongoing condition, a full IPMI plan with proper underwriting is generally the safer route, and you should be honest on forms, since an undisclosed condition can lead to a rejected claim.

The home country coverage trap

Many nomad plans cover only limited time in your home country, for example 30 days in every 90, and only 15 days if you are American. Some, like World Nomads, offer no home country cover at all. If you plan to go home for months, or your “home” is the place you are returning to, check this clause carefully, or choose a plan that covers it without limits.

How much insurance fits your budget

Insurance is a fixed cost, like rent. Nomad subscription plans start around $60 per month for young travellers, mid-range plans come in at roughly double or triple that, and full IPMI plans often cost several times more, rising with age, family size and US coverage. To decide how much you can afford, put it in your budget before you choose a country: our guide to the cost of living for digital nomads shows how to build a realistic monthly budget with insurance included.

Ways to keep the price down without leaving yourself exposed:

Raise the deductible or choose a cost-sharing option, but only if you can afford the amount.
Skip the United States in your coverage area if you will not go there.
Match the plan to your life: emergency-only cover if you are young and healthy, a full plan if you need regular care.
Pay annually where an annual discount exists and you are sure of your plans.

Which plan is right for you?

You are under 40, healthy and constantly on the move. A nomad subscription plan such as an emergency-focused Essential-type plan is usually enough, as long as you accept its exclusions.

You are replacing your home insurance and want routine care. Look at plans with outpatient cover, such as a Complete-type plan or an IPMI plan.

You are travelling with family or planning to start one. Compare full IPMI plans with maternity cover and family pricing.

You have a pre-existing condition. Prefer full underwriting with a plan that states clearly what is covered, and avoid plans that exclude everything pre-existing.

You will spend a long time in one country. Compare local private insurance and IPMI. You may need local cover to qualify for residence.

You need insurance for a visa. Check the immigration authority’s requirements for minimum coverage and what documents it accepts.

Insurance is only one of several obligations that change when you move abroad. Your health cover, residency permit and tax situation are connected: how long you stay and where you are resident can decide which plan you qualify for, where you can use local services and where you owe tax. To understand that last piece, read our guide to tax residency for digital nomads before you commit to a long stay.

How to buy: step by step

List your needs: countries, length of stay, routine care, family, pre-existing conditions.
Check visa requirements if the policy is for an application.
Get three live quotes for the same age, countries and deductible.
Read the policy wording: exclusions, limits, waiting periods, home country cover.
Check the claims process and whether the insurer pays hospitals directly.
Buy before you need it. Coverage may start only after a given date, and some plans do not cover conditions that arise before the start date.
Save the policy documents and the insurer’s emergency number in your phone.

What to do if you need to claim

Contact the insurer’s emergency line as soon as possible for any serious treatment.
Keep every receipt, medical report and prescription.
Check whether the insurer needs pre-authorisation for hospital stays.
Submit the claim within the deadline and keep copies.
Ask your doctor to provide clear diagnosis and treatment details in English if possible.

Common mistakes to avoid

Buying travel insurance and assuming it is health insurance. Many travel plans exclude routine care and chronic conditions.
Ignoring pre-existing condition rules.
Not checking the home country clause.
Choosing the cheapest plan without reading the limits.
Forgetting about the United States, which is excluded or far more expensive in many plans.
Buying too late. Waiting periods and start dates can leave you uncovered at the moment you need it.
Not keeping your policy details accessible while travelling.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best international health insurance for digital nomads?

It depends on your age, health and travel pattern. Young, healthy nomads often choose a subscription plan for emergencies, while people who need routine care or have ongoing conditions usually need a full international private medical insurance plan.

Is travel insurance enough for long stays abroad?

Often not. Many travel plans are meant for short trips and exclude routine care, chronic conditions and long-term residence.

Are pre-existing conditions covered?

It depends on the plan and the underwriting. Nomad plans usually exclude them, while IPMI insurers may cover them after assessment or after a waiting period.

Can I buy insurance when I am already abroad?

Some nomad plans allow it. Others require you to buy before you travel. Check the start date and conditions.

How much does international health insurance cost?

Nomad subscription plans start around $60 per month for young travellers, while full international plans can cost several times more, rising with age, family size and coverage area.

Do I need insurance for a digital nomad visa?

Many visas ask for proof of medical insurance, sometimes with a minimum coverage amount. Check the official requirements for your destination.

Final thoughts

The right plan is the one that matches your health, your destinations and how long you will stay, not simply the cheapest. Read the exclusions, check the home country rules, be honest about pre-existing conditions and buy before you need it. Once your health is covered, the next step is protecting your finances against everything else: learn how to save and invest as an expat so a bad month does not become a crisis.

This article is general information, not insurance, medical or financial advice. Plans, prices and rules change and vary by country. Information reviewed October 5, 2026.