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Does international health insurance for digital nomads exist?

 

by @al_steffen 9yr  | 59 comments

Hey Nomads!

Iโ€™m looking for an international health insurance (no travel insurance) for my nomadic life. It should cover the basic services and at least be accepted in the EU (itโ€™s ok if itโ€™s not accepted in the US as Iโ€™m aware they rarely are). Nice to have: enter into a contract online. Anyone got a good experience or a recommendation?

Thanks in advance!

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@skywinder 4yr

Hello. Is anyone used SafetyWing already?
Is it works?

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@seifip 5yr

Iโ€™ve been with SafetyWing (a YC startup) for a couple of years now, but fortunately havenโ€™t had the need to make a claim yet.

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@lricci 5yr

Iโ€™m using GeoBlue Expat Health Insurance. My broker is Andrew Blomberg, andrew@internationalinsurance. com
I had Cigna, but ran into a problem and cancelled. GeoBlue is expensive, but Iโ€™m older with usual health issues for my age.

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@reen 7yr

Has anyone yet have any experience with claims with April International?
I am considering switching from Integra Global since April seems to provide direct payment to hospital and better coverage.
In addition the policy is clearly defined in terms of what exactly is covered. Integra Globals terms are really not 100% clear.

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Just been through the gauntlet with all of this and wrote it up in an article here

For ref:

[Disclaimer: Iโ€™m not a professional and have no clue what Iโ€™m talking about so donโ€™t blame me if you fuck this up]

Spoiler alert / TL;DR: I went with Basic Global Health Insurance cover, with a ยฃ2000 deductible and 30% Cost share (1330 max OOP). I got this from Cigna Global for ยฃ33 a month. Iโ€™m in my mid-twenties and have a clean record. Woo.

For insurance illiterate people, this means that youโ€™re essentially only covered for serious stuff (surgery + ongoing care), and you have to pay the first ยฃ2000 of costs accrued + 30% up to a limit of ยฃ1330.

So with these types of plans youโ€™re only going to be taken care of when youโ€™ve done something very stupid and / or gotten very unlucky and are shuffling off your mortal coil after paying the first ยฃ3330 in bills. As a fairly young person with access to cheap (read: non-American) healthcare, and at worst โ€” a decent national healthcare system, I donโ€™t see cover being crucial for anything non-life threatening. I use travel insurance (Digital Nomads) to take care of anything less serious while Iโ€™m away from my base-country and donโ€™t think the added frustration of claiming on small things makes it worth it when you can shell out and walk away.

If you want to go full blast, all encompassing (Prestige, Gold, whatever) cover (or add-ons in some cases) with a ยฃ0 deductible and ยฃ0 cost share will mean that the insurance company will pay for everything from your check ups to Chinese medicine, but will probably set you back upwards of ยฃ200 a month, which would โ€” in many cases โ€” end up being a net loss if you donโ€™t use medical services often. If ,on the other hand, you get a lot of consultations and want to err on the safe side, it might be worth it. And of course thereโ€™s always a middle ground.

Also, note that global insurance is not the same as standard health insurance (or travel insurance โ€” more on that later), and thus is more expensive.

What to look at / Important notes

So youโ€™ve figured your general cover and your deductible, now prepare to start looking through enormous lists with tick boxes on them and reading words like โ€˜action sport riderโ€™ and โ€˜dentalโ€™. Hereโ€™s what I found important, and what turned the tables for me. Itโ€™ll take less time to just call up an advisor and ask them about the policies directly when making comparisons.

Your โ€˜country of residenceโ€™ โ€” Speaking to the reps, they said they donโ€™t give a shit where youโ€™re legally resident, but it affects where they administrate the policy from (which can create a large variance in cost because of taxes). You can actually fiddle around with these, because the tax involved in putting your residence as somewhere like the UK means the prices are a lot higher, and these policies usually only cover you for a limited period of time in your โ€˜residentโ€™ country, which is not where you want to be anyway.

Whether theyโ€™ll pay direct โ€” IMG Global were one of the most competitively priced, but all bills had to be paid up front by yours truly and then claimed back afterwards, which Iโ€™ve heard takes months. When youโ€™re drooling on the floor and donโ€™t have one hundred thouโ€™ in your savings, thereโ€™s not much point there. With most good policies, you give the hospital your insurance forms, and they pick up the cheque.

Whether sports are included โ€” I donโ€™t do many sports, but when I do, Iโ€™m very likely to be critically injured. A lot of basic policies donโ€™t include injuries sustained doing things that involve fun, so check that out.

โ€˜Mental healthโ€™ โ€” Again, varies wildly as to whether this is included in โ€˜basicโ€™. Cigna includes something like ยฃ5,500 cover in case you lose it.

Systems + Support โ€” You want somewhere thatโ€™ll get you through to a human quickly when needed, and a company thatโ€™ll start your policy immediately. The one Iโ€™ve recommended had everything sewn up in less than 10 minutes.

Evacuation, Outpatient, Dental: This will all be extra. Want to ride in a cool helicopter? Youโ€™ll be paying for it.

Travel Insurance vs Health Insurance
This is an important distinction that often gets muddled up. To put it clearly, travel insurance will only cover you until they can push you onto the local healthcare system, or your normal insurance. Once youโ€™re out of the clinic for a while or back home, youโ€™re on your own.

The companies I looked at
AXA โ€” well known, reliable, but expensive because of it. My family have used them for 40 years and never had problems.
BUPA โ€” ditto
Cigna โ€” Included sports cover, direct payment and mental health on the basic plans, well priced, easy sign up, good support so far. Iโ€™ll holla-back when I have to make a claim.
IMG โ€” Best price by far, but no direct pay and the website is horrific. Indianapolese sales rep couldnโ€™t tell me what the differences in the plans were and Iโ€™m pretty sure is voting for Trump.

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Hereโ€™s what Iโ€™ve found when it comes to health insurance abroad:

  • The sales reps have no idea what they are talking about.

I specifically asked one of them if motorcycle accidents would be covered if the driver didnโ€™t have a license (I donโ€™t intend on driving them, but maybe I would hop on with a friend).

He said yes, even after I said โ€œare you completely sure?โ€

I asked another rep to confirm this and she said โ€œno, thatโ€™s illegal, we wouldnโ€™t cover itโ€.

  • A lot of insurance programs based in the States seem to have a reputation for screwing people over. Looking on a travel insurance review site that also reviews medical insurance abroad, pretty much every insurance company had a โ€œ3 starโ€ rating for โ€œclaim was filedโ€.

And a lot of them are horror stories.

So, I chose to go with a UK company, called April Co

They have a pretty comprehensive (and affordable, like 130 a month for the 2nd tier plan) coverage that seems good for emergencies.

The other one I was considering was IntegraGlobal, based on The Worldly Blend endorsing them.

In the end, I chose April Co because they do direct pay for ANY hospital you go into, whereas IntegraGlobal has a preferred network that lets you do direct pay through them, but requires you to pay the hospital upfront and submit a claim later for out of network.

If you do go with April CO, I highly recommend getting the International Plus Plan instead of the International, because some of the wording in the International Plan. The basic plan defines a hospital stay as โ€œbeing in a hospital for longer than 24 hoursโ€ and doesnโ€™t cover outpatient stuffโ€ฆ so it seems like they could screw you and not cover a surgery that didnโ€™t require an overnight stay.

**The moral of the story in my mind:
Donโ€™t listen to anything the sales reps say. Instead, read the plan policy guide (NOT the statement of benefits) as closely as humanly possible. Because it seems like, in the end, the policy guide is what the company is legally required to insure you for, given all the legalese in the document.

And while you canโ€™t prevent a company from outright screwing you and not paying the claim they are supposed to, you can make sure you donโ€™t get caught in any loopholes (like not pre-authorizing hospital stays, which they can then charge you for).

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Bumping this given weโ€™re in open enrollment. Iโ€™m back in US until February so am looking at getting a low deductible ppo to knock out some doctorโ€™s visits/test whatever and then hopefully transition to Cigna while overseas the rest of the year.

Has anyone just let their US-based plan lapse without paying? Thatโ€™s basically what the Anthem rep recommend I do once I was no longer in the country if I didnโ€™t want the policy anymore (you cantโ€™ outright โ€œcancelโ€ but they will drop you if you donโ€™t pay obviously.)

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So many options, so if I take a cheap insurance like HCC Atlas, the cost will be lower and the coverage too.
I really suck at this :stuck_out_tongue: .
200k for coverage is that good? I mean if I go for a 1M coverage, I think they can give me a robotic arm for that price no?
Does anybody already had a bad experience with an insurance?
I feel like Iโ€™m getting influenced by the limiting belief that cheap equals low quality . Except that here Iโ€™m not buying toilet paper :s.

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After having done a fair share of research Iโ€™ve gone with Clements world coverage (health insurance, not travel insurance); seemed like they have reasonable pricing / relatively low amount of horror stories. Also includes US coverage, which is a must for me.

Costs about $2k a year, but should cover almost anything.

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Would also love to know more about HCC Atlas. Iโ€™ve been using them for years as my go to travel insurance but have never made a claim. I have no idea if itโ€™ll hold up :open_mouth: Any experiences?

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@seel 9yr

A good trick is to get your dive master with Padi. With your annual fee you get a great insurance coverage for about 200USD a year and you donโ€™t need to work as a DM.

SSI does it too for freediving.

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@seel but this insurance is for diving, or is it for some other activities too? Source/link appreciated

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IMG Global is another option. You have to be out of the U.S. (or home country) for 6 months, but itโ€™s full medical coverage locally and abroad, including emergency medical evacuation and very affordable.

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Hello Nomads,
Iโ€™ve been preparing for my world trip for a while & I extensively investigated this question.
Short answer is: yes, an international health insurance for digital nomads does exist.
Can you be of any nationality? yes, but not all insurances will be able to cover you.
Can you be of any residency (I know itโ€™s a super awkward one since youโ€™re a nomad)? yes, just put the last place where you actually lived, know that this is the country where you will be repatriated for long term treatment if needed, so do put a country with a decent healthcare system.
I wrote much much more about this on http://travel.stackexchange.com/questions/776/long-term-travel-what-insurances-can-should-i-get/46751#46751
See you on the road :wink:

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Just seeing this thread.

Iโ€™m with AXA PPP International myself. I had a rather specific case and looked at a great many options.

Iโ€™m Bermudian and Bermuda has no public health care (for me at least). A great many of the insurance plans I looked at relied on you having home coverage in your country of residence (someone else defined it as the difference between travel insurance and health insurance). They basically cover you for immediate care and then repatriate you back home. This works ok if youโ€™re resident somewhere that has public health care (or you have resident insurance) but doesnโ€™t work so well if you donโ€™t.

Another key thing I looked at was ongoing coverage like physio as well as sports coverage. I like to kiteboard and wakeboard. This was also something that narrowed down the list as many covered you initially but didnโ€™t have ongoing coverage and care.

So I needed global coverage (there was a cheaper ex-US option which I went with) that doesnโ€™t rely on me already having some form of health care and when I looked into the small print, AXA was one of the few. The overall policy covers up to $2.4 million USD each year and costs me about $2500 a year (a far cry from the $5000 and $7500 I was quoted by Bermudian insurance companies).

They also have a network of hospitals that apparently if you call in for pre-approval or get routed there and theyโ€™ll prepay your bills so no claims. I havenโ€™t had to make any claims yet so I have no idea how reliable this is.

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Thanks Denis for your input.
$2500 a year! Thatโ€™s expensive!
You could easily pay less than half of that!
Look at the few insurances I pointed to in my answer on http://travel.stackexchange.com/questions/776/long-term-travel-what-insurances-can-should-i-get/46751#46751

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Thanks Adrien, Iโ€™ll take a look. Iโ€™ve had it for a few years now. In comparison to what I was quoted by Bermuda based companies it seemed a lot more reasonable. It was also what one of the Bermuda companies used to underwrite its global (ex-Bermuda) coverage which gave me a bit more confidence to go with them as Bermuda can tend to be an obscure case to deal with.

Of note, I forgot to mention that I originally used Brokerfish.com as an excellent comparison site which gave a great overview of pricing, benefits and options of various plans. Price varies alot based upon what youโ€™re keen on (basics with high deductable or more comprehensive, dental and no deductable)

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@alemacgo 9yr

Denis, Adrien, and everyone else, I appreciate this discussion! I know a lot more about travel insurance now thanks to you guys.

Iโ€™m Venezuelan and Iโ€™ll be working from Berlin for 6 months as my first official nomad experience. Iโ€™ve checked out several travel health insurance companies and I thought you might find my quotes helpful for reference. The prices are in USD. The plans listed below offer global coverage excluding the USA, and all of them have a $250 deductible and $50,000 coverage to make the comparison easier.

IMG Global: $275 for 6 months.
Allianz Worldwide Care: $1,450 for 1 year.
Seven Corners - Liaison Majestic: $190 for 6 months.
HCC Atlas: $160 for 6 months.

After Denisโ€™s comments, Iโ€™m a bit hesitant as to which company to choose. None of them really asked me if I have primary coverage in my home country (which I donโ€™t), so what could be justifying an order of magnitude increase for the Allianz coverage? Are the other providersโ€™ prices too good to be true? What could the catch be?

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@alemacgo : make sure you read the whole โ€œterms and conditionsโ€ of the policies offered, as this is what will be used for/against you when you file a claim. I assume that the price differences do come with significant differences in services.

Did you look at TrueTraveller.com or Clements.com too ?

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@alemacgo 9yr

@AdrienBe, thanks for the pointers!
Apparently, TrueTraveller.com requires me to be a permanent resident of an EU/EEA country, which makes me think Iโ€™d need to be insured by a local social security system belonging to one of those countries. At the moment, Iโ€™m not a permanent resident in Europe (although I could become one).

Clements.com did give me a quote, but itโ€™s around the $750 ballpark for a $250 deductible and similar coverage as the ones I mentioned earlier, so I keep wondering: whatโ€™s the catch with Seven Corners and HCC Atlas? Why are they able to charge less than $200?

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Hi Alemacgo,

It is important to read through the policy information and confirm what kind of coverage it is.

Travel coverage works well enough to take care of anything major. It works on the premise that they stabilize you enough to send you back home, and then itโ€™s your home insuranceโ€™s problem to manage your full recovery. If youโ€™re willing to risk it, the premiums are a lot lower. Though also weigh that against what your risks likely are as youโ€™ll be the one footing the bill in the end if you need year round coverage.

Proper health care coverage you could find but you have to be diligent in reading through the actual policy details. Donโ€™t rely on the broker to clarify things for you.

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@shayna 9yr

Iโ€™m with Integra Global, on their family plan excluding the U.S./Canada. Havenโ€™t had to put in a claim yet. Apparently Allianz doesnโ€™t cover residents of either U.S. or Brazil, and Cigna wonโ€™t cover my Brazilian husband, which is too bad because their prices look quite reasonable.

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Iโ€™m with IMG Global. Just now having to actually make a claim, so weโ€™ll see how that goes. But the sign-up process and the fees are all favorable and the coverage is worldwide.

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@robetus 8yr

Iโ€™m curious too. I just purchased a plan. Their coverage and pricing is really good. Please let us know.

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@eddie 9yr

How do you like IMG Global? How did your claim go?

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Still waiting. So not impressed with their speed.

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How did it go with your claim at IMG?

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Not great! They took forever to get back to me and didnโ€™t cover anything. Iโ€™ve since switched to GeoBlue and they are so much better. Iโ€™ve made several claims and had them set up direct billing for many appointments. They respond promptly and have covered everything so far.

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@ndee 9yr

Be very careful with World Nomads. If you get seriously sick, recovery will take lots of time. And if you need to prolong your insurance during this period, they will treat your sickness as a โ€œpre-existing conditionโ€ and wonโ€™t pay for your bills.

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@riennn 9yr

Did you experience this first hand or read about it?

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@ndee 9yr

I just read T&C carefully.

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@tprophet 9yr

Global Underwriters also has a Diplomat Long Term policy. Itโ€™s fairly expensive (especially compared to IPS) but may be another option for those where IPS isnโ€™t suitable.

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World Nomads Insurance is great option for digital nomads. We have a 5% off discount code if youโ€™re interested.

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Would appreciate it if you could send me the discount code: info (at) barclaey (dot) com Thx!

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@bryce 9yr

If youโ€™re truly nomadic and never in the same place for too long, I canโ€™t see why you wouldnโ€™t opt for travel insurance that has great medical benefits? Unless I suppose youโ€™re often sick and need a special kind of health insurance, but for the average nomad, Iโ€™d suggest a good travel insurance plan like WorldNomads.

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@manu 9yr

True. WorldNomads seem a bit more generous with the trip duration. If you take their expensive package, itโ€™s about equivalent to the cheaper providers in Germany and Switzerland (CareConcept and Swisscare) plus some travel features. You ever had a claim with them or any other experience.

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@kathrynoh 9yr

I made a claim with WorldNomads but for travel delays not health. It was super easy and they paid up really quickly.

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@david 9yr

I am also looking for a worldwide health insurance. Ideally I would like to exclude some regions, where I never go, to make it cheaper.

Does anyone know a good international health insurance broker?

(Going through a knowledgeable broker usually gets you the best deals.)

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@krausefx 9yr

Google provides a great tool to find and book health insurances: https://www.google.co.uk/compare/travelinsurance/form?p=home

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@levelsio 9yr

I just heard in many countries you can also use your home countryโ€™s insurance as an expat but you have to pay extra. For example in the Netherlands, insurance is usually around EUR 1,000 but that goes up EUR 5,000 if youโ€™re a non-resident expat, as the government doesnโ€™t subsidize it anymore.

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@manu 9yr

Subsidized? Itโ€™s probably you who is subsidizing the government. For young people full-blown international health insurance with outpatient option (which is almost never a good deal) and other bling bling is maybe 1800 EUR max, maybe 1000 EUR without. Since most socialist governments charge the same rate to all ages and sexes, young and healthy people like you are subsidizing older people (who would have pay those 5000 EUR by the time they reach 60 or 70).

You can decide for yourself, if you as a younger person โ€“ who just starts earning money โ€“ should be supporting more wealthy pensioners. The most economic option for you will be a private international insurance, as mentioned above. This also has the advantage that those companies directly bill many hospitals and doctors all around the world. When youโ€™re with the Dutch system you most likely pay yourself and then run after bureaucrats to get your money back.

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@levelsio 9yr

Yep. It goes both ways. The thing is Dutch healthcare is amazing and it hardly ever lets you down. The rate being flat means that now I subsidize elderly, and the young people will subsidize me when Iโ€™m old. Itโ€™s called solidarity.

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@krausefx 9yr

When you book your flights and places using a credit card (ala. MasterCard Gold), donโ€™t you have a pretty coverage for medical insurance? Is there a reason this is not mentioned until now?

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@levelsio 9yr

No definitely not. Thatโ€™s not included default with MasterCard cards. Some banks might offer that.

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@krausefx 9yr

Just some examples:

Iโ€™m paying 5$ per month to have a travel insurance for my MasterCard. It is limited to 6 months per location, which should be okay, when you travel from place to place.

The requirement is usually, that you pay the trip (flights) using this card, which I do.

Am I missing something obvious here?

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@manu 9yr

Credit card insurance is often bound to your normal health insurance and will only pay the difference. Once you settle down for any reason (teach, study, work) it will also become invalid. The time is generally limited to the first 90 days of a trip. Then you need to go home for a day. Iโ€™m not sure a location change is enough. Of course they donโ€™t tell you that until there is a claim. My guess is for any claim of real money they will put you under a lot of scrutiny and try to avoid payment.

So far I only have experience with lost luggage, but not a medical emergency. If you do go for this option, read the contract very very carefully and be prepared to fight for your money.

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@krausefx 9yr

Thanks @manu for your reply. I just called them today, the time limit is indeed 90 days, you have to come home at least once, and it will start from 0 again.

Another reason, which is probably bigger than the one you mentioned: It does not cover business trips or anything related to your work. Itโ€™s only meant to be used for vacation.

About โ€œthey try to avoid paymentโ€: Thatโ€™s the case with every insure. Actually, itโ€™s just a regular insurance provider, which is used by the banks providing the credit cards.

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Hmm that is interesting. But what means for work ? If we work abroad or a mission in the country that was not planned at the begining ?

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I believe weโ€™re discussing international health insurance in this thread. Explicitly NOT travel insurance. Those two are very different.

Travel insurance mostly latches on to existing government run health insurance and basically covers the difference. Itโ€™s valid only for a limited time and tied to conditions such as you actually being on a holiday vs. working from abroad. Also it wonโ€™t cover basic stuff like severe diseases such as cancer or so.

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@manu 9yr

Thatโ€™s great. I hope there will be enough people left to pay for us. Those baby boomers will be a big test for this kind of generational contract.

Have you (or anyone else) ever had a claim from a non-EU country? I would be interested in how smooth that process goes.

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@levelsio 9yr

Yes a lot. National health insurance also gives me worldwide coverage included in the standard package (which costs about EUR 1,200 per year). The general rule is that they cover you up to the price health care costs in the Netherlands. Above that, you have to pay it yourself. In most situations, that means itโ€™s covered.

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@ndee 9yr

Sounds rather like Ponzi scheme.

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Thank you everyone for the great input!

I looked at all the suggestions and then spoke to an insurance agent here in Germany and decided to get an insurance called ReiseMed AS12V from DVK (Ergo), a German insurer. Itโ€™s 50,00 Euros/month and covers all basic healthcare services for people living and working in an EU country. Healthcare in the Americas will be charged extra (quite a bit).

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@manu 9yr

Allianz seems reliable and has few limitations. There are also cheaper ones, but they limit the stay in your home country. Swisscare (CH), Care Concept (DE). The established companies also have packages. Cigna, Bupa, Axa.

After comparing the main offers last year I stayed with Allianz. 500 EUR/year, 1.2m cover and 10k deductible.

Iโ€™d choose Cigna if we had children. @melanie: Whatโ€™s your experience with Cigna so far? I guess you canโ€™t really tell unless you really have an emergency.

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@melanie 9yr

Haha, true! Iโ€™ll let you know when I break my leg :open_mouth: What I can tell is that theyโ€™re a-okay and Iโ€™m happy to keep them on.

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@melanie 9yr

Such a plunder, trying to find health insurance. Right now Iโ€™m using Cignaโ€™s Global Health Insurance that covers me for a majority of the world I believe (should probably look into that).

Reasonably affordable and you can pick and choose what you want covering you. I submitted my info online and finalized the deal with a super awesome rep on the phone.

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@Melanie - your link is for Cignaโ€™s corporate plans. Here is a link to get a quote for Cigna Global individual or family plans: Cigna Global Quote

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@levelsio 9yr

http://WorldNomads.com offers travel insurance but not health insurance.

Allianz seems to be one of the few companies offering health insurance @ http://www.allianzworldwidecare.com/

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@tprophet 9yr

I have used IPS. The prices are reasonable, they do pay claims, and they accept international credit cards. In any EU country, this insurance will meet the coverage requirement because IPS is based in The Netherlands. http://www.studentsinsured.com

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Read and participate in 14,117 discussions on Nomad List

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Any nomads in Arizona, US?


in Netherlands by @info132 3yr 3 years ago  | 4 comments

Hi guys,

After the Netherlands, the Bay Area, Colorado and being on the van life for 8 months, I am now in Sedona, AZ with a few other digital nomads. We are sharing a home here and are wondering if there are more like minded people in the area.

We do a bunch of hikes and campouts in the northern of Arizona. If you would like to connect with us, please do so :)

Val

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by @leobassam 3yr 3 years ago  | 1 comment

Has anyone figured out a way to get setup with a virtual number and internet connection anywhere you go?

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Are there any digital nomads in the Islands e.g Bermuda, Barbuda, St. Kitts and Nevis?


in Antigua , Guatemala by @momo11 3yr 3 years ago  | 3 comments

Does anyone ever travel to any Islands like Bermuda, Barbados, Barbuda and St. Kitts & Nevis?

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How do I get Travel/Medical Insurance for Portugal for visa application from Australia?


in Portugal by @jonathanpoh 3yr 3 years ago  | 5 comments

I'm preparing my Portuguese D7 long-term visa application and one of the required documents is proof of travel insurance with medical coverage. However, as an Australian citizen, if put that as my country of residence in many travel insurance companies' quick quote forms, I'm unable to get ANY insurance coverage at all because of the current travel ban out of Australia, and the Australian govt's 'Do Not Travel' advice to ALL countries. I know that Aussies are applying for, and successfully getting visas from the Portuguese Consulate here, so where and how are they fulfilling this insurance requirement if insurers aren't selling any coverage? Does anybody know or have any ideas?

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Best place in Portugal near cool nomads, good surf, and a great cowork spot


in Portugal by @joelnicholson 3yr 3 years ago  | 9 comments

Hi there, title says it all. Canadian nomad hoping to find the city/town in Portugal with great, consistent surfing, a solid coworking spot, and a fun group of young nomads. Please recommend!

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Tax advisor for permanent nomads?


by @eljaques 3yr 3 years ago  | 1 comment

I'm in need of a tax advisor who understands "our" typical situation. I'm all good on being legal on taxes at this point, but as I'm doing more investing and there's more compliance and KYC and such, it's getting more complicated to deal with this topic. Not living in my country of citizenship, company in another country, resident in yet another country, banking in a different country ... you know how it is, a pile of red flags.

Would be great to find a good tax advisor to sort things in a way that makes my situation as "explainable" and easily dealt with as possible. Any leads?

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How to get into the digital nomad lifestyle?


in Switzerland by @filiptk 4yr 4 years ago  | 1 comment

Hi, I've got a question to anyone who had experience with the digital nomad lifestyle. I'm 24, I'm in my last year of university doing computer science, got 3 years of experience mostly doing web development.

I never liked the idea of staying in one place, getting a job and growing roots - hence the will to take the opportunity and travel the world. My main question is โ€“ how do I go about it? Are there any useful resources I could look into?

How do I go about insurance and such once I decide to move. I currently live in Switzerland and do freelance work for one company. It's not a lot, since my studies don't allow me to pick up a full time job, but it allows me to cover simple expenses.

I'd be happy to get some insight into how things work and also happy to network with anyone interested.

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What is the best online insurance for digital nomads ?


by @berberos 4yr 4 years ago  | 4 comments

Hi guys ! hope you are doing well.

I would love to get your feedback regarding the best insurance for digital nomads. i'm traveling around Asia since 1 year and for next 4 or 5 years. Would love to buy an insurance to cover especially :

- health

- laptop, phone ...

- Flights

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Any nomads working on startups?

 

by @mattlock 4yr 4 years ago  | 33 comments

Hoping to see all the cool stuff people are working on while they live an extraordinary life.

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Any Ph.D students dissertating while a digital nomad?


by @larsheather 4yr 4 years ago  | 5 comments

Anyone know of any groups or resources for Ph.D. students working on dissertation while living as a digital nomad? I know there are several virtual writing groups around, but wondered if there were any specifically for digital nomads, particularly those who are dissertating.

Thanks!

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How is the health and safety in Bali right now amid the global crisis?


by @valentineworld 4yr 4 years ago  | 1 comment

I would like to avoid having to come right back home, ya know? <3

I plan to be in Bali a lot, but if this is a terrible time to go,
it could stunt my future plans of being in Bali for an extended period of time.

Would love to see you guys! <3

@valentineworld

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How do you invest internationally as a nomad?


by @mateuszwieloch 4yr 4 years ago  | 17 comments

I have finally saved enough money to start investing. What company gives good, diversified access to stock, ETFs and mutual funds? Does it make sense to use company like Vanguard or Fidelity for that? Iโ€™m a EU/Poland citizen, how would I transfer my money back and forth without incurring significant fees?

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I dream of being a digital nomad? How do I do it?


by @programmingmark 4yr 4 years ago  | 2 comments

Hello digital nomad!

I dream of being an independent digital nomad. But it feels very elusive & unattainable with my success rate. In full disclosure, whilst I have dreamed about making money online since high school; I have not earned a single cent making money online. $0, nada, zilch!! On the contrary, I have spent a lot of time & money on books, podcasts. Even though I have spent a lot of time reading/listening to others, I do not have anything to show for it!

I have made attempts in the past to start an online business, but these fizzle out quite quickly when I do not see traction especially when the goal I have set myself is too high.

Instead of reaching for the ultimate nomadic lifestyle goal, I want to start much smaller. Really small! I am simply looking to make $50 profit per month from a new online business. Thatโ€™s it.

I need some advice from you please!

  • Is $50 profit too low? How long did it take you to earn $50 profit per month?

  • What is a good way of achieving this goal?

Thanks
Mark
aka the $0 online business entrepreneur

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How do digital nomads pay tax?


by @rodriigovieira 4yr 4 years ago  | 19 comments

Hello everyone! Iโ€™m new here and probably this is a very newbie question, but it doesnโ€™t leave my head.

How do you, nomads, pay your taxes? I mean, if youโ€™re constantly traveling, how are you going to pay taxes for a certain country if you are going to stay there a short period of time?
Or do you return to your โ€œoriginal countryโ€ and then pay them?

By the way, this forum has very nice cool formatting features! :smile:

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Anyone know an accountant for Canadian nomads/expats?


by @noam_lightstone 4yr 4 years ago  | 16 comments

Hey guys, this was my first year as a Canadian nomad.

As far as I know of, Canadians donโ€™t pay taxes if they do not live in the country for 6 months.

But Iโ€™d like to talk to an accountant or someone who does Canadian taxes specifically for expats and nomads to get clear on the rules and for help on my return coming up.

Does anyone know someone who specializes in Canada who can help? Iโ€™ve seen plenty of US recommendations but none for us canucks.

Thanks guys!

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Where can I get travel insurance for "any reason"?


by @tomheartstacos 4yr 4 years ago  | 0 comments

Hi,
Iโ€™m looking for travel insurance that I can use for work. Iโ€™m in the US now, but am moving to Portugal. Iโ€™m looking for travel insurance that I can buy to recover travel costs if my plans change for any reason. World Nomad looks good, but they donโ€™t have the โ€˜Any Reasonโ€™ part. I found a helpful article on The Points Guy site, but for all the policies there, you have to be a US resident and I wouldnโ€™t be then.
Any suggestions?

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Best place for Digital Nomad in Latin America?


by @rose_davis 4yr 4 years ago  | 7 comments

Hi!

I am planning to move to Latin America for 3-4 months (Oct-January). Iโ€™ve narrowed down 6 different places that I want to visit before committing to settling down, but Iโ€™d love to get some community input.

Here are the cities Iโ€™m considering:

  • Quito, Ecuador
  • Cuenca, Ecuador
  • Medellin, Columbia
  • Cartagena, Columbia
  • Antigua, Guatemala
  • San Marcos La Laguna, Guatemala

The most important things Iโ€™m looking for:

  • Fast/easily accessible internet
  • Easy to meet other nomads/make friends in general
  • Safe for women
  • Some sort of spiritual community (Iโ€™m also a yoga teacher)
  • Easily walkable city

Anyone have any experience with these places and can give some insight? Iโ€™m also completely open to other recommendations.

Thanks!
Rose

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Where are the nomads in Mexico City?


in Mexico City , Mexico by @shellyfish 4yr 4 years ago  | 9 comments

I just landed as a n00b digital nomad in Mexico City, and I am wonderingโ€ฆ Where are all the international digital nomads hiding around here? I have been to several coworking spaces (Selina etc.) only to find A LOT of local Mexican workers and businesses. Donโ€™t get me wrong, that is all fine, but I was hoping to meet some international nomads! Any advice?

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How do we solve housing for digital nomads?

 

by @levelsio 4yr 4 years ago  | 61 comments

Thereโ€™s been a lot of discussion on this recently.

Nomads usually stay in hostels, hotels and short-term apartments. But itโ€™s all not very optimal.

Iโ€™ve heard people suggest getting funding and building a network of houses you can stay at for a subscription price (e.g. Bruno Haid is working on that).

I donโ€™t want do physical stuff, so Iโ€™m thinking of building a platform around making housing better for nomads.

What are the housing problems nomads face? And how can we solve them with products/services?

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App/tool/service for nomads to bring things from another country?


by @brmolin 4yr 4 years ago  | 4 comments

I vaguely remember hearing about such a service before, but Iโ€™m drawing a blank on the name. Basically I left my tablet on a connecting flight in Europe, right before my main flight to Thailand. They have my tablet and are willing to ship it out for me, but people have warned me thereโ€™s a big risk of it getting โ€œlost in the mailโ€ if I ship something expensive like that to Thailand.

Iโ€™m wondering if thereโ€™s a service or community, where I can find a nomad whoโ€™s in Europe/heading to Thailand soon, so I can have it shipped to them in Europe and pay them to ferry it down here for me? I met someone in Budapest a ways back who had built something for this type of use-case, but I canโ€™t remember the name of it. Any help would be appreciated!

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