Travel Insurance 2026: The Plans That Actually Cover You
We tested and reviewed the major providers — SafetyWing, World Nomads, Heymondo, Genki, AXA, Cigna, Travelex — to show what each one really covers, what claims look like in practice, and which plan fits your trip.
What insurance actually covers — the unsexy details
If you travel often — or live between countries like Thailand — you've probably realized how quickly things like health insurance become complicated. What works at home rarely makes sense once you're moving every few months, especially across different healthcare systems. SafetyWing offers insurance to digital nomads and remote workers through two core plans, operating under the mantra "made by nomads, for nomads."
We're a bunch of nomads ourselves, so we made Genki for us — and people like us. We didn't start with the idea of being an insurance company.
Editor’s quick picks
A handful of editor-chosen articles to start with — each tagged with why we picked it (new, unique, trending, local, or just one we like).
The one pick for each kind of trip
Travel insurance is genuinely use-case-specific — what's best for a 10-day cruise is wrong for a 6-month nomad year. Our recommendations by trip type.
Not-so-obvious picks
Two of our most-read editorial deep dives in this category.
"We built Genki for nomads like us" — inside the global coverage model
Genki's founders sat down with us to explain why they built another travel-insurance company in a market that already has dozens. The short answer: existing providers were built for the trip, not the lifestyle. The long answer involves a model that doesn't lapse when you fly home, covers dentistry, mental health, pregnancy, and is genuinely readable. The full interview covers what's in, what's out, what claims look like, and what they'd add next.
Read the full Genki interview → Reality checkIs travel insurance really worth it? — our honest verdict
We get this question more than any other, and the honest answer changes depending on where you're going, what you're doing there, and how old you are. Our guide breaks it down by trip type — what coverage really matters for a short trip vs a long-term nomad year, and which providers stand up for each.
- Long weekender: usually not worth it (unless you've prepaid lots)
- Two-week holiday: worth it for medical alone
- Six-month traveler: SafetyWing or Genki, no question
- Full nomad: Genki or Cigna Global for proper health cover
Follow us for field notes from the road
Photos, places, and short dispatches from our writers — between articles.
Follow on Instagram →
