Compare travel insurance
and pick the right type

Travel Essentials

Single trip, annual, Schengen visa or nomad plan: the type of policy matters more than the brand. Here is how to compare them, what to check in the small print, and what you need for Europe.

Compare the types

Which travel insurance
do you actually need?

Most comparison sites rank policies by price. The more useful question comes first: which type of policy fits your trip? A city break, several trips a year, a Schengen visa application and six months of remote work need very different cover. Standard travel insurance is designed for holidays — two weeks in a beach resort, a city break, a package tour. The policy assumes you'll be home within 30 to 90 days, that you're not earning income abroad, and that your medical history is a simple checkbox.

For digital nomads and long-term travellers, none of those assumptions hold. The result: a policy that looks like coverage until you actually need it — and then doesn't pay out. This guide explains the gaps, what real nomad coverage looks like, and the five questions to ask before buying anything.

Standard policy limit30–90 days
Schengen visa minimum€30,000 medical
Pre-existing conditionsUsually excluded
Nomad plansMonthly rolling
Equipment coveragePlan-dependent
Compare the types — Updated October 2026

Travel insurance types
compared side by side

Quick verdict: a single-trip policy for one city break; an annual multi-trip policy from two trips a year; a Schengen-compliant policy if you need a visa; a nomad subscription for months abroad. Card cover is a useful extra, rarely enough on its own.

TypeBest forCoversWatch for
Single tripOne holiday or city break with set datesMedical, repatriation, cancellation, baggageTrip length cap; cancellation cover must be bought early to be useful
Annual multi-tripTwo or more trips a yearEvery trip in the year, same coverEach trip is often capped at 30–45 days
Schengen visa policyVisa applicants for the Schengen areaAt least €30,000 of medical cover in every Schengen countryOften medical-only: little or no cancellation or baggage cover
Bank-card coverShort trips paid with a premium cardOften cancellation and some medicalUsually only if the trip was paid with the card; low medical limits
Nomad subscriptionMonths abroad, no fixed return dateMonthly rolling medical cover worldwideCancellation and baggage often limited; age limits on some plans
A passport, a camera and a laptop on a map
Match the policy to the trip: dates, destination, length and what you carry. Photo: Unsplash
Europe

Travel insurance for Europe
and the Schengen area

EHIC and GHIC are not travel insurance. The European Health Insurance Card (and the UK’s GHIC) gives access to state healthcare in other European countries on the same terms as locals. It does not cover private treatment, repatriation home, cancellation, or lost and stolen belongings — so it complements a travel policy rather than replacing it.

Schengen visa applicants must show travel medical insurance with at least €30,000 of cover, valid in every Schengen country for the whole stay and including repatriation. Many insurers sell policies worded specifically for visa applications; check that the certificate states the amount and the dates.

Travelling from outside Europe? Your home health insurance may not cover you abroad at all. Check before you go, and choose a medical limit that matches the cost of private healthcare in the countries you visit.

An airport terminal hall with departure screens
For a Schengen visa, the insurance certificate must cover the whole stay, in every Schengen country. Photo: Unsplash
Checklist

How to compare
two policies

Prices only mean something once the cover is comparable. Put two policies side by side and check these six lines:

  • Medical limit per incident, not the headline maximum. We suggest at least $250,000 outside Europe.
  • Repatriation and evacuation: included, and up to what amount?
  • Excess: how much you pay yourself on each claim.
  • Cancellation: the reasons accepted and the maximum refund.
  • Electronics: the per-item limit, often €500–1,000 on standard policies.
  • Exclusions: pre-existing conditions, alcohol, and activities such as skiing or scuba diving.
A green illuminated pharmacy sign with a cross
Medical cover is the line that matters most: compare the limit per incident, not the headline figure. Photo: Unsplash
The Problem

For long-term travellers: why standard insurance
fails after a few weeks

Most travellers buy standard travel insurance without reading the fine print. These policies are aggressively priced and easy to purchase — because the coverage terms are built around short, predictable trips. Here are the most common ways nomads find themselves unprotected.

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The trip duration cap
Most single-trip policies cover a maximum of 30 to 90 days. Annual multi-trip policies typically cap each individual trip at 30–45 consecutive days. If you're abroad for longer without a policy designed for it, you're uninsured from day 31 onwards — even if you're still within your annual policy's active period.
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The "working abroad" exclusion
Many standard policies include clauses that void coverage if you're working or earning income in the destination country. This is rarely clearly stated on the purchase page. Remote workers and freelancers who pay a standard premium and then try to claim after a medical incident while working may find their claim rejected on this basis.
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Pre-existing condition exclusions
Most standard policies exclude any medical condition you had before purchasing the policy, unless explicitly declared and accepted. This includes chronic conditions, mental health history, and anything treated in the past 12–24 months. On a long trip, a flare-up of a pre-existing condition is not a remote scenario — it's a realistic risk.
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Low baggage and electronics limits
Standard baggage coverage typically has a low total limit (often €1,500–2,500) with a per-item cap of €500–1,000. A single professional laptop commonly exceeds this. Many policies also require a police report for theft — straightforward in some countries, nearly impossible in others.
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No coverage for home-country nationals in their home country
Some nomads return to their home country briefly mid-trip. Standard travel insurance typically suspends coverage the moment you re-enter your country of residence — even if only for a weekend before continuing abroad.
Key risk

Emergency medical evacuation — flying a patient from a remote destination to adequate medical facilities — can cost tens of thousands, and well over $100,000 for a long-distance air ambulance. This is the single most financially devastating travel health event and the clearest reason to maintain medical and evacuation coverage.

What to Look For

What nomad travel insurance
should actually cover

Once you understand the gaps in standard policies, the coverage requirements for a nomad become clearer. Here's what to look for — and what to treat as non-negotiable.

🏥
Emergency medical
Look for high medical coverage limits — a minimum of $250,000 per incident. Check whether the policy covers hospitalisation, surgery, outpatient treatment and prescription costs, not just emergency room visits.
🚁
Emergency evacuation
This is the coverage most likely to save you from financial ruin. Look for unlimited or very high evacuation limits. Verify it includes repatriation to your home country, not just to the nearest adequate hospital.
💻
Remote work equipment
Standard baggage limits won't cover a professional laptop. Look for policies with per-item electronics limits of at least €1,500, and check whether theft from unattended vehicles or co-working spaces is covered.
🧘
Mental health coverage
A growing number of nomad-specific policies now include mental health treatment. This is worth checking — mental health crises abroad are more common than travel medicine statistics typically reflect.
🧗
Adventure activities
Hiking, surfing, scuba diving and motorcycling are among the most common exclusions in standard policies. If your travel includes any activity beyond standard sightseeing, verify it is covered or add a specific rider.
🔄
Flexible duration
Nomad-specific policies typically work on a monthly rolling basis — you pay month by month and can pause or cancel. This matches how most nomads actually travel, rather than forcing a fixed 12-month commitment.
Types of Coverage

Which type of policy
fits your trip?

Short trips under 4 weeks

Standard single-trip travel insurance is adequate for most short holidays. Focus on medical coverage, trip cancellation and delays. The trip duration limits won't be a problem at this length. Credit card travel insurance can supplement — but rarely replaces — a standalone policy for medical coverage.

Watch for: pre-existing condition exclusions, and whether the policy covers your destination country (some exclude specific regions).

Trips 4 weeks to 6 months

Standard single-trip policies start to fail here. Look for long-stay specialist policies or backpacker insurance, which typically cover 6–18 months. Verify the per-trip cap on any annual policy you already hold.

Watch for: working abroad clauses, and whether the policy still covers you if you return home briefly mid-trip before continuing.

Long-term nomads (6 months+)

Nomad-specific insurance products are built for this use case. They operate on a monthly subscription model, have no fixed trip duration, and typically include explicit coverage for remote workers. Medical coverage tends to be the focus; trip cancellation coverage is often limited or excluded.

Watch for: coverage exclusions for your home country, age limits (some plans cap at 39 or 49), and whether adventure activities you regularly do are covered as standard or require an add-on.

Remote workers on fixed contracts

If your employer has you working abroad long-term, ask whether your company provides international health insurance as part of your package. Many do — and a good employer-provided international health plan will cover you more comprehensively than any personal travel policy.

Watch for: gaps between the company plan's effective date and your arrival abroad. A short-term travel policy bridges this gap.

Before You Buy

Five questions to ask
before purchasing any policy

Travel insurance marketing is designed to get you to click "Buy now." The questions below slow that process down and make sure the policy you're about to buy actually matches how you travel.

1
What is the maximum trip duration, and does it reset if I return home?
Read the exact policy wording, not the marketing summary. Some annual policies reset the per-trip clock when you return home, even briefly; others don't. Understand exactly when and how coverage suspends.
2
Does the policy cover remote work or freelance income activities?
Search the policy document for terms like "business travel," "manual work," "professional activities," and "gainful employment." If the wording is ambiguous, email the insurer and get written confirmation before purchasing.
3
What are the exact medical coverage and evacuation limits?
The headline number ("up to $1M medical cover!") often refers to a theoretical maximum. Check the per-incident limit, the daily hospitalisation rate, and whether evacuation is included or a separate add-on with its own cap.
4
How are pre-existing conditions handled?
Declare everything, even if you think it's minor. An undeclared condition that appears relevant to a claim can void the entire policy. If coverage for a condition matters to you, get explicit written acceptance from the insurer before relying on the policy for that condition.
5
What is the claims process and 24/7 emergency contact?
A policy is only as good as its claims process. Look for a 24/7 emergency assistance line, check how claims are filed (online vs. paper), and read reviews specifically focused on claims experience — not just sales and purchase smoothness.
FAQ

Travel insurance questions answered

No. It gives access to state healthcare on the same terms as locals, but it does not cover private treatment, repatriation home, cancellation, or lost and stolen belongings. Use it alongside a travel insurance policy.
Travel medical insurance with at least €30,000 of cover, valid in every Schengen country for the whole stay and including repatriation. Check that the certificate states the amount and the dates.
Single-trip for one holiday a year. From two trips a year, an annual multi-trip policy is often better value and simpler, but each trip is usually capped at 30 to 45 days.
Most standard travel insurance policies do not explicitly cover remote work or freelance activities — they are designed for holidaymakers. Some policies may also void coverage if you are earning income in the destination country. Nomad-specific policies typically address this explicitly. If in doubt, contact the insurer in writing before purchasing.
Single-trip standard policies typically cover trips up to 30, 60 or 90 days depending on the provider. Annual multi-trip policies usually cap each individual trip at 30–45 days. For longer travel, you need either a long-stay policy or a nomad-specific product with rolling monthly coverage.
Most standard policies exclude pre-existing conditions unless declared and accepted at purchase, usually with an additional premium. Always declare any condition at purchase and read the exclusion wording carefully before relying on the policy for that condition.
Standard travel insurance typically covers personal electronics up to a low per-item limit (often €500–1,000) — usually far less than a work laptop costs. Coverage commonly excludes mechanical breakdown and often requires a police report for theft. If you travel with expensive equipment, look for a nomad plan with dedicated remote-work coverage or a separate equipment policy.
Emergency medical evacuation can cost tens of thousands, and well over $100,000 for a long-distance air ambulance, depending on location and destination hospital. This is one of the most financially devastating travel health events and the strongest argument for maintaining medical and evacuation coverage whenever travelling internationally.
Travel protected

Pick the type,
then compare the cover

Single trip, annual or Schengen: check the medical limit, the excess and the exclusions before you pay.

More travel essentials →

Long-term traveller? See also SafetyWing, a monthly nomad plan.