Standard travel insurance works fine for a two-week vacation. You buy a policy, fly somewhere, come home, and forget about it. But when your trip is 60 days, 90 days, or six months, the insurance question gets complicated.
Most single-trip policies max out at 30-45 days. The ones that cover longer trips often have different rules about coverage limits, renewability, adventure sports, and what happens if you need to extend. And the difference between a $150 policy and a $400 policy isn’t always obvious until you read the exclusions — which most people don’t do until they’re filing a claim.
This guide compares the major travel insurance options for trips longer than 30 days, with honest assessments of what each plan actually covers and where the gaps are.
What Long-Trip Insurance Needs to Cover
Before comparing plans, here’s what matters most when you’re away for months:
Emergency Medical Treatment
This is the non-negotiable core. A broken arm in Thailand costs $3,000. A hospital stay in the US costs $10,000+ per day. An emergency evacuation from a remote area costs $50,000-100,000. Your policy needs at least $100,000 in emergency medical coverage for most destinations, and $250,000+ if your trip includes the US, Canada, or Japan where healthcare costs are highest.
Emergency Evacuation
If you need to be airlifted to a hospital with adequate facilities, this is separate from medical treatment coverage. Look for at least $100,000 in evacuation coverage. Some policies cover evacuation to your home country, others only to the nearest adequate facility — a significant difference if you’re in rural Southeast Asia and the nearest good hospital is in Singapore.
Trip Interruption (Not Just Cancellation)
On a long trip, trip cancellation is less relevant (you’ve already left). Trip interruption — coverage for returning home early due to a family emergency, illness, or natural disaster — matters more. Look for policies that reimburse non-refundable costs for the unused portion of your trip.
Baggage and Electronics
Long trips mean you’re carrying your life with you. Laptop, camera, phone, and other electronics add up quickly. Many travel insurance policies cap electronics coverage at $300-500 per item, which doesn’t cover a modern laptop. Check the per-item limits and total baggage coverage amounts.
The Plans Compared
SafetyWing Nomad Insurance — Best for Flexibility
Monthly cost: $45-85/month depending on age (under 40: ~$45; 40-49: ~$64; 50-59: ~$85)
Medical coverage: $250,000 per period
Deductible: $250 per injury/illness
Evacuation: $100,000
Trip interruption: $5,000
Electronics/baggage: $3,000 total, $500 per item
Adventure sports: Covers hiking, skiing, surfing, scuba (to 30m), and most common activities. No bungee jumping or base jumping
Key strength: Subscription-based — buy it monthly, cancel anytime, purchase or extend while already traveling. No fixed end date needed. This flexibility is unmatched for open-ended trips.
Key weakness: The $250 deductible applies per injury or illness. If you have multiple unrelated incidents, you pay the deductible each time. Doesn’t cover US residents within the US. Home country coverage limited to 15 days per 90-day period.
Best for: Digital nomads, open-ended travelers, and anyone who doesn’t know exactly when they’ll come home.
World Nomads Explorer Plan — Best Coverage Breadth
Cost for 90 days: $200-500 depending on age and destination
Medical coverage: $100,000 (Standard) or unlimited (Explorer)
Deductible: $100
Evacuation: $500,000
Trip interruption: Varies by plan
Electronics/baggage: $3,000 total, $1,000 per item (Explorer plan)
Adventure sports: The widest adventure sports coverage of any travel insurer. Explorer plan covers 200+ activities including rock climbing, white-water rafting, bungee jumping, paragliding, and motorsports
Key strength: Adventure sports coverage is unmatched. If your long trip includes trekking, diving, or anything more adventurous than walking, World Nomads Explorer is the policy to beat. Can be purchased while already traveling.
Key weakness: More expensive than SafetyWing for basic coverage. The Standard plan’s $100,000 medical limit is concerning for trips including high-cost medical countries. Trip duration maxes at 12 months per policy.
Best for: Adventure travelers, gap year trippers, and anyone whose activities go beyond standard tourism.
IMG Global Medical — Best Value Medical-Only
Cost for 90 days: $100-300 depending on age and plan
Medical coverage: $100,000 to $8,000,000 depending on plan tier
Deductible: $100-2,500 (choose your level)
Evacuation: $50,000-$1,000,000 depending on plan
Key strength: The most affordable option for pure medical coverage. The high-deductible plans ($2,500) cost very little per month and protect against catastrophic expenses — the things that actually bankrupt travelers.
Key weakness: Minimal trip interruption coverage. Limited baggage coverage. This is health insurance for travelers, not comprehensive travel insurance. You’ll want a separate policy or credit card coverage for baggage and trip interruption.
Best for: Budget-conscious long-term travelers who want catastrophic medical coverage without paying for bells and whistles.
Allianz Allyz Travel Care — Best Traditional Insurer
Cost for 90 days: $250-600 depending on age, destination, and coverage level
Medical coverage: $200,000
Deductible: $0-250 depending on plan
Evacuation: $500,000
Trip interruption: Up to 100% of trip cost
Electronics/baggage: $2,000 total
Key strength: The most comprehensive trip interruption and cancellation coverage. A traditional insurance company with established claims processing and 24/7 assistance. Better for travelers who want a single policy covering everything.
Key weakness: More expensive than specialist nomad insurers. Cannot be purchased after departure. Fixed trip dates required — less flexible for open-ended travel.
Best for: Planned long trips with fixed dates where comprehensive trip interruption coverage matters.
How to Choose: Decision Framework
Open-ended trip, no fixed return date → SafetyWing. The monthly subscription model is built for this. Start, stop, and restart coverage as needed.
Adventure-heavy trip → World Nomads Explorer. If you’re doing anything beyond standard tourism, the adventure sports coverage justifies the higher price.
Tight budget, just want medical coverage → IMG Global Medical. High-deductible plans cost $30-50/month and protect against the expenses that actually matter — hospitalization and evacuation.
Fixed dates, comprehensive coverage wanted → Allianz or a comparable traditional insurer. More expensive but more complete.
What Insurance Doesn’t Cover (Read This)
Every policy has exclusions. The ones that catch long-term travelers most often:
- Pre-existing conditions. Almost universally excluded. If you have a chronic condition, disclose it and ask about coverage explicitly before purchasing
- High-risk countries. Many policies exclude specific countries with active travel advisories. Check the excluded country list for your policy
- Alcohol-related incidents. If you’re intoxicated when injured, most policies won’t pay the claim
- Routine medical care. Travel insurance covers emergencies, not checkups, dental cleaning, or prescription refills
- Mental health. Most travel insurance policies provide limited or no mental health coverage. On a long trip, this is worth considering separately
For a broader comparison including short-trip options, see our general travel insurance comparison guide. For European-specific coverage, our travel insurance for Europe guide covers the EU requirements.