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Long-term travel insurance for extended trips and digital nomads

Best Long-Term Travel Insurance for 6+ Month Trips (2026 Guide)

Standard travel insurance assumes you're leaving home and returning within 30-90 days. Digital nomads don't fit that model. Extended trips—6 months, a year, or indefinitely—require insurance designed for continuous travel.

This guide covers the best options for long-term travelers, the unique challenges of extended coverage, and how to maintain continuous protection without gaps.

This article is part of our complete digital nomad travel insurance guide.

Why Long-Term Travel Needs Different Insurance

The Problem with Tourist Insurance

Most travel insurance policies:

  • Cap duration at 30-90 days
  • Require a return home address
  • Assume fixed trip dates
  • Don't allow renewal indefinitely
  • May void coverage if you're "working" abroad

Digital nomads break all these assumptions. You need insurance designed for continuous, indefinite travel.

What Long-Term Insurance Offers

Insurance built for extended travel:

  • No trip end dates required
  • Subscription or annual models
  • Remote work explicitly covered
  • Renewable indefinitely
  • Multi-country flexibility

Best Long-Term Options Compared

| Provider | Model | Monthly Cost | Medical Max | Best For | |----------|-------|--------------|-------------|----------| | SafetyWing | Subscription | $45-115 | $250,000 | Budget long-term | | Insured Nomads | Annual/Trip | $100-200+ | $1M+ | Premium protection | | World Nomads | Trip (extendable) | $80-140+ | $100K-300K | Adventure travelers | | IMG Global | Annual | $80-150+ | Customizable | Customization | | Cigna Global | Annual | $200-400+ | $1M+ | Expat-level coverage |

Best Long-Term Options Detailed

1. SafetyWing Nomad Insurance - Best for Indefinite Travel

Model: Monthly subscription (no end date)

Cost: $45-115/month depending on age

| Feature | Coverage | |---------|----------| | Medical Maximum | $250,000 | | Evacuation | $100,000 | | Deductible | $250 | | Duration Limit | None (subscription) | | Home Country | Optional add-on |

Why it's best for long-term:

  • No trip end date needed
  • Coverage continues automatically
  • Cancel anytime with prorated refund
  • Specifically designed for nomads

Pros

  • Perfect subscription model for indefinite travel
  • No renewal hassles
  • Can start while already abroad
  • Lowest long-term cost

Cons

  • $250 deductible per incident
  • Limited adventure coverage
  • Pre-existing conditions excluded

For detailed analysis, see our SafetyWing review.

2. Insured Nomads Annual Plans - Best Premium Long-Term

Model: Annual plans with renewal

Cost: $100-250/month (annual payment discounted)

| Feature | Coverage | |---------|----------| | Medical Maximum | $500K-$1M+ | | Evacuation | $500K-$1M | | Deductible | $0-250 (choose) | | Duration Limit | Annual, renewable | | Telehealth | Included |

Why it's good for long-term:

  • Higher coverage limits for year+ travel
  • Annual payment saves money vs monthly
  • Telehealth for ongoing health management
  • Mental health coverage included

Pros

  • Highest coverage limits
  • Annual discount significant
  • Telehealth included
  • Pre-existing condition options

Cons

  • Higher cost
  • Annual commitment
  • Must plan ahead

3. IMG Global Patriot - Best Customizable Long-Term

Model: Annual plans with flexible terms

Cost: $80-150+/month depending on options

| Feature | Coverage | |---------|----------| | Medical Maximum | $50K-$2M (choose) | | Evacuation | Up to $500K | | Deductible | $0-2,500 (choose) | | Duration Limit | Up to 2 years |

Why it's good for long-term:

  • Highly customizable coverage levels
  • Choose your deductible/premium balance
  • Established international insurer
  • Good for older travelers

Pros

  • Customize coverage exactly
  • Good pricing for older nomads
  • Reputable established company
  • Up to 2-year policies

Cons

  • Less nomad-specific
  • More complex to configure
  • No gear coverage

Long-Term Coverage Challenges

The Country of Residence Problem

Insurance companies need to know where you "live" for underwriting. Digital nomads often have unclear residency, which creates complications:

Common solutions:

  • Maintain legal residence in home country
  • Use family member's address
  • Establish residency in nomad-friendly country

Why it matters:

  • Coverage terms may vary by residence
  • Some countries excluded from coverage
  • Tax implications of residency claims

Coverage Continuity

Maintaining continuous coverage is critical:

Gaps are dangerous because:

  • New conditions become "pre-existing"
  • Claims for incidents during gaps denied
  • Some policies require continuous coverage history

How to maintain continuity:

  • Set renewal reminders
  • Enable auto-pay
  • Overlap policies during transitions

The Expat vs. Nomad Question

At some point, long-term nomads may need to decide:

| Factor | Travel Insurance | International Health Insurance | |--------|-----------------|-------------------------------| | Focus | Emergencies | Comprehensive healthcare | | Routine Care | Not covered | Covered | | Cost | $50-200/month | $200-500+/month | | Best for | Continuous travel | Settled base + travel |

If you spend 6+ months annually in one country, international health insurance may be more appropriate. See our travel vs international health insurance comparison.

Annual vs. Monthly Payment

Monthly Subscription (SafetyWing model)

Pros:

  • Maximum flexibility
  • Cancel anytime
  • No large upfront payment
  • Start and stop as needed

Cons:

  • Slightly higher total cost
  • Must remember to maintain
  • Payment failure = coverage gap

Best for: Uncertain travel timelines, tight cash flow, flexibility priority

Annual Payment

Pros:

  • 10-15% discount typical
  • One payment, done for year
  • No monthly tracking

Cons:

  • Large upfront payment
  • Committed for full year
  • Refunds may be partial or none

Best for: Committed long-term nomads, saving priority, stable income

Cost Comparison Example (SafetyWing, Age 30)

| Payment Method | Annual Cost | |----------------|-------------| | Monthly ($48.56 × 13 billing cycles) | $631 | | Annual equivalent | ~$570 (if offered) | | Savings | ~$60/year |

Managing Long-Term Coverage

Before You Leave

  1. Choose appropriate provider based on travel duration estimate
  2. Understand exclusions for your specific activities
  3. Set up auto-payment to prevent gaps
  4. Download policy documents for offline access
  5. Save emergency contacts in multiple locations

While Traveling

  1. Review coverage annually - needs change over time
  2. Track country exclusions - some regions not covered
  3. Document any incidents immediately
  4. Maintain premium payments - gaps are costly
  5. Consider upgrading if health or activities change

Transitioning Coverage

When switching providers:

  1. Overlap coverage - end old policy after new starts
  2. Disclose conditions that developed during previous coverage
  3. Get certificate from previous insurer showing continuous coverage
  4. Understand waiting periods on new policy

Combining with Local Insurance

Long-term stays in some countries may require or benefit from local insurance:

When Local Insurance Makes Sense

  • Visa requirements mandate local coverage
  • Excellent local healthcare at low cost
  • Specific local benefits (e.g., Thailand's social security for workers)

How to Combine

Travel insurance primary + local supplemental:

  • Travel insurance for evacuation and high-cost events
  • Local insurance for routine care and local requirements

Local insurance primary + travel insurance for gaps:

  • Local insurance handles most needs
  • Travel insurance for coverage outside that country

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

SafetyWing offers indefinite coverage through their subscription model - no end date, renews automatically. IMG Global offers up to 2-year single policies. Most trip-based insurers cap at 12 months but allow extensions or renewals.
Yes. Several options exist: SafetyWing subscription covers you indefinitely. Insured Nomads and IMG Global offer annual policies. World Nomads allows trip extensions. Annual policies often provide 10-15% savings over monthly payments.
Most nomad travel insurance continues to cover you regardless of how long you stay in one country. However, some policies have maximum continuous stay limits or exclude countries where you've established residency. Check your specific policy terms.
It depends. Travel insurance covers emergencies and costs $50-200/month. International health insurance covers routine care and costs $200-500+/month. If you need regular healthcare access (chronic conditions, preventive care), international health insurance may be worth the premium.
Start new coverage before ending old coverage - overlap by a few days. This prevents gaps where incidents wouldn't be covered. Keep documentation of continuous coverage history, as some insurers offer better terms for those with no gaps.
For healthy travelers under 40 without pre-existing conditions or extensive adventure activities, yes. The subscription model is perfect for indefinite travel. The limitations (higher deductible, limited adventure coverage, gear limits) remain the same regardless of travel duration.

Related Guides

Long-term travel insurance is simpler than it sounds: choose a provider designed for continuous travel, maintain payments to avoid gaps, and adjust coverage as your needs evolve. The subscription and annual models available today make indefinite travel coverage straightforward.

Start with SafetyWing for budget-friendly indefinite coverage, or Insured Nomads annual plans for premium protection. The most important thing is maintaining continuous coverage—gaps create pre-existing condition issues and leave you exposed.

About the Author

Image for Author Peter Schneider

Peter Schneider