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International health insurance vs travel insurance comparison

International Health Insurance vs Travel Insurance: Which Do Digital Nomads Need?

Travel insurance and international health insurance both protect you abroad—but they're fundamentally different products designed for different needs. Understanding the distinction helps you choose the right coverage for your nomad lifestyle.

Most nomads start with travel insurance. Some eventually upgrade to international health insurance. This guide explains when each makes sense.

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

The Fundamental Difference

Travel Insurance

Purpose: Protect against unexpected emergencies during travel

Designed for: Travelers who have a home base and healthcare access in their home country

Focus: Catastrophic events, trip disruptions, emergencies

Coverage: Emergency medical, evacuation, trip cancellation, gear

Typical cost: $50-200/month

International Health Insurance (IPMI)

Purpose: Comprehensive healthcare coverage worldwide, similar to domestic health insurance

Designed for: Expats, long-term travelers, people without home country healthcare

Focus: Complete healthcare including routine care, preventive services, ongoing treatment

Coverage: Everything from checkups to major surgery

Typical cost: $200-500+/month

Coverage Comparison

| Feature | Travel Insurance | International Health Insurance | |---------|------------------|-------------------------------| | Emergency medical | Yes | Yes | | Emergency evacuation | Yes | Yes | | Routine doctor visits | No | Yes | | Preventive care | No | Yes | | Prescriptions (ongoing) | No | Yes | | Dental (routine) | No | Often included | | Vision | No | Often included | | Mental health (ongoing) | Rarely | Usually | | Pre-existing conditions | Excluded | Can be covered | | Chronic condition management | No | Yes | | Direct billing network | Limited | Extensive | | Trip cancellation | Yes | No | | Gear coverage | Yes | No |

Cost Comparison

Travel Insurance (Age 30, Single)

| Provider | Monthly Cost | Medical Maximum | |----------|--------------|-----------------| | SafetyWing | $48 | $250,000 | | World Nomads | $100-140 | $100,000-300,000 | | Insured Nomads | $140-200 | $500,000-1,000,000 |

International Health Insurance (Age 30, Single)

| Provider | Monthly Cost | Medical Maximum | |----------|--------------|-----------------| | Cigna Global (Silver) | $200-300 | $1,000,000 | | Cigna Global (Gold) | $300-400 | $2,000,000 | | Allianz Worldwide | $250-350 | $1,000,000+ | | IMG Global (Premium) | $200-300 | Varies | | BUPA Global | $300-450 | $3,000,000+ |

The cost gap: International health insurance costs 2-4x more than travel insurance.

When Travel Insurance Is Sufficient

Travel insurance works well when you:

Are Young and Healthy

  • No chronic conditions requiring ongoing care
  • No regular medications
  • No pre-existing conditions

Don't Need Routine Care

  • Can wait until home visits for checkups
  • No ongoing treatment requirements
  • Comfortable with emergency-only coverage

Have Home Country Healthcare

  • Maintain health insurance or NHS access at home
  • Can return home for non-emergency care
  • Regular home visits for medical needs

Are Starting Out

  • Testing the nomad lifestyle
  • Uncertain about long-term plans
  • Budget-conscious

Maintain a Home Base

  • Spend significant time in home country
  • Use home healthcare for most needs
  • Travel is intermittent, not continuous

When International Health Insurance Makes Sense

Upgrade to IPMI when:

You Have Health Needs

  • Chronic conditions requiring ongoing care (diabetes, heart disease, etc.)
  • Regular medications that need monitoring
  • Pre-existing conditions you need covered
  • Mental health treatment needs

For more on this, see our pre-existing conditions guide.

You've Fully Location-Decoupled

  • No longer maintain home country healthcare
  • No regular home country visits
  • Permanently nomadic or expat lifestyle
  • Home country healthcare access lost

You Want Comprehensive Care

  • Regular checkups and preventive care
  • Routine dental and vision
  • Direct access to specialists
  • Don't want to wait for emergencies

You're Over 40

  • Higher probability of health issues
  • More value from preventive care
  • Pre-existing conditions more likely
  • Premium gap between travel and IPMI narrows with age

You're Settling Into One Country

  • Long-term stay (6+ months)
  • Establishing relationships with doctors
  • Want consistent ongoing care
  • Building health infrastructure abroad

The "Slow Nomad" Gray Area

Many digital nomads exist between tourist and expat:

  • Traveling continuously but not settling
  • No home country healthcare but not expat either
  • Healthy now but uncertain about the future

Options for Gray Area Nomads

Option 1: Premium Travel Insurance

Insured Nomads or similar with:

  • Higher coverage limits
  • Telehealth access
  • Some routine care coverage

Cost: $150-250/month

Option 2: Travel Insurance + Local Healthcare

Combine travel insurance for catastrophic events with:

  • Paying out-of-pocket for routine care (cheap in many countries)
  • Local health insurance in long-stay countries

Cost: $50-100/month insurance + variable out-of-pocket

Option 3: Budget International Health Insurance

Entry-level IPMI with higher deductibles:

  • Cigna Global with high deductible
  • IMG Global entry tiers

Cost: $200-300/month with $2,000-5,000 deductible

Provider Deep Dive

Cigna Global

Best for: Comprehensive worldwide coverage

  • Multiple plan tiers (Silver, Gold, Platinum)
  • Large provider network
  • Telehealth included
  • Pre-existing condition coverage available
  • Mental health coverage
  • Direct billing in most situations

Starting cost: ~$200/month (30-year-old, Silver tier)

Allianz Worldwide Care

Best for: Strong European coverage

  • Multiple plan options
  • Excellent European network
  • Good for EU-based nomads
  • Pre-existing condition options

Starting cost: ~$250/month (varies by plan)

IMG Global (PatriotExchange)

Best for: Flexible, customizable coverage

  • Choose coverage levels
  • Choose deductible
  • Good bridge between travel and full IPMI
  • More affordable entry points

Starting cost: ~$200/month (varies significantly by options)

BUPA Global

Best for: Premium comprehensive coverage

  • Top-tier coverage
  • Extensive network
  • Full preventive care
  • Mental health included
  • Premium pricing

Starting cost: ~$350/month

SafetyWing Remote Health

Best for: Nomads upgrading from travel insurance

  • Designed specifically for remote workers
  • Easier transition from Nomad Insurance
  • More affordable than traditional IPMI
  • Limited network compared to major IPMIs

Starting cost: ~$180/month

Making the Transition

When to Upgrade

Consider transitioning to IPMI when:

  • Health needs change (new diagnosis, aging)
  • Travel becomes truly permanent
  • Budget allows premium coverage
  • Peace of mind worth the cost
  • Home country healthcare no longer accessible

How to Transition

  1. Research options during current coverage period
  2. Apply for IPMI while still covered by travel insurance
  3. Complete medical underwriting (may take 2-4 weeks)
  4. Overlap coverage briefly to prevent gaps
  5. Cancel travel insurance after IPMI begins

Potential Complications

  • Pre-existing conditions may be excluded initially
  • Waiting periods for some coverage
  • Medical underwriting may affect pricing
  • Some conditions may be uninsurable

Hybrid Approaches

Travel Insurance + Out-of-Pocket Routine Care

How it works:

  • Travel insurance for emergencies ($50-150/month)
  • Pay cash for routine care (often cheap abroad)

Best for: Healthy nomads in affordable healthcare regions

Example budget:

  • SafetyWing: $48/month
  • Occasional doctor visit: $30-50
  • Annual checkup: $100-200
  • Total: ~$75-100/month

Travel Insurance + Country-Specific Insurance

How it works:

  • Travel insurance for global coverage
  • Local health insurance for country of primary residence

Best for: Base + travel nomads, digital nomad visa holders

Example:

  • SafetyWing: $48/month
  • Thai Social Security (if working legally): ~$30/month
  • Total: ~$80/month with robust local coverage

Premium Travel Insurance as Bridge

How it works:

  • Use premium travel insurance with IPMI-like features
  • Insured Nomads Global Medical or similar

Best for: Those needing more than budget travel insurance but not ready for full IPMI

Cost: $150-250/month

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Not necessarily. Most healthy nomads under 40 without pre-existing conditions do fine with travel insurance. IPMI becomes more valuable as you age, develop health needs, or commit to permanent nomadism without home country healthcare access.
Comprehensive coverage including routine care, preventive services, and pre-existing conditions. Travel insurance only covers emergencies. If you need regular doctor visits, ongoing prescriptions, or have chronic conditions, IPMI provides much more complete coverage.
Depends on your situation. For young, healthy nomads with home country healthcare access, probably not. For those with health needs, over 40, or fully location-independent without home healthcare, the comprehensive coverage often justifies the premium.
Yes, but timing matters. Apply for IPMI while still covered by travel insurance. Complete any medical underwriting before canceling existing coverage. Any conditions that developed during travel insurance period may be 'pre-existing' to the new policy.
Most IPMI policies offer worldwide coverage, though some exclude certain countries (often USA due to cost, sometimes home country). You choose coverage regions during enrollment. Worldwide-including-USA is significantly more expensive than worldwide-excluding-USA.
Travel insurance rarely covers dental or vision. Most IPMI plans include dental coverage (often with waiting periods) and may include vision. Coverage levels vary by plan and tier.

Decision Framework

Choose Travel Insurance If:

  • Under 40 and healthy
  • No pre-existing conditions
  • No ongoing care needs
  • Have home country healthcare access
  • Budget is priority
  • Testing nomad lifestyle

Choose International Health Insurance If:

  • Have chronic conditions or pre-existing health issues
  • Need ongoing care or regular medications
  • No home country healthcare access
  • Over 40 (especially over 50)
  • Want preventive care and routine coverage
  • Committed to long-term nomadism
  • Peace of mind worth the premium

Consider Hybrid Approach If:

  • In the gray area between healthy and health needs
  • Want more than budget insurance, less than full IPMI
  • Have specific local coverage options
  • Budget-conscious but want better coverage

Related Guides

The choice between travel insurance and international health insurance isn't binary. Start with travel insurance when you begin nomading. Reassess as your situation evolves. Upgrade to IPMI when your health needs, commitment level, or peace of mind requirements justify the premium.

Most nomads spend years with travel insurance before considering IPMI. Some never need to upgrade. Understanding both options lets you make the right choice for your specific situation.

About the Author

Image for Author Peter Schneider

Peter Schneider