There are two types of health insurance that are most relevant for long-term travelers, like digital nomads, expats, and international students:
Travel Health Insurance and International Health Insurance
They sound very similar, but there are some important differences. This article explains and compares both types of insurance, so you can decide which one is right for you.
⏳ Travel Health Insurance: A Temporary Add-On
Travel health insurance is designed to cover you while you're temporarily away from home. It's meant to “top up” your existing long-term health cover (like local health insurance or access to the public health system in your home country) by adding more international coverage.
Key Characteristics of Travel Health Insurance
- Not a replacement for long-term health insurance
- Limited duration (typically up to 6 months or 1 year)
- Limited or no coverage in your home country
- Coverage often ends when you return home or are medically transported home
- May have significant exclusions (e.g. chronic diseases, cancer, sports injuries)
- Usually doesn't cover pre-existing conditions or ongoing treatments
When is Travel Health Insurance a Good Choice?
Travel health insurance is a good choice if you plan to travel abroad, and you'll maintain long-term health insurance or access to public healthcare in your home country.
In that case, you could add travel health insurance to have more cover while you're away from home. Just make sure to choose travel health insurance that covers you for the full length of your trip, the places you're planning to travel to, and any sports and other activities you're planning to do.
💎 International Health Insurance: Comprehensive Global Coverage
International health insurance is comprehensive health insurance for people who are living or working abroad for a long period, like expats and digital nomads.
Because it offers long-term cover, international health insurance is similar to (and can be a replacement for) local health insurance.
Key Characteristics of International Health Insurance
- Can replace local health insurance
- Long-term coverage (typically one-year minimum, with no maximum length)
- May cover preventive care (e.g. check-ups, vaccinations, cancer screenings)
- Often includes or offers add-ons for dental, vision, and other types of care
- May cover pre-existing conditions (if approved during sign-up)
When is International Health Insurance a Good Choice?
International health insurance is a good choice if you're planning to spend at least one year traveling or living mostly outside of your home country and:
- You don't have any other long-term health cover, or
- You plan to "de-register" as a legal resident of your home country (which may cause you to lose access to the local healthcare system), or
- You prefer to cancel your local health insurance and have just one insurance that covers you everywhere
Why isn't travel health insurance enough by itself? Why is long-term cover so important?
Travel health insurance is not enough by itself, because it has a maximum length.
Imagine if, during the time you're covered by your travel health insurance, you develop a chronic disease, have an injury, or get into an accident which will require ongoing treatment (for example: medicine, surgery, rehab, or physical therapy).
Once you reach the limit of your travel health insurance, the insurance ends. Unless you have some other long-term cover, you'll become uninsured, and you'll have to pay for all of your medical expenses yourself.
Now, you might think that you could just sign up for the same travel health insurance again, or switch to another company.
You might be able to do that, but whenever you start a new insurance contract, any injuries or illnesses that you already have become pre-existing conditions.
Those pre-existing conditions are often excluded from coverage by insurers — they may also raise the price that you need to pay, or even prevent you from signing up for insurance altogether.
That's why it's so important to have long-term health care cover, like international health insurance with no maximum length.
🛟 Genki Explorer travel health insurance
- Who is this for: International travelers with long-term health coverage.
- Region of cover: Worldwide. Every single country. Depending on your travel plans, you can choose to have full or limited cover in Canada & the USA.
- Home country: When signing up for Genki Explorer you'll specify your "home country". That's the country where you have citizenship or permanent residence, and the place you would want to be returned to in case of a serious illness or injury. So, ideally it's a place where you have access to long-term health care and family/friends who can help you recover. With Genki Explorer, visits to your home country are covered for up to 42 days within each 180 day period.
- Inclusions & exclusions: Medical emergencies and medically necessary treatments (ear infection, flu), initial mental health issues, and sports injuries are covered. Pre-existing conditions and pre-existing pregnancies are not covered. See all benefits.
- Monthly costs: Genki Explorer starts from €48.30 a month (prices for ages 0-29). The monthly costs depend on the chosen deductible, and if you want to include or exclude the USA & Canada.
☂️ Genki Native international health insurance
- Who is this for: Digital nomads, expats, and other long-term travelers who want complete health cover.
- Region of cover: Worldwide (limited cover in Canada & USA).
- Period of cover: You can stay covered for as long as you need to (the minimum is 1 year).
- Home country: Genki Native is available for people from every country (including nomads without any legal residence). You can choose to have limited or full cover in your country of citizenship.
- Genki Native Basic: Genki Native Basic covers necessary medical treatment (inpatient and outpatient treatments) at any licensed doctor or hospital up to €1,000,000 per year. That includes accidents and emergencies, as well as common illnesses and injuries.
- Genki Native Premium: Genki Native Premium also covers preventive care/check-ups, plus dental, vision, maternity, mental health, and more. Genki Native Premium has no overall limit for medical costs and also includes full cover in your country of citizenship.
- Price: Genki Native Basic costs €180 per month (example price for someone aged 20-34 with no deductible). The exact price depends on your age and the benefits and deductible you choose; the price may increase based on the medical information in your application).
Sarah Kuhlemann
Sarah
