Hi adventure families! Buckle up, because we’re about to dive into the wild world of travel insurance. I know, I know, insurance sounds about as exciting as watching paint dry, but trust me, it’s your secret weapon for stress-free globetrotting!
While we all hope that we never need insurance, we all know it’s a great idea to have it for emergencies. While you may have medical insurance in your home country, it may or may not cover an emergency abroad. Sadly, it may also not cover extremes such as repatriating your body (flying your body back home). As morbid as this sounds, you do not want to burden your loved ones with this in a worst-case scenario.
Travel insurance is fairly inexpensive and can add some extra peace of mind to your travels. I’m not a big fan of insurance in general, but we always have some plans in place for those big, worst-case items. We tend to be fairly healthy and visit the doctor rarely, but medical bankruptcy is no joke!
Thankfully, medical costs outside the USA are much more affordable! We’ve paid out of pocket for many items abroad to find them similar to our deductible or out-of-pocket expense in the USA (or less!). However, accidents can happen anywhere, and being in an ICU in a foreign country for weeks or months is going to add up no matter what.
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Let’s cut to the chase – is travel insurance really necessary? Yeah, it is! We’ve been there, done that, and got the “Thank goodness we had insurance” t-shirt. From some unexpected accidents to an ER stay in Beijing to other crazy adventures, having that safety net can bring some serious peace of mind amid the chaos of everything else.
Now, I know you’re probably thinking, “Leslie, there are more insurance options out there than flavors of gelato in Italy!” And you’re right! But don’t worry, I’ve got your back. We’re going to break down three rockstar insurance providers that’ll make you feel safer than a kid in a bubble wrap suit:
Each of these has its own superpowers, perfect for different types of traveling families. Whether you’re planning a quick stateside jaunt or a year-long world tour, we’ve got you covered!
Grab your favorite travel mug, fill it with your beverage of choice (no judgment here! I’m a big Swig fan when I’m home in Utah), and let’s dive into the nitty-gritty of travel insurance. By the end of this post, you’ll be picking your perfect insurance plan faster than your kids can say “Are we there yet?” Let’s go!
Picture this: You’re all set for your epic family getaway, and BAM! Life throws you a curveball. One of ours was when we invited many of our StroudInc contractors to Beijing, China to explore with us for a few days. As we traveled to the Great Wall, one of our dear kiddos started to have some serious diarrhea. Trust me when I say this: tummy troubles are NOT fun when you have Chinese bathrooms to deal with.
As the day progressed, he got worse and worse. At 4 am, we knew he had to go to the ER as he was practically unresponsive. I’ll never forget running around the quiet streets of Beijing, Google Maps in hand, trying to find an ER. A sweet taxi driver took pity on us and drove us around the block to the entrance we couldn’t find in all our worry and stress. Thankfully, two nights in the hospital, some meds, and IV fluids later, all was well! However, we did use our travel insurance (and a Chinese-speaking friend to translate docs) to get reimbursed for this stay.
Traveling with kids comes with plenty of curveballs and medical mishaps, which are as expected on the road as they are at home. That’s where travel insurance swoops in like your personal vacation guardian angel.
Travel insurance can come in handy for things like:
Now, let’s break down three awesome insurance options that might just be your ticket to stress-free travels.
For those families that, like us, feel the call to travel full-time, travel insurance is perfect! If you don’t plan to be in the USA for an extended time, you can get travel insurance for much cheaper than what you are likely paying now.
If you are planning to return to the USA and want to maintain your US insurance for any pre-existing conditions, consider switching to a healthcare plan. This is what we did when we left in 2018 for full-time travel and have liked it overall. We did have to start over on some of our pre-existing conditions (like previous accidents), but that was OK for us. We went with Zion’s Healthshare. They’ve been excellent to work with. We’ve come back from some procedures, like tonsil removal last year, and tend to keep our well-child visits on the US vaccination schedule. We see our doctors during our summer visits to the US. This is NOT necessary, as we have great health care options in Portugal, but it brings some comfort to us as well.
I will be upfront that if you have chronic, difficult medical issues, full-time travel may not be an option due to the medical difficulties it presents. Issues like diabetes can be difficult to conquer when traveling full-time, but it’s still not impossible. In this scenario, I would keep some US healthcare options. You can also explore international health insurance like we have in Portugal as long as you have an address in that country. This could be a friend you meet there 🙂
All that being said, if you are not married to health insurance in the US, embrace the travel insurance for your FT travels! Some options offer monthly plans for up to six months at a time that are perfect for this.
Here’s a detailed comparison of TravelEx, SafetyWing, and World Nomads to help you choose the best travel insurance for your family:
| Feature | TravelEx | SafetyWing | World Nomads |
| Product | Family Travel Insurance | Nomad Health Insurance | Travel Insurance for Adventure |
| Geographic Coverage | All countries except specific exclusions (e.g., Crimea, Iran, North Korea) | 175+ countries | Africa, Asia, Europe, and the U.S. |
| Child Coverage | Included under 17 at no additional cost | Up to 2 children under 10 per family free | Children included in family plan |
| Pricing (Estimates) | Variable; flat rate from $60 for Travel America Plan (14 days or less) | From $82/month for ages 0-17, $199/month for ages 40-49 (You can sign up for automatic coverage extensions every 4 weeks until you cancel or for a maximum of 364 days, like a subscription.) | From $2,334.28 for 6 months |
| Medical Coverage | Emergency medical protection | Full-fledged health insurance | Overseas medical care, Medevac |
| Trip Cancellation/Delay | Yes | No | Yes |
| Adventure Activity Coverage | No | Limited | Covers 150+ activities |
| Gear/Electronics Coverage | No | Limited | Up to $3,000 |
| Rental Car Damage | No | No | Yes (Explorer Plan) |
| Pregnancy Complications | No | Yes | Yes (not birth) |
| Emergency Dental | No | Yes | Yes |
| Age Limits | None specified | Covers up to age 69 | None specified |
| Ease of Claims | Standard | Easy online submission | Online claims submission |
| Policy Duration | Variable | Monthly | Up to 180 days |
| Trip Cancellation Coverage | Yes | No | Yes |
| Deductible Options | Not specified | Yes | Not specified |
Each one has its own niche and covers specific necessities, depending on the type of travel you want to do. Here is a better comprehensive list of pros and cons of each.
Picture this: You’re road-tripping across the States, kids in tow, when suddenly your 10-year-old decides to test gravity at the Grand Canyon. Yikes! TravelEx has got your back.
Kids under 17 ride free! (Insurance-wise, that is. You still gotta buy their plane tickets, sorry.)
TravelEx plans cover nearly all locations everywhere except a few no-go zones like Crimea, Iran, and North Korea. Emergency medical protection? Check. Trip cancellation? Double-check.
Pro Tip: Their “Travel America” plan is a steal at $60 flat rate for domestic trips under 14 days. Hello, budget-friendly!
Pros:
Cons:
Calling all digital nomad families! SafetyWing is like that cool aunt who’s got your back no matter where you are in the world.
Pros:
Cons:
Got teens (or a spouse) who think “extreme” is a lifestyle? World Nomads is your new BFF.
Pros:
Cons:
Remember, travel fam, picking insurance is like choosing the perfect vacation outfit – it’s gotta fit just right! Consider your travel style, budget, and how accident-prone your little ones are (we’ve all been there!).
Now go forth and conquer the world, knowing you’ve got a safety net that’d make a trapeze artist jealous!
Safe travels!
Xoxo, Leslie
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