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If you’ve got to this post, then you’re already doing better than most. These three market leaders are the best travel insurance providers out there for long-term travellers: True Traveller, World Nomads, and SafetyWing. Let me save you some time up front: you can’t go wrong with any of them.
There is slight difference and strengths between the 3. I’ve done the hard work so, you don’t have too.
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Lucy made it quite clear, picking the right insurance was on my to-do list. Instantly it became a worst-case-scenario into the future, with the four of us stood in some catastrophic situation. Only to find out we are not covered because I half arsed / cheap’d out on the insurance deal and was now staring into the eyes of wrath whilst being told that this was my job to sort out.
So it became a full-blown research project. Hours lost to policy documents, quotes, and customer reviews. But it mattered. We’re travelling with two young kids, across multiple countries, carrying cameras, laptops, tablets. It had to be right, this is the breakdown I wish I’d had when we started, created from my notes. If you’re heading off on your own adventure and want peace of mind without spending more than you need to, read on.
Provider | Best For | Covers Gadgets? | Buy Mid-Trip? | Kids Covered? | Typical Cost (1 Year Family) | Excess Options |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
True Traveller | Families travelling long-term | ✅ (Add-on) | ✅ | ✅ | £1,000 | £0–£125 (customisable) |
World Nomads | Adventure & high-risk trips | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | £1,400–£1,600 | £100 (varies by policy |
SafetyWing | Digital nomads & remote workers | ❌ (very limited) | ✅ | Basic medical only (1 child per adult) | £1,200 | £250 standard excess |
For complete clarity these are rounded estimates to help guide you. My actual True Traveller total (with gadget cover and £0 excess selected) came to £1,745.
True Traveller: Best option for Families Travelling Long-Term
This is the one we went with. And not because it was the cheapest, but because it was the most balanced for family life on the move.
- Flexible medical cover: Emergency medical care is solid, and there are options to reduce the excess to £0 (which we did).
- Electronics add-ons: You can customise your policy to include laptops, cameras, which was necessary for us.
- No fixed return date required: Ideal for open-ended travel plans.
- Buy or extend mid-trip: We’d already left the UK when we bought it.
- Kids are actually considered: A lot of insurers treat children as an afterthought. True Traveller doesn’t.
The interface is clean, their customer support has good reviews and they just felt like it was aimed at people like us rather than just gap year students.
Perfect for:
Families travelling full-time, especially if you’re carrying valuable tech and want the freedom to extend on the road.
World Nomads: Best for Adventure and Extreme Travel
World Nomads has been the go-to name in travel insurance for years and for good reason. If you’re doing scuba diving, skiing, or trekking above 3,000m, this is probably the best fit.
- Huge list of covered activities: More than 200, including some you’d never expect. Like Volcano board (I actually looked it up after I seen it, essentially its surfing down the volcanic gravel).
- Good cover limits for gear: Although it’s not as customisable as True Traveller.
- Great for solo travellers: You’ll find loads of real-world case studies and help articles.
- Strong global support: Their 24/7 assistance is well reviewed.
The trade-off? Price. It’s one of the more expensive options, especially for families. But if you’re planning on hitting the high risk activities, it’s worth the extra.
Perfect for:
Solo travellers, adventure junkies, and people with higher-risk activities planned.
SafetyWing: Best for Digital Nomads on a Budget
SafetyWing is the new kid on the block designed specifically with digital nomads and remote workers in mind. It’s structured more like a subscription, and for a solo traveller, it can be ultra-affordable around £40/month. But when you scale that up for a family over 12 months, it’s not as cheap as it first seems. Our calculations brought it closer to £1,200 for the year for a family of four.
- Monthly payments instead of big upfront cost.
- Can be bought abroad and paused anytime.
- Includes COVID-19 cover and emergency medical.
But there are trade-offs:
- Very limited gadget cover.
- Not the ideal selection for families only one child per adult is covered, and only for basic emergency medical (no check-ups, no vaccinations).
Perfect for:
Solo travellers and digital nomads who want basic peace of mind without the premium price tag but it’s clearly geared toward solo travellers and remote professionals rather than families.
Final Thoughts
We went with True Traveller and haven’t regretted it. But that doesn’t mean it’s the best for everyone.
- Want real medical cover, flexibility, and tech add-ons? True Traveller.
- Planning to jump off waterfalls in South America? World Nomads.
- Earning online and moving every few months? SafetyWing.
Got all the admin sorted now but still not sure exactly where you are headed? Check out our perfect 5 day Okinawa itinerary here.
Whichever one you choose, know this: getting proper cover matters. Your £1,000 camera, a dodgy stomach in Thailand, or even a missed flight due to your kid’s fever it adds up. These three options will have your back when it counts.
