World Nomads Travel Insurance Review: Is It Worth It?

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In this World Nomads Travel Insurance review, we explore what their plans cover, who is eligible, and whether the plans are worth it for you.

World Nomads Travel Insurance offers comprehensive coverage to fit the needs of most any traveler. They have two types of plans, each offering medical and trip coverage. If you’re a resident of the United States, the Explorer Plan includes coverage for over 200 different activities, making it an excellent choice for many adventure travelers.

With that said, World Nomads isn’t just for Americans. World Nomads policies are available to residents of over 140 countries, setting them apart from many of the best travel insurance companies. Benefits vary according to your country of residence, however, many travelers can enjoy coverage on trips throughout the world.

In this World Nomads review, we’ll explore the two travel insurance plans they offer, what each includes, how much they cost, and whether they are for you.

Disclaimer & Disclosure: Please note that all information is provided for entertainment and informational purposes only. Although we do our best to provide accurate information, it is the sole duty of the reader to ensure the accuracy and suitability of the information provided. The following does not represent an offer of insurance coverage nor does it guarantee coverage, claims, or other insurance benefits. Should you purchase travel insurance after clicking through our affiliate links, this website may be compensated for the referral.

World Nomads at a Glance

• Founded in 2002 by Simon Monk
• Covers residents of
• Offers comprehensive plans that include medical and trip insurance, plus other benefits with no deductible
• Provides coverage for adventure sports and activities
• Covers trips up to a year in duration
• Can be purchased or renewed online while abroad
• Claims can be made 24 hours a day online or by phone

World Nomads Travel Insurance Products

World Nomads offers two travel insurance plans: Standard and Explorer.

As the name implies, the Standard Plan is the base model. The Explorer Plan includes everything that’s covered by the Standard Plan, plus more. For U.S. customers, both plans are underwritten by Nationwide Insurance.

When it comes to travel insurance, there are two broad types of coverage – medical insurance and trip insurance. As I’m sure you can guess, medical insurance deals with medical expenses you might incur while traveling. Trip insurance protects the investment you make when you plan a trip, such as non-refundable deposits.

The World Nomads Standard and Explorer insurance plans are comprehensive, meaning they include both medical and trip insurance.

World Nomads Travel Insurance: What’s Covered

Need details? I got you. Here’s a screenshot of what the World Nomads Travel Insurance policies cover which we pulled directly from their website.

As you can see, World Nomads travel insurance plans offer fixed coverage per category, which means you can’t customize your plan. You can, however, review what’s provided by the Standard and Explorer Plans and choose the one that best fits your needs.

Do You Need the World Nomads Explorer Plan?

As you can see in the screenshot above, both World Nomads plans offer coverage for emergency medical expenses. The Explorer Plan offers more coverage for emergency evacuation and repatriation, however the Standard Plan also offers some coverage.

So, why bother with the Explorer Plan at all? There are two compelling reasons: Trip insurance and adventure sports and activities.

Trip Insurance

When it comes to trip insurance, the Explorer Plan offers considerably more coverage than the Standard Plan. That could come in handy if you need it.

Remember, only certain reasons for canceling a trip or returning home after departure are covered. Things like illness (you, a traveling companion, or a family member), a death in the family, and work responsibility are often covered, but you’ll need to check with World Nomads to ensure coverage before pulling the plug on your trip.

As always, make sure to read the fine print so you understand what is covered prior to purchasing any travel insurance policy.

Adventure Sports and Activities

World Nomads Travel Insurance has a reputation for catering to the adventurous traveler. That’s because they cover a long list of adventure sports and activities. This means your policy typically covers emergency treatment for an injury sustained while participating in a covered activity. This is not the case for many other insurance providers.

The Explorer Plan, in particular, covers an extensive list of activities above and beyond what’s covered by the Standard Plan. Travelers who know they plan to enjoy some of those activities may wish to opt for the extra coverage.

Included activities vary depending on what country you live in, but for residents of the U.S., over 200 sports and activities are covered. Yes, you read that right, and yes, I counted. I’m not going to list all of them here, but I will give you a snapshot of some gems that jump out at me.

Select Adventure Sports and Activities Covered

Standard Plan	Explorer Plan
Archery	Bull riding
Bungee jumping	Cage fighting
Dog sledding	Hot air ballooning
Kayaking	Rock climbing up to 22,965 feet
Roller derby	Skydiving

If you ask me, World Nomads covers an impressive list of adventure sports and activities.

Of course, before you buy any travel insurance policy, make sure your planned adventures are covered. And if you’ve got plans to participate in bull riding or skydiving, it’s certainly a good idea to strongly consider the Explorer Plan. I’d also check with World Nomads first, just to make sure you’re covered.

Also of note, if you’ll be traveling with expensive sporting equipment, the Explorer Plan covers you for a fairly sizeable amount in lost baggage or personal effects. The Standard Plan covers considerably less.

Insure Your Trip, Insure Your Health – With World Nomads travel insurance, you can travel with peace of mind. Protect yourself from the financial strain of a medical emergency, cancelled trip, or lost baggage while traveling. Get a free quote here.

What Isn’t Covered

OK, so now that we’ve talked about what a World Nomads travel insurance policy covers, it’s only fair to acknowledge what they don’t cover.

Preexisting Medical Conditions

Like most policies, World Nomads travel insurance does not cover preexisting medical conditions.

Some providers will not cover conditions for which treatment was sought within two years prior to the effective date of the policy. This is called the look-back period.

World Nomads is more lenient than many, since – according to their website – their look-back period is only 90 days. That essentially means that your coverage will likely exclude medical conditions that were present in the 90 days preceding the start of the policy.

Keep in mind that, according to World Nomads, the preexisting medical condition exclusion applies to emergency medical treatment, trip cancellation, and trip interruption. It does not apply to emergency evacuation or repatriation of remains.

So, if your preexisting condition causes you to cancel your trip or requires emergency medical treatment while you’re away, you’ll have to pay for it out of pocket. If you end up dying from it, World Nomads will pay for your remains to be returned home. (Morbid, yes, but it’s important to know.)

Select Activities and Carelessness

Like I mentioned before, World Nomads Travel Insurance covers an impressive list of adventure sports and activities. However, they don’t cover everything. If you check the World Nomads website and don’t see your preferred activity or sport covered, they ask that you contact them prior to partaking in the activity.

Additionally, World Nomads makes a point of saying that their policies do not cover “carelessness.” On their website, they state:

“But we don’t cover carelessness. You must be acting responsibly at all times and not put yourself deliberately in danger (for instance, riding a motorbike without a helmet in Thailand).”

So, while you may decide to participate in an adventure sport, it is clear that you may not be covered if you are not taking the proper safety precautions.

World Nomads Travel Insurance: Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
Covers over 200 adventure sports and activities	Standard and Explorer Plans do not cover seniors aged 70+
Comprehensive plans include both medical and trip insurance	Standard Plan trip insurance may be inadequate
Covers residents of over 140 countries	Preexisting conditions are not covered
Short "look back" period on preexisting conditions	Coverage is not customizable
Can purchase or renew while traveling
24-hour emergency claims assistance

Who Should Consider World Nomads Travel Insurance?

Adventurous Travelers – If your idea of a great vacation includes thrill-seeking, then World Nomads has you covered. With over 200 adventure sports and activities covered (for U.S. residents), you can “go all out” with peace of mind.

Anyone Looking for Comprehensive Travel Insurance – If you’re looking to protect your trip and your health with one policy, World Nomads travel insurance is an attractive choice. Both the Standard and Explorer Plans include emergency medical coverage AND trip cancellation/interruption insurance for a reasonable price.

Wanderlusters Without a Timetable – You can also renew your World Nomads Travel Insurance policy anytime, anywhere. Plans can also be purchased for up to one year in duration. One thing to note: Renewing your coverage means extending the plan you purchased; you can’t upgrade from the Standard to Explorer Plan without buying a new policy.

Who Should Skip World Nomads Travel Insurance?

Seniors Aged 70+ – The World Nomads Standard and Explorer Plans only cover travelers until age 69. So, if you’re in the 70+ club, you may want to consider a plan from Travelex Travel Insurance instead.

Travelers Looking to Customize Their Travel Insurance – Some travel insurance providers allow customers to choose the categories of coverage they’d like to purchase, as well as the amount of coverage. World Nomads doesn’t offer this flexibility. So, if their ready-made plans don’t suit your needs, you should look elsewhere.

How to Buy World Nomads Travel Insurance

Think the Standard or Explorer Plan would fit your travel insurance needs? Getting a quote couldn’t be easier.

Hop online, enter your travel deets, and get a free World Nomads quote in seconds. If you like what you see, you can purchase online then and there.

World Nomads: How to Make a Claim

Hopefully, you’ll never have to make a claim, but if you do, the process is easy.

World Nomads offers 24-hour multilingual telephone support through Generali Global Assistance. In the event you need to make a claim, they can help you locate the appropriate facilities and arrange treatment. Claims can also be made online. Here’s their info:

Generali Global Assistance
Outside the U.S.: +1 954-334-8143 (Call collect)
U.S. and Canada: +1 877-289-0968 (Toll free)

World Nomads Review: Is It Worth It?

In this World Nomads review, we’ve explored what’s included in their two travel insurance plans and how much coverage each provides.

In my opinion, World Nomads Travel Insurance, especially the Explorer Plan, offers robust coverage for travelers who are looking for both medical coverage and trip insurance. It also includes a bunch of other perks, like loss of personal effects.

When it comes to the Standard Plan, the trip insurance coverage is a bit lower than I’d like. That being said, if you have alternate trip insurance (or if you feel the coverage is enough for you), the Standard Plan offers solid medical coverage at an economical price.

With that said, World Nomads is a particularly great fit for adventurous travelers. With over 200 sports and activities covered by their Explorer Plan, I’d highly recommend you check it out.

Get Covered with World Nomads Travel Insurance – Looking for a comprehensive international medical and trip insurance solution? World Nomads has you covered. Get your free quote here.