Travel Insurance for Digital Nomads
Learn how your tech could be covered while you're working or traveling overseas.
- As featured in:
As featured in:
- Does World Nomads travel insurance cover my tech?
- What about health insurance for digital nomads?
- What's not covered by our travel insurance plans?
The 9-5 grind of work isn’t so bad if you have your toes in the sand and a fruity drink by your side. How about a lunchtime surf lesson? Yes, please! These days, you can work from just about anywhere in the world with a strong WiFi connection. For good reason, an increasing amount of people are becoming digital nomads. If you are thinking about jumping on this trend, you may want to consider what happens if something unexpected pops up like a jellyfish sting or beach-side theft.
World Nomads’ travel insurance plans are great for digital nomads and are designed to adapt to the choice and flexibility of your lifestyle on the road, beach, trail or mountain-side hut. Coverage is available for Canadians on international trips or for domestic trips outside of your Canadian home province.
Does travel insurance for digital nomads cover my tech?
In today’s tech-centric world, taking your gadgets on the road is just as common and essential as packing an extra pair of socks. Whether you’re plugging into your social network or updating your blog in a hub, our plans may provide cover for your personal laptop, smart phones and other devices that you take with you on your trip. Our travel insurance plans are designed with digital nomads in mind.
Our policies are designed to provide cover for your baggage and personal effects, including electronic devices, personal computers, photographic and video equipment. Note though that our plans provide cover for your personal electronics that you own and take with you on your trip; we will not cover your professional gear that is owned by someone other than yourself. Our plans do not cover tech that is related to your occupation or profession.
The benefit limits available under our plans will depend on the plan you have selected. Our Standard and Explorer plans offer different benefit limits. Both plans may offer coverage for:
- When your gear is stolen, under your supervision, provided you have taken all reasonable measures to protect and recover your property.
- When your electronics are lost or damaged by a common carrier.
Note: Depreciation and wear and tear will be considered when calculating the value of your electronic items in the event of a payable claim.
What about health insurance for digital nomads?
Another important consideration for digital nomads is health insurance. No matter whether you’re travelling for a short sojourn or an extended escape, purchasing emergency medical insurance should be part of planning. What would you do if you get into an accident or fall terribly sick?
First things first. You shouldn’t think of travel insurance as a replacement for a health care plan that you would purchase at home or coverage that you receive under your Government Health Insurance Plan (GHIP). And you can’t depend on the charity of another country to pick up your medical bills if you become sick or injured when travelling.
World Nomads plans include emergency medical insurance coverage in the event suffer a medical emergency while on your trip. Travel insurance won’t pay for everyday or preventative care, such as allergy medications, birth control pills, nutritional supplements or that specialized cream that could relieve the back pain that’s been nagging you for years.
But a snake bite, a bout with food poisoning or a ski accident? You can count on World Nomads plans to cover you for medical emergencies — and that includes ground or air ambulance services when you need to get to a hospital urgently or medical evacuation back to your home province in Canada for care. Travel insurance is designed to cover losses from unforeseen and emergency circumstances only.
You must be covered under your Government Health Insurance Plan (GHIP) for the full duration of your policy to be eligible for maximum emergency medical benefits. If you do not have GHIP coverage while on your trip, emergency medical benefits will be limited to $40,000 CAD for the full duration of your trip.
And when you’re far from home, the last thing you want to do is to face a crisis alone. Don’t forget about our 24/7 Emergency Assistance team. You can — and should — contact us when you find yourself in an urgent situation, especially if you are in need of emergency medical treatment. You must contact us before seeking medical attention, emergency evacuation or repatriation unless your medical condition prevents you from calling, in which case you must call as soon as medically possible or have someone call us on your behalf.
What's not covered by our travel insurance for digital nomads plans?
Travel insurance does not cover everything.
For baggage, personal effects and sporting equipment, the following are examples of what’s not covered:
- When you leave your gear behind at your hotel.
- Electronic malfunctions (you can take that up with the manufacturer).
- Baggage or Sporting Equipment shipped under a freight contract.
- Devices older than the policy can cover.
- Items for which you cannot prove ownership (for example, you don't have a record of their purchase).
- When you’ve left your gear unsupervised.
- Gear left in an unlocked vehicle.
- Items related to your occupation or profession.
In the event of theft, burglary or robbery of an item covered under this benefit, you must obtain written documented evidence (police report) from the police immediately or as soon as reasonably possible, and a written confirmation of the loss from the hotel manager, tour guide, or transportation authorities, where relevant.
For emergency medical and evacuation, coverage is not provided for:
- Any medical bills related to a pre-existing condition as outlined in the Pre-Existing Conditions Medical Exclusion section of the policy.
- A non-emergency treatment or surgery, such as routine physical examinations (it’s not regular health insurance; it’s for medical emergencies).
- Pregnancy and childbirth (except for complications of pregnancy).
This is only a summary of coverage and does not include the full terms and conditions of the policy. It is important you read and understand your policy as it contains benefits, conditions, exclusions and pre-existing condition exclusions. If you do not understand your coverage, or if you have questions, just ask us.
Tips for Digital Nomads
- Find and scan your receipts before you leave.
- If an airline loses your gadgets, notify them right away and get a record.
- Theft? Report it to the police as soon as possible.
- Password protect your devices and enable the lock screen if possible.
- Make a claim at home or on the road.
Bag snatched in Latvia
It was my final day in Riga, Latvia. In my small bag, I keep all my valuables because hostels can't always be reliable with safekeeping. It contained my new GoPro, IPhone, digital camera, laptop and hard drive. Later that night, after touring the coast, I decided to take the train back to Riga city. As I was getting off the train, my bag was snatched off my shoulder. In seconds, the doors closed, and the train pulled away. I spoke to authorities on the platform, who referred me to the police to report the theft. It’s a day trip I won't forget soon.
Travel Insurance Benefits: how we can take care of you
Trip Cancellation
Protect your hard earned vacation from unexpected cancellation.
- Explorer Plan: $5,000
- Standard Plan: $2,500
Trip Protection
- Unexpectedly hospitalised?
- Travel buddy unfit to travel?
- Close relative suddenly dies?
We’ve got your back.
Emergency Medical Insurance
Take the pain out of medical or dental costs.
- Explorer Plan: $10 million
- Standard Plan: $5 million
Emergency Medical Insurance
- Need meds quick?
- Accidentally injured?
- Suddenly sick?
We’ve got your back.
Emergency Evacuation & Repatriation
We’ll get you to hospital or home quickly.
- Explorer Plan: $500,000
- Standard Plan: $500,000
Emergency Evacuation & Repatriation
- Banged up abroad?
- Need a hospital urgently?
- Medivac home?
Help starts here.
Protect your gear
Covers the theft, damage or delay of your bags, tech and sports gear.
- Explorer Plan: $3,000
- Standard Plan: $1,000
Protect your gear
- Passport or tech stolen?
- Airline lost your gear?
- Bags delayed?
Help starts here.
- Emergency Medical Expenses
- Emergency Dental for Injury or Sickness
- Bedside Companion Travel and Subsistence
- Emergency Professional Services
- Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation
- Return of Travel Companion/Dependent Children
- Return to Your Trip Destination
- Return of Remains
- Travel Accident
- Flight Accident
- Trip Cancellation
- Trip Interruption
- Trip Delay
- Baggage and Personal Effects Theft or Damage
- Baggage and Sporting Equipment Delay
- Travel Documents Theft or Damage
- Sporting Equipment Theft or Loss by a Common Carrier
- Covered Adventure Sports listed in Policy
Assistance Services Included
- LiveTravelTM Emergency Assistance
- Worldwide Travel Assistance
- Adventure Travel Hotline
- 24/7 Security
- Travel Medical Assistance
- Bag Trak
24/7 emergency assistance
Whether you need medical or dental assistance or advice, emergency evacuation or travel assistance, our team are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year before and during your trip.
Are you in need of emergency assistance right now?
Telephone +1 866 878 0192 (toll-free from Canada and the Continental U.S.) or +1 416 646 3723 (collect from anywhere else in the world)
Contact the team
FAQ
Here are our most frequently asked questions about overseas medical insurance. You can also find the answers to other questions in our Helpdesk or you can ask our customer service team.
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If I've not specified my items, why do they get depreciated?
Electronics age and get knocked about. A depreciation schedule is applied to compensate for this. Always read your policy wording to make sure you understand this depreciation schedule and all other applicable terms and conditions.
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What if I don't have receipts for all of my items?
You'll need to show proof of ownership - enough evidence to 'tip the balance' if you're lodg-ing a claim.
Before your trip, check the latest government advice for any travel alerts for your destination.