WorldTrips Insurance Review

When it comes to travel insurance, digital nomads sometimes find themselves caught between a rock and a hard place. On the one side, you have expensive plans that are designed for long-term expats who work for big corporations. On the other side, you have annual plans that cover multiple trips but limit the length of each trip, so that you can’t be overseas continuously.

WorldTrips has addressed this dilemma head on with its affordable Atlas Nomads plan. Designed specifically with digital nomads in mind, it provides emergency medical protection and trip coverage for people who live overseas all year round, with premiums that are some of the most affordable on the market.

For anybody who balances remote working with backpacking around Europe, surfing and sunbathing in Southeast Asia, or exploring the rich cultures of South America, WorldTrips should definitely be on your shortlist of insurance providers.

What Is WorldTrips Insurance?

WorldTrips was founded back in 1998 and lays claim to being one of the first insurance companies to offer their plans online. Their idea was to make it much easier for people to get their hands on a policy, without having to go through the rigamarole of a phone consultation or an in-person sales pitch.

Today, they have a range of insurance products for travelers, including for cruise-goers, international students and, of course, digital nomads exploring the world.

While their trip cancellation and interruption plans are designed solely for US citizens and residents, many of their other products are open to all nationalities. In fact, they now offer insurance in more than 130 countries around the globe.

The prices are competitive, with their nomads policy starting at $1.85 per day with $0 deductible – that’s easily one of the best digital nomad insurance deals on the market. So, if you’re on a budget but still want to get a bit of emergency coverage for your travels, WorldTrips is a solid option to consider.

Key Features & Coverage

The WorldTrips travel insurance that is most apt for digital nomads is the Atlas Nomads plan. This can be purchased for a minimum of 120 days and a maximum of a year – although renewals make it easy to extend the coverage period.

The policy is designed to provide coverage for anyone who lives as an expat full-time, although it is only available to people aged 69 and under. Like a couple of other WorldTrips packages, it also places additional limitations on people aged 60 and older, even though they can purchase the Nomads policy.

Atlas Nomads isn’t the only option available through WorldTrips for regular travelers. If you are a remote worker who takes several month-long journeys abroad but is still predominantly based in your home country it’s also worth considering the Atlas MultiTrip plan, which covers forays overseas up to 30 or 45 days at a time.

We’re going to focus purely on the Atlas Nomads package. It’s pretty much one size fits all, which makes it easier to understand your coverage, although that also means there’s not much flexibility in what’s on offer.

For instance, unlike some other companies, there are no upgrades for outpatient care, dental/vision or adventure sports. Plus, there’s no option to increase your claims maximum.

Still, the basic policy ticks the main boxes on our digital nomad insurance checklist.

✅ Medical Coverage

• Most emergency medical treatment is covered up to the policy maximum of $250,000 ($100,000 for people aged 65-69). That includes physician fees, surgery, diagnostic testing and prescriptions. For treatment in the US, there’s a $100 copayment for visits to emergency rooms (only when you are not later admitted as an inpatient) and a $50 copayment for visits to urgent care centers.
• Other services that are fully covered include a semi-private room and local ambulance services (as long as you are late admitted as an inpatient).
• There is also limited coverage for emergency dental (up to $1,000) and eye exams (up to $150, $50 deductible).
• Most outpatient and routine care is excluded, but you can be reimbursed for up to $500 for physical therapy and chiropractic care following hospitalization.
• Pre-existing conditions are not covered except if you suffer an acute onset of the condition. In other words, you can still claim up to your policy maximum if an illness that you were previously diagnosed with suddenly and unexpectedly requires urgent care. This does not include chronic or congenital issues.
• The policy will cover some sports, like downhill skiing and scuba diving with an instructor, but it does not cover more adventurous pursuits like cliff jumping, parasailing and whitewater rafting.

✅ Emergency & Evacuation Coverage

• Medical evacuation is covered up to $100,000 – though this is lifetime maximum rather than per coverage period as with most Atlas Nomads benefits. If it is deemed medically necessary by your doctor and WorldTrips, you will be transported to the nearest suitable facility.
• Repatriation is not directly covered by the medical evacuation benefit. However, you can claim for a flight home under the trip interruption policy. This only applies if your doctor says it is medically necessary for you to return home for continued recuperation and recovery following a medical evacuation.
• If you experience a medical evacuation, WorldTrips will reimburse up to $50,000 for emergency reunions (i.e., when a family member flies out to be at your beside). This covers transportation and accommodation for up to 15 days.
• In the event of a political crisis in a country you are visiting, you can claim up to $10,000 (lifetime maximum) for evacuation.
• Natural disasters that force you to seek replacement accommodation are covered for $100 per day (5 days maximum).

✅ Travel-Related Benefits

• Trip interruptions (i.e., where you are forced to cut an overseas journey short due to a reason covered by your policy, like the death of a relative or the destruction of your home) are covered up to $5,000.
• Any travel delays of 12 hours or more that result in unplanned overnight accommodation entitle you to up to $100 a day (2 days maximum).
• Lost checked luggage can be claimed for up to $3,000 per coverage period ($500 per item maximum). There’s an additional $6,000 lifetime limit to this benefit.
• WorldTrips will pay up to $100 to help you replace a lost or stolen passport and/or visa.
• Personal liability to cover you if you accidentally cause injury to a third person or damage property is covered up to $25,000 (lifetime maximum).
• Trip cancellation is not covered by the Atlas Nomads plan, but you can purchase a separate policy to cover this IF you are a US citizen. For everyone else, sorry, WorldTrips don’t offer this service yet!

✅ COVID-19 & Pandemic Coverage

• COVID-19 is covered by the Atlas Nomads plan. They will even pay up to $50 a day up to 10 days if you are forced to undergo emergency quarantine because you have tested positive for COVID or are symptomatic.
• Apart from COVID, pandemics are excluded if a travel warning is in place for the country that you are visiting.

Pricing & Plans

Unlike many of WorldTrips’ other plans, there’s almost no deductible or coinsurance for the Atlas Nomads plan. That means you won’t have to contribute anything to an approved claim – WorldTrips will pay it all!

Their pricing structure is very straightforward, with four different age bands available: 18 to 39, 40 to 49, 50 to 59 and 60 to 69.

Like a lot of travel insurers, WorldTrips offsets the high cost of healthcare in the US by charging about double for policies that include US coverage. All other countries (excluding sanctioned nations) are covered under a cheaper plan.

• Ages 18 to 39. $56.27 per month excluding US, $109.80 per month including US.
• Age 40 to 49. $91.86 per month excluding US, $180.98 per month including US.
• Ages 50 to 59. $144.48 per month excluding US, $297.78 per month including US.
• Ages 60 to 69. $196.49 per month excluding US, $406.37 per month including US.

It’s possible to pay for the entire policy upfront or on a monthly basis. It makes no difference to the overall cost.

How does pricing compare to competitors?

WorldTrips is on the more affordable end of the scale, on a par with providers like SafetyWing and World Nomads. The medical claim maximum is about standard for plans at this price point, so there’s no doubt that you’re getting a good deal.

In fact, quite a few people purchase WorldTrips policies purely to satisfy visa requirements, without any intention of claiming, just because it’s so cheap!

Pros & Cons of WorldTrips

Pros

✅ Affordable pricing for long-term travelers
✅ Covers multiple countries with no need to update location
✅ Continuous annual coverage with no trip length limitations

Cons

❌ Limited coverage for pre-existing conditions
❌ Doesn’t cover high-risk sports or extreme adventures
❌ The Atlas Nomads plan is not very flexible

How to Sign Up & Use WorldTrips

• Sign-up process:

1. On the WorldTrips homepage, move your cursor over “Travel Insurance” in the navigation bar, then select “Nomad Insurance.”
2. Enter your citizenship, home country, primary destination, coverage dates and birth date, then click “Continue.”
3. Review your quote, then choose whether you would like to make a one-time payment or a monthly payment.
4. Enter your name.
5. Enter your address and contact info.
6. Select your payment method, then enter your payment details and complete the purchase of your policy

• How to file a claim and get reimbursed:

1. Sign in to the WorldTrips members portal (if it’s your first time, you’ll first need to register your account).
2. On the WorldTrips members portal dashboard, select “Claims and Appeals.”
3. Click “Submit New Claim Via DocuSign.”
4. Enter your name and email address, then click “Begin Signing.”
5. Tick the box that says “I agree to use electronic records and signatures,” then click “Continue.”
6. Fill in the claims form, including personal details, a summary of your diagnosis and treatment, and payment information.
7. Attach relevant supporting documentation, such as doctors’ reports and receipts.
8. Once you’ve submitted the e-form, you will be able to view any updates via the member portal. WorldTrips will usually review the claim within 15 business days, but it may take between 30-45 days for the completion of the entire claims process.

• User experience:

WorldTrips was founded with the idea of making travel insurance easier to purchase, so it’s nice to see that they’ve continued that ethos more than 25 years on. The procedure for applying for a policy is simple and straightforward, with transparent pricing and clear instructions.

There’s no fiddly medical questionnaire to fill out, just a few details about your age and destination(s). Of course, that’s also probably one of the reasons why they don’t really cover pre-existing conditions.

The site works just as well on a mobile as it does on a smartphone – it can be a little glitchy on both. Even though the design is looking a little dated, the streamlined interface provides a simple user journey.

WorldTrips vs. Competitors

*To provide a more direct comparison, we’ve scaled all prices to be equal to roughly 1 month of coverage, with no deductible selected. Quotes vary based on age, trip duration, destinations and several other factors, so only treat this as a rough estimate.

Customer Reviews & Ratings

WorldTrips has a stellar 4.4 out of 5 on Trustpilot, with 72% of reviewers giving the company 5 stars. Although like all travel insurers they come in for a fair bit of criticism, a very respectable 82% of people had a positive experience, compared to 14% who were unhappy with the service.

They are also clearly a brand that carefully monitor their reputation, replying to 96% of negative reviews within a week.

What people like:

• The price. It’s hardly surprising that the average WorldTrips insurance review mentions the affordability, given how cheap the policies tend to be compared to competitors.
• The application process. The ease and speed of getting a policy was praised by a lot of users.
• The convenience of renewing coverage. For people who are long-term nomads, it’s handy that you can simply extend your policy.

What people don’t like:

• The length of the claims process. Several customers have complained that they had to wait more than a month to hear back from WorldTrips. While this is within the window that the company advises clients they may have to wait, several reviewers mention that it would be helpful to receive updates in the meantime.
• The website. Some people have complained that it isn’t always easy to locate the policy information they are looking for online and that the website can be a little slow to load.

Who Should & Shouldn’t Use WorldTrips?

• Recommended for → Budget-conscious nomads, long-term freelancers
• Not ideal for → Expats needing routine healthcare, adventure sports travelers, retirees living overseas

Final Verdict: Is WorldTrips Worth It?

For the digital nomad on a budget, WorldTrips deserves to make the shortlist of travel insurance options. Their Atlas Nomads policy balances affordability with a decent level of medical and travel-related benefits.

The streamlined pricing and the fact that you don’t have to fill in a ton of info about your medical history or the cost of your trip is a real bonus.

One potential drawback of WorldTrips health insurance is that it doesn’t cover any routine healthcare, like annual checkups, vaccinations or regular prescriptions. For those types of benefits, companies like IMG Global or SafetyWing are a better bet.

Older travelers and those retiring abroad will need to look elsewhere as well, since none of WorldTrips’ policies are particularly well suited to people aged 70+. For these people, a company like Cigna Global might be a better choice, since they have no maximum age limits.

Another thing to bear in mind is that WorldTrips doesn’t have the highest maximum claim limit out there. If you don’t mind spending some extra money, Allianz offer international expats up to $2,500,000 for medical coverage under their Care Core plan, while US citizens can get unlimited coverage with GeoBlue’s Xplorer policy.

Those issues aside, WorldTrips offers a nice-looking for digital nomads, one that is particularly attractive because it addresses some key concerns that we all face when living abroad long term.

Sign up for WorldTrips.