GeoBlue Travel Insurance Review

We’ve written plenty of upbeat posts, like how to enjoy working from Namibia or how to make friends on the road. After all, there’s a lot of cool things about being a digital nomad.

The lifestyle isn’t all sunshine and rainbows though, and one of the most worrying concerns is what to do in a relatively unfamiliar country when you encounter a medical emergency. We’re talking a broken arm from falling off a bike in Vietnam or that particularly nasty case of gastroenteritis you got after eating from that questionable-looking taco stand.

The best digital nomad insurance will cover you for these occasional mishaps, ensuring you get top treatment without having to sell a kidney for the privilege.

GeoBlue is an established presence on the US travel insurance market. Their network extends throughout the States and around the world, covering American citizens and residents both at home and abroad. Their policies may be on the pricey side, but they also boast comprehensive coverage for a whole bunch of scenarios.

What Is GeoBlue Insurance?

GeoBlue travel insurance has been around for almost 30 years. Started to help US-based travellers access healthcare around the world, they now cover individuals, companies and higher education institutions through different targeted plans.

Their policies today continue to focus on US citizens as well as people of other nationalities who are resident in the US. These include packages designed specifically for maritime crew, missionaries and volunteers, and college students.

For people living and working abroad, their Xplorer plan is a great way to visit multiples countries under one policy. It covers you internationally up to an unlimited amount, with the only major requirement being that you live outside the US for a minimum of 3 months per year.

Key Features & Coverage

The Xplorer plan comes in two tiers: Essential and Premier. The main difference is that Essential provides worldwide coverage excluding the US, while Premier provides worldwide coverage including the US.

However, it’s worth nothing that while GeoBlue health insurance will directly pay or reimburse you for 100% of your medical fees outside of the US, inside the US there is a 60% to 80% coinsurance stipulation for almost all treatment.

In other words, the Xplorer policy is predominantly designed for people spending most of the year abroad rather than in the US. So if you’re someone looking for fully comped US coverage, you can navigate away now!

✅ Medical Coverage

• Emergency inpatient treatment, including surgery, X-rays and medication, is covered up to the benefits maximum, which is unlimited. Accidental dental is capped at $1,000 per calendar year and $200 per tooth.
• Outpatient prescriptions are covered for $2,500 per calendar year for up to 90 days, though you can get an add-on that increases the limit to $25,000.
• There’s quite a bit of preventative care included as well, such as primary care visits (unlimited), travel vaccinations ($500 max per calendar year) and annual physicals ($1,000 max per calendar year). GeoBlue will also cover Pap smears and mammograms for women, as well as PSA tests for men,
• Acupuncture, chiropractic services, occupation therapy and mental health services are all 100% covered.
• Pre-existing conditions are covered after a 6-month waiting period. If you can prove your previous insurer covered your pre-existing conditions, however, then the waiting period will be waived.
• Adventure sports are covered up to the maximum, but make sure you check that your particular activity is definitely included beforehand.
• Dental and vision can be added as a rider. The dental part covers you for a maximum of $1,500 per calendar year, paying out for 100% of diagnostic and preventative services, such as oral examinations, cleaning and scaling and X-rays. You’d also be able to claim for 80% of basic dental care (e.g., fillings, simple extraction) and 50% of major dental work (e.g., denture replacement, initial placement of crowns). Orthodontic treatments are only covered up to 50%, with a $1,000 lifetime cap. The vision part tops out at $250 and provides 70% reimbursement for vision examination, frames and lenses.
• Limited US coverage can be added as extra on any Xplorer Essential package.

✅ Emergency & Evacuation Coverage

• Medical evacuation is covered up to $250,000, which will be used to transport you to the nearest suitable medical facility if you suffer a life-threatening accident or illness. Depending on the circumstances, you might also qualify for repatriation after treatment.
• Political evacuation and natural disasters are not covered as standard.

✅ Travel-Related Benefits

• GeoBlue’s Xplorer plan doesn’t provide any travel-related benefits or personal liability coverage.

✅ COVID-19 & Pandemic Coverage

• Any medically necessary treatment because of COVID is covered just like any other illness. COVID vaccinations will also be reimbursed in any country outside the US where it is not available for free through government schemes. This is considered part of the vaccination benefit listed above, so it will take up a chunk of the $500 per calendar year limit.

Pricing & Plans

As with several other insurers, particularly those based in the US, there is the option to add a deductible to your policy that makes the cost significantly cheaper. GeoBlue has 5 standard options: no deductible (also known as Elite), $1,000, $2,500, $5,000 and $10,000.

While we’re on the subject, there’s no deductible available for the prescription drug or the dental and vision upgrade.

Some services, such as primary care visits, require a copayment (usually $10) if you use a physician or services outside GeoBlue’s provider network.

Below, you’ll find 5 quotes based on different age groups. In all cases, the assumption is that the person has chosen the Xplorer Essential package, which does not provide coverage in the US.

• Age 25. $319 per month with no deductible, $192 with $2,500 deductible, $148 with $10,000 deductible. Add $76 for the prescription drug upgrade.
• Age 33. $446 per month with no deductible, $261 with $2,500 deductible, $201 with $10,000 deductible. Add $93 for the prescription drug upgrade.
• Age 44. $575 per month with no deductible, $344 with $2,500 deductible, $261 with $10,000 deductible. Add $151 for the prescription drug upgrade.
• Age 53. $941 per month with no deductible, $552 with $2,500 deductible, $423 with $10,000 deductible. Add $219 for the prescription drug upgrade.
• Age 65. $2,725 per month with no deductible, $1,596 with $2,500 deductible, $1,221 with $10,000 deductible. Add $494 for the prescription drug upgrade.
• The dental and vision upgrade is a flat fee of $75 per month, regardless of age.

GeoBlue is one of the most expensive policies on the market, but it does include quite a bit of routine and preventative care as standard. Plus, if you are willing to pay a large deductible, you can get a decent price if you’re on the younger end of the spectrum.

The major downside for older people looking for insurance is that the price almost doubles between the age of 64 and 65. Of course, it’s not unusual for older people to face higher premiums, but even compared to their competitors, GeoBlue’s sudden, steep increase in cost is notable.

5. Pros & Cons of GeoBlue

Pros

✅ Unlimited lifetime maximum
✅ Routine and preventative care are covered
✅ Covers multiple countries with no need to update location
✅ Will cover pre-existing conditions

Cons

❌ One of the most expensive policies on the market
❌ Only available for US citizens and US residents
❌ No trip-related coverage

How to Sign Up & Use GeoBlue

• Sign-up process:

1. On the GeoBlue homepage, move the cursor over “Travel Medical Plans,” then click on the Xplorer option.
2. On the righthand side of the page, you should see a box labelled “Expat Worldwide Quote.” If you are currently resident in the US, enter your zip code; if you are a US resident living overseas, tick the box labelled “check if outside the US.” Click the “Quote Now” button to proceed.
3. Enter your primary destination, the start date for your trip, your name, your contact details, your date of birth, and the dates of birth for a spouse and/or any dependents you want to be covered by the policy. You will also need to confirm whether you are a US citizen and whether you are keeping a primary US health plan. Click “Get Your Quote.”
4. Select the amount of deductible using the sliding scale, which ranges from $0 (Elite) to $10,000. Below this, choose whether you want the prescription drug upgrade, the dental/vision upgrade and/or US benefits. On the righthand side of the screen, you’ll be able to see how these changes affect the total monthly premium. Once you are satisfied, click on the “Apply Now” button.
5. Review the details of your application, then click “Start Online Application.”
6. Review the instructions for completing the application, then click “Continue.”
7. Enter your name again, as well as your email address. Read through and agree to the PHI terms, then create a username and a password. Make sure you note down your application number, which is listed at the top of the page. Once you have completed this page, you will be able to use GeoBlue’s enrolment portal to return to your application if you don’t have time to complete it in one sitting.
8. First, fill in details of your address, citizenship and destination. Next, select your choice of plan and deductible, as well as any add-ons. Enter your basic details (height, weight, date of birth, passport number, etc.), as well as the basic details for anybody else you want to cover with the GeoBlue policy. Finally, complete the section asking for information on your profession and employer.
9. Detail any previous insurance coverage as well as any workers’ compensation or disability payouts you’ve received in the last 18 months.
10. Complete the health questionnaire regarding previous ailments.
11. Enter the start date you would like for your insurance, followed by the length of coverage (6 months to a year).
12. Read through the various terms and conditions, checking the various boxes that indicate you agree to the provisions of the policy.
13. After filling in all this information, you may be informed that the price quoted at the start has changed due to your answers. If you accept the increased premium amount, click “Continue with the Current Quote.”
14. Pay for your policy. You can choose to pay instalments or the full amount, though it doesn’t make a difference to the price.

• How to file a claim and get reimbursed:

1. Go the GeoBlue member portal and log in.
2. Click on the button to file an eClaim (you can also print out a written form and send it into the claims-handling team via email).
3. Fill in the form, detailing your ailments and what treatment you received.
4. Attach receipts to your claim, along with any relevant medical notes.
5. Once you have submitted your claim, you can track its status through the member portal. Most claims are acknowledged within 2-3 days and handled within a month.

• User experience:

GeoBlue’s antiquated IT system is, frankly, a bit of a bore to navigate. To sign up for a policy, you’ll first have to fill in information to apply for a quote, then fill in a lot of the same information to actually get coverage. It is repetitive, but at least you can save the form and finish it later.

The company also insists on having a lot of information that other insurers didn’t ask us for, including your occupation and the company that’s employing you abroad.

While the GeoBlue app looks nice enough at first glance, it’s somewhat clunky to use, with a user experience that’s less than optimal. Honestly, we’d stick to using the website to submit claims. 

GeoBlue 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

GeoBlue doesn’t maintain a presence on Trustpilot. As a result, they don’t have many ratings on that review site, and the ones they do have are skewed to the negative. (Generally speaking, companies that claim their Trustpilot profile encourage their customers to write reviews, which generates more positive feedback, as without this prompt it’s usually only complaints that people bother to register.)

Given how dated the GeoBlue website looks, it’s not totally surprising they’re a little bit behind the curve when it comes to building their web presence and managing their reputation online.

What people like:

• The worldwide coverage. Several people have mentioned that it gives them peace of mind being protected in countries throughout the globe.
• The breadth of coverage. Customers appreciate the generous amount of insurance for routine and preventative care compared to GeoBlue’s competitors.
• The network of doctors. The ability to find a doctor using GeoBlue’s provider network has the thumbs up from most clients, who appreciate the help finding English-speaking medical professionals abroad.

What people don’t like:

• The website. Even though it’s (mostly) easy enough to navigate, the old-fashioned style looks like something out of the ’90s, which has put off some customers.
• Customer service. Several users have said they struggle to get hold of the right person to help them with their issues, particularly when using the 24/7 helpline.
• Claim denials. Sure, nobody likes having their claim denied, even if it’s for legitimate reasons, but GeoBlue don’t have a good rep for explaining WHY a claim is being rejected.

Who Should & Shouldn’t Use GeoBlue?

• Recommended for → Nomads and long-term expats who want comprehensive coverage
• Not ideal for → Retirees hoping to settle abroad, anyone who isn’t a US citizen or resident

Final Verdict: Is GeoBlue Worth It?

There’s no two ways about it: GeoBlue’s Xplorer plan is expensive. We’ve mentioned this a few times in our GeoBlue insurance review because the premiums are significantly higher than the competitors, with the only way to reduce the price being to opt for large deductibles.

Basically, this is not the plan to go for if you just want to fulfil a travel insurance requirement or there is affordable public healthcare available locally that you can easily pay for out of pocket.

However, if you want access to private healthcare that will protect you in a serious emergency wherever you are in the world, GeoBlue’s package is reassuringly comprehensive. It also covers several routine and preventative procedures, which means you can get back at least part of the premiums through things like annual checkups and cancer screenings.

Sign up for GeoBlue.