Before selecting travel insurance for my last trip to West Africa, I did online research and I polled friends who traveled frequently. In my quest to find the best travel insurance, World Nomads was repeatedly suggested. After doing some additional research, I saw that they were also recommended by many travel companies, including Lonely Planet.
I had purchased travel insurance on other occasions, using the website insuremytrip.com. I never had to file a claim through any carriers that I found there and I can’t really vouch for how well they treat their customers. I did know, however, that I wanted to have a more flexible travel insurance option and one that I could easily renew online as needed. World Nomads fit the bill and I decided to give them a try. In this article, I describe my experience with World Nomads and offer reasons why I believe they provide the best travel insurance.
Follow Through
When I filed a claim with World Nomads their response was immediate. I had been traveling in West Africa and came down with amoebic dysentery, a problem that had me visiting several clinics and taking some serious medication (for the record, I recommend avoiding the medication metronidazole if you can help it!). I entered in the details of the claim in an online form and within 24 hours, a World Nomads representative had messaged me back. To complete my claim, I needed to mail in documentation from the clinic I visited. I sent World Nomads a message telling them I would not be able to mail this information until I got home. No problem, they said. When I got home, I mailed the requested documentation and I was then reimbursed for the claim.
Flexibility
World Nomads does not vary their rates based on the countries you are visiting. Instead, a rate is determined based on the country where you are a permanent resident. This means that I can buy a two month travel insurance policy for traveling around Southeast Asia, but I don’t need to take out a specific policy for each country I visit.
There are of course some countries that are not covered by World Nomads. These are usually countries that have travel warnings placed on them by foreign governments. But this is not unique to World Nomads. Travel insurance companies rarely provide coverage for countries under a travel warning. As always, read the fine print of your policy and do your research before hand.
Ease of Use
Buy your policy, file claims, and renew your policy online. The World Nomads website is intuitive and easy to use. They send reminder emails when your policy is about to expire. When you file a claim, they send follow up messages through their website, and you also receive notifications through email. When I was traveling, I literally spent thirty seconds renewing my policy every three weeks or so. I could have bought a policy for longer, but because I didn’t know when I would be returning home, it was easier to renew frequently.
Great Customer Service
Whether it’s a question or a follow-up to a claim, World Nomads responds quickly and they do so while treating you like a valued customer. Emails are personalized and the responses are unique. I never felt like I was receiving an anonymous form letter. In addition, World Nomads is active within the travel community. They are accessible, not just through email, but also on facebook (facebook.com/worldnomads) and twitter (@worldnomads). They have invested in their customers and it’s apparent that trust and respect is an important part of their formula.
The Bottom Line
World Nomads offers dependable travel insurance that is easy to access through their website, but ultimately, it is their focus on customer service that allows me to be so enthusiastic in recommending them. If you are interested in taking out a policy from World Nomads, you can visit their website or you can receive a free quote from your trip using the form below.
Before committing to a policy from any travel insurer, make sure to read the fine print so you understand exactly what you are getting. Also, check before hand and see if you aren’t already covered if you currently have insurance. Regardless of what travel insurance you select, it is a worthy investment. Even if you are taking a short trip, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
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{ 4 comments… add one }
Going to Bermuda in October for a cruise and want to be protected in case of injury. thank you.
Hi Mary,
Glad we could help! Let me know how it works out. They are a great company!
Thanks for your post! I would not recommend World Nomads at all. I had their most expensive plan, I had to stop my trip because my mom had urgent surgery and they did not want to pay my trip back home, the reason? According to the dr my mom’s injury happened when she was a kid, eventhough she had never had a problem or noticed she had an injury before. For this reason they didn’t pay for my trip back home eventhough my mom was rushed into the emergency room… I have not worked with other companies but I would not recommend WorldNomads at all.
Hi Anna,
I don’t quite understand, your mother was traveling with you or she was at home and you were trying to get back to her? When you say you had their most expensive plan, are you talking about the adventure travel plan? Sorry to hear about your experience, but just confused whether or not World Nomads would actually be in a position to serve your request in this case.