Pick SafetyWing for the lowest stated price while moving, Genki Traveler for the highest limit and the widest sports and motor cover, and World Nomads for a single trip of up to 180 days with a named activity list. None of the three covers a pre-existing condition on the pages we read. The differences show up in specific situations, so this page runs six of them through each insurer’s own wording. Checked 29 Sept 2026; the full limits are in the insurance matrix.
Six situations
| Situation | SafetyWing Nomad Essential | Genki Traveler | World Nomads (US site) |
|---|---|---|---|
| You fall off a rented scooter, sober and wearing a helmet | Policy: motor accidents are covered if licensed, equipped and not intoxicated (product page); the exclusion in the policy PDF applies to operating a vehicle while over the legal or 0.08 BAC limit | Product page lists “motor vehicle operations” among covered activities | Motorbike cover is not stated on the pages read; check the activity list at quote |
| A condition was treated 8 months ago | Excluded: the current policy page counts anything you had before or at the plan start date as pre-existing (no fixed lookback stated); an emergency-treatment benefit exists for a sudden flare | Excluded: anything with symptoms, diagnosis, treatment or consultation in the year before start | Excluded; a waiver exists only if you buy Explorer or Epic in the time-sensitive window |
| Three weeks at home, in the US | Not covered in the US for US residents except incidental home-country rules | Emergencies only, the first 7 days of each US or Canada stay by default, extendable for a fee | Page describes US-resident cover only; not covered at home |
| You are 66 | Eligible under 70; the 2023 policy PDF cuts the overall limit to US$100,000 for ages 65 to 69 (not repeated on the current page) | Eligible if under 70 at the start (up to age 69) | Age limits not stated; separate TripAssure plan for 70 and over |
| A dive and ski trip | Amateur activities covered; professional or organised athletics excluded; safety equipment must be worn | Names diving, skiing, snowboarding, climbing and surfing as covered | 250+ activities (Standard), 300+ (Explorer) |
| One place for 12 months | Subscription; the annual health product is SafetyWing Complete | Traveler runs up to 12 months; the annual product is Genki Native | Single trip up to 180 days; extendable before the end date |
Sources: SafetyWing page, policy PDF (file metadata early 2023; older than the current policy page), Genki Traveler, Genki help, World Nomads comparison and medical page.
Price by age: what can and cannot be compared
Only SafetyWing prints a price for each age band without asking for your details. These are its Essential plan figures from the pricing calculator on its product page, read on 2 Oct 2026, for a 4-week period, in US dollars, without the optional US cover, adventure-sports or electronics add-ons:
| Age band | SafetyWing Essential, per 4 weeks | Multiple of the 10 to 39 price |
|---|---|---|
| 10 to 39 | US$62.72 | 1.0 |
| 40 to 49 | US$102.76 | 1.6 |
| 50 to 59 | US$161.28 | 2.6 |
| 60 to 69 | US$218.96 | 3.5 |
The multiples are our arithmetic on the printed prices. The same page shows a 10% discount for paying a 364-day term in full. SafetyWing also lists a Complete plan at US$177.50 a month for ages 18 to 39; we could not read its prices for the older bands.
Genki prints no premium on its Traveler or Native pages; the price appears after its online questionnaire, and its help centre says Native outcomes can include an increased premium or exclusions. World Nomads also prices at quote, and varies by country of purchase. We did not enter anyone’s details into those quote forms, so no Genki or World Nomads price is given here. Third-party price tables found in search results are simulations that are months old, and are not used. Premiums change; the date above is the date they were read.
What each one is
- SafetyWing Nomad Essential: US$62.72 per 4 weeks for ages 18 to 39 on its page; US$250,000 overall, US$100,000 evacuation lifetime, a US$250 deductible per certificate period in the 2023 PDF that the current policy page no longer mentions. Cover starts when you leave your home country.
- Genki Traveler: EUR 1,000,000 for the whole contract, EUR 50 per case (none for inpatient), up to 12 months, 14-day waiting period for non-emergency cover. Genki’s help article says you can sign up while already abroad. Price is not printed on the pages we read.
- World Nomads Standard and Explorer: US$125,000 and US$150,000 medical, US$400,000 and US$500,000 evacuation. Price and deductible are quote-gated.
The honest gap
Nobody here publishes a claims record we can cite, and we do not rate insurers. Genki’s page says it pays “80% of reimbursements within 2 business days”; that is its own statement, not independent evidence. If claims speed matters, read reviews from independent sources and check the policy wording for the treatment you are most likely to need.
Visa rules can settle the choice before price does. Some schemes name an insurer type or a pre-paid year, and one names travel insurance as not accepted; the visa-fit table reads those rules against these plans. The visa tracker lists each scheme’s stated insurance requirement.
Before you pay: three checks
- Compare the same age, the same start date and the same add-ons across all three quotes, and note the date, because only one insurer shows prices publicly.
- Re-read the pre-existing wording: SafetyWing’s current policy page treats anything before or at the start of each new plan as pre-existing, and Genki looks back one year.
- Check your visa’s insurance rule in the visa tracker before buying.
Method
Researched from the three insurers’ own product pages and SafetyWing’s current policy page and 2023 PDF; SafetyWing prices and policy page re-read 2 Oct 2026, other pages 29 Sept 2026. World Nomads terms differ by country of purchase; the US site is used. Cells that read “not stated” mean the page we read did not say.