Visas · head to headSafetyWing vs Cigna Global
SafetyWing vs Cigna Global
Compared on eligibility rather than price: who each will actually accept. Proper health insurance for people who left, renewable for as long as you keep going. Not travel insurance at all: proper expat health cover for when you have actually moved.
The rules side by side
| Rule | SafetyWingNomad Insurance Complete | Cigna GlobalInternational health insurance |
|---|---|---|
| Who can buy it | Most countriesComplete is not sold to residents of the USA and its territories, Canada, Ireland, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and a sanctions-related list. Essential has no such list. | Most countriesExpats and globally mobile people across 200+ markets, with dedicated country plans. Reported not available for sale in New York State. |
| Buy after you have left home | YesCan be started while already travelling, like Essential. | YesBought while you are already living abroad: it is not trip-bound at all. |
| Maximum age | 69Same age brackets as Essential; cover runs to term once bought. | No capNo published maximum entry age found, and it is actively marketed to over-60s and retirees. |
| One-way or open-ended trips | YesMonthly health plan, no return date required. | YesDesigned for relocation and indefinite stays. |
| Longest trip | 12 months, renewable“Ongoing coverage, renewable indefinitely.” The long-stay answer when Essential's 364 days run out. | 12 months, renewableNot trip-bound: an annually renewable health plan. |
| Pre-existing conditions | NoPre-existing conditions still excluded, but newly arising chronic conditions and cancer treatment ARE covered, unlike Essential. | YesYou must disclose pre-existing conditions at application and they are underwritten, which may mean exclusions, loadings or a moratorium. |
| Cover in the USA | With conditionsPaid US add-on gives full benefits for up to 6 months in the USA (non-US residents only). | With conditionsExplicit area options: worldwide, or worldwide excluding the USA, which is much cheaper. |
| Schengen visa certificate | With conditionsExceeds €30k medical; visa letter from the dashboard, consulate acceptance varies. | Not verifiedNot a Schengen travel product; acceptance for long-stay visas varies by country. |
| Winter sports | YesAdventure sports reported included at this tier. | With conditionsHealth cover rather than activity cover; hazardous-pursuit exclusions not verified. |
| Scuba diving | With conditionsReported included; confirm depth limits in the wording. | With conditionsNot verified. |
| High-altitude trekking | With conditionsReported included; confirm altitude limits. | With conditionsNot verified. |
| Scooters and motorbikes | With conditionsCovered if licensed for the area (incl. IDP where required) and wearing a helmet; racing excluded. | Not verifiedNot verified. |
| Working abroad | Not verifiedBuilt for remote workers; manual-work exclusions not verified. | YesBuilt for expat workers, though hazardous occupations are not verified. |
| Trip cancellation | NoHealth insurance, not trip insurance: no cancellation or baggage cover. | NoHealth insurance: no trip cancellation. |
| Families | YesIndividual, couple and family enrolment available. | YesIndividual, couple and family plans. |
| No fixed country of residence | With conditionsSold on a declared residence country; nomads commonly enrol, but the excluded-residence list still applies. | With conditionsDesigned for people living outside their home country; you declare a country of residence for pricing. |
Both columns are generated from the same rule database the checker uses. Sources: SafetyWing and Cigna Global, checked 2026-08-03.
Who each one suits
- SafetyWing makes sense when you have already left home, or you are comfortably under 69.
- Cigna Global makes sense when you have already left home, or age is the constraint that usually blocks you.
Go to either one
SafetyWingVisit SafetyWing →partner link, we may earn a commission
Cigna GlobalVisit Cigna Global →not a partner, we earn nothing
Both columns come from the same rule database the checker uses. Sources: SafetyWing and Cigna Global, checked 2026-08-03.