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.
Both columns come from the same rule database the checker uses. Sources: SafetyWing and Cigna Global, checked 2026-08-03.