Visas · head to headSafetyWing vs EKTA
SafetyWing vs EKTA
Compared on eligibility rather than price: who each will actually accept. Built for nomads. Subscription that follows you. Any passport, age 0–100, visa-ready. Offshore carrier, read the fine print.
The rules side by side
| Rule | SafetyWingNomad Insurance (Essential) | EKTATravel / Seniors / Visa-Ready |
|---|---|---|
| Who can buy it | Most countriesSold to residents of most countries; home country must not be under international sanctions. | Any residence“Suitable for citizens of all countries”, valid worldwide. |
| Buy after you have left home | Yes“Sign up before you depart or at any point during your travels.” One 2026 source reports a 3-day illness wait mid-trip, read current wording. | Yes“Already travelling” option; policy becomes effective after 3 days. |
| Maximum age | 69Age brackets end at 60–69; a policy bought at 69 runs to term. | 1000–100; dedicated Seniors product for 60+. |
| One-way or open-ended trips | YesSubscription, no return date or ticket required. | YesDate-bound policies, no return-ticket requirement. |
| Longest trip | 12 months, renewableUp to 364 days per purchase, auto-renews every 4 weeks. | 12 monthsLong-term and annual options to ~1 year. |
| Pre-existing conditions | NoPre-existing conditions excluded; no screening path. | Not verifiedNot addressed in marketing; standard exclusions expected, check policy PDF. |
| Cover in the USA | With conditionsOptional paid US add-on (non-US residents only). | YesUSA available as destination. |
| Schengen visa certificate | With conditionsExceeds €30k medical; downloadable visa letter, consulate acceptance varies. | Yes“Suitable for obtaining a Schengen visa”. Visa-Ready plans. |
| Winter sports | YesOn-piste ski/snowboard with helmet covered as standard. | With conditionsActive tier: marked-track skiing; Extreme tier for freestyle. |
| Scuba diving | With conditionsAdventure Sports add-on required for many higher-risk activities. | With conditionsExtreme tier. |
| High-altitude trekking | With conditionsCheck altitude limits under the Adventure Sports add-on. | With conditionsExtreme tier includes mountaineering. |
| Scooters and motorbikes | With conditionsCovered if licensed for the area (incl. IDP where required) + helmet; over 50cc needs the Adventure Sports add-on. | Not verifiedTier placement and licence rules not published. |
| Working abroad | Not verifiedAimed at remote workers; manual-work exclusions not verified. | Not verifiedNot verified. |
| Trip cancellation | NoNo trip cancellation (trip interruption ~$5,000 included). | With conditionsIncluded in some plans. |
| Families | YesChild age brackets exist; verify current child rules. | YesMulti-traveller checkout supported. |
| No fixed country of residence | With conditionsSubscription model tolerates nomadic life; formal 'no residence' status not addressed in wording. | With conditionsNo residence gating found in purchase flow. |
Both columns are generated from the same rule database the checker uses. Sources: SafetyWing and EKTA, checked 2026-08-03.
Who each one suits
- SafetyWing makes sense when you have already left home, or you are comfortably under 69.
- EKTA makes sense when you have already left home, or you are comfortably under 100.
Both columns come from the same rule database the checker uses. Sources: SafetyWing and EKTA, checked 2026-08-03.