The One Line Item We Never Skip
We once assumed a US leg of a trip would just fall under our existing policy. It didn’t, and we ended up paying nearly a second policy’s price to add it. This page is what we’ve actually learned since, from our own experience.
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What Insurance Actually Needs to Cover
Before picking a provider, this is the checklist worth knowing. Most policies bundle some of it and sell the rest separately, so it pays to check the fine print rather than assume.
For long-term travel specifically, watch the fine print on trip length. Plenty of standard annual policies cap coverage at 42 or 90 days per trip, which doesn’t work if you’re gone longer than that in one stretch.
Who We Use
We’re insured through Young Travellers, on the HanseMerkur Young Travelers plan. It’s a well-known long-term foreign health insurance option in the German backpacker scene, built specifically for younger long-term travelers rather than short holidays.
Worth knowing upfront: this is purely foreign health insurance. It does not include theft, baggage, or valuables coverage. That’s a separate policy if you want it.
What’s worked
- Solid medical coverage for the price
- The Premium tier removes the deductible entirely, which matters when you can’t front a bill mid-trip
- Straightforward for the claims we’ve filed so far
What’s frustrated us
- Adding a US-specific top-up mid-policy cost us close to the price of a second full policy. That felt unfair
- Reimbursements take a while to land
- Claims actually go to HanseMerkur directly, not Young Travellers, and that isn’t obvious upfront
In our experience, the Premium version is the one to look at, because it removes the deductible. We didn’t want to be negotiating a bill while standing in a clinic abroad.
We’re working on a partnership here so we can eventually pass along a better rate. For now, this is just our honest, unaffiliated experience with our own Young Travellers policy.
Another Name You’ll Hear
On the road, SafetyWing is one of the providers we’ve come across most often among other travelers. We haven’t used it ourselves, so we can’t speak to claims or service. It’s built for long-term travelers, and the calculator below shows what a plan would cost for your own dates.
- SafetyWingAdTravel medical insurance designed for long-term travelers and digital nomads.Code JAYANDFABI: 8 weeks of free electronic theft coverage for new Nomad Essential members.Offer terms are set by SafetyWing.
See what a plan could cost
Use the calculator to get a price for your trip. Prices are calculated by SafetyWing.
Ad: This calculator contains an affiliate link. If you buy through it, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
This page shares our personal experience and general information. It is not insurance advice. Always check the policy terms before you buy.
Don’t Forget the Other Half
Insurance covers what happens if something goes wrong. Vaccines are what make that less likely, or at least a lot milder if it happens anyway. We went through a full round before this trip, some required, some optional, and it wasn’t cheap. We’ve broken down exactly what we got, what’s required versus optional by country, and what it actually cost on its own page.
See the Vaccines pageBefore You Ask
Is this insurance only for German citizens?
The plan is aimed at long-term travelers generally, but eligibility and pricing can depend on your country of residence. Worth checking directly with the provider for your specific situation.
What if you need to add coverage mid-trip?
That’s exactly where we ran into trouble. Adding a new leg or region partway through cost us nearly a second policy. If you know a trip will span multiple regions with different requirements, it’s worth checking the price for full coverage before you leave rather than adding it later.
Do you actually recommend Young Travellers, or just HanseMerkur?
Both, with the caveat above about the claims process. Young Travellers is where we booked it and where we’d point someone to start, but know that HanseMerkur is who actually handles the claim once something happens.
Do you earn money from this page?
Our experience with Young Travellers is unpaid and unaffiliated. The SafetyWing link and calculator are affiliate links, marked “Ad”. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Health and money sorted. Now the fun part.
Once the boring but essential stuff is handled, here’s where we’re actually taking you.
See our guides