How Digital Nomads Get Insurance Without a Fixed Residential Address

You’re probably familiar with travel insurance policies to protect you from delayed flights, lost baggage, or medical emergencies while abroad. But for digital nomads traveling the world full-time, travel insurance doesn’t really cut it when it comes to comprehensive medical care. That’s where digital nomad insurance comes in. 

But as you sign up for international health insurance, you run into another problem: a fixed residential address. 

The whole point of being a digital nomad is to travel from place to place with most of your belongings in a suitcase or backpack. So when it comes to filling out your application, you don’t really have a fixed residential address to put. (This is just one of the bureaucratic nightmares of the nomadic lifestyle!)

In this post, we’re explaining how digital nomads can get insurance without a fixed residential address and what to look for in a policy. Plus, we’re sharing our preferred digital nomad insurance provider so you can get covered during your travels quicker. 

Why Getting Insurance Is Difficult for Digital Nomads Without a Permanent Address

If you’re looking into traditional travel insurance policies, you’ll likely notice that they have a firm start and end date. But for digital nomads who are constantly on the move, sometimes for years at a time or moving abroad with a digital nomad visa, that doesn’t exactly align with their timeline. 

Aside from the fixed timeline, when filling out the insurance application, you will run into a section to put your residential address. In some cases, providers may require proof of residence, such as a lease agreement. And don’t even think about inventing an address to put—it’s not really a safe solution and could cause issues with your coverage.

If you’re not familiar with the different insurance options available to travelers, check out our guide Travel Insurance vs. International Health Insurance for Digital Nomads. 

Do You Need a Permanent Address to Get Insurance?

No, not every international health insurance policy requires digital nomads to have a permanent address to get coverage. In most cases, international insurers will ask for your home country, country of residence, or a mailing address. 

The most important information you’ll have to provide is your citizenship, country of residence, and where you plan to travel during the insurance period. This is what will determine your coverage, policy availability, and your premium price. 

What Type of Insurance Do Digital Nomads Need?

Your first thought as someone traveling abroad is to take out a travel insurance policy. But for digital nomads who are spending months or years abroad, travel insurance doesn’t really cut it. Instead, they need to look for either travel medical insurance or international health insurance. 

Here’s a quick look at the difference: 

Understanding the type of insurance coverage you need and the duration are the first steps to understanding exactly what policy type is for you. 

How to Get Insurance Without a Fixed Address

So, we’ve determined that you can get insurance without a fixed residential address, but what is the process to actually get coverage? Check out our step-by-step guide below. 

1. Determine Your Home Country

Even if you don’t have a permanent home address, insurers may ask for a home country or country of residence. This could be where you legally reside, spend most of the year, or have the year, or have the right to return. 

For most digital nomads, the home country would be where they hold citizenship or where they grew up and have family. Think of it as the place where you return “home” after traveling for months at a time. 

2. Choose the Coverage You Need

Understanding the different types of insurance coverage available is the first step to finding a policy that works for you. We covered this briefly above, breaking down travel medical, international health, and traditional travel insurance. 

Most digital nomads choose between travel medical insurance and international health insurance. Ultimately, it depends on how long you want coverage abroad and what you want covered. 

If you’re worried just about medical emergencies and travel interruptions with less than a year of coverage then travel medical insurance is a good choice. But if you plan to relocate abroad and want to have routine and preventative healthcare covered, international health insurance is the better option. 

3. Look for Insurance Created for Digital Nomads

When shopping around for international insurance, start with nomad-friendly providers. These policies are created specifically for people who do not have a fixed residential address and offer the unique coverage that most traveling remote workers need. 

Oftentimes, digital nomad insurance policies are simpler to understand and have easy-to-navigate online portals. But they offer the same level of comprehensive coverage as a traditional health insurance provider. 

4. Check Whether You Can Buy Coverage Abroad

If you’re like most digital nomads, you kind of fell into the lifestyle without much of a long-term plan. That means you probably didn’t even think about digital nomad insurance until a month or two after starting your journey. When shopping around for insurance, you’ll have to verify whether you can buy the policy while already abroad. 

We have an entire guide dedicated to this topic that we recommend reading next, Can You Buy Travel Insurance While You’re Already Abroad? 

5. Ask What Address Information Is Required

Most digital nomad insurance providers have excellent customer service who can answer questions quickly. Take advantage of this and ask them what address information is required before you start your application. This will quickly clear up whether you are eligible for the policy. 

6. Review Home-Country Coverage Rules

A lot of digital nomads will take some time to visit their home country to see family and friends and take care of some lifestyle administrative tasks. Before signing up for digital nomad insurance, make sure you fully understand if coverage continues if you visit your home country. 

For example, US citizens may receive emergency-care coverage in their home country for a limited time during the year from their international health insurance. Meanwhile, while abroad, they receive comprehensive coverage for preventative and ongoing care. 

7. Read the Policy Carefully

Whenever you buy insurance, whether it’s standard travel or digital nomad insurance, make sure you read the policy carefully. Your goal is to fully understand exclusions, coverage limits, waiting periods, and claims requirements before committing to the policy. 

What to Check Before Buying Digital Nomad Insurance

As you shop around for digital nomad insurance, it’s helpful to have a checklist of things to review to ensure the coverage works with your lifestyle. Keep the list below nearby to refer to when deciding which insurance is right for you. 

Always read the complete policy wording rather than relying on the provider’s summary page. It will take some time to read through, but it’s worth it for such a big decision. If anything is unclear, contact the insurer before purchasing. 

For an even deeper look at what to look for, read our guide Things to Consider When Buying Digital Nomad Insurance. 

SafetyWing Insurance: The Answer for Digital Nomads Without a Fixed Residential Address

Finding the right digital nomad insurance policy where you don’t need a fixed residential address doesn’t have to be difficult. SafetyWing Nomad Insurance is exactly what digital nomads need when it comes to protecting their lifestyle in 180+ countries. 

SafetyWing offers two types of insurance policies: 

• Nomad Essential Insurance – A travel medical insurance with coverage for travel disruption, lost baggage, theft, and emergency medical treatments for up to 364 days. 
• Nomad Complete Insurance – A comprehensive international health insurance with coverage for preventative, routine, and emergency medical care, including maternity, for at least 365 days. 

Signing up for the policy is easy with an online form and 24/7 customer support if you have a question about the policy or coverage. 

Exclusive Offer from Nomads Embassy for SafetyWing Nomad Insurance

Whether you’re already abroad or planning your digital nomad adventure, Nomad Essential Insurance offers the peace of mind most remote workers look for. And for a limited time, you can get even more peace of mind from SafetyWing’s Electronic Theft Coverage. 

You can get 8 weeks of free Electronic Theft Coverage when you sign up for your first Nomad Essential Insurance plan with our unique code NOMADSEMBASSY01.

To use it, go to the SafetyWing Nomad Insurance website and scroll down to the image with the pink camera. Click the pink camera and enter our unique code to get 8 weeks of electronics protection.

Note: This code only works for first-time Nomad Essential customers, and you will need to input the code before creating an account. 

Stay Protected Wherever You Live or Travel Next

One of the hardest parts of being a digital nomad is the lack of a permanent residential address, especially when it comes to buying an insurance policy. But with the right digital nomad insurance providers, you can bypass that requirement and get the coverage you need. 

SafetyWing makes it easier than ever to get insurance coverage without a fixed address. That means no matter where you are in the world, you can get travel and medical coverage for extra peace of mind. 

Request your SafetyWing quote and get international travel and medical coverage today! 

FAQs About Getting Insurance Without a Fixed Address