Travel Resources for Adventurers
Global Rescue vs World Nomads: What Insurance Is Better For You?
Written by Antonio Cala.
Table of Contents
When planning an adventure or remote travel, having reliable travel insurance is essential for peace of mind and safety. Two prominent providers in this space are Global Rescue and World Nomads. Both companies offer specialized coverage tailored to the needs of adventure travelers, but they differ in various aspects such as coverage options, customer service, and pricing.
This article aims to provide a comprehensive comparison of Global Rescue and World Nomads, examining their strengths and weaknesses to help you make an informed decision on which provider best suits your travel insurance needs.
If you would like to know more about insurance options for adventure travel, make sure to check out our Complete Guide to Adventure Travel Insurance. Let’s jump in.
Global Rescue & World Nomads Overview
Global Rescue
Global Rescue offers medical protection specifically tailored for adventure travelers embarking on remote journeys, whether independently or with a group. Coverage is available for all nationalities, and there are options for individuals over the age of 75.
It only covers medical & evacuation. So there’s no trip protection or baggage covered offered.
World Nomads
World Nomads works as a traditional travel insurance policy focusing on affordable policies with good medical coverage, decent trip protection and some equipment coverage under the same plan.
Global Rescue in Detail
Nationalities: all nationalities are covered.
Pre-existing conditions: Yes.
Seniors Over 65: People aged 65-75 are included in the Individual Plan. Extended Plan memberships are available to those age 75-84 and include all services but are contingent upon completion of a medical form and a physician’s medical verification.
Trip Duration: Short term policies (7, 14 or 30-days) and long term policies (1 to 5 years) available.
Groups: Individual, family and student plans available.
Situations covered: It covers civil unrest, natural disasters, government evacuation orders and other security emergencies (when purchasing the Security package).
Reasons To Buy
Remote locations coverage.
Coverage available for 65-84.
Pre-existing conditions accepted.
All nationalities accepted.
Reasons To Avoid
The price is a bit higher than other insurance policies. However, no other company provides the same coverage as Global Rescue.
It doesn’t cover trip cancellations or delays.
It doesn’t cover equipment.
Worldwide field rescue (up to $500,000) in remote or dangerous environments. Global Rescue’s deployable teams are standing by to rescue their members from the point of illness or injury for any serious medical emergency.
Medical Evacuation. Global Rescue’s fully deployable medical teams have unparalleled capabilities to transport our members back to their home hospital of choice from anywhere in the world. This includes global COVID-19 transport.
Medical & Security Advisory Services. Global Rescue’s operations centers are staffed by experienced nurses, paramedics and military special operations veterans. Global Rescue also has partnerships with the Johns Hopkins Emergency Medicine Division of Special Operations, Elite Medical Group and Partners HealthCare, the Harvard Medical School affiliate.
Security Membership. Global Rescue’s teams of military special operations veterans are available to provide advisory, consultation and evacuation services for events like natural disasters, terror attacks and civil unrest when you are in danger.
Destination Reports & Event Alerts. Destination reports for 215 countries and principalities worldwide include entry requirements, COVID-19 travel status and restrictions, detailed health and security assessments and required immunizations. Keep up to date on health and security events worldwide.
My Global Rescue Mobile App. Access Global Rescue services in one location. Browse destination reports and alerts, activate emergency assistance, real-time virtual health visits and keep track of the people you care about with GPS tracking and messaging.
Security Package. Physical extraction when you are in danger of bodily harm. It includes civil unrest, natural disasters, government evacuation orders and other security emergencies.
High Altitude Evacuation.. This is for individuals traveling above 15,000 ft (4,600 m) during any part of their trip (excluding airplane travel). It also includes emergency physical transport due to injury or illness.
Global Rescue is the most comprehensive travel protection available worldwide. It has the least restrictions and biggest coverage than any other medical insurance.
It’s a medical-only protection designed for adventure travelers planning to go remote in an independent or organized adventure trip. All nationalities are covered and options for people over 75 are available.
Global Rescue is our preferred option for adventure trips, particularly those in remote locations.
World Nomads in Detail
Nationalities: Most nationalities can purchase insurance from World Nomads, including residents of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, India, Australia, or New Zealand. However, as of the current writing, most European residents are unable to buy a World Nomads policy.
Pre-existing conditions: Not covered.
Seniors Over 65: Travelers aged 70 and over are not covered.
Trip Duration: All plans cover trips up to 365 days.
Groups: Insurance policies for solo travelers, couples and families are available.
Reasons To Buy
The price is competitive.
Reasons To Avoid
Prices and coverage vary greatly by the country of residence.
Some European nationalities are not covered.
Pre-existing medical conditions not covered
Max age is 70 years old.
Emergency Accident & Sickness Medical Expense: Up to $100,000. Coverage is for medical expenses for emergency treatment of an accidental injury that occurs during the trip. Emergency treatment must be medically necessary and performed during the trip. Refer to the certificate / policy for complete details.
Emergency dental treatment: Up to $750. Coverage is for emergency dental treatment for accidental injury to sound, natural teeth. The injury and treatment must occur during the trip.
Emergency Evacuation: Up to $500,000. Coverage is for an accidental injury or sickness occurring during the trip that results in your necessary emergency evacuation. An emergency evacuation must be ordered by a physician who certifies that the severity of your accidental injury or sickness warrants your emergency evacuation. Refer to the certificate / policy for complete details.
Trip Cancellation: Up to $10,000. Reimburses for prepaid, non-refundable cancellation charges if you must cancel your trip (after the effective date) due to covered sickness, accidental injury, or death of you, a family member or traveling companion; inclement weather, unforeseen natural disaster at home or at your destination, strike or other covered reasons. Refer to the certificate / policy for complete details.
Trip Interruption: Up to $10,000. Reimburses for prepaid, non-refundable, unused expenses if you must interrupt your trip (after departure) due to a covered sickness, accidental injury, or death of you, a family member or traveling companion; inclement weather, unforeseen natural disaster at home or at your destination, strike, or other covered reasons. Refer to the certificate / policy for complete details.
Trip Delay: Up to $3,000. Coverage is for unused portion of pre-paid accommodation or additional expenses, on a one-time basis, if you are delayed en route to or from the trip for 6 or more hours due to a defined hazard as explained in the certificate / policy.
Baggage & Personal Effects: Up to $3,000. Reimbursement is for loss, theft or damage during the trip to baggage and personal effects (including sporting equipment) owned by you, provided you have taken all reasonable measures to protect, save and recover the property. Per article limit of $500.
Activities covered based on 4 groups. You pay more for higher group. The Explorer plan includes more activities than the Standard Plan. Extreme activities not covered (cave diving, free soloing, etc)
The World Nomads Explorer Plan is a great option if you’re looking for an affordable travel insurance with good medical coverage that also provides the trip protection and luggage coverage that Global Rescue doesn’t provide.
We recommend World Nomads Explorers plan for adventure trips if you are not American and don’t plan to go too remote.
Comparing Coverage Details
Company |
Plan |
Medical Expenses |
Emmergency Evacuation |
Trip Cancellation |
Trip Delays |
Equipment Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Travel |
$100,000 |
$500,000 |
None |
None |
None |
|
|
Explorer |
$100,000 |
$500,000 |
$10,000 |
$3,000 |
$3,000 |
Pricing
It wouldn’t be fair to compare the two companies based on price alone, as they do offer different things.
Global Rescue provides world-class medical and evacuation services worldwide to any nationality with minimal exclusions, while World Nomads offers a more traditional travel insurance policy that is not available to some nationalities, has several exclusions but also includes trip protection and baggage coverage.
Overall, World Nomads policies are more affordable than Global Rescue. But again, they offer different products.
What's Covered & Who's Eligible
Company |
Nationalities Covered |
Preexisting Conditions |
Coverage for Seniors Over 65 |
Destinations Covered |
Adventure Activities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
All |
Yes |
Yes, up to 84 |
All |
All |
|
|
Many not covered |
No |
Yes, up to 70 |
Some not covered |
Some not covered |
User Reviews and Testimonials
Insurance companies frequently garner negative online reviews due to factors such as complex policy language, claim denials, slow processing times, and perceived unfair practices.
Both Global Rescue and World Nomads are not an exception and they get their share of negative reviews online.
Global Rescue Online Reviews
World Nomads Online Reviews
Conclusion
If you plan to go adventuring in remote areas or doing any adventure activity, the absolute best choice is Global Rescue. Its robust medical evacuation system is simply unmatched by any other provider.
If you don’t plan to go remote, want trip protection and baggage coverage or are on a budget, a good option is the Explorer Plan from World Nomads. It provides a substantial amount of medical coverage, and its policies rank among the most affordable in the market.
Other Travel Insurance Reviews
If you would like to read more about other insurance companies for adventure travelers, you can check out our other reviews below:
- Allianz
- Dive Assure
- Divers Network Alert
- Global Rescue
- Faye
- Medjet
- Ripcord
- SafetyWing
- Travel Guard
- Travelex
- World Nomads
If you would like to read more about insurance options for other type of adventure trips, you can check out our other reviews below:
- Skiing & Snowboarding
- Hiking Trips
- Mountaineering & High Altitude Trekking
- Mountain Biking, Bike-touring & Bike-packing
- Rock Climbing, Ice Climbing & Bouldering
- Kayaking, White Water Rafting & Paddle Boarding
- Fishing & Spearfishing
- Diving Liveaboards & Freediving
- Sailing, Kite Surfing & Surfing
- Adventure Cruises
- Adventure Motorcycling
Other Reviews Online
When doing your research, you might want to read what other publications have to say about the Global Rescue and World Nomads.
Although I couldn’t find articles comparing the two, here are some of the most popular reviews for each provider.
World Nomads Reviewed: Who’s It For?—Plus Ideal Alternatives – by alittleadrift.com
Global Rescue Travel Insurance Review – by nerdwallet.com
About the Author
Antonio was born and raised in Southern Spain, and quit his job in 2013 to travel the world full-time with his wife Amanda for 10 years straight. Their passion for adventure took them to visit 150+ countries.
They cycled 25,000km + from California to Patagonia, sailed over 10,000NM around the Caribbean & Sea of Cortez, rode their motorbikes 30,000 kms+ across West Africa (Spain to South Africa) and visited Antarctica, among many other adventure expeditions. Today, they’re still traveling, currently around the USA with an RV.
Traveling to so many places, remote destinations and by different means taught them a lot about travel insurance, which policies to hold depending on the area and the type of adventure they were doing. Antonio now publishes regular content to help other travelers choose the best travel insurance for adventure trips.
Together, they also run the travel community Summit, the RV site Hitched Up, the boutique accommodation blog Unique Places and the popular newsletter Adventure Fix, where they share their knowledge about the places they’ve visited and the ones still remaining on their list.
Antonio Cala
Co-Founder of Adventure Fix