World Nomads vs Travel Guard: A Comparison
Written by Antonio Cala.
Table of Contents
Picking the right travel insurance can really make or break your trip, giving you that extra layer of security and peace of mind. World Nomads and Travel Guard are two big names in the game, each offering something unique for different kinds of travelers.
In this article, we’ll dive into a side-by-side comparison of these two, looking at their coverage options, prices, customer service, and overall value.
Whether you’re a solo backpacker needing flexibility or a family wanting comprehensive protection, this guide will help you choose the best travel insurance for your next adventure trip.
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.
World Nomads vs Travel Guard
World Nomads
World Nomads is a traditional travel insurance policy focusing on budget travelers and backpackers offering affordable travel insurance policies with good medical coverage, decent trip protection and some equipment coverage under the same plan. With their top plan you can get covered for most adventure activites.
Travel Guard
Travel Guard on the other side focuses more on high end travelers offering policies with very high trip protection value, ideal for those high-ticket vacations like adventure cruises, African safaris or other adventure trips that cost over $5-10k.
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)
For those seeking budget-friendly travel insurance with solid medical coverage, the World Nomads Explorer Plan is an excellent choice.
While it does offer some trip protection, it doesn’t provide as extensive coverage as Travel Guard does.
On the good side, their policies are more affordable and World Nomads receives better reviews online.
Travel Guard in Detail
Nationalities: Only residents of the United States, Canada, Hong Kong, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Norway, Sweden, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand and UAE can purchase a Travel Guard insurance policy.
Pre-existing conditions: Yes.
Seniors Over 65: Travelers aged 65-75 are covered.
Trip Duration: All plans cover trips up to 364 days.
Groups: One children aged 17 and under is included with an adult policy at no extra cost.
Reasons To Buy
Highest medical expenses and trip cancellation/interruption coverage combined under the same policy.
Pre-Existing Medical Condition Exclusion Waiver Available (must be purchased within 15 days of the Initial Trip Payment).
Reasons To Avoid
Not all nationalities are covered.
Must be less than 75 years old.
Travel Medical Expense/Dental Expense: Up to $100,000/$500. Travel Medical Expense pays for medical expenses incurred due to a Sickness or Injury that happens while on a Trip. A $500 sub-limit applies for dental expenses.
Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation of Remains: Up to $1,000,000. Covers evacuation expenses as directed by a Physician to the nearest adequate medical facility or home in the event of death or if medically required.
Trip Cancellation: Up to 100% Insured Trip Cost. Reimburses nonrefundable, Unused payments or deposits if you must cancel your Trip due to an illness, Injury, or death of you, a Family Member, Traveling Companion or Business Partner, or for other covered reasons. Maximum of $150,000.
Trip Interruption: Up to 150% Insured Trip Cost: Reimburses nonrefundable, Unused payments or deposits if you must interrupt your Trip due to an illness, Injury, or death of you, a Family Member, Traveling Companion or Business Partner, or for other covered reasons. Maximum of $225,000
Trip Interruption – Return Transportation Only: Up to $1,000. Reimburses the additional Transportation expenses incurred by you to reach the Return Destination if your Trip is interrupted by one of the Unforeseen events shown in the Policy Trip Interruption section.
Trip Delay: Up to $1,000. Reimburses up to $200 per day for Reasonable Additional Expenses until travel becomes possible if your Trip is delayed for more than 5 hours due to covered reasons.
Baggage Coverage: Up to $2,500. Reimburses you if your luggage is lost, damaged, or stolen while on your Trip. Coverage is primary.
Trip Saver: Up to $5,000. Reimburses up to $5,000 for meals, Hotels and additional Transportation if the Insured must begin their Trip sooner than the originally scheduled Departure Date due to Inclement Weather or Common Carrier changes.
Baggage Delay: Up to $500. Reimburses you for the purchase of necessary personal effects if your bags are delayed for more than 12 hours.
Missed Connection: Up to $1,000. Reimburses you if Inclement Weather or Common Carrier causes cancellation or a delay to your point of departure of regularly scheduled airline flights for three or more hours. Does not apply if you do not leave adequate time between connecting flights.
Security Evacuation: Up to $100,000. Coverage for security evacuation, Flight Guard® and Trip Cancellation or Trip Interruption due to a riot or civil disorder.
Cancel for Any Reason Bundle. Reimburses up to the Maximum Limit shown on the Schedule of Benefits if you cancel your Trip for any reason, not otherwise covered under the Policy, up to 48 hours prior to your scheduled departure.
Adventure Sports Bundle. Removes the exclusions for adventure and extreme activities from all benefits on the Policy.
Pet Bundle. Daily benefit for boarding, and a medical expense coverage for illness or Injury of dog or cat while traveling. Includes coverage for Trip Cancellation or Trip Interruption if your Pet is in critical condition or dies within seven days prior to the Departure Date.
Wedding Bundle. Trip Cancellation due to wedding cancellation. Coverage does not apply if you are the bride or groom in the wedding.
The Travel Guard Deluxe plan is a great choice for travelers going on high end organized trips or expeditions.
It offers one of the highest trip cancellation coverage (up to $150,000), a competitive medical coverage up to $100,000 and emergency evacuation up to $1,000,000.
Travel Guard is not the cheapest, doesn’t get the best online reviews but they do offer one of the highest trip protection coverage on the market.
Comparing Coverage Details
Company |
Plan |
Medical Expenses |
Emmergency Evacuation |
Trip Cancellation |
Trip Delays |
Equipment Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Explorer |
$100,000 |
$500,000 |
$10,000 |
$3,000 |
$3,000 |
|
|
Deluxe |
$100,000 |
$1,000,000 |
100% |
150% |
$2,500 |
Pricing
There is a clear winner here. World Nomads is a lot cheaper than Travel Guard.
However, you should notice that the trip protection coverage is what makes a travel insurance expensive and Travel Guard offers one of the highest on the market and, therefore, their policies cost more.
What's Covered & Who's Eligible
Company |
Nationalities Covered |
Preexisting Conditions |
Coverage for Seniors Over 65 |
Destinations Covered |
Adventure Activities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Many not covered |
No |
Yes, up to 70 |
Some not covered |
Some not covered |
|
|
Only 14 |
Yes |
Yes, up to 75 |
Some not covered |
Some not covered |
User Reviews and Testimonials
Insurance companies normally get a lot of bad reviews from angry customers due to complex policy wording, bad customer service or the difficulty of making a claim.
World Nomads gets some bad reviews, but the majority are positive. However, Travel Guards gets a lot of bad press online from very unhappy customers, so proceed with caution.
World Nomads Online Reviews
Travel Guard Online Reviews
Conclusion
If you are looking for an affordable policy or your trip cost is less than $10,000, the Explorer Plan from World Nomads is definitely the best option of the two. It provides a good medical coverage, and its policies rank among the most affordable in the market.
If you are planning to go on a high-end adventure trip that costs over $10,000, Travel Guard – Deluxe will give you the coverage you need to protect your trip investment against possible cancellations.
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
If you want to read what other people have to say about the differences between World Nomads and Travel Guard, here are some articles I found interesting.
World Nomads Reviewed: Who’s It For?—Plus Ideal Alternatives – by alittleadrift.com
The Complete Guide to AIG Travel Guard Insurance – 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