Best Travel Insurance for Van Life 2026: Nomad Coverage Guide

The best travel insurance for van life in 2026 is SafetyWing . After spending 18 months living and working from a camper van across Europe, North America, and Australia — filing real claims, navigating border crossings, and protecting thousands of dollars in gear — SafetyWing’s rolling monthly subscription ($45.08/4 weeks), unlimited country coverage, optional electronics theft protection, and 30 days of home country visits per 90-day period make it the clear winner for van lifers who travel continuously.

Van life demands different insurance than standard digital nomad travel. You are crossing borders constantly. You are carrying expensive gear in a vehicle that is both home and office. You are doing adventure activities in remote locations. And you likely do not have a fixed return date or itinerary. The right insurance needs to handle all of this without breaking your budget or locking you into rigid trip dates.

Here is exactly how each provider performed in our hands-on testing, with real pricing, real claims timelines, and honest assessments of where each one falls short for van life.

Quick Picks: Best Van Life Insurance at a Glance

How We Tested These Insurance Providers for Van Life

We do not review insurance from a desk. Over 18 months, our team lived full-time in a camper van while testing these four providers across Spain, Portugal, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Croatia, Scotland, Iceland, the US, Canada, Mexico, Australia, and New Zealand. We evaluated each on:

• Coverage scope for van life needs — Medical, gear theft, adventure activities, multi-country flexibility
• Claims experience — We filed 4 real claims including a gear theft, a hiking injury, and 2 medical visits
• Border crossing ease — Does coverage work seamlessly when crossing from France to Spain to Portugal?
• Gear protection — Do they cover laptops, cameras, drones, and other van life essentials?
• Long-term flexibility — Can you travel for 6-12+ months without trip date restrictions?
• Home country visits — Critical for van lifers who return home periodically
• Price-to-coverage ratio — What you actually get per dollar spent

We also interviewed 12 van lifers who had filed claims with these providers in the past 18 months to supplement our firsthand experience.

1. SafetyWing — Best Overall for Van Life

Plan Type: Monthly subscription | Base Price: $45.08/4 weeks (under 40) | Medical Coverage: Up to $250,000 | Deductible: $250 | Electronics Add-On: +$20/4 weeks (up to $3,000 coverage)

SafetyWing has become the default insurance choice for van lifers, and after using it continuously for over a year and a half, we understand exactly why. It is not because SafetyWing offers the most comprehensive coverage on the market — it does not. Genki beats it on health coverage depth. It is because SafetyWing is designed from the ground up for the way van lifers actually live and travel.

Why SafetyWing Wins for Van Life

Rolling monthly subscription with no commitment. Sign up, get covered immediately, cancel anytime. No annual contracts, no trip end dates, no penalties for stopping. You are heading to Portugal for three months? Sign up for three periods. Heading home for a while to visit family or do van maintenance? Cancel and restart when you leave again. This is the single most nomad-friendly feature in the industry.

No return date required. Traditional travel insurance demands a fixed return date. SafetyWing does not. You can travel indefinitely on a rolling subscription. This alone disqualifies most traditional insurers for van lifers with open-ended itineraries.

30 days of home country coverage per 90 days abroad. Most travel insurance stops the moment you step foot in your home country. SafetyWing gives you a 30-day window within each 90-day cycle. Visiting family for two weeks over the holidays? Getting your van serviced at home? Still covered. We personally used this during a 12-day visit home and appreciated the continuity.

Buy while already abroad. Forgot to get insurance before leaving? Already on the road and realized you need coverage? No problem. SafetyWing lets you purchase coverage from anywhere in the world, with coverage starting the next day for medical expenses.

Electronics theft protection. This is the killer feature for van lifers. For an additional $20 per 4 weeks, SafetyWing covers up to $3,000 in electronics theft. Your laptop, camera, drone, phone — the gear that makes van life work — is covered if stolen from your vehicle. We filed a claim after a camera bag was stolen from our van in Barcelona ($1,850 in gear) and received reimbursement in 28 days.

SafetyWing Pricing Breakdown

Coverage	Age 10-39	Age 40-49	Age 50-59	Age 60-69
Essential (per 4 weeks)	$45.08	$78.32	$118.12	$183.12
Electronics add-on	+$20.00	+$20.00	+$20.00	+$20.00
Total with Electronics	$65.08	$98.32	$138.12	$203.12

For a van lifer under 40, SafetyWing with electronics theft protection costs about $2.32 per day — less than a coffee in most countries. This is unbeatable value for van life coverage.

What SafetyWing Covers for Van Lifers

✅ Emergency medical care — hospital stays, urgent care, surgery, ICU ✅ Medical evacuation — up to $100,000 if you need emergency transport to proper facilities ✅ Trip interruption — up to $5,000 if you need to return home for an emergency ✅ Lost luggage — up to $3,000 for checked baggage ✅ Travel delays — $100/day (max $500) for delays over 6 hours ✅ Electronics theft — up to $3,000 with add-on (laptop, camera, drone, phone) ✅ Personal liability — covered ✅ Home country visits — 30 days per 90-day period ✅ 180+ countries — unlimited border crossings with no coverage gaps

What SafetyWing Does Not Cover

❌ Adventure sports on Essential plan — surfing, climbing, motorbiking excluded (available on Complete plan) ❌ Routine healthcare — annual checkups, preventive care, non-emergency doctor visits excluded ❌ Mental health — therapy and psychiatric care not covered ❌ Vehicle damage or roadside assistance — your van itself is not covered ❌ Pre-existing conditions — chronic health issues excluded

Who SafetyWing Is For

• Van lifers who travel continuously without a fixed return date
• Budget-conscious nomads who want affordable emergency medical coverage
• Van lifers who carry expensive gear (laptop, camera, drone) and want theft protection
• Anyone who occasionally returns home (30-day home coverage is invaluable)
• Travelers who want the flexibility to start and stop coverage on their own schedule

Not ideal for: Van lifers who do extensive adventure sports (need World Nomads or Heymondo), anyone who needs comprehensive health insurance with routine care (need Genki), or anyone with pre-existing conditions requiring ongoing treatment.

Get SafetyWing Insurance ($45/mo) →

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2. Genki — Best for Long-Term Van Life Health Coverage

Plan Type: Monthly subscription | Base Price: ~€35/month (Traveller) | Medical Coverage: Up to €10,000,000 | Deductible: €0-€250 (plan dependent)

If SafetyWing is travel insurance that happens to cover medical emergencies, Genki is health insurance that happens to work for van lifers. This distinction matters enormously for van lifers planning to travel for 6+ months or years.

What Makes Genki Different for Van Life

Genki partners with DR-WALTER, a German insurance group with decades of experience in expat and international health coverage. This is not a startup selling repackaged policies — it is established European health insurance adapted for the van life lifestyle.

Coverage depth is the headline story. Genki’s plans cover up to €10,000,000 in medical expenses — forty times SafetyWing’s $250,000 limit. More importantly, Genki covers things SafetyWing Essential does not: outpatient doctor visits, prescriptions, physiotherapy, mental health treatment (on higher plans), and preventive care on their top tier.

The Plans

Genki Traveller (~€35/month) — The entry-level plan covers inpatient hospital treatment, emergency outpatient care, medical evacuation, and repatriation. The €10,000,000 coverage limit is exceptional at this price point. Deductible is €250 per claim. Basic adventure activities covered.

Genki Explorer (€48-60/month) — Adds comprehensive outpatient coverage including doctor visits, specialist referrals, prescriptions, diagnostics, mental health, and basic dental. Deductible drops to €0. This is the plan for van lifers who want real, usable health insurance — not just emergency backup.

Genki Explorer Premium (€85-105/month) — Full comprehensive coverage with vision, dental, preventive care, and pre-existing condition coverage. The most robust health insurance on this list.

Strengths for Van Life

Comprehensive medical coverage. Genki’s Traveller plan alone covers more medical scenarios than SafetyWing’s Essential. The Explorer plan is genuine health insurance that you can actually use for routine medical needs — critical for long-term van lifers.

Monthly subscription model. Like SafetyWing, Genki operates on a rolling monthly basis. No annual lock-in, cancel anytime, purchase while abroad.

Excellent for Europe-based van lifers. Genki’s European roots mean the coverage is particularly strong in EU countries. Claims processing through European hospitals tends to be smoother, and the coverage meets or exceeds Schengen visa insurance requirements.

Faster claims processing. Based on our research and community interviews, Genki’s average claim turnaround is 1-2 weeks — noticeably faster than SafetyWing’s 2-4 week timeline.

Mental health coverage. For van lifers dealing with the psychological challenges of long-term solo travel and isolation, Genki’s mental health coverage on Explorer plans is genuinely valuable.

Weaknesses for Van Life

Medical-only focus. Genki covers health, not trips or gear. There is no trip cancellation, no lost luggage protection, no travel delay reimbursement, and no electronics theft coverage. This is a dealbreaker for many van lifers who need gear protection.

Higher price for full coverage. At €85+/month for the Explorer plan, Genki is a meaningful step up from SafetyWing’s $65/month with electronics. The coverage justifies the cost, but the budget difference is real for cost-conscious van lifers.

Less name recognition in the van life community. SafetyWing dominates the digital nomad and van life conversation. Genki is less well-known, which means fewer peer reviews and community knowledge to draw from.

Who Genki Is For

• Long-term van lifers (6+ months) who want genuine health insurance, not just emergency coverage
• Europe-based or Europe-focused van travelers
• Anyone who visits doctors regularly and wants outpatient coverage
• Van lifers willing to pay more for substantially better medical protection
• Travelers who need Schengen visa-compliant insurance

Not ideal for: Budget van lifers who only need emergency backup, van lifers who need gear/electronics theft coverage, or travelers who want trip protection bundled in.

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3. Heymondo — Best for Defined Van Trips with Adventure Sports

Plan Type: Trip-based | Price: Varies by trip length and destination | Medical Coverage: Up to $10,000,000 | Deductible: $0-$150

Heymondo is the modern challenger in travel insurance, and its app-first approach sets it apart. The flagship feature is a 24/7 medical chat directly in the app — text with a licensed doctor anytime, anywhere, at no additional cost.

What Makes Heymondo Stand Out for Van Life

24/7 medical assistance chat. This is genuinely useful in practice for van lifers in remote locations. At 2 AM in a campsite in rural Iceland with a sudden fever, the last thing you want is to hunt for an English-speaking doctor. Heymondo’s in-app chat connected us with a medical professional in under 4 minutes during our testing. They triaged the situation, recommended treatment, and directed us to the nearest appropriate facility.

Adventure sports coverage. Heymondo covers an extensive list of adventure activities on most plan tiers — scuba diving, skiing, surfing, motorbiking, rock climbing, trekking, white water rafting. This makes it ideal for van lifers who spend their time hiking, surfing, climbing, and diving.

Trip protection included. Unlike Genki, Heymondo includes trip cancellation, luggage protection, and travel delays as standard. This is valuable for van lifers on shorter trips with defined itineraries.

High coverage limits. Up to $10,000,000 in medical coverage on premium plans — the highest on this list by a wide margin.

The Downsides for Van Life

Trip-based pricing, not subscription. Like World Nomads, Heymondo requires defined trip dates. This makes it less flexible for open-ended van life. They do allow trips of up to 365 days, which is more accommodating than World Nomads, but you still need to commit to a timeframe upfront.

Must purchase before departure. Heymondo requires you to buy your policy before your trip begins. If you are already on the road and realize you need coverage, you are out of luck. SafetyWing and Genki allow mid-trip purchase.

Pricing varies significantly. Without a flat monthly rate, budgeting is harder. A 30-day van trip to Spain for a 30-year-old might cost $50-$80, while a 90-day multi-country trip could run $150-$250+. For trips longer than 3 months, SafetyWing’s subscription becomes dramatically cheaper.

No electronics theft coverage. Heymondo covers personal effects (luggage, clothing) but does not specifically cover electronics theft. If your laptop is stolen from your van, you are not covered.

Who Heymondo Is For

• Van lifers on defined trips (1-12 months) with clear start and end dates
• Adventure van lifers who surf, dive, climb, ski regularly
• Travelers who value instant access to medical professionals via chat
• Anyone who wants comprehensive trip protection (cancellation, delays, luggage)

Not ideal for: Open-ended van lifers who need rolling subscription flexibility, budget travelers who want predictable monthly costs, or van lifers who need electronics theft coverage.

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4. World Nomads — Best for Adventure Van Lifers on Short Trips

Plan Type: Trip-based | Price: Varies by trip length and destination | Medical Coverage: Up to $100,000-$300,000 | Deductible: $100-$250

World Nomads is the old guard of travel insurance — the name that has been recommended in Lonely Planet guidebooks for over a decade. It offers comprehensive trip-based insurance that covers an impressive range of adventure activities other providers exclude entirely.

The Adventure Activity Advantage

This is World Nomads’ killer feature for adventure van lifers. While SafetyWing and Genki exclude most adventure sports, World Nomads covers 200+ activities on their Standard plan and even more on the Explorer plan:

• Scuba diving (up to 40m depth)
• Bungee jumping and skydiving
• White water rafting (up to Grade 4)
• Trekking at altitude (up to 6,000m on Explorer)
• Surfing, kitesurfing, and windsurfing
• Motorbiking (with valid license)
• Rock climbing, bouldering, and via ferrata
• Zip-lining and paragliding

If your van life includes jumping off cliffs in New Zealand, diving with whale sharks in Australia, or trekking to Patagonian glaciers, World Nomads is one of the few mainstream options that has your back.

Why It Falls Short for Long-Term Van Life

Trip-based pricing kills long-term value. World Nomads requires a defined trip start and end date. A 90-day trip can cost $300-$600+ depending on your age and destination. Compare that to SafetyWing’s roughly $195 for the same period (with electronics). For van life longer than a month or two, World Nomads becomes prohibitively expensive.

No monthly subscription. You buy a policy for a fixed trip duration. If your plans change — as they invariably do for van lifers — you need to extend or purchase a new policy. This rigidity is fundamentally at odds with the van life lifestyle.

No electronics theft coverage. World Nomads covers personal effects on the Explorer plan, but specific electronics theft protection is not included. For van lifers carrying $5,000+ in camera, laptop, and drone gear, this is a significant gap.

Who World Nomads Is For

• Adventure van lifers who need coverage for extreme sports and outdoor activities
• Short-term van travelers (1-3 months) with a defined itinerary
• Gap year van lifers and backpackers doing high-risk activities
• Anyone who needs robust trip cancellation and interruption coverage

Not ideal for: Long-term van lifers (too expensive over time), budget-conscious travelers, or anyone who needs subscription-based flexibility or gear theft protection.

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Full Comparison: All 4 Providers Side by Side

Van Life-Specific Insurance Considerations

Van life demands unique insurance considerations that standard travel insurance does not address. Here is what you need to think about:

1. Gear and Electronics Theft

Your van is your home, office, and storage unit. You are carrying a laptop, camera, drone, phone, hard drives, and thousands of dollars in other gear. A break-in can wipe out your ability to work and document your travels.

What you need: Electronics theft coverage specifically. SafetyWing’s $20/month add-on covering up to $3,000 is the best option here. Genki, Heymondo, and World Nomads do not offer specific electronics theft protection.

Mitigation tips: Never leave visible gear in your van. Use a lockbox or hidden storage. Park in well-lit areas. Install a dashboard cam. Keep serial numbers and photos of all equipment for claims.

2. Multiple Country Coverage

Van lifers cross borders constantly — often multiple times per week in Europe. Your insurance needs to cover every country you visit without gaps or additional fees.

What you need: Worldwide coverage with no per-country limits or border crossing fees. SafetyWing covers 180+ countries with unlimited border crossings. Genki covers 190+ countries worldwide. Heymondo and World Nomads also offer worldwide plans.

Check before you go: Some insurers exclude certain countries (e.g., Iran, North Korea, Syria). Verify your destination list is fully covered.

3. Adventure Activities

Van life often includes surfing, hiking, climbing, motorbiking, scuba diving, and skiing. Standard travel insurance excludes these activities entirely.

What you need: Adventure sports coverage. Heymondo and World Nomads lead here with extensive activity lists. SafetyWing’s Essential plan excludes adventure sports (you need the Complete plan). Genki covers basic activities but less than Heymondo/World Nomads.

4. Home Country Visits

Van lifers often return home periodically for family visits, van maintenance, or breaks from travel. Most travel insurance stops coverage the moment you cross back into your home country.

What you need: Home country coverage. SafetyWing offers 30 days per 90-day period (US residents get 15 days). Genki offers 42 days per year. Heymondo and World Nomads offer limited or no home country coverage.

5. Long-Term or Open-Ended Travel

Van life is rarely a 2-week vacation. Most van lifers travel for 6 months, 12 months, or indefinitely. Trip-based insurance with fixed dates does not work for this lifestyle.

What you need: Monthly subscription with no fixed end date. SafetyWing and Genki both offer rolling subscriptions you can cancel anytime. Heymondo and World Nomads require trip dates upfront (though both allow up to 12-month policies).

6. What Van Life Insurance Does NOT Cover

Your vehicle itself. Travel health insurance covers your health, not your van. For vehicle damage, breakdowns, towing, or theft of the van itself, you need separate vehicle insurance or roadside assistance (AAA, ADAC, manufacturer warranty).

Routine maintenance. Oil changes, tire replacements, brake pads — these are your responsibility.

Living expenses during repairs. If your van breaks down and you need to stay in a hotel for a week while it is repaired, travel insurance typically does not cover accommodation costs.

Long-term storage. If you leave your van parked for months, your vehicle insurance may have restrictions or exclusions.

How to Choose the Right Van Life Insurance

Choosing between these providers comes down to three decisions:

Subscription vs. Trip-Based — The Most Important Decision

Choose subscription-based (SafetyWing or Genki) if:

• You do not have a fixed return date
• You travel continuously for 6+ months
• You want the flexibility to start and stop coverage without penalty
• You value predictable, fixed monthly costs
• You cross borders frequently without planning far in advance

Choose trip-based (Heymondo or World Nomads) if:

• You have a defined van trip with clear start and end dates (1-12 months)
• You need robust trip cancellation and interruption coverage
• You are taking a single trip rather than living in your van full-time
• You want coverage for specific adventure activities

For the vast majority of van lifers, subscription-based is the right model. Trip-based pricing gets expensive fast for stays longer than 2-3 months.

Emergency-Only vs. Comprehensive Health Coverage

Choose medical-focused coverage (Genki) if:

• You want genuine health insurance, including routine doctor visits and prescriptions
• You have ongoing medical needs that require regular care
• You are based in or frequently visit Europe
• You are willing to pay more for significantly deeper medical protection
• You need mental health coverage

Choose travel medical insurance (SafetyWing, Heymondo, World Nomads) if:

• You primarily need emergency medical coverage for catastrophic scenarios
• You also want trip protection (interruption, delays, lost luggage)
• You want electronics theft coverage (SafetyWing add-on)
• Your budget favors lower monthly costs

What It Actually Costs Over Time

Here is what each option costs for a 30-year-old van lifer over different periods:

Duration	SafetyWing (w/ electronics)	Genki Traveller	Heymondo	World Nomads
1 month	~$65	~$38	$50-$80	$80-$150
3 months	~$195	~$114	$150-$250	$250-$500
6 months	~$390	~$228	$300-$500	$500-$900
12 months	~$780	~$456	$500-$900	$900-$1,500+

The subscription models (SafetyWing and Genki) are dramatically more affordable for long-term van life. Heymondo and World Nomads only make financial sense for van trips under 2-3 months.

Our Final Verdict for Van Life

After 18 months of full-time van life and testing all four providers, here is the bottom line:

Best overall for van life: SafetyWing — The rolling monthly subscription ($65/month with electronics theft protection), unlimited country-hopping, 30 days of home country coverage, and gear theft add-on make it the most van-life-friendly insurance available. It is affordable, flexible, and covers the emergencies and gear theft that matter most. This is what we personally use and recommend to every van lifer we meet.

Best for comprehensive health coverage: Genki — If you need actual health insurance with doctor visits, prescriptions, mental health, and specialist care, Genki’s Explorer plan is the answer. The €10,000,000 coverage limit and monthly subscription model make it the premium choice for health-conscious van lifers, especially those based in Europe. However, the lack of electronics theft coverage is a significant downside.

Best for adventure van lifers on defined trips: Heymondo — If your van trip includes scuba diving, skiing, surfing, climbing, and other adventure activities, Heymondo’s extensive activity coverage and 24/7 medical chat make it ideal. Best for defined van trips under 3 months, not open-ended van life.

Best for extreme adventure on short trips: World Nomads — If your van travels include bungee jumping, high-altitude trekking, technical diving, and extreme sports, World Nomads covers 200+ activities that other insurers exclude. But it is expensive for long-term travel and lacks gear theft protection.

No matter which provider you choose, the most important decision is to have insurance at all. At $1.50-$3 per day, van life insurance costs less than a meal in most countries — and one emergency without it could wipe out months of savings in a single afternoon. Do not gamble with your health or gear while living on the road.

Get SafetyWing for Van Life ($65/mo with Electronics) →

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need travel insurance for van life?

Yes. Standard vehicle insurance covers your van but not your personal health, gear theft, medical evacuation, or liability abroad. Van life insurance fills these gaps. Many countries also require proof of health coverage for visa entry. Without insurance, a single hospital visit or gear theft could cost thousands of dollars.

What should van life insurance cover?

At minimum: emergency medical coverage ($100,000+), medical evacuation, personal liability, and gear/electronics theft protection. Ideally, look for policies that cover adventure activities (hiking, surfing, climbing), multiple countries without gaps, long-term or open-ended coverage, and home country visits.

Does SafetyWing cover van life?

Yes. SafetyWing Nomad Insurance is ideal for van lifers because it covers emergency medical care, works in 180+ countries, allows unlimited country-hopping, includes 30 days of home country coverage per 90-day period, and offers an optional electronics theft add-on ($20/month, up to $3,000) to protect your laptop, camera, and gear.

Can I get travel insurance for a year-long van trip?

Yes. SafetyWing and Genki both offer rolling monthly subscriptions with no fixed end date, making them perfect for year-long or indefinite van travel. World Nomads and Heymondo offer policies up to 12 months, but you must define the trip length upfront. Subscription-based plans are more flexible for open-ended van life.

Does travel insurance cover roadside assistance for my van?

No. Travel health insurance (SafetyWing, Genki, etc.) covers your health, not your vehicle. For roadside breakdowns, towing, or mechanical issues, you need separate vehicle insurance or roadside assistance coverage like AAA, ADAC (Europe), or your van manufacturer’s roadside plan.

What is the cheapest insurance for van life?

SafetyWing Nomad Insurance is the most affordable at $45.08 per 4 weeks for travelers under 40. It covers emergency medical, medical evacuation, trip interruption, lost luggage, and home country visits. Add the Electronics Theft protection for $20/month to cover your laptop and camera gear. Total: ~$65/month for comprehensive van life coverage.

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We have lived full-time in a camper van for 18 months while testing these insurance providers across 15+ countries. This review is based on direct experience, real claims filed, and community feedback from hundreds of van lifers. This article contains affiliate links — if you purchase through our links, we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This does not influence our recommendations. See our affiliate disclosure for details.