Post-Departure Travel Insurance: Where and How I Get It

Travel
Written By quinn

If you’re already traveling abroad, you can absolutely get post-departure travel insurance. Just don’t wait for things to go awry first.

I remember this particular trip I took to Tokyo. I landed at Narita (or maybe Haneda, can’t remember) early in the morning. I was stoked, ready to hop on a train and head into the city.

But as I waited at baggage claim, my guitar case never came…

So I waited longer.

And longer…

Eventually, the carousel stopped moving. And people disappeared, heading to their destinations.

Okay, now I’m in full micro panic mode. Ah! Where be my stuff??

I mean, the guitar is almost more important than the suitcase here (if you’re a musician, you get it lol)

Lost luggage has never happened to me, so I never really worried about it…until it happened. In this exact moment, what made me most stressed was realizing I had no protection or travel insurance to cover me.

To put some closure to this story, my guitar was luckily safe. It was just in a different area because it was oddly shaped.

But this taught me an important lesson: it’s better to just protect your stuff rather than hoping you won’t need to later on.

For that, I always use SafetyWing. Their plans start at just $2/day and they make signing up super fast and easy (whether you’re heading to the airport or already abroad).

This is everything you need to know about buying travel insurance after you leave your home country.

Let’s get to it.

Table of Contents

    Hey, quick heads up that some links in this post may be affiliate links, which earn me a small commission. This is no extra cost to you, but helps me keep the lights on. Thanks for your support!

    What Is Post-Departure Travel Insurance?

    Post-departure travel insurance is a policy you buy after you leave your home country or when you’re already abroad.

    It’s pretty common and usually nothing to worry about. But there is a sense of urgency to it, I feel that.

    “To achieve great things, two things are needed: a plan and not quite enough time.”
    — Leonard Bernstein

    There’s nothing worse than being 6,000 miles from home with a sudden flu, sprained ankle or lost luggage (or worse).

    No Compass is all about embracing spontaneity and trusting the journey, staying open to discovery and uncertainty. But that doesn’t mean zero planning ever.

    Travel insurance makes the unknown a little less intimidating (safer, less stressful). It’s peace of mind, which is essential for exploring and creating projects more authentically and relaxed.

    But no need for panic mode——you can still get travel insurance no matter where you’re at.

    Explore more:
    ➤     How to Make Travel Carefree

    What’s Covered With Post-Departure Travel Insurance

    You have a couple options for how much coverage you want with your post-departure travel insurance.

    Also keep in mind that coverage options also vary if you’re a US resident vs non-US resident.

    Let’s start with the basic coverage you get with SafetyWing (without any add-ons).

    Here’s what you get with Nomad Essential travel insurance:

    • Medical treatment and hospitalization

    • Evacuation

    • Lost checked luggage

    • Motor accidents

    • Injury from leisure sport or activities

    • Travel delays or trip interruptions

    • Arrangement in case of death

    And for the Nomad Complete plan, you get everything in Essential plus:

    • Doctor and specialist visits

    • Preventative care and routine check-ups

    • Wellness therapies

    • Psychiatry and psychology visits

    • Cancer tests and treatments

    • Maternity care

    • Trip cancellation

    • Stolen belongings

    You also have policy add-on options (+$10 each):

    Want free electronic theft coverage?

    If you’re new to SafetyWing, grab 8 weeks free. Here’s how:

    • DO NOT sign up for an account yet

    • Visit this SafetyWing Nomad insurance page

    • Scroll through the page and find the pink camera

    • Click on the pink camera and add this code: EPIC

    NOTE: you must be a new member and you can only claim this code BEFORE signing up for an account

    What’s Not Covered With SafetyWing?

    Not everything is covered with travel insurance, SafetyWing or not.

    You probably know this, but travel insurance is usually just for emergency stuff (like evacuations) and international travel situations (like getting sick abroad or dealing with a lost guitar…).

    Below is a list of things not covered by SafetyWing travel insurance.

    What’s not covered:

    • Pre-existing conditions

    • Any cancellations or problems that happened before starting your policy

    • Routine medical care not typically covered by travel insurance, such as maternity leave or health check-ups (*unless you sign up for Nomad Complete)

    • Cosmetic or aesthetic treatments

    • Weight management treatments

    • Orthodontic

    • OTC medications and birth control

    • Gym or fitness memberships

    • Professional sporting activities

    • High-risk adventure sports (*unless you have a policy add-on)

    You can read more about policy coverage here.

    How I Buy Post-Departure Travel Insurance (3 steps)

    1. Know What You Really Need

    Rather than rushing into the first policy you find, pause to think about what you really need and who can provide it best.

    For example, if you’re doing a helidrop and riding some remote powder (any snowboarders out there?), you’ll need different coverage compared to something like…exploring the coolest neighborhoods in Tokyo.

    Both are epic trips, but require different coverage.

    If you’re doing action adventure travel, you’ll need an adventure sports add-on with your policy.

    And if you’re a long-term traveler (or interested in becoming a digital nomad), then you’ll also probably want coverage that goes beyond just the emergency travel stuff (like preventative care or maternity leave).

    I’d go with SafetyWing’s Nomad Complete plan here.

    The point is, post-departure travel insurance shouldn’t make you feel rushed. Take a few extra moments to research plans and companies to find one that feels right for you and matches your needs.

    Explore more:
    ➤     Living A Nomadic Lifestyle: What It’s Really Like

    2. Sign Up (only takes a few minutes)

    Signing up for post-departure travel insurance is simple and pain-free.

    Here’s what to expect if you go with SafetyWing:

    1. Create an account (or log in)

    2. From your Dashboard, hit the Buy now button for the plan you want (Essential or Complete coverage)

    3. Add your details

      1. Plan duration (4-week or 365 days)

      2. Add-ons you want

      3. Your start date

    4. Add people to your plan (or go solo)

    5. Review and pay

    And that’s it! It’s almost too easy.

    3. Know How to File A Claim (don’t worry, it’s easy)

    Hopefully nothing ever happens, but just in case, it’s helpful to gloss over the process to file a claim beforehand (so you’re not scrambling in an emergency).

    You can file a claim in just a few steps using either your phone or computer. Here’s how:

    1. Go to Claims from your Dashboard

    2. Click on + Make a claim

    3. Follow the steps to add your info:

      1. Beneficiary

      2. Type of claim

      3. Descriptive title for the claim

      4. Incident details

      5. Your ID and payment info (for reimbursement)

      6. Any supporting documents (like a doctor’s note, official reports, receipts, etc.)

    4. Submit your claim within 60 days of your insurance end date

    Later ✌️

    Post-departure travel insurance is totally doable and pretty normal (especially if you’re like me and tend to travel spontaneously).

    I always use SafetyWing since they’re affordable, reliable and super convenient (whether I’m signing up before my trip or after I land).

    But remember, even though it might feel urgent, take some time to read through the policy you’re getting so you get the right one. For example, adding on adventure sports if you plan on snowboarding or skiing would be the move.

    Alright, that’s all I’ve got for you today. Happy travels and see you out there.

    Buy Post-Departure Travel Insurance →

    FAQs

    • No. You’ll be getting the same insurance policy and options regardless of whether you sign up before or after you land in your destination.

    • Definitely. I’ve done it before and it’s a breeze. SafetyWing makes it super easy. Just sign up for an account and choose which policy you want from your dashboard. Go through the questionnaire, choose your start date and then check out. And that’s it!

    • No, it’s generally not required. But it is recommended. Also be sure to check local guidelines as immigration rules and requirements can change depending on country, when you go or where you’re coming from.

    • This is personal and depends on your preferences, needs and budget. But in my opinion, the best travel insurance company is SafetyWing. They’re super reliable, have a great reputation and customer service and an excellent product. They make grabbing travel insurance super easy (which is great, because I’m usually allergic to anything clerical).

    • Yep! Just log into your account on SafetyWing, choose a plan, add your details and check out. Your plan will be available immediately (or whenever you choose your start date).

    • It depends on things like where you buy a policy and your age.

      But SafetyWing, who I go with, is one of the cheapest travel insurance options I’ve found. Their plans start from around $2 per day.

    quinn

    Hey I’m quinn…an artist and musician with a love for travel. I spend a lot of time in Japan, drink too much coffee and create content about living a creative nomadic lifestyle.

    So welcome, stoked you’re here!

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    How to Live A No Compass Life (and still hit epic goals)