Before we jump straight into this World Nomads travel insurance review, a bit about me and the facts presented in this article. I’m Australian, and have been living in London since 2007. I have travelled back and forth between Australia & the UK over 15 times and done all sorts of weird and wonderful adventures in between and have used World Nomads travel insurance for 90% of my travels. I have also successfully claimed twice, so I know how they operate.
This is my honest and World Nomads review with loads of facts, helpful information and real-life stories why travel insurance is an absolute must. Statistics mentioned are based on Australian holidaymakers and prices are in AUD.
Many people think of travel insurance as an unnecessary pain the ass and extra expense that you’ll probably never use. And fingers crossed you’ll hopefully never have to. But what if that pain in the ass turned out to be something like a broken arm; or worse, a life-threatening brain injury?
It’s not uncommon for medical expenses incurred overseas to run into the tens and often hundreds of thousands of dollars. Just imagine what that would mean for you or your family if you were uninsured.
Want to read my own personal experience with World Nomads?
Table of Contents
18-35s travel insurance statistics
There’s a great saying in the travel world: “If you can’t afford travel insurance, then you can’t afford to travel”. Unfortunately, 8% of Australian adults travelled outside Australia without travel insurance in 2016. And guess what? 18-30-year-olds are the most likely to travel uninsured, which is just ridiculous as we all know that this age group is significantly more likely to engage in risky behaviour while abroad.
Why you would even consider leaving home without travel insurance is beyond me. But it clearly happens. A lot. Here are some shocking travel insurance facts about under 35s.
- 15% of 18-24 year-olds went overseas without having purchased travel insurance for their last trip
- 12% of 25-29 year-olds went overseas without having purchased travel insurance for their last trip
- 6% of over 30 year-olds went overseas without having purchased travel insurance for their last trip
- 74% of 18-29 year-olds engaged in risky activity while they were overseas compared to just 40% of over 30s
- 36% of 18-29 year-olds do not even bother reading their insurance policy documents at all
- 77% of uninsured travellers think it’s OK to visit developed countries without travel insurance
- Approximately 50% of under 30s have serious misperceptions of how the government would assist them in a medical emergency while overseas.
Who are World Nomads?
World Nomads is an Australian travel insurance company that started in 2002 and provide cover to travellers from over 130 countries. They are rated 4.5 / 5 on TrustPilot from over a thousand real reviews and offer medical assistance or emergency evacuation 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year before or during your trip.
Thanks to their wide range of cover for adventure activities such as skiing, bungee jumping or SCUBA diving, World Nomads is a popular choice for the thrillseeking backpacker, but they are also commonly used for your Contiki or Topdeck trips – or just going overseas to visit relatives (which can be just as dangerous).
World Nomads are big believers in supporting sustainable tourism and giving back to the places they sell insurance to. You can donate a small amount to their cause when buying your travel insurance online, but admittedly, when I was younger, I never did this as money was tight – and so I was.
Why should you buy World Nomads travel insurance?
I mentioned earlier that I have used World Nomads for 90% of my travels. So why just 90%?
World Nomads weren’t the first travel insurance company I used. Cover-More was actually the company I used when I first went overseas in 2007. Why I used them I honestly can’t remember. I do know they were more expensive than World Nomads though. I think it was probably due to the fact I had never travelled overseas on my own before and my parents may have recommended them.
Also, now that I am settled in the UK, my travel insurance is all provided by my credit card company, so I no longer have the need to purchase travel insurance through World Nomads.
For the many times I did use World Nomads, I guess I found them good enough to continue purchasing new policies every time I travelled, and I think that speaks volumes especially as I had claimed with them before.
Obviously, if you put in a claim with your travel insurance company and you don’t get reimbursed, or then the entire process is a nightmare, then you’re never going to use that company again. Fortunately, I never encountered any such issues with World Nomads.
I’ve outlined below my top four reasons why you should consider buying your travel insurance from World Nomads.
Reasonable prices
I honestly think that World Nomads pricing is incredibly reasonable and fair. I love the fact that you can tailor your policy for your needs, so you only pay for what you actually need.
Flexible cover
With World Nomads, you can buy more cover while you are still travelling (let’s say you extend your trip), or get yourself covered if you’ve already left home and haven’t sorted your insurance yet.
Claim online
You don’t need to wait until you’re back home to lodge a claim with World Nomads. No matter what the reason, you can lodge your claim online electronically.
Great cover
World Nomads are a great option if you’re off on a skiing holiday, wanting to hire a moped in Vietnam or doing a group tour of Europe. Not to mention they cover all your electronics too.
Price is consistently ranked by travellers as the most important factor when sorting travel insurance. I know when I was in my early twenties, the price was a more significant concern for me rather than the actual cover itself. And I’m not alone. 36% of 18-29-year-olds don’t even bother reading their travel insurance documents once they have purchased their policy.
The good thing is that World Nomads are incredibly competitive on pricing and they do this with their two plans – Standard and Explorer.
I think it’s also important to note that World Nomads is the preferred travel insurance provided by some big brands such as Lonely Planet, TourRadar, Intrepid Travel, Topdeck Travel & Contiki. These brands must sell a lot of travel insurance under their names, and if it wasn’t a reliable product, then I highly doubt they’d be promoting it!
My personal experience with World Nomads travel insurance
I wanted to write this World Nomads travel insurance review using my own personal experience. I have taken out travel insurance from World Nomads more than fifteen times, and I have claimed twice – successfully I might add.
Claim #1 – theft
The first claim I submitted was probably a fairly typical case that World Nomads see. Theft. In this case, my camera had been stolen.
What plan was I on?
Standard.
What happened with the claim process?
It was my first ever travel insurance claim, but it was simple. I immediately:
- Reported the theft to the hostel I was staying in
- Reported the theft to the police who provided me with a police report
For me, I did not submit a claim while I was travelling as I was on my way back to Australia by this stage, so I figured I would sort it upon my return. When I did get around to submitting the claim with World Nomads, I provided them with the full written police report and copies of my camera purchase receipt.
My claim was submitted & processed within a matter of weeks.
Claim #2 – natural disaster
Remember the huge-ass volcanic ash cloud of 2010? If you don’t recall this event, Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull volcano blew its top and caused chaos in the aviation world. I was halfway through my around-the-world trip from Australia – London – USA – Australia and due to fly within 24 hours when the ash cloud brought flights to a grinding halt across western and northern Europe.
Some 20 countries closed their airspace, and it affected approximately 10 million travellers. I remember having drinks in Covent Garden, London on the day of the eruption when talks of flight cancellations started to spread. I immediately said to my friend “thank God I have my travel insurance.”
Admittedly, I did have to double-check my policy to ensure I was actually covered for natural disasters. I honestly never imagined that a massive volcano would cause me to miss my flight to Los Angeles – but that’s precisely why you NEED to have travel insurance. To protect you against the unexpected!
Fortunately, my Explorer plan from World Nomads covered me for an unlimited value for cancellation or trip interruption expenses. FYI – the standard plan has a capped limit of AUD 3,500 for this same occurrence.
What plan was I on?
Explorer.
What happened with the claim process?
As with my first claim, I was already travelling. But this time around it was going to cost me money from my own pocket to cover hotel accommodation which I hadn’t planned (or budgeted for). Hotels in London during April can be on the pricey side, so I checked into the Royal National Hotel where I had stayed before my Contiki tour in 2007.
I ended up having to stay for six nights before the ash cloud cleared enough for flights to resume, but I kept copies of my hotel receipts for my claim process.
Of course, things such as natural disasters can have a costly knock-on effect, but fortunately for me, I was flying to the States to stay with friends, so I had no pre-paid accommodation that I missed out on.
When I returned to Australia, I simply submitted my claim form and also provided:
- Copies of my initial flight itinerary
- Copies of my flight tickets for the new flights from London – Los Angeles
- Receipts of my hotel accommodation in London
- A statement from my airline confirming the reason, timing and duration of the unexpected event
Again, my claim was submitted & processed within a matter of weeks.
What do World Nomads cover?
Buckle up. The list of included coverage is extensive.
For the purpose of this World Nomads travel insurance review, I am going to fabricate a trip to Vietnam for one Australian resident aged 29. This way I will be able to walk you through the various inclusions and exclusions for both of World Nomads plans.
Here’s the quote in all its glory. I’ve broken each section down into key points with examples for you.
Example of a World Nomads travel insurance quote showing prices for Standard & Explorer plans
Overseas medical expenses
If you suffer a sudden illness or severe injury while you’re travelling, World Nomads will cover you for AUD 5,000,000 on their Standard plan and an unlimited figure on their Explorer plan.
Example: You’re on a hiking tour, you fall and break both your legs (you’re a clumsy walker).
Your policy will cover your hospital, ambulance, doctors and the cost to evacuate you from the location if deemed necessary by a certified physician. Any repatriation costs getting you back home if so required are also covered.
Excess: AUD 100
2. Emergency dental treatment
You’re also covered by World Nomads for emergency dental treatment for accidental injuries that occur during your trip. Both Standard and Explorer plans cover up to AUD 500.
Example: You slip over and land face-first onto the pavement knocking out your front teeth.
Excess: AUD 100
3. 24-hour assistance
This is just World Nomads customer service, so it’s no surprise that it is equal for both their Standard & Explorer plans. I don’t even know why they both to add this in the list because it’s plastered all over their website anyway.
4. Emergency medical transport & repatriation
World Nomads will pay up to AUD 500,000 on Standard or an unlimited figure on Explorer for any necessary additional expenses with your medical evacuation.
Example: You’re removed by ambulance after your fall while hiking, but your condition deteriorates, and it is decided that you need to be flown to a major hospital by private jet.
Excess: AUD 100
5. Cancellation costs
You’ll be covered for up to AUD 3,500 on the Standard plan, and an unlimited figure on their Explorer plan if an unavoidable event has left you with no alternative but to cancel your entire trip or a portion of your trip.
Example: You book your trip then the Australian Government issues a Do Not Travel warning to your destination country after you’ve purchased the policy.
It’s essential to understand what World Nomads classify as an ‘unavoidable insured event.’
Excess: AUD 100
6. Out-of-pocket expenses in hospital
Available on the Explorer plan only, this is a AUD 50 per day reimbursement cover for any out-of-pocket expenses such as international phone calls, internet or even better hospital food.
Example: You’ve been admitted to hospital for more than 48 hours, and you’re calling you worried family back home, catching up on all the Netflix you’ve missed, and you want something better than the shit they’ve been serving you. Just remember to keep all your receipts!
Excess: Nil
7. Alternative therapies
If you’ve purchased the World Nomads Explorer plan and your sudden illness or severe injury requires alternative therapy, then you’re covered up to AUD 500.
Example: You fell down a flight of stairs and did your back in. As a result, you need some extra chiropractor sessions to help with your recovery.
The treatment has to be given by a registered and licensed practitioner. You can’t just use some guy on the side of the road to click your neck back into place and expect to be refunded for the costs.
Excess: AUD 100
8. Clinical psychology after assault or trauma
If you require counselling by a psychologist while overseas, then World Nomads will cover you for this cost. But only if you’ve taken out the Explorer plan.
Example: You were mugged after a night out, and while you’re still travelling, the event is causing you acute psychological trauma.
Excess: Nil
9. Trip interruption costs
World Nomads cover you on both Standard & Explorer plans if your trip is unexpectedly interrupted by an insured event. The level of cover is doubled if you have taken out their Explorer plan.
Example: Let’s use my real-life natural disaster example of the volcanic ash cloud which closed all UK airspace for 6 consecutive days resulting in one of my flights being cancelled.
Excess: AUD 100
10. Compassionate emergency visit home
World Nomads will pay to get you back home to be with your family as a result of death or sudden hospitalisation. The great thing here is that you’re covered up to AUD 1,500 no matter which plan you’re on.
Example: Granny pops her clogs while you’re travelling & you wish to return home to be with your family.
Or
Your home or owned business property in Australia is severely damaged by a natural disaster or fire.
Excess: AUD 100
11. Resumption of trip
This follows on from the compassionate emergency visit mentioned above. Basically, if you voluntarily return back home due to or you are medically repatriation, then World Nomads will foot the bill for reasonable additional transport and accommodation expenses that allow you to resume your trip. Both plans provide you with AUD 1,500 protection in this case.
Example: Granny dies, and you return home for a short period.
Just like all the other policy inclusions, it’s important to note that there are conditions around this coverage. Such as you can only resume your trip if it falls within the dates shown on your insurance certificate.
Excess: AUD 100
12. Theft or damage to baggage & personal items
If your luggage and personal items are stolen or accidentally damaged, then World Nomads will pay to either repair the item, replace it with a similar item or refund you the original purchase after depreciation.
The great thing is that this also includes any items you buy during your trip too!
Example: You’re taking selfies over the side of a boat, and you drop your phone.
What value is covered by World Nomads will vary between their Standard and Explorer plans – especially when it comes to your portable electronic devices. If you didn’t want to use the Explorer plan, but you did have an item that was valued higher than the Standard plans limit, you can opt to upgrade your cover to increase the individual item limit to AUD 3,000.
Excess: AUD 100
13. Baggage delay over 12 hours
If your airline misplaces or delays your checked luggage by more than 12 hours, then World Nomads will pay for your essential clothing and toiletries until your items have been returned.
Example: You’ve arrived ready for your hiking tour, but your warm clothes have been delayed by 24 hours.
The capped amount is equal for both Standard and Explorer plans.
Excess: AUD 100
14. Hire of sporting equipment
If your airline misplaces or delays your sporting equipment by more than 12 hours, then World Nomads will pay for you to hire equivalent equipment. They’ll even pay if the airline damages your items.
Example: You’ve arrived in Japan for a hockey competition, but your sporting equipment bag has landed in London.
This cover is only available if you’ve purchased the Explorer plan.
Excess: AUD 100
15. Kidnap or hijack
If you’re the unfortunate victim of a kidnapping or hijacking while on your travels overseas, then World Nomads will reimburse you AUD 250 for each day that you’re detained.
Example: This one is pretty self-explanatory.
Available on the Explorer plan only.
Excess: Nil
16. Rental vehicle insurance excess
World Nomads travel insurance will cover your rental car insurance excess or pay the cost to repair if it’s stolen or been involved in an accident.
Example: You’re at fault in an accident AND you have met all the requirements of this cover:
- You have a valid Australian licence for the class of vehicle you’re driving
- You were abiding by the local laws of the country in which you were driving
- You did purchase the rental car insurance offered at the time of hire
- You have a signed rental agreement
Available on the Explorer plan only.
Excess: AUD 100
17. Return of rental vehicle
If you’re medically unfit to return your hire car, then World Nomads will cover the costs to return the rental vehicle for you.
Example: You fall ill and are in hospital at the time when your rental car is to be returned.
It’s important to note that you won’t be covered if:
- You were driving without a valid Australian drivers licence for the class of vehicle you were driving
- You were driving unlawfully
- You were in violation of your rental agreement
- You were driving on any racetrack unless you were given explicit permission to do so by the rental company
And another big one here is that you won’t be covered if you were driving anything other than a standard passenger vehicle. So aircraft, quad bikes, high-performance or antique cars aren’t included!
Available on the Explorer plan only.
Excess: AUD 100
18. Local funeral expenses or repatriation of remains
If you suddenly die while travelling, World Nomads will reimburse one of your close relatives or a member of your travelling party up to AUD 15,000. You’ll be covered for either local funeral costs or bringing your remains back home.
Example: You die unexpectedly through no reckless or illegal activity.
Available on both Standard & Explorer plans.
Excess: Nil
19. Accidental death & permanent total disablement
You or your estate will be paid up to AUD 12,500 from World Nomads travel insurance – if as a result of an accident overseas, you die, lose a limb, your eyesight or are permanently disabled.
Example: You’ll be covered if you lose your arm, but NOT if:
- The accident was caused by an illness
- The accident is the result of a pre-existing medical condition
This level of cover is only available on the Explorer plan.
Excess: Nil
20. Credit repayment for full-time students
This is a one-time payment of AUD 2,500 to help cover any of your debts if you die or are permanently disabled during your trip.
Available with the Explorer plan only.
Excess: Nil
21. Personal liability
Personal liability occurs in the event an accident which results in bodily injury or damage to property which you are held legally responsible for.
If you injure someone or damage another person’s property during your travels, you’re sued and found to be legally liable, then World Nomads will cover you – as long as you weren’t breaking the law or under the influence of a banned substance at the time of the event.
If you’re on the Standard Plan, you’ll be covered for up to AUD 1 million and AUD 2.5 million on the Explorer plan.
Example: You accidentally drive your hire car into a parking lot full of Ferarries (and you weren’t stoned).
Personally, I always go for the higher personal liability because you never know what can happen and if you did cause severe injury or damage, then one million might not be enough cover.
Excess: Nil
What’s not covered?
An honest World Nomads travel insurance review wouldn’t be complete without mentioning what’s not included. World Nomads is a fantastic insurance provider, but they are not going to cover you, someone else, or third party property if you have done something stupid or failed to purchase the correct level of cover for your activities.
Many people make the mistake of thinking that they are covered no matter what. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Just because you have taken out travel insurance – no matter if it’s with World Nomads or someone else – you have to ensure that you follow the laws of the countries you’re visiting, take out specific cover for certain activities or items and just use plain old common sense.
Each item of cover listed above comes with its own rules around what is covered and what’s not, but generally speaking, if you’re being careless and something goes wrong, then you might not be covered.
For example:
- If you get drunk then decided to take your hire car for a cruise down the Las Vegas strip and write it off, then you’re not going to be covered.
- If you decided to go bungee jumping and break your neck – and you didn’t take out the extra cover for adventure sports, then you’re not going to be covered.
- If you leave your brand new MacBook on the table in a busy hostel and walk away for half the night and it goes walkabout, then guess what? You’re not getting a new MacBook.
While these might seem obvious, you might not be aware that failing to notify World Nomads of pre-existing medical conditions such as anxiety can also void your policy if you get into trouble overseas.
How much does it cost?
Price is the most important factor for under 35s when it comes to buying travel insurance. But what one person considers to be expensive will vary considerably to the next.
Personally, I have always found World Nomads travel insurance to be very affordable – especially when you weigh up what you’re being covered for. Is World Nomads the most affordable on the market? Absolutely not. But, do you really want the cheapest & nastiest insurance when it comes to covering you? I strongly suggest you don’t!
Take the example quote I created above. For a 29-year-old Australian to travel to Vietnam for one month, the cost is AUD 126.50 (AUD 4.20/day) on Standard or AUD 155.00 (AUD 5.20/day) on the Explorer plan. And that’s with the optional AUD 2.00 extra for the Footprints Donation (World Nomads charity).
Don’t think “can I afford to get this”. Instead, take a minute to think “can I afford NOT to get this”. If you need any more convincing, take a few minutes to read these real-life World Nomads claims. Then you’ll be clicking that get a quote button without a second thought!
To get an exact price for your upcoming travels, you can use the quote widget below. Just enter your details, and you’ll be presented with a quotation for Standard and Explorer plans.
Price comparisons
I’ve jumped online to comparethemarket.com.au and used the same details as I did for the example quote I created above.
Now, I’ll admit that I didn’t read through the policy details for every option that popped up, but what did notice that a few alternatives didn’t provide the level of that World Nomads offered for items such as laptops, cameras & phones – which we know us under 35s can’t travel without.
The World Nomads Standard plan did come in cheaper than all quotes returned by my Compare The Market search, but the prices were all relatively in the same ball-park. World Nomads’ Explorer plan did come in slightly higher than the top four results, but only by a few dollars. But that could be a massive deal for you, and if it is, then it’s good to know you do have other options.
The thing is though, World Nomads was founded by travellers like you & me – so they get us. Their plans are full of the types of cover that backpackers, thrill-seekers and gap year students want and need in their travel insurance. And for that reason alone, I think that it’s well worth spending a touch more to use World Nomads as they only cover travellers.
Pros & cons of World Nomads travel insurance
While I love World Nomads, they aren’t 100% perfect – but they are pretty damn close!
Pros of World Nomads
- Fair prices
- Ability to buy insurance after you’ve left the country
- Ability to extend your policy online
- Ability to lodge a claim while still travelling
- Extensive coverage
- Prompt & efficient customer service
I must admit that when I came to write this World Nomads travel insurance review, I was going to mention that their online portal can be a little confusing for first-time users. But having logged into the site and generated a quote again, I can see that World Nomads have made some much-needed improvements here.
It used to be confusing knowing how to upgrade your cover for high-value items, but now it looks super easy. Beautiful work, World Nomads!
Cons of World Nomads
I find the price jumps significantly higher than I would expect when adding a high-value item to the policy, such as a Macbook. Let’s refer to the dummy quote from earlier and look at the Explorer plan:
If my Macbook is worth more than the AUD 2000 that this policy covers for an item such as this, then I need to upgrade to include this item. Let’s say it’s valued at AUD 2500.00. The quote jumps from the initial AUD 153.00 to AUD 280.00. That’s 82% of the original quote!
I don’t quite understand how you can be covered for unlimited medical, unlimited repatriation costs and AUD 2.5 million personal liability for AUD 153.00, but then charged an extra AUD 125.00 for a laptop.
I’d like to see the Explorer plan have an increased threshold for high-value items. But at the end of the day, if I did have such expensive gadgets I was taking on the road, then you know what, I’d happily pay the extra to ensure I was covered for anything.
How to lodge a claim
Thanks to their online claim portal, should you need to lodge a claim while you’re still travelling you can do so.
I did not claim while I was overseas as both my cases were not urgent enough for me to spend time doing the paperwork while I could have been enjoying myself. I did; however, keep a well-documented expenses folder in the cloud for when the ash cloud delayed my flight by six days.
See my top tip# 7 below for more on keeping documents for your claim process.
Claiming on the move with World Nomads is straight forward. You need to:
- Log in to the claim portal and attach your supporting documents.
- Keep an eye on your email account and your World Nomads portal as the agent working on your file if they require any further documents or information to support your claim.
You’ll receive an email confirmation with a reference number that you can use to track the progress of your claim.
Remember, detailed information and accurate documents will make it quicker and easier for you to get reimbursed!
Real-life claims
Earlier, we discussed the cost of World Nomads travel insurance, and I said instead of thinking of the costs of getting the insurance, but rather think of how you – or your family – will be able to pay the repatriation costs if something were to go terribly wrong.
It’s impossible to predict what will happen when you travel. I never dreamed in a million years that a giant volcano in Iceland would cause travel chaos throughout Europe – but imagine if I didn’t have travel insurance and I had to pay out of my own pocket. No, thank you!
Here are a few examples of real-life World Nomads claims which they have paid out:
- A knee injury in the USA = AUD 2418.32
- A terrorist attack in Egypt = AUD 89,833
- A young traveller with a brain aneurysm = AUD 73,794
Hmm. Maybe it’s time you buy your travel insurance now.
My top tips
If I could go back in time and tell my younger self these top tips, I promise you it would have made my life a whole lot easier.
Top tip #1
Complete your quote accurately. And before you confirm your purchase, double-check that you have listed everything you possibly need to mention to World Nomads.
Top tip #2
Disclose any pre-existing medical conditions. Suffer from anxiety or depression? List it!
Top tip #3
Are you taking high-value items on holiday with you? Make sure you have either upgraded to the Explorer plan or that you have added these as extras in the standard plan.
Top tip #4
Engaging in adventure sports, work or volunteer activities on your trip? Add them to your policy!
Top tip #5
Read your policy paperwork from front to back. I know it’s boring and a bunch of legally binding jargon – but it’s entirely useless for you if you don’t have the right policy for what you’re planning on doing.
Top tip #6
Upload a copy of your policy and contact numbers to the cloud (I use Google Drive) and make them available offline. This way you can access them anywhere in the world even without the internet.
Top tip #7
Keep a close report on any out-of-pocket expenses you incur if you’re planning to lodge a claim. You’ll also need to understand what documents are required to submit your claim successfully – such as a police report for theft of personal items.
Top tip #8
Be sensible and abide by the local laws at all times. Ain’t no cover for people doing the wrong thing!
My overall rating
I believe that 4.3/5 is a fair and accurate rating for World Nomads travel insurance. Are they good? Yes. Are they the cheapest on the market? No. But they do offer fantastic cover for adventurous young travellers, and they do pay out on legitimate claims.
Disclaimer
I’d like to stress that the content in this article has been produced from my own personal experiences with World Nomads. Other information has been provided from research on the topics mentioned using information obtained from the World Nomads website.
As far as I am aware, the information is up to date and accurate. I am not trying to sell any World Nomads service to you, and you should conduct your own thorough research and make up your own mind what travel insurance is right for you.
Facts & figures sourced from smartraveller.gov.au
