SafetyWing vs Genki: Which Nomad Insurance Wins in 2026?
by Yannick SchrothAug 3, 20266 min read
Photo: Leeloo The First / Pexels.
Best for
- Cheapest, flexible default (and certified divers): SafetyWing, whose diving exclusion does not apply to PADI, NAUI or SSI certified divers
- Kitesurfers, and broader everyday cover: Genki, which names kitesurfing as covered where SafetyWing lists it as excluded
| SafetyWing | Genki | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Nomads and remote workers | Nomads and long-term travellers |
| Plan structure | Essential (travel medical) and Complete (full health insurance) | Genki Traveler (travel health) and Genki Native (international health, Basic and Premium) |
| Rough price (as of 2026) | Essential from USD 62.72 per 4 weeks, ages 18 to 39 | Traveler from about EUR 52 per month; Native Basic from EUR 189 per month |
| Watersports and diving | Diving excluded unless PADI/NAUI/SSI certified, or with an instructor under 10 m. Kitesurfing is excluded. Leisure sports capped at USD 250,000 | Sport included in-plan, kitesurfing and diving both named as covered, conditions apply |
| Deductible | Applies, check the current amount for your plan | EUR 50 per insurance case, none for inpatient stays |
| Home-country cover | Limited, differs by plan | Differs by plan |
| Best for | A cheap, flexible base plan and divers | Broader everyday cover and longer stays |
SafetyWing in short
SafetyWing's Nomad Insurance is the default a lot of nomads reach for: a cheap, flexible monthly subscription you can start and stop on the road, from a large, well-known brand. It comes in tiers (Essential, which is travel medical, and Complete, which is full health insurance), with Complete adding fuller home-country coverage.
For watersports the key detail is the exclusion list, not the marketing. Diving is excluded only if you are neither certified nor with an instructor in under 10 metres, so most certified divers are fine, but kitesurfing is excluded by name, as are cave diving, cliff jumping and whitewater rafting. SafetyWing also sells an Adventure Sports add-on; check what it actually adds for your sport before assuming it solves this. It is travel-medical cover, not comprehensive health insurance, so read the limits and exclusions before you rely on it for a longer stay.
Genki in short
Genki is built specifically for nomads and long-term travellers, and its selling point is breadth: generous treatment limits (EUR 1,000,000 on Traveler, and no overall limit only on Native Premium), plus extras you rarely see on a travel plan, like dental, mental-health support and adventure sports included rather than bolted on. There is a modest per-claim deductible.
Genki offers a travel-focused plan at a SafetyWing-like price point and a more comprehensive resident-style plan that costs several times more. The plan names have changed recently, so confirm the current line-up and prices on Genki's own site.
The honest caveat for divers and surfers
Whichever you choose, do not assume watersports are covered to the depth or in the way you expect. Confirm, in writing, the certification and depth limits for scuba, and whether surfing, kite and other activities are included. Where a plan is thin, add dedicated dive-accident cover (for example DAN) on top.
What the policies actually say about diving
This is the detail most comparisons get wrong, including an earlier version of this page. SafetyWing's description of coverage does not simply exclude scuba and sell it back as an add-on. It lists "Sub Aqua Pursuits involving underwater breathing apparatus" as excluded unless you are "accompanied by a certified instructor at depths less than 10 meters, or PADI/NAUI/SSI certified". In other words, a certified diver is not caught by that exclusion, and an uncertified one is covered only with an instructor and shallower than 10 metres. Injuries from leisure sports and activities sit under a stated maximum of USD 250,000.
Genki takes the opposite approach and includes sport in the plan: its Traveler policy covers "almost all sports and activities, including climbing, cycling, diving, hiking, kitesurfing, mountain biking, martial arts, motor vehicle operations, parachuting, skydiving, skiing, snowboarding, and surfing", with conditions attached to certain ones.
Three further catches sit in the same section and are worth more than the price difference: only PADI, NAUI and SSI are named, so CMAS, SDI, RAID and BSAC divers should get confirmation in writing; cave diving is excluded outright with no exception; and cover fails where the activity is "performed in a professional capacity or for any wage, reward, or profit", which catches anyone doing a divemaster for accommodation or free courses. The document also never mentions a recompression chamber, which is exactly why serious divers add dedicated dive-accident cover.
Neither is a substitute for dedicated dive-accident cover if you dive seriously. See our dive insurance guide for why chamber treatment is the part that gets expensive.
Which should you pick?
- If you want the cheapest, most flexible base plan and you are a certified diver: SafetyWing.
- If you kitesurf: Genki, because SafetyWing lists kitesurfing as an excluded activity.
- If you want broader everyday cover (dental, mental health) and plan to stay put for a while: Genki.
- Divers either way: confirm the depth and certification limits in writing, and consider dedicated dive-accident cover on top.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, SafetyWing or Genki?
At the base level they are close: SafetyWing's Nomad plan and Genki's travel-medical plan are both cheap monthly options. Genki's comprehensive resident plan costs several times more. Prices change, so compare the current quotes for your age and destination.
Do they cover scuba diving?
Both can, but differently. SafetyWing's policy excludes sub aqua pursuits unless you are PADI, NAUI or SSI certified, or accompanied by a certified instructor shallower than 10 metres, so a certified diver is not caught by the exclusion; leisure sports sit under a USD 250,000 maximum. Genki names diving among the sports its Traveler plan covers, with conditions. Note that SafetyWing lists kitesurfing as excluded and Genki does not. Either way, confirm the limits in writing, and add dedicated dive-accident cover if you dive seriously.
Which is better for a long stay?
Genki leans more comprehensive (EUR 1,000,000 of treatment on Traveler, dental and mental-health cover, and no overall limit on Native Premium), which suits longer stays, while SafetyWing is the flexible, start-stop default. Read both policies' limits for your situation before deciding.
Sources
- SafetyWing. Plan tiers (Essential, travel medical; Complete, full health insurance) and the Essential price of USD 62.72 per 4 weeks for ages 18 to 39, plus the USD 250,000 maximum for injuries from leisure sports and activities: safetywing.com/nomad-insurance. The exclusion list, including Kite-Surfing and the Sub Aqua wording quoted above: SafetyWing description of coverage (WorldTrips, PDF). Checked 6 August 2026.
- Genki Traveler. Deductible of EUR 50 per insurance case with no deductible for inpatient stays, medical treatment up to EUR 1,000,000, and the covered sports list: genki.world/products/traveler. Starting price of about EUR 52 per month (varies with age, chosen deductible and whether USA and Canada are included): Genki help centre. Checked 6 August 2026.
- Genki Native. From EUR 189 per month (Basic, the example price shown for a 30-year-old with no deductible); Basic carries a EUR 1 million overall limit per insurance year and only Premium has no overall coverage limit: genki.world/products/native. Checked 6 August 2026.
- Prices and policy wording change often and depend on your age, nationality and destination. Every figure here is "as of 6 August 2026"; confirm the current terms on the provider's own site before you buy. This is information, not insurance advice.