International health insurance for expats in 2026, compared
Your US health plan doesn't follow you overseas, and travel insurance isn't real health cover. Compare genuine international health insurance — the comprehensive major-medical plans and the cheaper nomad plans — so you know exactly what you're buying before you need it.
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First, the distinction that trips everyone up
Nomad & travel-medical plans are cheap and easy but built for emergencies while you travel — limited routine care, time-boxed US cover, pre-existing conditions largely excluded. Comprehensive health insurance is real underwritten cover that follows you, handles routine and chronic care, and renews for life. Buying a $50/month nomad plan thinking it replaces a real health plan is how people get burned — so we split them below.
The short answer
Every plan, side by side
| Plan | Best for | Type | US cover | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SafetyWing | Digital nomads | Nomad plan | Optional US cover (costs more) | Nomad from ~$62/4wks (under 40); Complete from ~$160/mo |
| Genki | Digital nomads | Nomad plan | Optional US cover (costs more) | Traveler from ~€52/mo; Native (full health) from ~€180/mo |
| World Nomads | Short-term travel | Travel-medical | Includes US (as a trip destination) | from ~$128 for a 1-month single-trip plan (age 30) |
| IMG Patriot Travel | Short-term travel | Travel-medical | Excludes the US (Lite plan; US-inclusive plans separate) | from ~$28/mo, quote by age/deductible; limits $50k–$1M |
| Cigna Global | Comprehensive worldwide cover | Full health cover | Optional US cover (costs more) | $$$ comprehensive; from ~$150/mo basic, quote-based |
| Allianz Care | Families relocating | Full health cover | Optional US cover (costs more) | $$$ comprehensive; quote-based on age/region |
| William Russell | Best claims experience | Full health cover | Optional US cover (costs more) | $$$ comprehensive; quote-based, four tiers Bronze→Gold |
| IMG Global Medical | Long-term cover on a budget | Full health cover | Optional US-inclusive coverage area | $$–$$$; Bronze ~$150–280/mo at 40, up to Platinum, quote-based |
| GeoBlue (BCBS Global) | US Americans wanting cover back home | Full health cover | Includes US (for US citizens abroad) | $$$ comprehensive; quote-based by age/region |
| Now Health International | Flexible tiered cover | Full health cover | Optional US cover (costs more) | $$–$$$; WorldCare from ~$26/mo inpatient-only up, quote-based |
| Bupa Global | Retirees & older applicants | Full health cover | Optional US cover (costs more) | $$$$ premium; quote-based on age/region |
| Foyer Global Health | Comprehensive worldwide cover | Full health cover | Optional US cover (costs more) | $$$ comprehensive; quote-based, unlimited in/outpatient tiers |
- SafetyWing
- Best for
- Digital nomads
- Type
- Nomad plan
- US cover
- Optional US cover (costs more)
- From
- Nomad from ~$62/4wks (under 40); Complete from ~$160/mo
- Genki
- Best for
- Digital nomads
- Type
- Nomad plan
- US cover
- Optional US cover (costs more)
- From
- Traveler from ~€52/mo; Native (full health) from ~€180/mo
- World Nomads
- Best for
- Short-term travel
- Type
- Travel-medical
- US cover
- Includes US (as a trip destination)
- From
- from ~$128 for a 1-month single-trip plan (age 30)
- IMG Patriot Travel
- Best for
- Short-term travel
- Type
- Travel-medical
- US cover
- Excludes the US (Lite plan; US-inclusive plans separate)
- From
- from ~$28/mo, quote by age/deductible; limits $50k–$1M
- Cigna Global
- Best for
- Comprehensive worldwide cover
- Type
- Full health cover
- US cover
- Optional US cover (costs more)
- From
- $$$ comprehensive; from ~$150/mo basic, quote-based
- Allianz Care
- Best for
- Families relocating
- Type
- Full health cover
- US cover
- Optional US cover (costs more)
- From
- $$$ comprehensive; quote-based on age/region
- William Russell
- Best for
- Best claims experience
- Type
- Full health cover
- US cover
- Optional US cover (costs more)
- From
- $$$ comprehensive; quote-based, four tiers Bronze→Gold
- IMG Global Medical
- Best for
- Long-term cover on a budget
- Type
- Full health cover
- US cover
- Optional US-inclusive coverage area
- From
- $$–$$$; Bronze ~$150–280/mo at 40, up to Platinum, quote-based
- GeoBlue (BCBS Global)
- Best for
- US Americans wanting cover back home
- Type
- Full health cover
- US cover
- Includes US (for US citizens abroad)
- From
- $$$ comprehensive; quote-based by age/region
- Now Health International
- Best for
- Flexible tiered cover
- Type
- Full health cover
- US cover
- Optional US cover (costs more)
- From
- $$–$$$; WorldCare from ~$26/mo inpatient-only up, quote-based
- Bupa Global
- Best for
- Retirees & older applicants
- Type
- Full health cover
- US cover
- Optional US cover (costs more)
- From
- $$$$ premium; quote-based on age/region
- Foyer Global Health
- Best for
- Comprehensive worldwide cover
- Type
- Full health cover
- US cover
- Optional US cover (costs more)
- From
- $$$ comprehensive; quote-based, unlimited in/outpatient tiers
Comprehensive health insurance
Real major-medical cover that follows you — routine, chronic, and inpatient care, renewable for life. Quote-based; premiums rise with age.
Cigna Global
Comprehensive worldwide cover
Gold-standard modular major-medical you build yourself (Silver/Gold/Platinum), 200+ countries, direct billing, and it never caps your entry age.
Real health-insurance pricing that climbs with age, and adding US cover raises the premium substantially; pre-existing conditions are underwritten.
Allianz Care
Families relocating
Big, stable global insurer with strong family and maternity cover (Base/Enhanced/Signature tiers) plus telehealth and expat assistance built in.
Comprehensive cover at a comprehensive price; outpatient and dental are add-ons on lower tiers, and pre-existing conditions are underwritten.
William Russell
Best claims experience
Boutique Allianz-backed insurer famous for its human, no-call-center claims team — brokers rate it the best claims experience in the expat market.
Premium global major-medical pricing; US cover is an expensive add-on and pre-existing conditions are medically underwritten.
IMG Global Medical
Long-term cover on a budget
Highly customizable long-term expat major-medical (Bronze→Platinum, limits to $8M) at more budget-friendly pricing than the premium European insurers.
Real health insurance, not a nomad plan — you must pick a US-inclusive area for US cover, and pre-existing conditions are underwritten.
GeoBlue (BCBS Global)
US Americans wanting cover back home
Blue Cross Blue Shield's expat arm — the go-to for Americans abroad because it links to the US BCBS network and covers care back home.
You must already be living outside the US to enroll, entry closes at age 74, and it's rebranding to BCBS Global Solutions.
Now Health International
Flexible tiered cover
Flexible WorldCare/SimpleCare tiers from inpatient-only up to full outpatient-plus-maternity, with fast digital service and a large provider network.
Cover excludes the US unless you upgrade, cheaper tiers are inpatient-only (no routine care), and pre-existing conditions are underwritten.
Bupa Global
Retirees & older applicants
Premium worldwide cover (Select/Premier/Elite) that accepts applicants up to ~85, so it often takes older retirees other insurers turn away.
Among the most expensive options, US cover pushes premiums higher still, and pre-existing conditions are medically underwritten.
Foyer Global Health
Comprehensive worldwide cover
Well-regarded independent insurer with unlimited inpatient and outpatient limits across its tiers and a strong direct-claims reputation.
Premium pricing; the entry tier has no real dental/maternity/wellness, and the brand is mid-transition to a unified 'Global Health' identity in 2026.
Nomad & travel-medical plans
Cheaper and easy to buy while abroad — great for emergencies, but read each catch: these are not comprehensive health insurance unless you upgrade to the full tier noted.
SafetyWing
Digital nomads
The default nomad pick — cheap, subscription-based, sign up while already abroad, and the newer Complete tier adds routine care and checkups.
The core Nomad plan is travel-medical, not full major-medical — US cover is time-limited and pre-existing conditions are largely excluded.
Genki
Digital nomads
Genki Traveler covers routine doctor visits with no trip-length cap, so it feels more like health cover than most travel-medical plans at a similar price.
Traveler is still travel-medical — US/Canada is limited to short stints unless upgraded; for real comprehensive cover you need the pricier Genki Native.
World Nomads
Short-term travel
Adventure-friendly trip insurance covering 150+ sports plus cancellations, lost luggage and emergencies — buyable and extendable while already traveling.
This is trip/travel insurance, NOT health insurance — no routine, preventative or ongoing care, and the annual plan caps each trip's length.
IMG Patriot Travel
Short-term travel
Cheap, flexible emergency medical cover for trips of 5–364 days, Schengen-visa compliant with an instant visa letter.
Travel-medical only — built for emergencies on a trip, not living abroad; the popular Lite plan excludes the US and there's no routine care.
Premiums depend on your age, health, region, and whether you add US cover, so always get a live quote. The nomad/travel-medical plans are not comprehensive health insurance — read each plan's catch. Information only, not insurance advice.
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Expat health insurance: FAQ
Does my US health insurance work abroad?
Almost never. US domestic plans (including most employer plans and Medicare) provide little or no coverage once you're living overseas, so expats buy international health insurance that follows them across borders. This page compares real cross-border cover, not US domestic plans.
What's the difference between nomad insurance and expat health insurance?
It's the single most important distinction here. Nomad/travel-medical plans (4 on this page) are cheap and built for emergencies while you travel — limited routine care, time-boxed US cover, pre-existing conditions largely excluded. True major-medical/expat health plans (8 here) are proper underwritten health insurance that cover routine, chronic, and inpatient care and renew for life. Buying a $50/month nomad plan thinking it replaces a real health plan is how people get burned.
How much does international health insurance cost?
Nomad plans start around $45–65/month for someone under 40. Comprehensive major-medical is quote-based and climbs with age — often $150/month at the low end into several hundred for older applicants or richer plans. Adding US coverage raises the premium substantially on every plan.
Which plans cover treatment back in the US?
US coverage is the expensive part of any international plan. GeoBlue (BCBS Global) is purpose-built for Americans and links to the US Blue Cross network; most others offer US cover as a pricier add-on. If you'll visit the US often, factor that in — a worldwide-excluding-US plan is much cheaper.
Are these prices official?
Every real premium depends on your age, health, region, and US-cover choice, so the price hints here are directional only. Get a live quote from the provider before you decide — this is information, not insurance advice.