Why do I need insurance in Vietnam as a digital nomad
You need health insurance in Vietnam because, while the country is affordable, accidents and illnesses are common and medical bills can quickly add up without coverage.
- Motorbike accidents are the #1 cause of expat hospital visits. Especially if you plan to tour the Ha Giang Loop, insurance is a must-have.
- Tropical illnesses like dengue, food poisoning, and respiratory infections are common.
- Private hospitals such as FV Hospital (HCMC) and Vinmec (Hanoi, Da Nang) are excellent, but expensive without insurance.
- Upfront payments: In smaller clinics, you often pay cash first and claim later.
💡 Bottom line: Without insurance, even a “cheap” country like Vietnam can surprise you with medical bills in the thousands.
Travel insurance vs digital nomad insurance: What’s the difference?
Travel insurance is designed for short trips, while digital nomad insurance is built for long-term stays and remote work abroad.
Here’s how they differ:
- Duration: Travel insurance covers short trips for less than a month; nomad insurance works for months or years.
- Flexibility: Travel insurance often must be bought before departure; nomad insurance can be started or paused anytime.
- Everyday use: Travel insurance is emergency-only; nomad insurance often covers outpatient visits, diagnostics, and prescriptions.
- Activities: Travel insurance often excludes “risky” sports; nomad insurance usually covers surfing, trekking, or diving (with limits).
👉 Need more details? See our full Travel Insurance vs Digital Nomad Insurance Guide
How to choose digital nomad insurance for Vietnam
You should choose digital nomad insurance in Vietnam based on deductibles, coverage scope, and whether you need travel extras or pure health protection.
We see these mistakes all the time:
- Picking the cheapest plan without looking at deductibles.
- Assuming local hospitals will accept foreign insurance cards.
- Forgetting that motorbike accidents may have licensing and helmet conditions.
Here’s what really matters in Vietnam:
- Deductible size: A $250 deductible (SafetyWing) may make small clinic visits pointless to claim. Genki’s €50 is better if you expect doctor visits.
- Coverage scope: SafetyWing includes travel extras like lost luggage; Genki focuses on high-limit health coverage.
- Sports & activities: Check coverage for trekking, diving, or motorbikes, all common in Vietnam.
- Emergency evacuation: In serious cases, evacuation may go to Bangkok or Singapore; ensure your plan covers it fully.
- Flexibility: Can you pause coverage when you leave Vietnam? Both SafetyWing and Genki allow this.
Is Genki or SafetyWing better for digital nomads in Vietnam?
Genki Traveler is the better choice if you want strong medical protection with low deductibles, especially for nomads who expect to visit doctors occasionally or want peace of mind for serious emergencies. Unlike SafetyWing, it focuses purely on health insurance, leaving out travel extras but offering much higher medical limits.
Key Features of Genki
- Monthly price: Starting from €52.50 / $58
- Coverage limit: €1,000,000 (~$1.1M) annually, higher than most nomad insurance plans.
- Deductible: €50 per claim (none for inpatient stays). This makes outpatient visits in cities like Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh far more affordable than SafetyWing’s $250 deductible.
- Policy length: Fixed periods from 1 to 12 months (ideal for medium- to long-term stays).
- Home country coverage: Up to 6 weeks, but only after you’ve been abroad for at least 4 weeks.
- Pre-existing medical conditions: Excluded entirely.
- Sports & activities: Most activities are covered unless specifically excluded. Surfing, on-piste skiing, martial arts, paragliding, trekking up to 4,000m, and recreational diving up to 30m are included. Extreme sports like heli-skiing, off-piste skiing, glacier travel, and big-wave surfing are excluded.
- Waiting period: 14 days for non-emergencies. Waived if you had prior coverage or for emergencies.
Unique Benefits
- Direct hospital payment handling: you don’t have to advance large sums for inpatient treatment.
- Quality control for inpatient treatment: Genki monitors care during hospital stays.
- Family emergency support: €5,000 allowance for a family member to visit in life-threatening emergencies.
- High medical limit compared to SafetyWing’s $250,000 cap.
Limitations Worth Noting
- Mental health services are not included.
- Vision and hearing care excluded (e.g., glasses or hearing aids).
- Dental care only covered for accidents, up to €1,000.
- Alternative medicine (acupuncture, chiropractic, osteopathy) excluded.
- Rehabilitation and long-term care not included.
Pros
✅ Very high annual medical coverage (€1M)
✅ Low deductible makes outpatient care affordable
✅ Direct billing for inpatient stays, no large upfront costs
✅ Strong built-in sports coverage (surfing, diving, trekking, martial arts, etc.)
Cons
❌ Slightly higher monthly premium than SafetyWing (~€52.50 / $58)
❌ No extras like lost luggage or trip interruption
❌ Excludes preventive, chronic, and mental health care
This comparison is for the base plan Genki Traveler. Many of the limitations as well as routine checks are included for their long-term plan Genki Native. Make sure to have a look if you’re planning to travel for more than 6 months.
SafetyWing is the best choice if you want a combined travel + health insurance plan. Unlike Genki, it goes beyond medical care by including benefits such as trip interruption, lost luggage, liability protection, and optional add-ons for adventure sports or U.S. coverage. This makes it especially useful if you’re traveling frequently around Southeast Asia and want one policy that covers both health risks and travel mishaps.
Key Features of SafetyWing
- Monthly price: Starting from $56 per month
- Coverage limit: $250,000 per active policy period.
- Deductible: $250 per incident (not waived for inpatient stays, unlike Genki).
- Policy length: Flexible 5–364 day terms, renewable indefinitely until age 70.
- Home country coverage: Up to 30 days of coverage for every 90 days spent abroad (15 days for U.S. citizens).
- Pre-existing medical conditions: Limited coverage for acute emergencies only, up to $25,000 lifetime.
- Sports & activities: A wide list of sports included; optional Adventure Sports add-on provides $100,000 lifetime coverage for higher-risk activities.
- Unique travel extras: Lost luggage (up to $3,000 per policy period, $500 per item, $6,000 lifetime), trip interruption, evacuation due to civil unrest, accidental death & dismemberment payouts, liability protection ($25,000), and limited COVID-19 quarantine coverage.
Unique Benefits
- Travel + health in one plan: covers medical emergencies, but also baggage loss and trip interruption.
- Flexible renewals: extend coverage monthly up to age 70.
- Multiple add-ons: adventure sports, electronics, and U.S. coverage available.
- Global coverage: valid in 180+ countries with the option to include or exclude the U.S.
Exclusions Worth Noting
- Routine preventive care (check-ups, screenings) not covered.
- Cancer treatment not included in the standard plan.
- Chronic conditions, mental health, and maternity care generally excluded.
- Some high-risk sports require an add-on, and extreme/professional sports remain excluded.
Pros
✅ Combines travel + health protection in one plan
✅ Flexible monthly renewals, up to age 70
✅ Travel extras like lost luggage, trip interruption, and civil unrest evacuation
✅ Wide list of included sports, with option to add high-risk activities
✅ Lower monthly price (~$56 per 4 weeks) than most competitors
Cons
❌ Higher deductible ($250 per incident) than Genki (€50)
❌ Lower medical coverage cap ($250k vs. €1M with Genki)
❌ Excludes routine, preventive, and long-term treatments
❌ Add-ons required for adventure sports, U.S. coverage, and electronics
SafetyWing vs Genki insurance comparison for Vietnam
The main difference between SafetyWing and Genki is that SafetyWing combines travel + health coverage, while Genki focuses only on higher-limit health insurance.
- Monthly Price: SafetyWing ≈ $56 / Genki ≈ €52.50 ($58)
- Deductible: SafetyWing $250 per incident / Genki €50 per case (none inpatient)
- Coverage Limit: SafetyWing $250,000 / Genki €1,000,000
- Evacuation: SafetyWing $100,000 lifetime / Genki full medically necessary evacuation
- Sports: SafetyWing requires add-on / Genki includes surfing, diving, trekking
- Hospital Care: SafetyWing covers hospitalization + $100 cash per night / Genki offers direct inpatient billing
Choose Genki if you want low deductibles, higher coverage, and sports protection.
Choose SafetyWing if you want the lowest monthly price and mainly need emergency coverage.
Health insurance for expats in Vietnam
Expats in Vietnam need health insurance that covers long-term stays, private hospital access, and emergency evacuation, which often goes beyond the needs of short-term travelers.
- Different requirements than short-term nomads: Short-term visitors often only need emergency coverage, while expats may require ongoing access to private hospitals, coverage for routine check-ups, and broader limits for serious care.
- Private hospitals: Facilities like FV Hospital (Ho Chi Minh City) and Vinmec (Hanoi, Da Nang, HCMC) are the top choices for expats, but they are expensive without insurance.
- Direct billing: Many private hospitals work directly with international insurers, which is essential for long-term residents who don’t want to advance large payments.
- Emergency evacuation: Serious medical cases are often sent to Bangkok or Singapore, so having full evacuation coverage is critical for expats.
- Local expat insurance: Options exist (BaoViet, Aetna, Liberty), but they usually require residency, paperwork, and long-term commitments. Many expats prefer international providers for flexibility.
- Best fit: The above comparison focuses on Genki’s and SafetyWing’s basic plans. Both providers offer more advanced packages that cover routine check-ups and a broader range of treatments. For more details, see our full guide: Best Long-Term Travel Insurance in Southeast Asia (2025).
💡 If you’re living in Vietnam long term, you’ll likely need more than basic emergency coverage. Choose a plan that balances everyday healthcare needs with reliable protection for serious cases.
Final recommendation for Genki and SafetyWing
The best insurance in Vietnam depends on whether you prefer all-in-one travel + health coverage or pure health protection with higher limits.
- Choose Genki Traveler if you want stronger medical protection, low deductibles, and broader sports coverage, without paying for non-medical add-ons.
- Choose SafetyWing if you want a flexible plan that includes both medical care and travel extras like lost luggage or trip interruption.
Both options let you enjoy Vietnam’s digital nomad hotspots, beaches, and nomad community while staying protected from motorbike accidents, tropical diseases, and expensive private hospital bills.
