The Beauty and Risks of Travel

Traveling to a retreat is an opportunity to reconnect with yourself, de-stress, and explore new surroundings. However, traveling can also have unpredictable health risks, injuries, food-related illnesses, or emergencies that can disrupt a trip. Hence, having travel medical insurance should be taken into consideration. 

On every trip that we take, anywhere we go in the world, we do our best to make sure we are protected from unforeseen instances such as hospital stays, lost luggage, travel delays, or in a worst case scenario – evacuation to a better equipped hospital when you need it.

How do we protect our own travel?

We always use SafetyWing! It is a reliable, San Francisco based company that provides travel medical insurance for remote workers and travelers – just like us, and just like you (when you come to a retreat in Cambodia!) It provides various options, and ensures peace of mind for all travelers. 

Here are the reasons that we strongly encourage each of you to consider obtaining travel medical insurance, as it will provide essential protection and peace of mind during your journeys. Based on our experience, SafetyWing is the best choice that fills in our needs, and it is one of the most affordable options, costing only a few dollars per day.  They ensure that unforeseen medical expenses and emergencies are covered, allowing you to focus on enjoying your trip with confidence. SafetyWing covers 2 main types of travelers. The first is called Nomad Insurance, and second one is insurance for remote teams called Remote Health. In this post, we are going to skip the second one, as it is not relevant to you and others traveling to Cambodia for a retreat at Crow’s Nest. 

Nomad Insurance

Nomad Insurance is designed for individuals and families, who live a mobile lifestyle, typically traveling or living abroad for extended periods. It is especially relevant for digital nomads, remote workers, expats, and frequent travelers. The goal of this insurance is to provide comprehensive coverage for people who do not necessarily have a fixed home base and may be in multiple countries during the year, or those who are taking any international trip (that’s you!)

Their coverage comes in four week blocks, so is perfect for your stay in Cambodia and other countries before or after the retreat.

Here’s a breakdown of key coverages of what nomad insurance typically provides (and why we use them every time we travel):

Medical Treatments and Hospitalization

• Emergency Medical Coverage: Coverage for emergencies like accidents or illnesses while abroad, including hospital stays, surgeries, and other urgent care.
• Routine Medical Care: Some plans offer access to general healthcare, including doctor visits, prescriptions, and preventive care.
• Telemedicine: Access to virtual doctor consultations, which can be particularly useful for travelers.
• Repatriation: Coverage to transport you back to your home country if you’re seriously ill or injured.

Trip Interruptions and Cancellations:

If a trip is canceled due to unforeseen circumstances (illness, family emergency, or other emergencies), this part of the policy can reimburse you for non-refundable trip costs.

Travel Delay 

Reimbursement for expenses incurred during flight delays or missed connections, like hotel stays and meals.

Personal Liability

If you’re responsible for an accident or injury to another person, this coverage can protect you against legal claims.

Evacuation to a better equipped hospital when you need it

SafetyWing provides emergency medical evacuation as part of its travel insurance package. This coverage typically includes transportation costs for an evacuation (via air ambulance, for example) to a hospital that has the necessary equipment and staff to treat your condition. This can be crucial in situations where advanced treatment or specialists are needed.

Lost or Stolen Property and Checked Luggage

• Baggage Loss: Coverage for the loss, theft, or damage to your personal belongings while traveling.
• Theft: If your possessions are stolen during your travels, this can provide financial reimbursement.

Travel Assistance:

• 24/7 Assistance Services: Access to a support team that can help with travel issues, like lost passports, finding medical facilities, or arranging transport.
• Legal Assistance: If you encounter legal troubles abroad, your insurance may offer some level of legal support.

Injuries from leisure Sports & Activities

Coverage for injuries from leisure sports and activities ensures that travelers can participate in their favorite sports with peace of mind. It reduces the financial risk associated with unexpected medical costs related to these activities. This is particularly important for travelers who enjoy activities like hiking, skiing, surfing, cycling, tennis or golf, swimming, snorkeling, skiing or snowboarding (at a recreational level), horseback riding, surfing and other recreational activities. To be honest, in Cambodia you’ll mostly be hiking or cycling (and it’s not really extreme hiking.)

However, if you want to experience extreme sports, such as skydiving, bungee jumping, base jumping, motorcycle racing, rock climbing, boxing, cave diving, etc, you have the option to add-on ( in addition to sports already covered). We have dirt bikes and ATVs in Cambodia, so if you plan to do these activities then you’ll want to get the extreme sports add-on.

Common Travel Risks You May Not Consider

• Health concerns while traveling: traveling has many unforeseen variables. Many things  can be unpredictable, including food poisoning, dehydration, or allergic reactions. Therefore, having travel insurance is a smart choice to alleviate your worries while you are on the trip. 
• Physical injuries: they can happen unexpectedly while travelling, like slipping  and falling during hiking, yoga, or adventure activities.
• Unexpected emergencies: sudden illnesses requiring medical attention. 

To be aware of all of these circumstances, having this travel insurance is a smart choice to ease your worries, which we highly recommend. 

Why Regular Health Insurance Isn’t Enough

There are three reasons why regular health insurance just isn’t enough for world travelers: 

1. Many domestic health insurance plans do not cover international medical expenses, especially when you travel outside of your home countries. 
2. Some emergency treatments abroad can be extremely expensive without coverage.
3. SafetyWing bridges the gap by offering affordable and flexible travel medical insurance.

The Benefits of SafetyWing for Retreat Travelers

There are so many benefits that having travel medical insurance offers. Here are just a few!

• Covers emergency medical expenses while abroad, ensuring access to healthcare with all your expectations. It is hard to look for affordable travel insurance that covers almost all unforeseen circumstances. 
• Affordable pricing: with SafetyWing, your cost is  just a few dollars per day rather than a fixed high monthly fee.
• Flexible coverage: Whether you are away for a week-long retreat or many months of travel, you are fully protected!

• Global Coverage: Nomad insurance covers travelers worldwide, ensuring that you are protected no matter where you go.
• Tailored for Remote Workers: Many plans are specifically designed with remote work in mind, covering equipment, income loss, and medical expenses while working abroad.
• Flexibility: SafetyWing’s plans often allow for easy adjustments or upgrades depending on how long you plan to be abroad and your specific needs. It is convenient to negotiate. 

 Things to Consider When Choosing Any Travel Medical Insurance Plan

So, how do you make your choice? Let’s recap so you can consider the following points when you are choosing your travel medical insurance plan.

• Coverage Limits: Ensure that the policy offers adequate coverage for both emergency and routine needs.
• Exclusions: we highly recommend you check every detail carefully, what is included and excluded from coverage, such as pre-existing conditions, high-risk activities (like extreme sports), or certain countries.
• Duration of Coverage: Some plans are annual, while others may be more flexible, offering month-to-month coverage, which can be ideal for nomads.
• Cost: The price of Nomad Insurance varies based on coverage, duration, and your age, so compare options to find what works best for your budget.
• Comprehensive Plans: These plans offer a broad range of coverage options for health, travel, accidents, theft, and liability. They are ideal for long-term travelers who want one policy that covers everything.
• Basic or Essential Plans: These are typically more affordable and offer only the necessary protections like emergency medical coverage and trip interruption benefits.

Looking for a Retreat to Join?

Come join us on a Pilates retreat to Siem Reap, Cambodia! Lesley and Brad have owned their property since 2018, and have hosted dozens of retreats, including groups or solo travelers. You could be taking time away to retreat and reset with seasoned hosts at a quaint retreat space in a beautiful part of the world. Here’s one of the past trips! Find out more information on our upcoming retreats here.

👉 Ensure a worry-free retreat with SafetyWing’s travel medical insurance: Sign up now