How is Remote Health different from other insurance plans?
We offer a complete global health plan that allows our members to spend as much time abroad as they please. Our members can have peace of mind while traveling, knowing that their health needs are covered.
Our plan also offers full coverage in the member's home country and no exclusions for pandemics! Regardless of where our members are, we are here to help in any time zone. We offer a fast and easy claims process, and our team is at their service to assist with coverage and claims questions anytime they need help.
What is the company application time frame? How long before a company is signed up?
Once everything is filled out, turned in, and verified, the approval process takes up to a week. During that time, we will introduce you to your account manager, who will create the custom dashboards and set up meetings with your team to show how the system works, confirm that all members are added, and be ready to start using your policy on the go-live date. Altogether the process takes 2-3 weeks but can be done in as little as a week depending on everyone's calendars.
Is Remote Health insurance locally compliant?
Remote Health is different from a local or state-run insurance, as it is a global insurance plan. We provide members with worldwide coverage where members can go to any clinic or hospital. In contrast, local plans may be subject to networks and restrictions. You may need to buy separate private insurance for extra benefits, and these plans tend to be inflexible and bureaucratic. With Remote Health, you can go to any clinic or hospital without worrying about eligibility requirements. Your treatment options remain consistent wherever in the world you travel and in 175+ countries of residence. It can be used as a top-up coverage (e.g., dental, vision) in countries with local insurance requirements and tax considerations. We cannot provide advice on tax implications or visa requirements for every country we operate in. Remote Health would be treated as a benefit like any other from a company taxation standpoint.
Notable exceptions: In the following countries, local regulations may restrict members from using Remote Health as their primary health insurance. Fortunately, it can still be used as a top-up plan for extra benefits like dental, vision, and maternity care.
Germany
Switzerland
Netherlands
Australia
Can you assist with benefit in-kind or tax reporting requirements?
Currently, we are unable to assist with many major tax questions. We encourage you to seek advice from your accountant or legal counsel.
Do you have a list of countries where employer-funded medical insurance is classed as a taxable benefit, such as benefit in-kind?
Currently, we do not, unfortunately.
How does the life coverage work?
The additional life coverage protects your team's families financially in case of life-altering injury or death while employed or contracted with your company. This includes loss of limb or eyesight from an accident that is covered under the Remote Health plan. Depending on what occurred and what plan they are on, the team member or their family will receive a lump sum payout for support during difficult times.
Right now, life coverage is only available to members aged 25-55, although we are working on expanding the eligible age range.
In such cases, either the team member or their beneficiary (the person who will receive the payout) can start a claim by contacting us via live chat or email at support@safetywing.com.
What is the cost of life coverage?
The coverage costs between US$16 and US$478 monthly per person, depending on the age band and plan type.
Can I choose to add life coverage for only some of my team members?
No, it is applied at the company level: when you choose to add life coverage, it will automatically be provided to all your members.
Please note that life coverage is only available to members aged 25-55, although we are working on expanding the eligible age range.
How is Remote Health different from other insurance plans?
We offer a complete global health plan that allows our members to spend as much time abroad as they please. Our members can have peace of mind while traveling, knowing that their health needs are covered.
Our plan also offers full coverage in the member's home country and no exclusions for pandemics! Regardless of where our members are, we are here to help in any time zone. We offer a fast and easy claims process, and our team is at their service to assist with coverage and claims questions anytime they need help.
How many members do I need to open a plan?
Remote Health plans are available to businesses only. You can enroll with any number of members, but group pricing (40% discount) is available only to plans with 5 or more members. Plans with fewer than 5 members are billed at the individual, non-discounted rate.
What is covered in the base package common to all plans?
The base package covers the full UCR cost of emergency room care, hospital stays, surgeries, prescription medications (in-patient), and lab tests or diagnostic tests when you are in the hospital. The Standard and Premium plans have a maximum coverage limit of US$1.5 million per policy year; it is US$2.5 million per policy year for Premium Plus.
UCR: Usual, customary and reasonable rates for the region
Where can I see the full policy?
Here are the most up-to-date versions of all our policies:
Can members in a group plan choose their own plans?
Yes, members can choose the plan that works best for their needs! However, everyone within a household (main insured and their dependents) must all be on the same plan.
Can we upgrade our plan mid-policy year?
You will have to wait to upgrade at the next renewal. This protects the insurance company from people upgrading only when they “need” the insurance (for example, you get pregnant and then buy the upgrade).
Can we switch members between the Standard Plan and Premium Plan?
Switching plans mid-policy year (twelve months) is not currently an option. You will have to wait until the policy renewal.
How does payment work?
When you submit your group policy application, you can choose between a credit card payment or a bank transfer. Paying with a credit card allows you to sign up for auto charges as well, so you don’t have to worry about a lapse in coverage due to non-payment. If you have a U.S-based bank account, you can also sign up for an auto-draft. Please note that when you select bank transfer, you must submit a wire confirmation after each payment is made to ensure your payment is received. The first payment will be made once the application has been approved. You can choose your preferred billing cycle (quarterly, semi-annually, or annually). If applicable, you would invoice your members internally. You will get an invoice each month with your members' names and their individual costs.
When someone leaves my team, when does coverage end?
The member is removed from the plan on a date you request, and coverage will end from that date. So, it does not last till the end of the month. You will receive a credit on your next invoice for the unused premium.
How much is the Hong Kong/Singapore add-on?
The add-on is required to cover members who reside in Hong Kong or Singapore, or who will be in the US for up to 6 months. The add-on increases the cost of each plan by roughly 85%.
If a member passes to the next age band during their current policy year, does their premium go up?
Remote Health plans are annual contracts. This guarantees that your premium and benefits stay the same for 1 full policy year. If a member has a birthday during the policy year and passes into the next age band, this will only be reflected at renewal at the end of the policy year.
Is Remote Health insurance locally compliant?
Remote Health is different from a local or state-run insurance, as it is a global insurance plan. We provide members with worldwide coverage where members can go to any clinic or hospital. In contrast, local plans may be subject to networks and restrictions. You may need to buy separate private insurance for extra benefits, and these plans tend to be inflexible and bureaucratic. With Remote Health, you can go to any clinic or hospital without worrying about eligibility requirements. Your treatment options remain consistent wherever in the world you travel and in 175+ countries of residence. It can be used as a top-up coverage (e.g., dental, vision) in countries with local insurance requirements and tax considerations. We cannot provide advice on tax implications or visa requirements for every country we operate in. Remote Health would be treated as a benefit like any other from a company taxation standpoint.
Notable exceptions: In the following countries, local regulations may restrict members from using Remote Health as their primary health insurance. Fortunately, it can still be used as a top-up plan for extra benefits like dental, vision, and maternity care.
Germany
Switzerland
Netherlands
Australia
Can I cover my contractors and freelancers?
Yes! You can cover contractors and freelancers with Remote Health.
What happens after sign-up?
Your account will be assigned to an Account Manager, who will be your go-to person here at SafetyWing to make insurance as easy as possible. Your Account Manager will schedule a couple of onboarding calls with you. The first call is a one-on-one where your Account Manager will review the benefits you are offering to your team, and they will show you how to manage your team from your SafetyWing admin dashboard and review any questions you have. This call is about 30 minutes. The second call is a town hall, to which all your members are invited. Your Account Manager will review all the benefits offered, explain how to use Remote Health, and answer questions your team may have. This call is between 60-75 minutes.
How do I submit a request to add a new member, add a dependent, or cancel the policy?
Use your SafetyWing admin dashboard to manage your members’ policies. If a member is allowed to include their dependents, you can make this selection when you add them to your plan, and the member will automatically be prompted to add their dependent's details at the time of their enrollment. Dependents can be added to a member's plan within the first 30 days from the start date. So, if you didn’t give the member access to include their family, please get in touch with your Account Manager.
Do I need to add all my team members or contractors to the policy?
No, you don't. You must, however, offer it to everyone in a given category of your company. For example, if you want "Directors" covered, then all Directors must be offered the plan within your company. But if you only want to cover "Directors," you do not need to also cover "Managers.”
How will the activation email look when it goes out to our members?
The activation email will have the company name on it as well as a SafetyWing-branded request for members to activate their health insurance by providing their basic personal information.
What if we have a team member with a start date in the future, can we add them in advance, and will they be covered?
Yes. You can reach out to your dedicated Account Manager any time you wish to add a new member.
Notify them of the date you wish for the coverage to start. They will then be added onto the next invoice per the billing cycle you select.
When you add a new team member to an existing group, how long is the delay to start the new members coverage? Is it pro-rated?
You can easily manage your team from your SafetyWing admin dashboard. This includes adding new members! You’ll just need to share the team member's email, start date, and plan. Once we receive the new member details, it just takes a couple of days to activate them. We pro-rate based on when they started.
If a team member leaves our company but wishes to keep their health plan, will they be able to?
Members who leave your company will be offboarded from your company plan.
If a member is leaving your active Remote Health plan, they’ll receive an invitation to join an individual plan reserved for former customers and special partners. This plan offers the same coverage, at a higher price. Please note: pre-existing conditions will not be covered under this new plan.
If your company does not qualify for Remote Health upon renewal (i.e., if you have less than 5 members), affected members can only continue with Nomad Insurance Complete, our main full health insurance option for individuals with added travel protections.
Are members able to pause their coverage over the 12-month period? What if they move countries?
Members are not able to pause coverage during the one-year term. If a member moves, they will need to notify the SafetyWing team of their move. Without the worldwide add-on, members will become ineligible for coverage if they move to Hong Kong or Singapore. Check which countries have coverage restrictions.
What is considered a qualifying reason to cancel a plan for one of our members?
The annual plan by the company is a twelve-month commitment. Members can be removed if they leave the company, or if they have a qualifying life event such as being added to their spouse’s health insurance or they move to a country ineligible for Remote Health (US or Canada, for instance).
Can international freelancers get misclassified as employees if we get Remote Health for them?
We can’t specifically advise on misclassification and there are differing rules around this globally. In the US there may be considerable risk of misclassification by providing healthcare to contractors but this risk may not be as high in other countries.
What is SafetyWing?
SafetyWing’s vision is to create a global social safety net so that opportunity and freedom aren’t determined by where you live or work. We want a future where everyone can access a safety net regardless of where they were born.
It’s important to us that the information we provide about our coverage and benefits is clear and transparent. You can find these details in our policy terms, Certificates of Coverage, and this FAQ. If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out via our 24/7 live chat in the bottom right hand corner of this page.
How does SafetyWing provide global coverage?
SafetyWing is licensed as an international insurer but also works with other regulated insurance carriers and licensed partners to make coverage available internationally. Our structure allows us to provide coverage to globally mobile individuals and distributed companies while operating within applicable regulatory frameworks.
Simply speaking, it means that SafetyWing is a recognized international insurer and can provide coverage for you in 180+ countries.
What does that structure look like?
The insurance coverage is provided by regulated and licensed underwriting entities. The underwriting entity for each product is clearly disclosed in the policy terms and in the Certificate of Coverage issued to our members.
For example:
SafetyWing Insurance I.I. is a Puerto Rico-domiciled international insurer (Classes 3 & 5)
Certain health benefits are underwritten by VUMI®, a Puerto Rico-domiciled international insurer, administered by VIP Administration Services LLC, and offered in partnership with SafetyWing
You can see more details on Puerto Rico’s Department of State website.
All that said, SafetyWing handles all aspects of product design and customer service and support ourselves.
Why is the insurer based in Puerto Rico?
Puerto Rico provides a regulatory framework for international insurers so that, with our partner carriers, SafetyWing Insurance I.I. is able to offer insurance designed for people who live, work, and travel across borders.
What does underwriting mean?
A licensed insurance company is financially responsible for the policy it underwrites and the claims covered under it. The underwriting insurer is the entity that ultimately bears the insurance risk.
What does your claim process look like?
Claims are reviewed based on the policy terms. What’s covered depends on the plan you choose and whether you meet the policy requirements, which are laid out in your policy document.
When you file a claim, we ask for supporting documents like receipts or medical records. We try to keep this straightforward, but what we need depends on the situation. We must do this to make sure everyone is being covered fairly, under the same terms.
The most common reasons claims get denied: the condition existed before your coverage started (pre-existing conditions aren't covered on our travel medical plan), or we didn't receive the requested documentation to verify the details of your claim.
How are claim disputes handled?
When a member disagrees with a claim decision, we’ll review the case under your policy terms and conditions. Members can appeal a claim decision up to 2 times. Each appeal is handled differently and reviewed by different teams, to ensure objectivity.
If, after 2 appeals, we are unable to reach a resolution, members can choose to involve an independent third-party provider to help resolve the matter. This does not cost anything for the member. You can learn more about the provider here.
Always check your policy document for the applicable dispute resolution options and procedures.
How does SafetyWing work with ambassadors and partners?
We want to make products that are so good that people will tell their friends about it, and we believe that is better than widespread, non-targeted advertising. So we work with ambassadors, partners and communities to share information about our products designed for people living internationally.
Partners help introduce our services to relevant audiences, but coverage terms, eligibility and claims decisions are always determined based on a member’s specific policy terms, regardless of whether the member was referred by an ambassador or found us on their own.
For more information about our ambassador program, click here.