List of the Best Travel Insurance in South Africa

By Dave Nyam •  Updated: 05/29/24 •  6 min read

Travel insurance is one of the most important things that one should never set out without; it protects against what would disturb your well-laid plans. It is the closest thing to a guardian angel who comes through for you when situations go from losing your luggage to life-threatening emergencies. In South Africa, different companies will offer diverse, comprehensive travel insurance plans, each with its unique features and benefits. These companies have tailored their services to respond to the divergent needs of travelers. It, therefore, means that you shall be sure to get a plan that is designed with your specific needs in mind. We shall now go ahead and look at three of the best travel-based insurance providers in South Africa.

Top-Rated Travel Insurance

With medical coverage from proper insurers, VisitorsCoverage is one of the very best providers. The company offers all-round assurance in the event of medical emergencies, understanding that they occur anywhere in the world and at any time. With 50+ travel protection plans, VisitorsCoverage provides the most options. This variety ensures that you will get a plan that fits your description—from a basic cover to one that is more elaborate. They offer coverage, including medical insurance and trip insurance. Limits range from $50,000 to $5 million, hence catering to an extensive range of choices. They also recommend a selection of deductibles ranging from $0 up to $25,000 to give you control over out-of-pocket spending.

It is a reputable company and is trusted to be user-friendly. They have simplified everything in such a way that a traveler can easily be in a position to obtain and manage his or her insurance plan. Among the support it offers are FAQ, live chat, and phone support. Their all-day support also assured you of the ability to get assistance when most needed, wherever you may be in the world. Among those not part of their plans, though, are the maternity and childbirth coverage and mental health coverage. These are actually standard exclusions in any travel insurance plan, so it would be better to read the fine print before you buy. Pricing ranges for their plans from $25 to $150 a month, making this quite affordable for just about everyone.

Another top-rated travel insurance is Insured Nomads. They offer two plans that concentrate on coverage during the trip. They realize that during a journey, one can be disrupted by very many happenings, such as the cancellation of flights and luggage going missing, among others, hence offering coverage that will enable you to cope with this kind of disruption. Coverage includes trip insurance and limited medical insurance with limits of up to 250,000. That’s a sum that should suffice for most travelers, allowing for the many incidental expenditures of travel and leaving them with a margin for trip interruptions and medical emergencies. They also provide a deductible of 250, which is quite reasonable for most travelers.

Insured Nomads has a reputation for being decently easy to use. They make sure to help you manage their insurance plans clearly so that you worry less about the insurance and more about your trip. Their customer service is also available at any time through FAQ, live chat, and telephone help, 24/7. Generally speaking, this means that you will get help whenever and wherever, either at home planning your trip or abroad sorting out a disappointment. Their plans do lack coverage in the areas of maternity and childbirth and pre-existing conditions, though. Then again, more or less, this is standard in these sorts of plans. It’s of paramount importance that you understand what is in and is not in a plan before you buy it. Their plans range from $45 to $160 a month, therefore making the platform fit for use by a broad scope of budget levels.

SafetyWing: With its unusual combination of trips and limited medical insurance, it is perfect for youth travelers. They know that youth travelers are likely to need something a little out of the ordinary from more traditional types of plans, and they’ve designed their plans to be just what the doctor ordered. SafetyWing has three plans available, with the highest coverage limits going as high as 2,000,000, meaning you’re well and indeed covered for most kinds of potential disruptions and emergencies. They also offer a deductible between $0 and $500, giving some flexibility in the amount you pay out of pocket.

SafetyWing is one of the best and easiest to use; it has been designed for the needs of youthful travelers who look to buy and manage their insurance coverage. Their customer service includes FAQ, live chat, and 24/7 support over the phone. This will ensure that you will always be assisted when a need arises, wherever you may be on the face of the planet. The exclusions on their plans, however, are the coverage for maternity and childbirth and the coverage for mental health. Again, these exclusions are pretty standard in policies for Travel Insurance, so it is always advisable to scrutinize their inclusions and their corresponding exclusions before purchasing them. This makes travel insurance very affordable to a young traveler as each plan lies between $80 to $200 per month.

What Does Travel Insurance Mean?

It is a policy that covers various aspects. These include every medical expense, cancellation of a trip, baggage loss, flight accident, and other liabilities that could come unexpectedly in the course of traveling. It’s a kind of safety net that you would fall back upon when things do go wrong during your trips. Generally, being equipped with travel insurance is a good idea should you be taking a trip abroad, taking an extended vacation, or even eyeing that digital nomadic lifestyle. This is only because travel insurance gives you financial protection for emergency cases while away on your trip.

What does Travel Insurance Cover?

This insurance covers missed happenings that may arise before or during the travel, such as cancellations, delays, and medical emergencies. These instances can mar your travel experience and, in some cases, be a very costly affair. Most plans usually include trip protection for accidental death and dismemberment, baggage delay or loss, emergency medical coverage and evacuation, trip cancellation, delay, or interruption, among others.

These coverages, in turn, reduce financial hardships resulting from such disruptions as one concentrates on enjoying the trip. The bottom line is to know what is covered and what is not covered, the limitations on amounts covered, and the requirements for coverage. This realization will help you to opt for a plan that suits you, and you will find a little peace of mind while traveling.