SafetyWing Complete Review: Health Cover for People Living Abroad
Complete is SafetyWing's answer for people who've stopped travelling and started living abroad. It covers more, but it's slower to start and harder to leave.
Our view
Complete is worth a look if you're living abroad long term and want routine care covered, not just emergencies. It isn't the answer if you need cover today: it takes an application, starts on a fixed date, and is a 12-month commitment.
How Complete works
- Type: health-insurance-style cover with travel benefits, with a US$1,500,000 annual maximum limit.
- Applying: Complete applications take up to 10 days to process, and approved cover starts on the 1st or the 15th of the month, whichever comes first.
- Commitment: Complete is a 12-month commitment.
- Age: Complete is open to new applicants aged 18 to 64.
- Where you're covered: Complete covers you in your country of residence as well as when you travel, but it isn't sold to residents of some countries.
- Waiting periods: Complete's maternity cover has a 10-month waiting period. Check other benefit-specific waits in the policy wording.
When Complete makes sense from abroad
- You've settled in one place, or expect to be abroad for a year or more
- You want check-ups, specialist visits or other routine care covered
- You're comfortable with an application and a year-long commitment
When it doesn't
- You need cover this week. Use travel medical cover while you apply, then switch. See switching without a gap.
- Your plans might change in a few months. A 12-month commitment is a poor fit.
- You live in a country where it isn't sold. Check eligibility first.
Complete vs dedicated international health insurance
Complete competes with traditional international health insurers, which also sell to people already living abroad, often after a medical questionnaire. If you're comparing, look at limits, underwriting, what's excluded, and renewal terms, not only price. See travel vs international health insurance and alternatives.
The policy wording decides. What a plan actually covers is set by its policy documents, not by this page or by any sales page. Read the wording for anything that matters to you before you buy, and again before you rely on it.
Common questions
Can I get Complete immediately?
No. Applications take up to 10 days, and approved cover starts on the 1st or 15th of the month. If you need cover now, consider Essential or other travel medical cover in the meantime.
Can I cancel Complete early?
Complete is a 12-month commitment. Check SafetyWing's current cancellation and refund terms before you apply.
Who can't buy Complete?
Complete isn't sold to residents of some countries. The list changes, so check the current eligibility rules on SafetyWing's site.
Sources
Insurer details on this page are summarised from each insurer’s own published material; general guidance comes from the official sources listed. Terms change, so check these pages and the policy wording before you buy.