Whether you’re floating in a sea of cubicles or trying to tame your 2-year-old from behind the kitchen table at your home office, the idea of working from anywhere can sound more refreshing than an unexpected annual bonus.

And for many, it’s more than a distant hope. It’s a pandemic-sparked trend that’s taken hold and doesn’t show any sign of letting up. According to Gartner, Inc. research, more than half (51%) of knowledge workers — programmers, researchers, web designers, technical writers, etc. — are expected to work remotely in the coming year. And you may already know the growing movement and lifestyle by another name: the digital nomad.

Digital nomads can be easily identified by the laptop in their messenger bags and smiles on their faces. And there are a number of reasons this group is surging in numbers. For starters, employers are all in: Spotify, Twitter, Airbnb, and many other companies have established “work from anywhere policies.” Others’ policies come with a slight wrinkle; for example, online travel agency Kayak’s workforce can work from any of the 25 countries in which it has a legal entity.¹

Not only do companies have access to deeper talent pools with this approach, but they can save big on their brick-and-mortar overhead. And they’re not the only ones saving. Workers themselves are banking money, too. According to a FlexJobs poll, one-third of remote workers report saving between $51 and $100 a week, while 21% say they have pocketed more than $200 a week in expenses ranging from vehicle maintenance to eating out.²

And there is one more factor driving the digital nomad movement: countries with an appetite for this new type of tourism. A growing number of nations — including Brazil, Croatia, Costa Rica, Portugal, Norway, and others — have made available digital nomad visas for remote workers.¹

So what’s not to like about doing what you love while exploring the world?

Well, this is still travel. And with all the amazing things travel can conjure up, from far-flung family reunions to destination weddings of your dreams, travel also comes with some baggage — especially when that baggage gets lost. Or your flight is delayed. Or you’re having a crisis in a strange land and don’t speak the native tongue.

You get where we’re going. Travel, by its nature, can be risky. And travel insurance, by its nature, is there to counter these risks and provide much-needed peace of mind. So, let’s take a closer look at how a travel insurance plan from Allianz Global Assistance can uniquely complement a digital nomad lifestyle.

Travel Insurance Is There When You Need a Hand

So many of us don’t know what to do when we get in a car accident on our own street. Now imagine finding yourself in a fender-bender on a different continent — in a rental car.

These are the type of situations that Allianz Global Assistance’s 24-Hour Hotline Assistance can provide. From managing the fallout of lost travel documents to finding a place to board your pet while you give a work presentation, there is a long list of situations this benefit can help troubleshoot. And with 34 offices spanning five continents, plus a global network of 400,000-plus team members, it’s tough to find a location where Allianz Global Assistance is not able to support you.

And, perhaps most important of all, 24-Hour Hotline Assistance comes standard with every Allianz Global Assistance travel insurance plan.^{3, 4}

One handy way to contact the Allianz Global Assistance team for help is through the Allyz® TravelSmart App, which is the ideal travel companion for your travel insurance plan. In addition to connecting you with Allianz Global Assistance, the app can also connect you to local emergency numbers and local, pre-screened medical facilities. The user-friendly and free-to-download app also allows you to call up details of your travel insurance plan, receive trip alerts, and enjoy a number of other convenient features.

Yes, this savvy travel app is designed to be the best friend of digital nomad, whether you’re on or off the clock.⁵

Travel Insurance Is There When Your Trip Trips You Up

Escaping your backyard to work on the road can be an exciting prospect. But getting sick or hurt abroad while you’re working can be more than painful — it can be extremely complicated and expensive.

For starters, most foreign countries won’t accept a U.S.-based health care plan. On top of that, if you require medical transportation, the cost can run upward of $200,000 for destinations including Asia, Australia, and the Middle East.⁶

An Allianz Global Assistance travel insurance plan with Emergency Medical and Emergency Medical Transportation benefits doesn’t just ease the anxiety of suffering such a mishap while working remotely, from a minor injury to a serious illness. It also provides help that may otherwise be too difficult or expensive to coordinate on your own. Different travel insurance plans come with different benefit limits, so be sure to weigh your options carefully.

When Plans Change

In the same way that work deadlines can jump forward or backward on a whim, trip itineraries can also bounce around. Sometimes, you need to leave the “remote office” and head home sooner than expected. And other times, unexpected life events can pop up before you board the plane to photograph Carnival for a fashion magazine.

Fortunately, travel insurance plans from Allianz Global Assistance include Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption benefits. Trip Cancellation can reimburse you for prepaid, non-refundable expenses in the event you cancel your trip for a covered reason (e.g., losing your employment could very well be a covered reason.) Meanwhile, Trip Interruption is there in the event that your getaway ends early. In such an event, you may be reimbursed for unused, non-refundable portions of your trip and additional transportation costs that may be needed to get you back home.⁷

When the Trip Never Ends

Just like you may need to find a quiet place and some interrupted time to read over your company’s quarterly report or the new HR handbook, you should also give yourself the chance to give a good look at Allianz Global Assistance’s full range of travel insurance plans.

One reason this is a big deal for digital nomads is because timing is everything. For example, if you’re shuttling back and forth between home and faraway lands to work remotely, then you might want to take advantage of an AllTrips plan, which provides protection for a full 365 days of travel for individual trips up to 45 days. On the other hand, if you’re going to be hanging out in the same spot for up to 180 days, then the One Trip Premier Plan could be the best fit.

The point here is that there’s a travel insurance plan to match your schedule — you just need to make sure you research and choose the best one for you.^{8, 7}

It doesn’t look like the digital nomad movement is going away anytime soon. In fact, it’s picking up steam. And if you have the opportunity to earn a paycheck while traveling the world, then you’ve got a good thing going. But just remember, every speed bump we encounter on the road of life is a bit tougher to navigate over when we’re far from home. That’s why you’ll want to ensure you’re packing a travel insurance plan from Allianz Global Assistance.

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