The digital nomad lifestyle offers incredible freedom, but with that freedom comes a responsibility to protect your health in an environment where your home country's state system won't help you. If you're working and living abroad for extended periods, travel insurance almost certainly isn't enough.
This is one of the most frequently asked questions. Travel insurance is designed for short trips, covering acute emergencies, trip cancellations, and baggage, while IPMI provides comprehensive health cover for people living abroad, including:
• Ongoing and chronic condition management
• Routine GP visits and specialist care
• Mental health support
• Cancer treatment
• Preventative care and annual check-ups
• Maternity care
• Emergency medical evacuation when treatment is not available locally
Rule of thumb: if you're abroad for more than 30 days, or if you're working remotely and calling another country 'home', you might need IPMI, not travel insurance.
Portugal has become one of Europe's top digital nomad hubs. The country introduced the D8 Digital Nomad Visa for non-EU remote workers, and, importantly, private health insurance is a mandatory requirement for all D8 applicants, covering at least €30,000 and valid across the Schengen Area. Travel insurance is explicitly not accepted. Portugal's public SNS health system is generally not accessible to non-EU residents, making quality IPMI cover essential from day one.
• Choose cover that is suitable to your needs and locations.
• Check that your policy covers you across multiple countries simultaneously
• Digital services, such as Telehealth, can provide the convenience of accessing medical consultations 24/7 in their preferred language. This can be especially beneficial in more remote locations.
• Confirm there's no fixed 'country of residence' requirement if you move regularly
• Consider income protection insurance alongside IPMI. If you can't work, your income stops
