Coming from a developing country, traveling outside the Philippines took a lot of hard work. Finally, I stepped on foreign soil at the age of 25 for the first time, and it was a defining moment for me because I was finally able to do it. I traveled to Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Laos in two weeks. Yeah, I know it was exhausting, but my two friends and I had the energy and agreed on our itinerary.

We crossed land borders. We tried a sleeper bus for the first time. I Ate foods that were super different from the Philippines—met backpackers along the way. I danced all night and did not worry about the next day because it was a surreal experience for me. It was a dream come true that I had worked so hard to achieve.

Imagine waking up in a new city/destination.
Imagine not knowing the country’s language.
Imagine seeing new faces.
Imagine the learnings while out there.
Imagine the bond we had with other travelers.

There are many reasons why I love to travel. I’ll talk about it in another post.

Then I got addicted to backpacking. I’m lucky because I am surrounded by friends who are into and passionate about traveling. I then started to join Facebook groups focused on backpacking. I have learned a lot and read a lot of stuff from travelers.

There were terrific stories but also horrifying travel nightmares—from pickpockets and motorbike accidents to getting lost and other unfortunate events.

One thing that struck me most was posts about accidents while on the road. Posts about asking for financial help/donations because they can’t fund their hospitalization anymore. A lot of them did not purchase insurance, and that scared me. I do not want to experience it and don’t want my family to worry so much while doing something that makes me feel so alive.

Though I know the importance of insurance, it was a wake-up call to purchase insurance all the time when I’m backpacking in and out of the Philippines because we know that anything can happen while we are on the road. It’s not being pessimistic, but that’s reality. Even if we are not traveling, things happen at home in our own country.

As much as I want to save as much as possible, I always make it a point to set a budget for travel insurance strictly. It’s crucial for me when I do what I love.

Having travel insurance made me a happier traveler. It changed my life, lessened my travel anxiety, and made me enjoy my adventures to the fullest. I have been purchasing my travel insurance from Safety Wing since 2018.

I spent a month in Thailand, the best insurance option for a digital nomad like me, as it was affordable and worth it!

Here are my top reasons for Safety Wing Travel insurance:

The feeling of financial security.
You don’t have to worry about canceled flights due to valid reasons.

The confidence to travel.
You don’t have to worry about hospital bills when you need to get admitted.

Peace of mind.
You don’t have to be afraid when you try adventurous activities.

It makes you a responsible traveler.

If you want to be one, make it a habit to buy travel insurance.

Here’s a true story where we can learn an important lesson.

I have a digital nomad friend who left the Philippines four years ago to travel long-term. She made it and could travel and enjoy the life she had always wanted. She was primarily rooted in Chiang Mai but traveled to other countries from time to time, like Sri Lanka, to teach Yoga.

She loved Yoga so much and wanted to study and improve her practice. So, she was in India for a few weeks to do Yoga teacher training. While in India, she got sick and was hospitalized in the area for a few days. I was sad for her. I couldn’t also=myself traveling alone, then I got ill and couldn’t function well. Luckily, she had nomad insurance from Safety Wing. So, she got reimbursed by the company for all the expenses she paid at the hospital.

Now, if you were in her shoes? Are you willing to spend so much money at the hospital and brush off the idea of purchasing travel insurance?

She paid less than 50 USD for four weeks. It was worth it. As I mentioned earlier, anything could happen while we are on the road.

Here’s more information about the travel insurance she purchased:

The Safety Wing travel medical insurance covers people from all over the world outside their home country.

It’s wise for all types of travelers, wherever you are right now, to buy insurance depending on how they travel.

My most excellent advice to all the new backpackers is to buy insurance. It will change your life. It will lessen your fears. It will make you at ease while on the road.

In the Philippines, most only buy travel insurance if it is required for visa applications such as the Schengen one. It is mainly viewed as an expense instead of an investment. But we have to change this narrative for all Filipino travelers. We have to make it a habit always to have insurance when we travel locally and internationally, even if it’s not required.

I hope this post will change your mindset about insurance. You don’t have to spend so much on travel insurance with the right coverage suited for nomads. So if you are planning to go backpacking outside the Philippines, please go for it! The world is waiting for you. Other backpackers are looking forward to meeting you. New travel destinations are sprouting, waiting to be discovered. Be sure to document your adventure, as we are all excited for you to experience life outside our country. Upload your photos and videos to your social media by then.

So please plan, execute, and take action but take advantage of the opportunity to buy travel medical insurance. Remember that it is essential and it’s not a waste of money.

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