Genki Traveler Review: Pros, Cons, What’s Covered, and What’s Not

Running an expat website and a tour company, I’ve come across a lot of travel insurance plans. Some good, some terrible, and many that are just confusing or unclear, requiring me to contact the insurance company multiple times to get the exact answers I need.

My German insurance broker friend introduced me to a plan called Genki Traveler. It’s a new travel insurance plan from Genki that was just released a week ago. When I had a chance to look at its coverage and price, four things immediately impressed me:

• The medical coverage the plan offers is almost comparable to health insurance. Of course, it’s still travel insurance and can’t replace full health insurance, but the medical coverage here is among the best I’ve seen among travel insurance.
  
• It comes with worldwide coverage and includes sports activities such as diving, skiing, snowboarding, and more. Many travel insurance companies don’t offer that anymore.
  
• I checked the price for myself, and it’s only EUR63.90 per month. Considering the coverage it provides, that’s a really good deal.
  
• The fine print is simple and easy to understand, even for me as a non-native speaker.

So, in this review, I’ll break down what Genki Traveler covers, what it doesn’t, how much it costs, and how it compares to other options. I’ll also share my honest thoughts on who this plan is right for and who might want to look elsewhere.

Disclaimer: This article may include links to products or services offered by ExpatDen's partners, which give us commissions when you click on them. Although this may influence how they appear in the text, we only recommend solutions that we would use in your situation. Read more in our Advertising Disclosure.

What is Genki Traveler?

I’ve got to admit, when I first heard the name Genki Traveler, I thought it was a Japanese company. “Genki” means healthy in Japanese, after all. But it turns out Genki is a German insurance company.

That’s a good thing actually. I’ve talked to a lot of German brokers in my line of work, and all of them take insurance seriously. That might be because Germany has some of the strictest insurance regulations in the world.

However, Genki Traveler isn’t actually insured by Genki. They’re more like a reseller. The real insurer is Squarelife, an insurance company based in Liechtenstein, a small country next to Germany. You might not have heard of it before. I hadn’t either. But Squarelife has been in business since 2013 and has excellent reviews on Google.

Smaller insurance companies aren’t necessarily a bad thing. In my experience, they often offer better value than larger ones. Big insurers can charge more simply because of brand recognition.

Smaller providers usually need to offer something competitive to win customers, and Genki seems to do just that.

Also, the plan was introduced to me by my German insurance broker friend, who’s very honest about insurance products. (I’ve heard him complain about tons of insurance plans.) And I trusted him.

What It Covers and What It Doesn’t

Genki Traveler is a travel health insurance plan. That means it only covers medical-related costs and doesn’t include non-medical travel benefits like flight delays or baggage loss.

Personally, I prefer this. Most travel insurance plans that include those benefits charge more. When it comes time to claim, the payout is often minimal and hard to access. I usually skip those features anyway.

That said, Genki’s medical coverage is solid and among the best I’ve come across.

Coverage Limits

The plan comes with a coverage limit of EUR 1,000,000. That’s more than enough for countries like Thailand, Mexico, or Indonesia, even for major treatments. For example, the most expensive treatment I’ve heard of in Thailand was around THB 15,000,000 (roughly EUR 375,000) for cardiac surgery at Bumrungrad Hospital, which is the high-end hospital in Thailand.

Even in the US, EUR 1,000,000 should be sufficient unless you’re hospitalized for several weeks in intensive care.

Area of Coverage

Genki Traveler offers worldwide coverage, but there are a few things to keep in mind:

• USA and Canada: Coverage is limited to 7 days unless you pay extra for extended coverage.
  
• Home country: You’re covered for up to 6 weeks per year, but only after you’ve been abroad for at least 4 weeks.

Based on the area of coverage, the plan is great if you need to travel regularly or if you’re a digital nomad who may need to return home for a while.

Note: If you visit an emergency room or urgent care in the US, you’ll pay the first EUR 100 per visit. There’s also a EUR 50 deductible for outpatient care, but no deductible for inpatient care.

Medical Coverage Details

Here’s what Genki Traveler includes:

• Doctor’s fees
  
• Shared hospital room and board
  
• Prescription medications
  
• Medical exams (X-ray, CT scan, ECG, etc.)
  
• Hospital fees and surgery
  
• Inpatient and outpatient treatments
  
• Emergency dental care after an accident (up to EUR 1,000)
  
• Up to 6 sessions of prescribed physical therapy
  

In short, it covers all the essential medical costs you’d expect from a solid health insurance plan. The only thing I don’t like is that, in case of hospitalization, you’ll be in a shared room rather than a private one. But that’s still acceptable.

What’s Not Covered

The plan doesn’t cover:

Advertisement

• Preventative care (checkups, screenings)
  
• Rehabilitative therapy
  
• Eye and ear care
  
• Alternative medicine (TCM, chiropractic, massage, etc.)
  
• Mental health services
  
• Elective procedures
  
• Hair loss treatment
  
• Maternity care
  

These exclusions are pretty standard. In fact, even some health insurance plans don’t cover some of these either, especially alternative care and elective procedures.

Sports Activities

This part caught me off guard, in a good way. Most travel insurance plans either exclude sports activities entirely or charge significantly more to include them. That’s understandable since it’s easier to get injured from sports.

However, Genki Traveler includes sports coverage by default.

Here’s a sample list of covered sports:

• Climbing
  
• Cycling and mountain biking
  
• Diving (up to 30 meters)
  
• Trekking
  
• Martial arts and combat sports
  
• Parachuting
  
• Skydiving
  
• Skiing and snowboarding
  
• Surfing
  

If you get injured or sick while doing these activities, Genki Traveler will pay as long as the activity follows the policy’s conditions.

A few important details to note:

• Martial arts: Covered only for training, sparring, self-defense, or friendly fights not professional competitions.
  
• Skiing/snowboarding: Must be done on marked trails. No heli-skiing, heli-snowboarding, or off-piste.
  
• Surfing: Only in normal weather conditions. No big waves or tow-in surfing.
  
• Cycling: Only recreational riding is covered.
  
• Diving: Up to 30 meters, and only if you’re licensed and supervised by a dive pro.
  

They also don’t cover:

• Professional sports that you do to earn money
• Very high-risk activities like base jumping, bull riding, hunting, running of the bulls, train surfing, and wingsuit flying

If you plan to do sports while traveling, read the full policy wording carefully. I’ll link it at the end of the article. If in doubt, always get clarification in writing.

Ambulance

Ambulance service is included in the plan, but it’s important to know that it only covers transport to the nearest suitable hospital, and might not always be a hospital of your choice.

Repatriation

If you need to be repatriated to your home country for treatment, for example, to use public health insurance there, Genki Traveler will cover the cost, including air ambulance, up to the policy limit.

I also like the fact that you can decide for yourself whether to be repatriated home or continue treatment abroad. I’ve heard that some insurance plans make the decision for you and may send you home even if you’d rather stay. 

Important: If you choose to be repatriated home, the coverage ends IMMEDIATELY after you arrive in your home country. So make your decision carefully.

Family Support

This is another benefit I rarely see in travel insurance policies. If you’re hospitalized for a life-threatening emergency, Genki Traveler can help a family member visit you by covering:

• An economy round-trip ticket
• Basic accommodation near the hospital
• Up to EUR 5,000 in total

You must get prior approval from Genki to use this benefit.

Driving and Motorcycle Accidents

If you get injured while driving or riding a vehicle, you’re covered, with a few conditions:

• You must wear a helmet if you’re the driver of a motorcycle.
• If you’re a passenger, the plan still covers you even if you don’t wear a helmet.
• You need a valid driver’s license.
• For motorcycles, you’re still covered even without a license, but only if the engine size is under 250cc.

I would say that this is generous, since many travel insurance plans simply don’t cover it if you don’t have a license. Still, it’s a good idea to learn to drive properly, get a license, and wear a helmet, even if you’re just a passenger.

Deductible

The plan comes with a EUR 50 deductible for outpatient treatment. There’s no deductible for inpatient treatment.

Here’s how it works: if you visit a hospital for outpatient treatment, you pay first and make a claim later. Then, Genki reimburses the full amount after deducting the EUR 50. For example, if the claim is EUR 200, you’ll receive EUR 150. If the expenses are in other currencies, they use the exchange rate from the European Central Bank based on the invoice date.

Period of Coverage

Genki Traveler works like a subscription plan, with a minimum duration of one month. You can keep it active for up to 12 months.

This setup is similar to SafetyWing, but Genki offers better health coverage in exchange for not including non-medical travel benefits.

Anyone under 69 years old can buy the plan, no matter where you are in the world. 

How to File a Claim

Another thing I like about Genki Traveler is that they can do direct billing with a hospital when it comes to hospitalization. It’s one of the deciding factors I have when choosing travel insurance.

If any travel insurance can’t do direct billing, I won’t choose it. 

And you’d be surprised to know that not all travel insurance providers offer this. In fact, many don’t, which can leave you paying thousands upfront and waiting weeks for reimbursement.

Making a Claim for Inpatient Treatment

Here’s what you need to do when you’re hospitalized:

1. Tell the hospital that you have travel insurance with Genki Traveler.
   
2. Show them your insurance policy.
   
3. The hospital contacts Genki directly to arrange payment.

If the hospital doesn’t do this, you can contact Genki’s emergency assistance service yourself:

• Call: +34 911 599 948
  
• Email: [email protected]
  
• Availability: 24/7

Making a Claim for Outpatient Treatment

For outpatient care, you’ll need to pay out of pocket first and then request reimbursement through Genki’s website by uploading your hospital bill. After that, they should reimburse you within two weeks. This is standard practice across most travel insurance providers.

Please note that you need to get prior approval if the cost of outpatient treatment exceeds EUR 1,000:

• If it’s an emergency, call their emergency assistance hotline at +34 911 599 948 or email [email protected].
  
• If it’s a non-emergency, send the itemized cost estimate to [email protected] at least 5 days before receiving the treatment.
  

Tip: A good practice I always follow when it comes to insurance is to call their hotline before going to a hospital. It’s not just about getting prior approval. They can also recommend a hospital and may help arrange the visit in advance.

Contact Information

If you’re insured with Genki Traveler, here are the key contact points you should keep on hand:

General Inquiries 

This is for general inquiries such as billing, account questions, or coverage clarification.

• Member Center: Self-service available via your online account
  
• Live Chat: Available on the website
• Email: [email protected]
  
• WhatsApp: +49 1573 599 499 7
  
• Hours (Germany time):
  
  • Monday to Friday: Typically available all day
    
  • Saturday to Sunday: From 5:00 AM
    

Emergency Assistance 

This is for inpatient treatment or urgent approval. 

• Phone: +34 911 599 948
  
• Email: [email protected]
  
• For inpatient stays, the hospital can contact them directly on your behalf.
  

Non-Emergency Approvals 

This is your point of contact to get prior approval when outpatient treatment costs exceed EUR 1,000. Make sure to contact them at least 5 days before getting the treatment.

• Email: [email protected]
  

Can Genki Traveler Replace Health Insurance?

While Genki Traveler offers excellent travel medical coverage, it’s not a replacement for full health insurance. Here’s why:

• Coverage is limited to 12 months max
  
• If you develop a serious health condition (like cancer) during your policy term, you can’t renew. The condition will be considered pre-existing by future insurers
  
• No coverage for alternative treatments or routine checkups
  
• No mental health or organ transplant coverage
  

In my opinion, it’s still travel insurance, not long-term health insurance. That said, it can be a solid option if you’re young, healthy, and just need affordable coverage for a year while traveling or working abroad.

What I Like

To sum up, here’s what I like about Genki Traveler:

• Medical coverage with a EUR 1,000,000 limit
  This amount is enough to cover serious medical emergencies in nearly every country, including expensive ones like the U.S. It’s rare to find this level of coverage in a travel plan at this price point.
  
• Can be used at any hospital with direct billing for hospitalization
  If you’re admitted, the hospital can deal with the insurer directly, which means no large upfront payments or long reimbursement waits.
  
• Worldwide coverage, including the U.S. and Canada
  Coverage includes regions that are usually either excluded or come at a much higher price, like the U.S. and Canada. Plus, there’s limited coverage for your home country, which is a useful perk for digital nomads who go home occasionally.
  
• Sports activities included without paying extra
  Activities like diving, skiing, martial arts, and mountain biking are included by default. Many other insurers list these as exclusions or require extra fees.
  
• Easy sign-up and plan management through their website
  The application process is simple. Everything, from getting your documents to submitting claims, can be handled through their Member Center online.
  
• Affordable pricing based on what you get
  At EUR 2.66/day for a 40-year-old and EUR 5.61/day for a 65-year-old, the pricing is very reasonable considering the global coverage and high medical limit.

What I Don’t Like

• Requires a minimum 1-month subscription, even for short trips
  You can’t buy it for a few days or a week. That makes it less suitable for weekend travelers or anyone just taking a short holiday.
  
• Multiple contact points can be confusing
  Genki has separate emails and numbers for general questions, emergencies, and pre-approvals. It’s manageable, but you’ll want to save a reference list so you know who to contact in different situations.

Alternatives

There are other options, and depending on your situation, they might suit you better than Genki Traveler.

• ACS: This plan is usually more affordable than Genki and offers more flexible coverage periods. You can buy it for just a few days or weeks, which is great for shorter trips. But the trade-off is that medical coverage limits are lower, and you don’t get the same kind of sports or hospitalization benefits Genki offers.
  
• SafetyWing: If you need coverage for more than 12 months, SafetyWing is worth a look. It’s for digital nomads and remote workers. The downside is that the medical coverage isn’t as strong, and sports coverage is limited or comes with conditions.
  
• World Nomads: A popular option for people who want both health and travel benefits, such as trip cancellation, baggage loss, or missed flights. It’s more expensive and better for people who need those extra travel-related protections. 

If you’re unsure which one is right for you, you can compare plans at safeandnotsorry.com to see side-by-side benefits, limits, and pricing. It’s built by the ExpatDen team to help you compare and find travel insurance easily within a few minutes. No email required.

Disclaimer: I’m not an insurance broker. While I’ve done my best to make this review as accurate and helpful as possible, mistakes can still happen. For the full coverage details, I recommend reading the fine print here. 

Advertisement