How to Buy Life Insurance When You’re Always on the Move

The world is your home. Your address changes with the seasons, projects, or simply a change of heart. You are a digital nomad, a remote worker, a global citizen, or an expat on a perpetual journey. In an era defined by climate migration, geopolitical shifts, and the great remote work revolution, this fluid lifestyle is no longer an outlier—it’s a modern reality. Yet, amidst the freedom of one-way tickets and co-working spaces in exotic locales, one foundational piece of planning often gets lost in transit: life insurance.

The traditional model of life insurance is built on pillars of stability: a fixed address, a local employer, a domestic bank account, and a long-term health provider. For those constantly crossing borders, this model feels not just outdated, but nearly impossible to navigate. But the need for financial protection doesn’t vanish because your location is fluid. If anything, it becomes more critical. So, how do you secure a policy that moves with you? It requires a shift in strategy, a focus on flexibility, and an understanding of the new rules of global mobility.

Understanding the Core Challenge: Insurability and the "Home Country" Conundrum

For insurers, risk is calculated based on known factors. Constant movement introduces unknowns, which are perceived as risk. Your primary hurdles are:

Residency and Physical Presence Requirements

Most insurers require you to be a legal resident of the country where you purchase the policy. They may also require you to spend a minimum number of days per year there. If you’re truly nomadic, without a tax home or permanent address, many standard policies become void. Insurers need a jurisdiction to anchor the contract and a way to serve legal notices.

Medical Underwriting on the Go

The paramedical exam—a staple of the underwriting process—can be a logistical nightmare. Scheduling a nurse to visit your Airbnb in Bali or a clinic in Bogotá that meets the insurer’s standards is challenging. Blood work, vitals, and medical history reviews become complex when your history is scattered across clinics in three different countries over the past five years.

Currency, Payouts, and Beneficiary Complications

If your policy is in Euros, your assets are in a US brokerage, and your beneficiary lives in Singapore, you create a web of currency risk and administrative complexity. Ensuring the death benefit reaches your loved ones efficiently, without being tangled in international probate or excessive fees, is a major consideration.

A Strategic Framework for the Global Citizen

Securing coverage is not about finding a single perfect global policy (they are exceedingly rare), but about building a strategy that aligns with your mobility pattern.

Step 1: Define Your "Anchor"

Even the most nomadic lives often have a point of connection. Identify your anchor. This could be: * Country of Citizenship/Passport: Often the most straightforward anchor, especially if you maintain banking and family ties there. * Country of Last Permanent Residency: Where you filed taxes last. * Country of Future Intent: Where you plan to settle eventually, or where your primary beneficiaries reside. Your anchor country is your most likely place to purchase a primary policy. It provides the necessary residency link for the insurer.

Step 2: Choose the Right Type of Policy for Flexibility

• Term Life Insurance: Often the best starting point. It’s simpler, more portable in concept, and typically cheaper. A 20- or 30-year term policy from your anchor country can cover your high-obligation years (e.g., while you have dependents or debt) regardless of where you travel. Key question: Does the policy remain valid if you move abroad? Many do, but you must declare your move and the insurer may adjust risk ratings for certain countries.
• International or Expatriate Life Insurance: Specifically designed for globally mobile individuals. Offered by large multinational insurers (e.g., AXA, Allianz, Zurich), these policies are often denominated in USD or EUR, are underwritten with global mobility in mind, and may offer more flexibility in medical exams and beneficiary designation. They are premium products with premium costs.
• Group Insurance through a Global Employer or Organization: If you work for a company with a global presence, their group life insurance may cover you internationally. Verify the portability if you leave the job. Professional organizations or digital nomad unions are also beginning to explore group benefits.

Step 3: Master the Logistics of Application

• Timing is Everything: Apply when you have a clear window of physical presence in your anchor country. This is when you can most easily complete the medical exam and paperwork. Don’t try to initiate the process from a remote beach with spotty internet.
• Document Your Medical History: Maintain your own private, consolidated health record. Use a secure digital service to store PDFs of every medical visit, test result, and prescription from anywhere in the world. This is invaluable for the underwriting process.
• Be Transparent and Proactive: Disclose your travel plans and lifestyle upfront. Lying or omitting information about your mobility or health is grounds for the policy to be voided later. Ask direct questions: "If I take a 12-month contract in South America, how does this affect my coverage?" "What is your list of restricted countries?"
• Digital Nomad Insurance is NOT Life Insurance: Beware of conflating international health insurance (like SafetyWing or World Nomads) with life insurance. They are completely different products. You need both.

Navigating Modern Hotspots and Special Considerations

Your insurance strategy must account for the world as it is.

Climate Migration and High-Risk Zones:

If your travels or future home include regions increasingly prone to wildfires, floods, or extreme weather, insurers are taking note. While life insurance rarely excludes natural disasters per se, being a resident in a high-risk area could affect premiums or availability. Transparency is key.

The Geopolitical Landscape:

Insurers maintain lists of excluded or high-risk countries—often those under international sanctions, in active conflict, or with extreme political instability. Constantly traveling through or residing in these regions can complicate or invalidate coverage. Check the insurer’s country risk tiers before you buy.

The Digital Asset Question:

For the modern mover, assets may include cryptocurrency or other digital holdings. Traditional life insurance policies won’t cover these. Your estate plan, including clear instructions on accessing digital assets, must work in tandem with your life insurance to ensure a complete financial picture for your beneficiaries.

Building Your Safety Net, One Country at a Time

Start by solidifying your anchor policy. Then, consider layering additional, smaller policies as your life evolves and your geography shifts. Regularly review your coverage—annually is a good rule of thumb—especially after a major life event or a significant change in your base of operations.

The philosophy for the perpetually mobile isn’t about finding a static, set-it-and-forget-it solution. It’s about building a resilient, adaptable financial infrastructure that respects your freedom while honoring your responsibilities. It’s about understanding that in a world of flux, the most important things—the security and future of those you love—deserve a foundation that can withstand the journey. The paperwork may be complex, the emails may cross time zones, but the peace of mind, knowing you’ve protected your narrative no matter where it leads, is the ultimate freedom.