Extreme Remote Work Coverage: Insuring Digital Nomads in the World’s Wildest Workspaces

Imagine joining Zoom from an igloo or drafting reports from a tent in Mongolia. Extreme remote work is freeing and meaningful for many, but it comes with extreme risks. Altitude sickness, power loss, political unrest… even a sudden avalanche. You never know what can happen when you’re working from a remote location.

The rise of remote work has brought the need for specialized insurance. Let’s go over why you need digital nomad insurance to protect you in off-grid, frontier locations.

The Rise of Extreme Remote Work

Cafés & Co-working Spaces

Coffee shops are the classic place for remote work. Walk into any café and you’ll likely see several people on their cellphones and laptops, busy as bees.

Nowadays, you can also see nomads setting up bases in jungles, mountains, islands, deserts, and other remote areas. Being in touch with nature can be gratifying and relaxing, perfect for those who are stressed and need to go on a sabbatical.

Isolated places can also be fantastic for creativity. Entrepreneurs, researchers, and artists may benefit from the inspiration that can come from solitude and nature.

Popular Destinations for Extreme Work

Himalayas: As fascinating as the Himalayan Mountains are, they are also one of the deadliest places for trekkers. The entire region struggles with contaminated resources, cold weather, avalanches, and earthquakes.

Patagonia: Argentina, Chile, and other South American countries make up Patagonia. The region has gorgeous forests, glaciers, and volcanoes. If you adore nature, Patagonia is a beautiful place to photograph and experience. However, hiking and other remote, outdoor adventures can be very dangerous, especially if you don’t have a guide.

Outback Australia: Queensland is infamous for having plenty of things that want to hurt you. From venomous snakes to “salties” (crocodiles) to gigantic spiders, it can get deadly out there.

Remote Alaska: If you enjoy seafood and wild game, Alaska may be a suitable destination for remote work. Just be sure to research the local weather and travel quirks–it can get quite icy and dangerous in wintertime.

Sub-Saharan Africa: Sub-Saharan Africa has plenty of savannas and rainforests, making it an exceptional place for adventurers to explore. However, the region suffers from serious risks, such as insect infestations, wetland degradation, floods, and droughts.

Antarctica: There are plenty of research and travel opportunities in Antarctica–however, the area is notorious for being bad for mental health. From endlessly dark days to social isolation, people looking to work or stay in Antarctica need strong support systems and insurance.

Why Remote, Why Now?

Remote work is an effective way to escape from burnout. BBC discussed why burnout can become extremely debilitating. According to the World Health Organization, occupational burnout is a stressful phenomenon characterized by:

• Exhaustion
• Reduced professional efficacy
• Cynicism and negativity towards job

Working remotely enables people to live adventurously, explore new places, and push personal limits. More and more people are adopting the digital nomad lifestyle where they work remotely while traveling. Those dream places you wanted to visit–Barbados, Dubai, Prague, Paris–remote work can open up the world to you. That doesn’t mean it’s not without its risks. It may feel like uprooting your current life, and you can’t take all of it with you. But a lot of people are choosing remote work over burning out at the office.

The Unique Risks of Off-Grid Remote Work

Medical Emergencies

If you’re off the grid, a medical situation can be much more life threatening or expensive. Most remote areas are further away from healthcare facilities, especially if you need a specialist’s eye.

Unstable Internet and Power Infrastructure

Traveling to remote areas is excellent for unplugging and enjoying nature. However, it also means worse internet connections and power infrastructure.

Natural Hazards

If you’re living in extremely remote areas, you face greater risks from nature. It won’t just be storms, wildfires, floods, and earthquakes. You may encounter dangerous wildlife, blizzards, landslides, and other less common, local risks.

Evacuation Challenges

Emergency evacuations may be necessary for civil unrest, serious injuries and illnesses, natural disasters, and bad weather. Terrorist threats are also common in many parts of the world, forcing residents to relocate at the drop of a dime.

Mental Health Challenges

Mental health can be a serious concern for remote workers and digital nomads, especially those who are traveling alone. Meeting new people and visiting new places can be the best adventure of all time–but realistically, it can also be stressful. You may not speak the local lingua franca or understand the customs. It can be an isolating experience to simply work from your home, so it’s important to know it can be much harder when you’re on the road.

Psychiatric care and therapy sessions can be difficult to obtain when you’re in remote locations. There may not be specialists who are licensed in the area, and Zoom isn’t always an option.

Political Unrest or Sudden Border Closures

Nobody can guarantee your location will be safe from border closures or policial unrest. Remote workers can still be affected by geopolitical tensions and border/visa concerns.

Lack of Access to Specialists

If you need any of the more modern services, like tech or engine repairs, experts may be difficult to find or expensive to hire in remote regions. Banking and legal counsel can also be inaccessible, making it hard to manage finances or legal cases.

What Extreme Remote Work Insurance Should Include

Remote Medical Evacuation

One of the most important insurance policies for extreme remote workers is remote medevac and medical assistance. A lot of the time, when a remote traveler gets injured or ill, they need to be urgently transported to a medical facility with the proper healthcare.

Coverage for Communication Interruptions

Remote workers who store and use valuable information, such as company secrets or personal identifiable information, should consider coverage for data theft and communication interruptions. SIM loss and Wi-Fi problems are also possible risks for digital nomads.

Portable Tech Gear Protection

Remote workers carry laptops, cameras, power banks, and other tech on them. Extreme remote workers also benefit from PLBs and GPS devices for safety reasons. Because of all the expensive equipment, it’s important for your insurance policy to cover a sufficient amount of your portable tech.

Mental Health and Isolation Support Services

With how mentally draining and isolating it can be to work remotely, it’s a good idea to choose a policy with mental health coverage. Otherwise, hospitalizations and medications due to mental wellbeing concerns may not be covered.

Trip Delay Coverage

Weather issues and terrain obstacles can lead to trip delays. Fog, for example, is a huge safety risk for helicopters and private planes. Thunderstorms often result in delayed flights and missed connections.

Liability Coverage for Operating Equipment

If you operate drones and field gear, or you use equipment in non-traditional settings, it’s essential to have liability insurance. Drone insurance and other liability insurance can cover third-party injuries and property damage. Imagine your drone causes an accident in the woods–insurance could help with the fallout.

However, note that equipment and drone insurance has its limits. For example, if your drone got seized by authorities because you have been operating it illegally, insurance will not provide a reimbursement.

Loss of Income Insurance

Some insurance policies will cover lost income due to trip delays, bad weather, injuries, and other perils. Income protection insurance is also known as disability insurance.

If you have any dependents, you may also want to procure life insurance. AD&D insurance for accidental death and dismemberment may also be valuable if you’re taking certain modes of transport that require the extra type of life insurance.

Political Unrest Travel Insurance

Standard travel insurance policies may not cover claims related to political tensions, war, or sudden border closures. Make sure your policy covers political unrest, especially if you’re traveling through areas known for high geopolitical tensions.

Real-World Scenarios

Extreme remote work insurance can cover a variety of health concerns. If you get altitude sickness that requires medical evacuation, the medevac expenses can be extremely expensive. International medevac can even cost over $100,000 depending on the circumstances. Search and rescue operations may also be necessary, adding on to the cost.

Other than medical expenses and evacuation costs, extreme remote insurance can also cover lost gear and essentials. If your possessions get washed away due to unexpected jungle rainfall, insurance can recoup a significant amount of the value. You need to ensure your valuables are documented and keep any relevant receipts for a smoother claims process.

Choosing the Right Policy

Finding the right policy can save you a lot of money and headache in the long run. Here are some key points to consider when buying extreme remote insurance for digital nomads.

Are off-grid regions explicitly covered?

Empty promises are useless when it comes to insurance. Your work and travels bring you to places off the grid. You need to make sure the policy explicitly, in words, covers your desired off-grid regions.

How much of satellite and portable tech is insured?

Satellite messengers, PLBs, and other portable tech can get expensive. You want them to be insured at full value or a significant amount.

What’s the protocol for emergency response without reliable connectivity?

Some travel insurance companies offer 24/7 global assistance hotlines, but they may be inaccessible if you’re somewhere extremely remote. The best travel insurance for extreme remote areas should clearly outline what to do if you can’t connect to the internet or contact anyone.

Red flags

Avoid plans that exclude “high-risk” or unapproved destinations, but only vaguely. Vague exclusions will make it harder to file claims.

If a remote work plan has no mental health or gear-specific riders, that is also a worrisome sign. Extreme remote work insurance should offer add-ons and options so you can get the best insurance for your needs.

Complementary Tools for Safety and Success

Satellite Phones and Emergency Beacons

PLBs and satellite communicators are essential for remote travelers. Personal Locator Beacons usually cost around $400 and let you send out distress signals.

Cloud-Based and Physical Backups

Digital nomads should definitely save their work with multiple backups. The more redundancies you have for securing your valuable data, the less likely you’ll lose it.

Nomad Platforms and Apps

There are countless apps and locations where digital nomad communities thrive. Lisbon, Portugal and Bali, Indonesia are two places ranked highly by digital nomads. Mexico City is known for being a more affordable location for digital nomads. You can browse online forums and use travel apps to enhance your safety and social interactions.

Off-Grid Navigation and Health Monitoring Apps

While a physical map of remote regions is essential, you can also benefit from special off-grid navigation apps that do not require internet connection to use. Health monitoring apps and tech equipment can also help you monitor health status, such as heart-rate and sleep quality. Good monitoring apps allow you to track health problems or sense them earlier.

The Future of Insuring Work Without Borders

Dynamic Insurance

In recent years, insurtech has been quickly advancing to adopt on-demand and parametric insurance. On-demand insurance uses GPS and other services to provide smoother coverage and premiums that adapt to your location.

Parametric insurance has been commonly used for natural disaster insurance. If a trigger event occurs, you automatically qualify for the pre-specified payout. Trigger events are defined clearly, and you have to meet the conditions to receive the insurance payout. For example, a homeowner's insurance policy may cover $100,000 if the earthquake reaches a 5 on the Richter Scale.

Partnerships Between Tech Firms and Travel Insurers

Remote workers who primarily use digital means to work are exposed to unique risks, like data theft and cyber attacks. More tech firms and travel insurance companies are partnering up to offer more affordable and well-tailored insurance.

Conclusion

Just because you’re traversing through the wild doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice all security. Extreme remote work insurance and digital nomad insurance are essential for providing a financial safety net. Travel as remote as you want, but go with the right protection.

Looking for specialized travel insurance for digital nomads? Check out our curated list of the best travel insurance companies.