Travel insurance provider Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection (BHTP) has released insights from its 11th annual State of Travel Insurance (SOTI) Safest Destinations report, the longest-running study evaluating U.S. travelers’ attitudes toward travel safety and insurance.
The Netherlands, Australia, and Austria have been named the safest countries to visit in 2026, while Reykjavik, Copenhagen, and Zurich top the list of safest cities. Conscientious travelers may want to consider these destinations as they plan their trips for the coming year.
Since 2016, BHTP has been surveying travelers on their attitudes toward travel safety and began compiling annual rankings of the world’s safest destinations in 2018. To determine these rankings, BHTP surveys a large group of American travelers about their travels over the past five years, allowing only those who have visited specific countries to rate them on safety. BHTP then augments those ratings with other indices and information to evaluate safety concerns such as terrorism, weather emergencies, health concerns, and the safety of underrepresented groups to calculate a weighted score that reflects each country’s overall safety.
Top 15 Safest Countries
- Netherlands
- Australia
- Austria
- Iceland
- Canada
- New Zealand
- United Arab Emirates
- Switzerland
- Japan
- Ireland
- Belgium
- Portugal
- France
- United Kingdom
- Denmark
Top 15 Safest Cities
- Reykjavik
- Copenhagen
- Zurich
- Amsterdam
- Honolulu
- Sydney
- Barcelona
- Lisbon
- Tokyo
- Dublin
- Venice
- Seoul
- London
- Singapore
- San Francisco
The Netherlands saw a remarkable jump in the safest country rankings, climbing from 14th to first in one year. Australia holds the runner-up spot for the second year in a row and continues to be a regular in the top 10, while Austria makes its debut on the list. For the second consecutive year, Reykjavik ranks as the safest city, with Copenhagen again taking second place. Zurich, however, made a notable leap to claim the third spot.
“With global uncertainty and safety concerns top of mind this year, travelers are more thoughtful than ever with where they choose to explore,” said Carol Mueller, head of marketing, in a statement. “Our annual report not only highlights the destinations that travelers perceive as safest, but also serves as a valuable resource for planning trips with confidence.”
BHTP’s State of Travel Insurance research has been conducted each fall since 2016 by Polymath Research + Marketing, using independent national panels surveying thousands of consumers on future expectations in travel insurance and travel habits. The lists of the world’s safest countries and cities were created using an index that synthesizes results from multiple sources, including the U.S. State Department, the British financial magazine The Economist, safety-app creator GeoSure Global, Vision of Humanity, Numbeo, and Global Finance magazine. Past rankings also are factored in.
Click here to read more on the safest countries ranking and here to read more on safest cities.
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