Best Travel Insurance in the Philippines: How to Compare

"Ano ba talaga ang pinakamagandang travel insurance?" It's the question we see most, sa Reddit, sa Facebook groups, sa GC ng barkada bago mag-Japan. The honest answer is that it depends on your trip. A plan that's great for a 5-day Bangkok trip can be wrong for a Schengen visa, and a cheap plan for a 30-year-old may not even accept your 72-year-old Lola.

So instead of a ranking, this page shows you how to compare, what each type of seller publishes, and the starting prices exactly as listed on the sellers' own pages. We checked everything on 28 October 2026.

TravelInsurance.ph is an independent guide run by Dominet BV. We're not an insurer, agent or broker, and we don't sell policies or give personal prices. Some links on this site may be affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission if you buy through them. Local insurers we mention may not pay us anything. That never changes what we write. Read our affiliate disclosure. Right now we have no live affiliate deal with any brand on this page.

The six things to compare

Before you look at any price, line up the plans on these six points. They're the ones that decide whether a policy actually helps you when something goes wrong.

1. Medical limit. This is the biggest number on the plan and the one that matters most abroad. Check the limit for emergency medical treatment, not the total of all benefits added together.
2. COVID and pre-existing condition rules. Many plans still list COVID cover separately. Pre-existing conditions are often excluded or limited. Our what travel insurance covers guide explains how to read these.
3. Age limit. Most plans have one, and some charge more from age 60. If you're buying for a parent, check this first. See our seniors guide.
4. Schengen acceptance. If you need a Schengen visa, your embassy's rules come first. Italy only accepts insurers on its own list, and Switzerland rejects policies with sub-limits. Our Schengen guide has the details.
5. Cashless hospital help. Some plans pay the hospital directly through an assistance company. Others make you pay first and claim later. Cashless matters most in places where hospital bills are high.
6. Claims you can actually file. Who handles the claim, in what language, and under which country's rules? A Philippine insurer has to follow the Insurance Code's claim deadlines. A foreign insurer follows its own terms.

Local insurers: what they list

These are Philippine non-life insurers selling travel plans directly or through GCash. We list them as information. None of them pays us, and we don't link to buy. Prices are starting prices as listed on each page on 28 October 2026. Your actual premium depends on destination, days, age and cover.

A few points from the fine print we read:

• Oona notes that its P299 figure is the price for a 5-day international trip, inclusive of tax, with terms and conditions applying. Its blog, updated 28 September 2026, also says its Schengen-accredited cover starts at P602 on its product page.
• Standard Travel Protect International on GCash covers ages 0 to 59, and ages 60 to 75 may be covered with a premium surcharge, per the GCash Help Center. It excludes skilled workers traveling for employment, and COVID high-risk occupations such as healthcare workers. It's described as cashless, and Standard can only issue one policy per trip.
• Malayan Travel Master is listed here as sold through GCash. Malayan is also one of the insurers on the Italian embassy's Schengen list.

Other local insurers sell travel plans too. The Italian embassy's Schengen list, for example, names 26 insurers operating in the Philippines, including Pacific Cross, Starr, Chubb, AXA, FPG, Etiqa, Oona, PGA Sompo, BPI MS and others. We haven't listed prices for insurers whose pages we didn't read on the day.

International options

These are global brands that sell online to travelers from many countries. We may earn a commission from some of them in the future, but no link on this page is live right now.

EKTA says on its Schengen page that its policy is suitable for Schengen visa applications, with cover options shown in US dollars, including 50,000 and 150,000. Some tariffs have a deductible; its page gives a 25% deductible example on the START tariff. The minimum policy length is 2 days, and refunds are possible before the start date.

VisitorsCoverage says it lists more than 65 plans and has served travelers from 197 countries over 20 years. Because it's a marketplace, the actual insurer, terms and claim process depend on the plan you choose. It's best known for visitors insurance for people visiting the United States, which suits Filipino parents visiting family there.

We also looked at Heymondo. We couldn't confirm from its own pages whether it sells policies to people who live in the Philippines, so we've left it out for now.

Local or international: the real trade-off

Local insurers are licensed by the Insurance Commission. Under Section 249 of the Insurance Code, a non-life insurer has to pay within 30 days after it receives proof of loss and the amount is agreed or set by arbitration. If the amount isn't settled within 60 days, the insurer has to pay within 90 days of receiving the proof of loss. If you have a dispute, the Insurance Commission can handle complaints. Several local insurers are on Schengen embassy lists, and they're easy to pay with GCash or a local card. Our license check guide shows how to confirm an insurer is licensed.

International brands can be handy for multi-country trips, older travelers on specific age products, or long stays. But they follow their own terms and home-country rules for claims. The Insurance Commission isn't your route for a dispute with them.

Neither is better across the board. The question is which one fits this trip.

So which one do Filipinos actually use?

We can't tell you which plan most Filipinos buy, because no official body publishes those numbers. What we can tell you is where people commonly buy: directly from local insurers online, through GCash GInsure, as an add-on when booking a flight or activity, or for free through a credit card when they pay for their flight with it. Each channel has trade-offs, and we cover them in our guides on GCash vs Klook, Cebu Pacific's add-on and credit card travel insurance.

Matching a plan to your trip

Short Asia trip (Japan, Korea, Thailand, Singapore). No visa insurance rule for most of these, so you pick the cover. Prioritise a solid medical limit, cashless hospital help and a 24-hour assistance line. See our Japan guide and Korea guide.

Schengen visa. Start from your embassy's rules and accepted insurer list, then compare only plans that meet them. Medical cover must be at least EUR 30,000 and valid across the Schengen area.

Parents or Lolo and Lola. Age limits and surcharges come first. Some plans stop at 59 or 75, others go higher with a separate product.

Domestic island trips. Local domestic plans are cheap and cover medical, accident and some travel inconvenience benefits. See our domestic travel insurance guide.

OFWs. Agency-hired OFWs have compulsory insurance through their agency under RA 10022. Read our OFW guide before buying extra cover.

Before you pay

• Read the policy wording, not just the summary. Look for sub-limits, deductibles and exclusions.
• Check that your dates and every country you'll visit are on the certificate.
• Save the assistance hotline in your phone and on paper.
• Keep the policy number where your family can find it.
• If you have an existing illness, declare it honestly. Under Section 27 of the Insurance Code, concealment, even if unintentional, lets the insurer rescind the policy.

When something does go wrong, our claim guide walks you through the documents.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best travel insurance in the Philippines?

There isn't one best plan for everyone. Compare the medical limit, age rules, pre-existing condition rules, Schengen acceptance if you need a visa, cashless hospital help and how claims work. The best plan is the one that fits your trip and that you've read before buying.

What is the cheapest travel insurance in the Philippines?

Among the plans we read on 28 October 2026, Oona listed International Travel from P299 for a 5-day international trip and Domestic Travel from P266. GCash listed Standard Travel Protect International at P350 per trip in Asia. Your real price depends on your trip and age, so check the seller's page.

Saan puwedeng bumili ng travel insurance sa Pilipinas?

Puwede kang bumili direkta sa mga licensed na insurer online, sa GCash GInsure, bilang add-on sa airline o booking app, o makakuha ng libre sa ilang credit card kapag sa card mo binayaran ang pamasahe. Check what each one covers before you choose.

Are international travel insurers accepted for a Schengen visa?

It depends on the embassy. Italy only accepts insurers on its list, and the list we read is made up of insurers operating in the Philippines. Switzerland rejects policies with sub-limits. Check your embassy's rules before you buy.

Is a local or an international insurer better?

Local insurers are licensed by the Insurance Commission and follow Philippine claim deadlines. International brands follow their own terms. Pick based on your trip, your age and your visa, then read the policy.