OFW Insurance: Compulsory Cover, OWWA and Travel Insurance

Maraming OFW ang hindi alam na may insurance na pala sila bago pa umalis. If you were hired through a licensed recruitment agency, Philippine law says the agency must give you insurance at no cost to you. On top of that, OWWA pays death, burial and disability benefits to active members. Those two are real protection, pero may mga butas. They don't cover everything, and they don't cover everyone.

This guide explains what the compulsory OFW insurance covers, what OWWA pays, who falls through the gaps, and when a personal travel insurance policy is worth it. We checked the law and the agency pages on 28 October 2026.

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The compulsory insurance for agency-hired OFWs

Section 37-A of the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act, as amended by Republic Act No. 10022, requires compulsory insurance for every migrant worker deployed by a licensed recruitment or manning agency. The key rules:

• No cost to you. The agency pays the premium. The law says it's illegal to pass the cost on to the worker.
• It runs for your whole contract. Coverage is effective for the duration of your employment contract.
• Only Insurance Commission-registered insurers can issue it. The insurer has to be authorized in the Philippines.
• It's linked to your exit clearance. The agency submits the certificate of cover to the government before your Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) is issued. Under Republic Act No. 11641, the POEA's functions moved to the new Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).

What the compulsory insurance covers

The law lists these benefits. We've included the minimum amounts only where the published text was clear.

The published version of the law we read had a garbled amount for accidental death and a missing line for natural death, so we're not quoting those figures. Ask your agency for your certificate of cover. It lists the actual amounts and the insurer's name.

How claims work

The law says the insurer must check the claim and pay within 10 days from the filing of the written notice of claim with supporting documents. For death and disablement claims, the law says the insurer pays without contest and without you having to prove anyone's fault, as long as you submit the listed documents authenticated by the Philippine foreign post: a death certificate, a police or accident report for accidental death, or a medical certificate for permanent disablement. Any dispute about the policy goes to the Insurance Commission for mediation or adjudication. If you don't know who your insurer is, ask your agency or check your certificate of cover.

Direct hires and name hires

Here's the gap. Workers who were hired directly by a foreign employer, rehires and name hires aren't automatically covered. The law lets them opt in, either paid by the employer or by the worker. If you're a direct hire, ask your employer whether you have this cover. If not, you can arrange it yourself through an insurer that offers it.

What to ask your agency before you fly

The agency has to give you an authenticated copy of the policy after it buys it. Before your flight, make sure you have:

• The name of the insurer and the policy or certificate number.
• The start and end dates of your cover, which should match your contract.
• The insurer's claims contact, so your family can reach them if something happens.
• A copy saved somewhere your family can find it, like a shared folder or a printed copy at home.

Your family is usually the one who files a death or disablement claim, so they need these details too. A short talk with them before you leave saves a lot of searching later.

OWWA benefits for members

OWWA is a separate safety net. It's a government agency attached to the DMW, and its benefits come from your membership, not from an insurance policy you buy.

According to OWWA's death and disability benefit page, active members get:

• Death benefit: Php100,000 for natural death and Php200,000 for accidental death.
• Burial gratuity: Php20,000.
• Disability benefit: Php2,500 to Php25,000 for partial disability from an accident, and Php50,000 to Php100,000 for total or permanent disability.

The Migrant Workers Office in Tokyo lists the membership fee as USD 25, valid for two years, and lists OWWA's other benefits for members, including social, welfare, education and reintegration programs. Keep your membership active. Many OFWs only find out it lapsed when a family member tries to claim.

What these don't cover

Compulsory insurance and OWWA were built around your job. They leave real gaps for daily life abroad:

• Medical bills from ordinary illness. Neither one is a health plan. Medical care in your host country usually comes from your employer's health insurance or the host country's system. Check your contract.
• Vacations to third countries. If you work in Dubai and take a holiday in Europe, your work insurance doesn't follow you there. A Schengen visa also needs its own policy, as explained in our Schengen insurance guide.
• Your family's trips. If your parents visit you abroad, or your kids fly to Japan or Korea, they're not covered by your OFW insurance and should look at their own travel cover. See our Japan guide and Korea guide.
• Trip delay, lost baggage and cancellation. These are travel insurance benefits, not employment benefits.
• The gap between contracts. The compulsory cover runs for the duration of your contract. Between contracts, you're on your own.

When personal travel insurance makes sense for OFWs

A travel insurance policy is short-term cover for a specific trip, mostly for medical emergencies, repatriation and travel problems. For OFWs, it fits in these situations:

1. You're a direct hire without compulsory cover. A travel policy isn't a replacement for the employment insurance benefits like money claims or subsistence allowance, but it can cover medical emergencies while you travel.
2. You're taking a holiday outside your host country. Especially if the destination requires insurance for a visa.
3. Your family is visiting you. Parents visiting abroad often have the highest medical risk and the least cover.
4. You're traveling between contracts. If you're going to a new country for interviews or to start a job before the agency cover kicks in.

Travel insurance has limits too. Most policies don't cover pre-existing conditions, and many have age limits or lower benefits for older travelers. Our guide on travel insurance for seniors and pre-existing conditions explains what to check.

Check who's selling you cover

Some fixers and fake agents sell "OFW insurance" that turns out to be worthless. Before you pay anyone:

• Remember that agency-hired workers shouldn't pay for the compulsory insurance at all.
• Check that the insurer is on the Insurance Commission's list of licensed companies. Our license check guide shows how.
• Ask for the policy or certificate in writing before you pay.
• Pay the insurer or its licensed agent, not a personal account.

Frequently asked questions

Do OFWs have to pay for compulsory insurance?

Not if you're deployed by a licensed recruitment or manning agency. The law says the agency pays the premium, and passing that cost on to you is illegal. Direct hires and name hires can opt in and may pay for it themselves or ask the employer to.

What does OWWA pay if an OFW dies?

According to OWWA's page, active members' beneficiaries get Php100,000 for natural death or Php200,000 for accidental death, plus a Php20,000 burial gratuity. Membership must be active.

Is OWWA membership the same as insurance?

No. OWWA membership gives you access to government welfare benefits, including death, burial and disability benefits. The compulsory insurance is a separate policy from a private insurer that your agency buys for you.

Sakop ba ng OFW insurance ang bakasyon ko sa ibang bansa?

Usually not. The compulsory insurance is tied to your employment contract and your job, not to holidays in a third country. For a vacation trip, especially one that needs a visa with an insurance requirement, buy a separate travel policy.

How fast should the compulsory insurance pay a claim?

The law says within 10 days after the insurer receives the notice of claim and the required documents. If the insurer refuses or delays, you can bring the dispute to the Insurance Commission.

I'm a direct hire. Am I covered?

Not automatically. The law lets direct hires, rehires and name hires opt in to the compulsory insurance. Ask your employer, and if nothing is in place, you can arrange cover yourself.