Schengen Visa Travel Insurance for Filipinos (2026)

Kapag Schengen visa ang lalakarin mo, hindi pwedeng basta-basta ang travel insurance. It's one of the few documents where the embassy tells you exactly what it wants: at least EUR 30,000 of medical cover, repatriation, every Schengen country, every day of your trip. Get one detail wrong and your whole application can come back.

This guide puts the embassy rules side by side, explains the extra rules some embassies in Manila add, and gives you a checklist for reading your policy certificate before you submit it. We checked the facts on 28 October 2026 against the embassies' own checklists and the EU Delegation to the Philippines.

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. The embassy decides on your visa, and the insurer decides on your claim.

The short answer: what every Schengen embassy wants

We read the checklists of several Schengen embassies and consulates in Manila. The wording differs a little, but the core rules are the same. Your travel medical insurance must:

• Cover at least EUR 30,000 per person. Switzerland, Spain, Hungary and Italy all state this minimum in their Manila pages and checklists.
• Cover medical emergencies and hospital treatment. Spain's consulate says urgent healthcare and emergency hospital treatment. Switzerland says medical emergencies and hospitalization.
• Cover repatriation, including in case of death. This means getting you home for medical reasons, or sending your remains home.
• Be valid in the entire Schengen area. A policy that only covers the country you land in isn't enough if your itinerary or your visa covers more than one country.
• Be valid for your entire stay. The dates on the policy have to cover the dates of your trip.

That's the baseline. If your policy misses any of these, expect a problem.

Extra rules some embassies in Manila add

This is where many Filipino applicants get caught. Some Schengen embassies in Manila ask for more than the baseline.

Italy: accredited insurers and cashless settlement

The Embassy of Italy in Manila publishes a list of Schengen insurance companies. The version we read is dated June 2025 and says the list is as of 31 December 2023. It names 26 companies, including Malayan, Standard, Pioneer, Oriental Assurance, Pacific Cross, MAPFRE Insular, Liberty, Mercantile, Cocogen, PGA Sompo, Phil British, FPG, Etiqa, Oona, Allied Bankers, Prudential Guarantee, Visayan Surety, BPI MS and Chubb. For MAA General, the list says only its premium plan is accepted.

The same document sets out what the policy must show:

• Cover for illness and accident, including Covid 19.
• Transport home and repatriation of the body.
• At least 30,000 euros (the document also writes this as 50,000 US dollars).
• Validity in all 26 Schengen states, listed on the policy. The Schengen area has since grown to 29 countries (Bulgaria and Romania joined on 1 January 2025, according to the European Commission), so ask for a policy that names all current Schengen states.
• The insurer must be re-insured, with the re-insurer's name and toll-free number on the policy.
• Cashless settlement, with the company and its toll-free number stated. The embassy says companies that pay on a reimbursement basis aren't accepted.

Italy's checklist for visiting family or friends adds one more detail: the insurance should run for 15 days beyond your travel period. If you're applying to Italy, build that buffer into your policy dates.

Switzerland: no sub-limits, exclusions or conditions

The Swiss embassy's tourism checklist (May 2025) says the embassy doesn't accept policies with sub-limits, exclusions and conditions. In plain terms, if the certificate says the EUR 30,000 is split into small caps per illness, or that certain emergencies aren't covered, the embassy can reject it. Read the certificate carefully before you submit.

Spain: multiple-entry visas

Spain's consulate in Manila says that if you apply for a multiple-entry visa, your insurance only needs to cover your first planned trip. You also sign an undertaking that you'll buy cover for later trips. Don't forget that part. If you come back on the same visa next year, you need a new policy.

The EU Delegation's list of insurers checked as compliant

The EU Delegation to the Philippines has a travel and study page with a non-exhaustive list of insurance companies whose Schengen policies were checked as compliant. It names Allied Bankers, BPI MS Insurance, Chubb, MAAGAP Insurance (formerly MAA General Assurance Philippines), Manila Bankers Assurance, Oona, Prudential Guarantee, Sterling Insurance Company and Visayan Surety. Non-exhaustive means other insurers may also be fine. It doesn't mean every policy from these companies passes for every embassy.

Which embassy's rules apply to you?

The European Commission's visa page says you apply at the consulate of the country you'll spend the longest time in. If your stays are equal, you apply at the consulate of the first country you'll visit. You can apply no earlier than 6 months and at least 15 days before your trip, and normal processing is 15 days, which can stretch to 45. Once you know which embassy handles your application, open that embassy's current checklist and follow its insurance line exactly. The rules above are the ones we found on 28 October 2026. Embassies update their checklists, so check again on the day you book your appointment.

Local insurer or global online policy?

You'll see two kinds of Schengen travel insurance advertised to Filipinos.

Policies from Philippine insurers. These are non-life insurers licensed by the Insurance Commission. Several appear on the Italian embassy list and the EU Delegation list above. Because those lists were built for applicants in Manila, a policy from a listed insurer is the safest starting point if you're applying to Italy or want the least risk.

Global online policies. Companies like EKTA and SafetyWing sell travel medical cover online to travelers from many countries. Some say their policies are suitable for Schengen visas. They aren't on the Italian embassy list we read, and some plans have deductibles or caps. A deductible means you pay part of each bill yourself. If your embassy rejects sub-limits or wants an accredited insurer, a global policy may not pass. If you're thinking of one, compare its certificate line by line with your embassy's checklist first. Our guide to comparing travel insurance explains what to check.

How to check your policy certificate before you submit

Lay your policy certificate next to your embassy's checklist and tick each line.

1. Your name matches your passport. Same spelling, same order.
2. The amount is at least EUR 30,000 or its equivalent. If the policy is in pesos or dollars, the embassy will judge whether it meets the minimum.
3. The territory says Schengen, Europe or all Schengen states. For Italy, the states should be listed by name.
4. The dates cover your full trip. For Italy family or friends visits, add 15 days.
5. Medical treatment, hospitalization and repatriation (including remains) are listed as covered.
6. There's a 24-hour assistance number. For Italy, it must be toll-free, with the re-insurer named.
7. No deductible or sub-limit that clashes with your embassy's rules. Switzerland is strict here.
8. The insurer is licensed. For a Philippine insurer, check the Insurance Commission's list. Our guide on checking if a travel insurer is licensed shows how.

If anything doesn't match, ask the insurer to correct the certificate before your appointment. It's much easier than fixing a refused application.

What Schengen insurance doesn't do

Schengen visa insurance is built to meet the embassy minimum: medical emergencies and getting you home. Many basic visa plans don't cover flight delays, lost baggage or trip cancellation, and none of them cover a visa refusal unless the policy says so. If you want more than the minimum, read our guide to what travel insurance covers and what it doesn't.

Also remember that travel insurance is for sudden, unexpected events. Routine checkups, ongoing treatment and, in most policies, pre-existing conditions aren't covered. If you or a parent you're traveling with has a long-term illness, read our guide on travel insurance for seniors and pre-existing conditions before you buy.

When to buy

Buy the policy after you've fixed your travel dates and before your visa appointment, because the certificate goes in your application. If your dates move, ask the insurer to change the policy dates and send an updated certificate. Keep a digital copy on your phone and a printout with your passport when you fly, in case anyone asks for it on the way.

Before you pay, also read what the policy says about cancelling it if your visa is refused. Insurers handle this differently, and the policy wording is what counts.

If you need to use it

Call the assistance number on your certificate before you go to a hospital if you can, or as soon as possible after an emergency. With a cashless policy, the insurer's assistance company can arrange payment directly with the hospital. Keep every receipt, medical report and police report. Our step-by-step guide on how to file a travel insurance claim covers the documents insurers usually ask for and what to do if a claim is denied.

Frequently asked questions

How much travel insurance do I need for a Schengen visa from the Philippines?

At least EUR 30,000 per person, covering medical emergencies, hospital treatment and repatriation, valid in all Schengen countries for your whole stay. That's the minimum in every embassy checklist we read. Some embassies add rules, so check yours.

Can I use any travel insurance for a Schengen visa?

Not always. Italy's embassy in Manila accepts only insurers on its published list, and wants cashless settlement. Switzerland rejects policies with sub-limits, exclusions or conditions. A policy that meets the basic minimum might still fail your embassy's extra rules.

Do I need insurance for a multiple-entry Schengen visa?

Spain's consulate says the policy needs to cover your first planned trip, and you sign an undertaking to buy cover for later trips. Other embassies may phrase it differently. Buy a new policy for each trip on the same visa.

Kailangan ba ng travel insurance kahit may kamag-anak ako sa Europe?

Oo. The insurance requirement applies to tourist visits and to visits to family or friends. Italy even asks for 15 extra days of cover for family or friends visits. Having relatives there doesn't replace the policy.

Is a global online policy accepted for a Schengen visa?

It depends on the embassy. Global online insurers aren't on the Italian embassy's list we read, and some plans have deductibles or caps that Switzerland's checklist says it won't accept. Check your embassy's checklist before buying one.

What if my travel dates change after I buy?

Ask the insurer to change the dates and issue a new certificate. The policy dates must cover your whole stay, so an old certificate with the wrong dates can cause problems at your appointment or at the border.