How to Check if a Travel Insurer Is Licensed in the PH

Bago ka magbayad, i-check muna kung lisensyado ang insurer. It takes five minutes, and it tells you a lot about what happens if you ever need to claim. A policy is a promise to pay later. You want that promise from a company that a regulator watches.

This guide explains what the Insurance Commission license means, how to check it, why it matters for claims, and what's different when you buy from a global online brand. We checked the Insurance Code and the Commission's pages 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. We're not licensed by the Insurance Commission because we don't sell insurance.

What the law says

The Insurance Commission regulates insurance in the Philippines. The Insurance Code, Republic Act No. 10607, sets the main rules.

Insurers need a certificate of authority. Section 193 says no insurance company may transact any insurance business in the Philippines until it has a certificate of authority from the Insurance Commissioner. Before granting one, the Commissioner has to be satisfied about the company's capital, management and ability to protect policyholders.

Health and accident count too. The Code says the terms life and non-life insurance include health, accident and disability insurance. So a company selling travel medical or accident cover in the Philippines falls under these rules.

Agents and brokers need their own license. Section 307 says no one may act as an insurance agent or broker, or receive a commission for getting insurance from a company doing business in the Philippines, without a license from the Commissioner. That license must be renewed every three years.

Insurer, agent, broker or brand?

It helps to know who's who before you check anything.

• Insurer: the company that issues the policy and pays claims. It needs a certificate of authority.
• Agent: a licensed person or company that sells for a specific insurer.
• Broker: a licensed intermediary who places insurance for you with insurers.
• Brand or app: the name you see on a website. It may be an insurer, an agent, a broker, or a marketplace selling someone else's policy.

The name on the website isn't always the name on the policy. Always check the insurer.

How to check an insurer

1. Get the insurer's exact name. Look at the policy certificate, not just the brand on the website or app. The legal name of the insurer is usually in the fine print.
2. Go to the Insurance Commission website at insurance.gov.ph and find the list of life and non-life companies with a valid and existing certificate of authority. As of our check, the newest list we found was dated 30 November 2025. The Commission updates it, so use the latest one on its site.
3. Search the list for the exact name. Travel insurance is usually sold by non-life companies, but some life companies sell accident and health products too, so check both.
4. If it's not there, ask the seller who the actual insurer is. A brand, app or travel agency selling the policy may not be the insurer itself.

Checking an agent or seller

If someone offers to sell you travel insurance, like a travel agency, a friend, or someone on social media, ask:

• Which insurer issues the policy?
• Are you a licensed agent of that insurer, or a licensed broker?
• Can I see the policy wording before I pay?

A real agent can show you their Insurance Commission license. If the answers are vague, buy directly from the insurer instead.

Why the license matters for claims

When your insurer is licensed in the Philippines, Philippine law protects you in specific ways:

• Payment deadlines. Section 249 says non-life claims must be paid within 30 days after proof of loss is received and the loss is ascertained, or within 90 days if it isn't ascertained within 60 days. Late payment without valid reason earns you interest at twice the Monetary Board ceiling.
• A place to complain. Section 439 lets the Insurance Commissioner adjudicate claims and complaints of up to P5,000,000 per claim, excluding interest, costs and attorney's fees.
• A regulator watching the company. Licensed insurers file reports with the Commission and can be examined.

Read our claims guide for the step-by-step.

What about global online insurers?

Brands like SafetyWing, EKTA and VisitorsCoverage sell online to people in many countries. They aren't Philippine insurers with a certificate of authority from the Insurance Commission. SafetyWing, for example, says its plans are administered by a company in Turks and Caicos and underwritten by an insurer in Puerto Rico.

You can buy their policies online from the Philippines. But be clear about the tradeoffs:

• Claims follow their terms and the laws named in their policy, not the Philippine Code's deadlines.
• Disputes go through their process, not the Insurance Commission's adjudication.
• Some embassies won't accept them. The Embassy of Italy in Manila lists 26 accepted insurers, all operating in the Philippines, and doesn't accept reimbursement-only policies.

Our guide to comparing travel insurance lays out what each type of seller publishes.

Special case: OFWs

If you're an agency-hired OFW, Republic Act No. 10022 says your compulsory insurance must come from an insurance company registered with the Insurance Commission that holds a current certificate of authority. The law requires the agency to choose such an insurer and pay the premium. See our OFW guide.

Embassy lists are not license lists

Some embassies publish their own lists of accepted insurers. Italy's is one. These lists show who the embassy accepts for visa purposes. They're not a replacement for the Insurance Commission's list, and an insurer missing from an embassy list may still be licensed. For a visa, follow the embassy. For whether a Philippine company is allowed to sell insurance, check the Commission.

What a license doesn't tell you

A certificate of authority tells you a company is allowed to do insurance business and is supervised. It doesn't tell you whether a particular policy is right for your trip. Two licensed insurers can sell very different travel plans. One might be cashless with a high medical limit, while another might pay only by reimbursement with sub-limits on hospital rooms.

So after you've checked the license, still check:

• The medical limit and repatriation cover, against what your embassy asks for.
• Whether claims are cashless or reimbursement. Italy only accepts cashless.
• The exclusions, especially pre-existing conditions and activities.
• The territory and dates, so every country and every day is covered.
• The 24-hour assistance number, and whether it's toll free from where you're going.

Our coverage guide walks through each of these.

Keep proof of your policy

Once you've bought from a licensed insurer, keep these together, on your phone and on paper:

1. The policy certificate with your name, dates and policy number.
2. The full policy wording, not just the summary.
3. The official receipt for the premium.
4. The insurer's claims and assistance contact details.

If a claim ever goes to the Insurance Commission, these are the first things you'll need. Leave a copy with someone at home too, so they can act for you if you can't.

Red flags

Be careful if:

• The seller can't tell you the name of the insurer.
• You're asked to pay into a personal bank or e-wallet account.
• There's no policy wording, just a certificate or a screenshot.
• The price seems far lower than everyone else's for the same cover.
• The seller pressures you to pay today.

Any one of these is a reason to stop and check.

Frequently asked questions

Where do I find the list of licensed insurers?

On the Insurance Commission website, insurance.gov.ph, under its list of life and non-life companies with a valid and existing certificate of authority. Use the newest list posted there.

Can I buy from a foreign online insurer?

These brands sell online to travelers in many countries, including the Philippines. But a foreign insurer isn't covered by the Insurance Commission's claim deadlines and adjudication the way a licensed local insurer is. Read its terms and complaint process first.

Lisensyado ba dapat ang ahente?

Oo. Under Section 307 of the Insurance Code, an insurance agent or broker needs a license from the Insurance Commission, renewed every three years. You can ask to see it.

Does the Insurance Commission handle travel insurance complaints?

For insurers licensed in the Philippines, yes. The Commissioner can adjudicate claims of up to P5,000,000 per claim, excluding interest, costs and fees. You can also go to court instead, but not both for the same claim.

Is an embassy's insurer list the same as the license list?

No. An embassy list shows who it accepts for visas. The Insurance Commission list shows who may do insurance business in the Philippines. For a visa, follow the embassy's list.