Travel insurance for the Philippines: coverage, costs & tips
For the Philippines you want emergency medical travel insurance that covers hospital care and, critically, medical evacuation between islands or to Manila. OHIP pays little or nothing abroad, so coverage protects you from large out-of-pocket bills. Add Sports & Activities if you plan to dive.
Key takeaways
- OHIP covers almost nothing in the Philippines and never pays providers up front.
- Medical evacuation to Manila or overseas can be the costliest part of a claim.
- Declare pre-existing conditions and meet the stability period before you travel.
- Add Sports & Activities coverage for scuba diving and similar pursuits.
The Philippines rewards travellers with world-class diving, island hopping and warm hospitality — but its geography is exactly what makes insurance worth getting right. Care is good in major centres and thin in remote areas, and the distances between them are water.
Why coverage matters here
The hospitals most likely to handle a serious emergency to an international standard sit in Manila, Cebu and a handful of other cities. If you are injured or fall ill on a smaller island, the question quickly becomes how to get to that care, not just how to pay for it. Emergency medical travel insurance exists to cover hospital treatment and the transport that gets you there, including air ambulance when it is medically necessary.
The OHIP gap
Many Ontarians assume their provincial plan travels with them. It does not. Since 2020, OHIP’s out-of-country coverage has been largely eliminated, and whatever remains is paid as a small reimbursement after the fact — never to the hospital up front. A Philippine private hospital will expect payment or a guarantee of payment before or during treatment. A travel insurer’s assistance line can arrange that guarantee directly, which is often as valuable as the dollar coverage itself.
What to look for
Prioritise a high emergency medical limit and explicit coverage for emergency medical evacuation and repatriation. Confirm 24/7 emergency assistance you can reach from a remote location — TripCovered provides around-the-clock help in multiple languages. If you are managing any ongoing health condition, declare it honestly and check the stability period: the condition generally must be unchanged for a defined window before departure for related claims to be covered.
Activities and add-ons
Scuba diving, cliff jumping and other adventure pursuits may be limited under a base plan. Our optional Sports & Activities coverage can extend protection to many recreational activities, including diving within stated limits. If a dive operator asks for proof of insurance, read your wording first so you know exactly what applies.
What drives the cost
Travel insurance premiums are not a flat rate. The main drivers are your age, the length of your trip, the emergency medical limit you choose and your health. Travellers 60 and over complete a short medical questionnaire that sets the premium — it does not affect eligibility, since TripCovered has no age limit. Under 60, no medical questions are asked. To keep costs reasonable, match the trip length to your actual dates rather than padding them, and consider a multi-trip annual plan if the Philippines is one of several trips this year.
Practical tips
Carry your policy number and the assistance line’s contact details separately from your phone in case it is lost or damaged. If you are hospitalised, call the assistance line early — before you run up bills — so they can coordinate care and payment. Keep every receipt and medical report, and ask for an itemised bill, which claims teams need. For diving, note the operator and conditions; for any accident, a local police or incident report helps.
The Philippines is an easy place to have an unforgettable trip and a hard place to absorb an unexpected medical bill. Before you go, compare your options and get a quote that matches your dates, your health and the way you plan to travel.
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Frequently asked questions
Does OHIP cover medical care in the Philippines?
Almost none of it. Ontario's out-of-country coverage was largely eliminated in 2020, and any provincial payment is minimal and never made up front. You would pay the hospital yourself and seek a small reimbursement later, which is why emergency medical insurance matters.
Is medical evacuation important for the Philippines?
Yes. The country spans thousands of islands, and the best-equipped hospitals are concentrated in Manila and a few large cities. If you fall ill on a remote island, transport to adequate care can be expensive, and emergency medical plans are built to coordinate and cover it.
Does travel insurance cover scuba diving in the Philippines?
Standard emergency medical plans may limit or exclude some higher-risk activities. We offer an optional Sports & Activities add-on that can extend coverage to recreational diving, so confirm the limits before you book a dive.
TripCovered is a licensed insurance referral service operating in Ontario. Insurance is administered by North American Air Travel Insurance Agents Ltd., doing business as TuGo®, a licensed insurance broker in all provinces and territories. The issuer of the contract is Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services Inc. and Industrial Alliance Pacific General Insurance Corporation. Coverage is subject to the terms, conditions, limitations and exclusions of the policy. This website provides general information only and is not a contract of insurance. Always read your policy wording before you travel.