Expat health insurance in the Philippines

For major financial risks, start with hospital cover and assistance. Then decide whether you also want to insure consultations, tests and medicines. A hospital-only plan does not serve the same purpose as cover including routine care.

If an employer or personal policy already protects you, first identify the benefits and people insured. Additional cover should address a real gap, not duplicate existing benefits.

PhilHealth provides registration routes for foreign nationals. Circular 2017-0003 describes, in particular, retirees under the PRA with an SRRV and other foreign residents or workers holding an ACR I-Card. It does not replace confirmation of your current category; employees under a formal employment contract should specifically review their registration with their employer.

For a foreign family, do not assume one membership number automatically covers a spouse and every child. Have the beneficiaries, their entitlements and any separate registrations clarified. The old contributions in this circular are not used here as current premium rates.

At hospital, a PhilHealth benefit may be deducted from the bill depending on established entitlements and completed procedures. St Luke's describes this deduction by its billing department: it is not a promise of full payment. Arrangements for the balance and uncovered expenses still need to be made.

International insurance should therefore be assessed against your confirmed entitlements, neither ignoring them nor attributing benefits to them that they do not provide.

With first-euro cover, the international policy pays benefits without prior CFE reimbursement. Depending on the plan, it may cover hospital treatment, consultations and other benefits, subject to deductibles, limits and exclusions.

With the CFE and a top-up policy, the fund's benefits work alongside the private policy. CFE reimbursement schedules abroad use percentages or fixed amounts depending on treatment and zone. They do not guarantee reimbursement of an entire private hospital bill.

Compare the total cost, expected reimbursements and claims procedures. If you have PhilHealth entitlements or employer insurance, also ask how the proposed policy takes those benefits into account. Our guide to the CFE and top-up insurance explains this arrangement, which is distinct from the Philippine scheme.

For planned hospital treatment, identify the facility's billing department and ask for an estimate. The international policies considered by our brokerage preserve your freedom to choose a hospital. A guarantee of payment requires the insurer's approval for covered costs and payment arrangements accepted by the facility; a deposit or contribution towards costs may still be payable.

In Manila as in Cebu, an insurance card or authorisation letter should not be interpreted as an unlimited commitment. Identify approved expenses, professional fees and costs that remain payable by you.

For routine care, you generally pay upfront before reimbursement. Some expensive treatments or courses of treatment may qualify for direct payment after the insurer's approval and the provider's agreement.

From another island, also examine arrangements for medical transport. Check who activates assistance, the transport provided and how treatment at the destination is covered. Evacuation is neither an automatic transfer to Manila nor a return to France at your own choice. The decision depends on the medical circumstances and the policy. In an emergency, emergency services and treatment come first.

For stays outside the Philippines, distinguish temporary travel, planned treatment and a change of residence. Your insurance should specify the permitted countries, durations and conditions.

The price depends on ages, the people to insure, countries covered and benefits. For a family, compare the household budget and consultation reimbursements. For a retiree, also examine the policy's entry and renewal conditions.

The comparison should show the deductible, hospital limits, routine care, assistance and expenses that remain to be funded. If you choose a CFE top-up, add the fund's premium so that budgets are compared on a consistent basis.

Tell us where you live, who needs insurance and your current protection. Your adviser explains the differences between offers and supports you through enrolment. Acceptance terms remain those of the insurer; do not send medical documents through the website's general enquiry form.