Compare
Local vs international health insurance
Local health insurance is designed around care inside the Philippines. International health insurance follows you across borders and often includes medical evacuation. If you live here and never leave, local can be enough. If you travel, work abroad or have family overseas, the gap between the two starts to matter.
Side by side
Where you are covered
Local plan
Mainly hospitals and care in the Philippines.
International plan
The regions the plan names, which can include treatment abroad.
Medical evacuation
Local plan
Not usually included.
International plan
Often included, or available as an add-on.
Choice of hospital
Local plan
Depends on the plan and any network.
International plan
Often wider, including hospitals in other countries.
Limits
Local plan
Set for local costs.
International plan
Set for a wider range of costs, sometimes higher.
Best for
Local plan
People who live and stay in the Philippines.
International plan
Expats, OFWs, frequent travellers and families spread across countries.
What to check
Local plan
What happens if you need care outside the country.
International plan
Which regions are covered, and which are excluded.
Where each one falls short
Local plan
- It may not help if you fall ill abroad.
- Evacuation is usually not part of it.
- If your life moves abroad, it may not move with you.
International plan
- It can be more than you need if you never leave.
- Regions and exclusions differ, so the fine print matters.
- It asks for a closer look at your residence and travel pattern.
How to decide
- 01
Write down where you actually spend time in a year, and where your family is.
- 02
If that is one country, start local. If it is several, look at international.
- 03
Ask about medical evacuation and about which regions are covered, before you compare anything else.
Common questions
I am a foreigner living in Cebu. Which one do I need?
It depends on whether you stay in the Philippines or travel. An advisor who works with expats can look at your residence and your travel pattern and show which fits.
Does international cover include the Philippines?
Most international plans can, but check the regions named in the plan.
What is medical evacuation?
Transport to a hospital better equipped to treat you, arranged and paid under some plans. Ask whether a plan includes it and under what conditions.
General information only. It is not a quote, and it is not legal, tax or investment advice.
Not sure which fits you?
A 15-minute call with an advisor is free and carries no obligation. You leave knowing what fits and what does not.
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