My Filipino wife and I are emigrating to Cebu.

Hi,

ad 1) In case you need medical help, I would go to a private hospital and pay for it over there. I would never give my money to an insurance company here in the Philippines.

ad 2) as you are married with a Filipina, you can stay for a year, make a visit outside of the country, come back and you get it extended for another year. If you want to make business here, you can apply for the 13a visa in Cebu. Another reason to go for the 13a is that you have a permanent resident ship in the Philippines. So you can have a bank account on your name, an insurance on your name. (some require the ACR-I card). As a permanent resident you can also pay the income tax here in the Philippines. This might be cheaper than in Ireland.  (check the double taxation treaty between Ireland and the Philippines)

I am married with a Filipina and I have the 13a visa for tax reasons.

Greetings from Boracay

Andy

@Andy_1963

Thanks Andy.

Welcome to the forum Noel!

I planned on a 13a visa when I arrived here in the Philippines but it requires having your marriage license registered with the PSA which is easy to do at the Philippine embassy in your home country but very difficult after you arrive in the Philippines. I've been to the local BI and written to the American Embassy and they all tell me a different story. Be sure to do that before you leave. I wasn't able to visit my Embassy in the US at the time due to the covid restrictions.

I'm now working on a SRRV expanded courtesy visa which doesn't require a marriage license.

Hi,
ad 1) In case you need medical help, I would go to a private hospital and pay for it over there. I would never give my money to an insurance company here in the Philippines.
ad 2) as you are married with a Filipina, you can stay for a year, make a visit outside of the country, come back and you get it extended for another year. If you want to make business here, you can apply for the 13a visa in Cebu. Another reason to go for the 13a is that you have a permanent resident ship in the Philippines. So you can have a bank account on your name, an insurance on your name. (some require the ACR-I card). As a permanent resident you can also pay the income tax here in the Philippines. This might be cheaper than in Ireland. (check the double taxation treaty between Ireland and the Philippines)
I am married with a Filipina and I have the 13a visa for tax reasons.

Greetings from Boracay
Andy
-@Andy_1963

Just a few notations. If you are married to a Philippine citizen, you should be covered by her for Phil Heath as her spouse. That will pay about 25% of the bill for hospital treatment. To get admitted into the hospital without PhilHealth, you will need either a Phil Health card or a large deposit like $1000.00 US min. We usually do not carry that amount in our wallets to have for emergency payment to hospital admissions after an accident. To get released, you will need to pay the balance in full or hospital security will not let you leave. If you do get insurance (which I will not do either), not all plans pay the hospital directly which means you still have to come up with the cash to.leave. The insuror will not volunteer the information that they do not accept assignment from the hospital. So, keep an emergency fund of $20K (1 million php) or so for that purpose or at least have a higher limit VISA or Mastercard. Most private hospitals accept those. What he says is true about leaving the country and staying for another year but note that to get that next 1 year BB stamp you must be with your wife when you arrive. To get a bank account, you do not need a 13a. Many people on tourist/BB visas have bank accounts using their ACR-I cards. The 13a is only permanent as long as your wife is alive and you temain married and living together. I am not sure what he means about insurance requiring and ACR-I card but I will say that after 6 months residence here you will get an ACR-I whether you have 13a or not although with a BB 1 year visa it might be waived. I have auto and property insurance but did not need to show an ACR-I card or my SRRV card to get those plans. The first week we arrived here, we did get Pacific Cross health insurance without any of that, just money; unfortunately, after I saw the meager coverage limits, realizing I could easily self-insure for that, and finding out that after age 65 they would not accept direct hospital payment, I never renewed it. I did get Phil Health via SRRV for $300 per year. That will get me admitted to the hospital and self insurance covers the rest.

@Moon Dog

Thanks for the advice,

Noel t

Hi there,

Private healthcare here, utter waste of time and money! Save your money, fingers crossed, no massive health drama!

My parents travelled Asia before settling in Cebu, where my Mum comes from. I just settled here few months ago, bitten by a dog, owner blamed it on the maid not closing the gate and refusing to pay!

92k bill, pesos of course not in sterling! Aussie guy same awful situation, was there 3hrs before me, wife busy doing the paperwork! I got the medical care attention, as I paid it myself! So, just live a much healthier lifestyle and less pints, no need to worry about health stuff as it's just bonkers and different strokes here!

Anyway, if you do need a place to rent….or friends/relative coming to Cebu for holiday!

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Grateful indeed.

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Cheers

@myoung07892k bill, pesos of course not in sterling! Aussie guy same awful situation, was there 3hrs before me, wife busy doing the paperwork! I got the medical care attention, as I paid it myself! So, just live a much healthier lifestyle and less pints, no need to worry about health stuff as it's just bonkers and different strokes here!

That seems very high. Foreigner tax? Usually the dog owner must pay about 22K for rabies shots unless he can show the dog's current vaccination record.

Or was it a real nasty bite involving stitches and surgery? Obviously if yoir maid left the gate open that is nobody's concern. If the dog came onto your property  that sort of cements dog owner's liability even more. If you took it o the barangay hall you could get a ruling for him to pay assuming he has the money. But it is understandable to just let it go to avoid conflict with unpredictable locals.

@danfinn …indeed I let it go! As the headache and drama absolutely not worth the time and effort!

@noel t how's it going,

Just wondering when I move to Cebu in July please God.

Is there any difficulties in getting car insurance so I can drive there

Many thanks,Noel

@noel t It is probably very easy to buy car insurance here. When I bought our new cars 1 year of full coverage insurance came with the purchase. I will have to renew it soon but what I'm saying is there was no driving record check, it's like everyone pays the same price. Imagine that in the US? Drunk drivers paying the same as drivers with clean records. It is like the US back in the 60s.

I've read on the forum that insurance is often sold near the LTOs. Someone with hopefully offer tips on good insurance companies.