Most of us know that it is an absolute must, when going abroad, to buy travel insurance, or to take out an annual travel insurance policy each year. And most people wouldn’t think about leaving the country without it, acknowledging its importance should the unexpected occur. But what people are less aware of is the possibility that the travel insurance policy that they have purchased may not cover them for all eventualities – and not all of these exemptions are freak occurrences. Some may be fairly innocuous activities, such as scuba diving or backpacking.

The Philippines is a wonderful tropical country, with a fantastically diverse array of culture, wildlife, and landscape scattered across the 7,107 islands that make up the Philippine archipelago. It is true that of the 2million annual visitors to the country, most enjoy a holiday free of incidents. But, as with almost any country in the world, there are dangers individual to the Philippines that travellers need to be aware of before they go.

The countries in the tropics are simultaneously favoured and damned by their location on the landscape. The Philippines sits on the edge of the Pacific Ring of Fire, where seismic disturbances are common. This accounts for the many active volcanoes around the country, although with current scientific equipment it is unlikely that an eruption would not be predicted in good time. Of greater importance is that the country sits inside the Western Pacific tsunami belt, which leads to roughly nineteen hits per annum. It is advised that travellers do not visit the Philippines in the rainy season between June and November, the months when tsunamis strike. If, for whatever reason, someone was to visit in these months, they need to make sure that their travel insurance covers them for the effects of natural disasters, or catastrophes, as they are sometimes known. Exemptions such as this are likely to affect remuneration for displacement expenses more than medical care. Also, things like backpacking may need dedicated backpackers insurance.

The other main unexpected exemption is for sports such as scuba diving. The Philippines is one of the world’s top diving destinations, so again, make certain that the policy covers this. Some companies even offer adventurous sports policies, which specifically provide for the eventualities associated with risky sports. Generally, it does not cost much to take out additional cover, and this is sometimes the easiest way to make sure an existing policy provides adequate cover.