Before you can even drive your vehicle, you need to get TPL insurance, also known as third party liability insurance. What is it and why is it necessary for owning a vehicle in the Philippines? Let’s answer that and compare the top CTPL insurance in the Philippines.
Provider | Premium Starts At | Auto PA |
---|---|---|
₱560/year | Motorcycle, tricycle, private cars, and commercial vehicles | |
₱610.40/year | Cars and motorcycles Maximum indemnity for No Fault provision – no more than ₱15,000 coverage to the victim whether the driver is at fault or not | |
₱625.40/year | Motorhomes, motorcycles, scooters, mobiles, buses, road building equipment, and trailers | |
₱625.40/year | Cars, motorcycles, commercial vehicles | |
₱632.80/year | Motorcycle, private vehicles, commercial vehicles |
TPL (or CTPL insurance for others) is a basic car insurance that every car owner in the Philippines should get before registering their vehicles to the Land Transportation Office (LTO).
TPL means “third party liability,” but can sometimes be referred to as compulsory third party liability insurance in the Philippines. As the name implies, TPL covers you from liabilities in the event of an accident that will injure or kill a third party. TPL insurance is a requirement for all types of vehicles, from private to commercial vehicles, and even trucks and motorcycles.
Yes. Motorists are required to purchase TPL insurance before registering their vehicles with the LTO.
In the Philippines, the Metro Manila Accident Reporting and Analysis System (MMARAS) recorded a total of 65,032 accidents in the country’s main metropolitan area in 2020, resulting in the death of 337 people. Imagine if all those vehicles didn’t have insurance.
In a country where frugality is embedded in the culture, important things like motor vehicle insurance are easily neglected. Most Filipinos will always choose the least expensive option, consequences be damned. That’s why the government had to make TPL car insurance mandatory: to force Filipinos to be more responsible on the road.
Third party liability refers to your liability to the third party involved in the accident. But who exactly is the third party? Is it anyone who got hit by the car? How about the persons inside the car?
According to Paragraph (c) of Section 386, Chapter VI of the Insurance Code of the Philippines:
“A third party is any person other than a passenger as defined in this section and shall also exclude a member of the household, or a member of the family within the second degree of consanguinity or affinity, of a motor vehicle owner or land transportation operator, as likewise defined herein, or his employee in respect of death, bodily injury, or damage to property arising out of and in the course of employment.”
This means that the third party is any unsuspecting person outside the vehicle and is not a member of the family (which includes your spouse and in-laws) or a household member. If you accidentally hit a pedestrian, your TPL insurance will pay for the expenses of the victim. But if you accidentally hit your caretaker, your TPL will not cover your caretaker’s medical expenses, unfortunately.
But what about the passengers inside the car? Luckily, the Insurance Code also defined the term passenger in the same section.
“Passenger is any fare paying person being transported and conveyed in and by a motor vehicle for transportation of passengers for compensation, including persons expressly authorized by law or by the vehicle’s operator or his agents to ride without fare.”
This definition can have a lot of implications. Let’s go through some of the usual types of passengers together with their respective TPL coverage.
Your TPL insurance coverage covers the medical or funeral expenses of the third party involved in an accident. CTPL assures that the victim and his or her immediate family will receive financial assistance of up to ₱100,000.
TPL insurance is mandatory in the Philippines. And it only covers you from liability if you get into an accident that will injure or kill a third party. Because it’s the most basic and least expensive type of cover, it doesn’t cover your own bodily injuries or vehicle damage.
Comprehensive car insurance, on the other hand, is not required by law. But it offers a wider insurance coverage not just for you but for your passengers as well. Some of these include own damage, theft, passenger personal accident, acts of God, roadside assistance, and towing coverage.
1. Prepare the following CTPL insurance documents.
2. Choose an LTO-accredited TPL insurance provider and buy your TPL policy from them.
3. Upon purchase, you’ll receive a policy with conditions together with a Certificate of Cover or COC. Don’t forget to make copies of every document you will receive.
4. Bring these documents to the LTO upon registration to prove that your vehicle has TPL car insurance or TPL motorcycle insurance coverage (if you own a motorcycle).
Wondering if you can apply for a CTPL policy online? Yes, you definitely can! Various insurance providers offer CTPL online.
As for the process, you’ll need to accomplish a registration form on their website and pay the premium using your credit or debit card. You’ll then receive your policy and Certification of Cover (COC) through the email address provided.
The Certificate of Cover contains details like the name of the insured, plate number of the vehicle, color, chassis number, and the insurer’s limit of liability.
Unlike comprehensive car insurance that can go as high as ₱15,000, TPL insurance is relatively cheaper and has a fixed rate. It can go from ₱650 to ₱1,000 depending on the type of vehicle you have. The Insurance Commission (IC) regulates TPL insurance prices for all insurance companies to ensure that car owners nationwide can afford to insure their vehicles. Here are the IC-prescribed annual TPL prices in the Philippines.
If the inevitable happens, it’s always best to stay calm. You have to gather all the important details of the incident before you can file your claim. Contact your car insurance provider immediately and report the damage or loss by providing the following information. The car insurance companies will walk you through the next steps regarding your insurance claim.
Your insurance provider will require you to present certain documents to process your TPL insurance claim. Here are the basic requirements you need to secure.
Aside from the basic documents, you also need to prepare documents depending on the nature of the accident.
Looking to buy more insurance products? Check out our extensive guides on car insurance below.
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