Allianz Care vs Now Health International in Hong Kong (2026): Benefits & premium comparisons
Choose Allianz Care if you want private room hospitalisation across all tiers, core maternity starting on mid-level plans, and clear deductible discount scales. Choose Now Health International if you prefer full refund doctor visits built into mid tiers, high entry hospital limits, and per-visit outpatient excess options.
Reviewed by a licensed advisor
This comparison reviews Allianz Care and Now Health International health insurance plans for residents and expatriates in Hong Kong. Allianz Care offers three core plan tiers: Care Base, Care Enhanced, and Care Signature. Now Health International offers four WorldCare plan tiers: WorldCare Essential, WorldCare Advance, WorldCare Excel, and WorldCare Apex. Both insurance providers provide international medical solutions designed to help you secure the best expat health insurance in Hong Kong 2026.
Allianz Care vs Now Health International at a glance
Feature | Allianz Care | Now Health International |
Insurer | AWP Health & Life SA, Irish Branch | Best Doctors Insurance Limited (issued by Now Health International Limited) |
Plans | Care Base, Care Enhanced, Care Signature | WorldCare Essential, WorldCare Advance, WorldCare Excel, WorldCare Apex |
Annual limits | US$ 1,350,000 to US$ 5,000,000 | USD 3,000,000 to USD 4,500,000 |
Area of cover | Worldwide, Worldwide excl. USA, Africa, Europe | Worldwide Excluding USA (USA elective optional to USD 1.5m) |
Hospital room | Private room across all plans | Hospital charges full refund across all plans |
Deductibles | Optional Core: US$ 1,350 (10%), US$ 4,050 (20%), US$ 8,100 (30%) | Standard Nil; optional USD 1,000 to USD 15,000 |
Cost share / Excess | Coinsurance on selected dental and bariatric benefits | Optional 10% or 20% outpatient coinsurance; optional excess USD 15 or USD 25 |
Outpatient | Optional matching Out-patient Plan; emergency on Core | Full refund on Advance, Excel, Apex; pre/post hospital on Essential |
Maternity | Care Enhanced (US$ 6,750) and Signature (US$ 13,500); 12m wait | Apex only (USD 17,500); 12 months waiting period |
Dental | Optional matching Dental Plan; 10m wait for major care | Built into Excel and Apex; 9 months waiting period |
Evacuation | Covered in full across all Core plans | Full refund across all plans |
Pre-existing conditions | not shown in Allianz Care's documents | Excluded unless agreed in writing; chronic covered on Advance upwards |
Entry age | not shown in Allianz Care's documents | not shown in Now Health's documents |
Renewal | not shown in Allianz Care's documents | not shown in Now Health's documents |
Cooling-off | not shown in Allianz Care's documents | not shown in Now Health's documents |
Payment | not shown in Allianz Care's documents | not shown in Now Health's documents |
Outpatient care: Linked tier add-ons with Allianz Care vs built-in consultations with Now Health International
Allianz Care and Now Health International structure outpatient clinic visits, therapies, and prescription medications through distinct design philosophies.
Plan Tier | Outpatient Limit | Doctor Visits | Prescribed Drugs |
Allianz Care | |||
Care Base | Optional US$ 13,500 (£8,300) | Covered in full | Up to US$ 1,350 (£830) |
Care Enhanced | Optional US$ 33,750 (£20,750) | Covered in full | Up to US$ 4,050 (£2,490) |
Care Signature | Optional No limit | Covered in full | Covered in full |
Now Health Plans | |||
Essential | Pre/post hospital only (USD 2,000) | Pre/post hospital only | Included in hospital claim |
Advance | Up to plan limit (USD 3,500,000) | Full refund | Included in outpatient care |
Excel | Up to plan limit (USD 4,000,000) | Full refund | Included in outpatient care |
Apex | Up to plan limit (USD 4,500,000) | Full refund | Included in outpatient care |
Alea broker commentary on outpatient care
Allianz Care: Care Signature Out-patient provides unlimited annual outpatient reimbursements with full prescription drug coverage, and Core plans include emergency outpatient care. However, outpatient tiers must match your Core plan.
Now Health International: Outpatient consultations are built into Advance, Excel, and Apex without extra modules, and physiotherapy on Excel and Apex has no session caps. However, Essential restricts outpatient cover to pre and post hospital care.
Maternity: Core mid-tier inclusion with Allianz Care vs top-tier Apex cover with Now Health International
Maternity provisions and waiting periods present key operational differences for growing families in Hong Kong.
Maternity Feature | Allianz Care | Now Health International |
Eligible plans | Care Enhanced and Care Signature | Apex only |
Waiting period | 12-month waiting period | 12 months |
Routine delivery limit | Care Enhanced: US$ 6,750; Care Signature: US$ 13,500 | Apex: USD 17,500 (EUR 14,000) |
Complicated delivery limit | Care Enhanced: US$ 13,500; Care Signature: US$ 20,250 | Included in routine limit; conditions full refund |
Fertility treatment | Care Signature Out-patient: US$ 9,450 (12-month wait) | Excluded (reproductive medicine not covered) |
Newborn care | Covered under Core plan rules | Essential/Advance: USD 100,000; Excel: USD 125,000; Apex: USD 150,000 |
Alea broker commentary on maternity cover
Allianz Care: Maternity is embedded into Core plans on both mid and top tiers without requiring an outpatient add-on, and Care Signature Out-patient covers fertility care up to US$ 9,450. However, Care Base excludes maternity.
Now Health International: The Apex delivery limit of USD 17,500 provides high routine maternity protection, and pregnancy medical conditions receive a full refund across all four tiers. However, routine maternity is restricted to the top tier.
Deductible frameworks: Clear discount percentages with Allianz Care vs dual-excess linking rules with Now Health International
Both insurers allow you to lower your health insurance cost with deductibles and coinsurance, but their excess mechanics operate under different frameworks.
Deductible Feature | Allianz Care | Now Health International |
Standard deductible | No deductible (0% discount) | Nil across all plans |
Inpatient deductible options | US$ 1,350 (10%), US$ 4,050 (20%), US$ 8,100 (30%) | USD 1,000, USD 2,500, USD 5,000, USD 10,000, USD 15,000 |
Outpatient deductible | US$ 338 (10%), US$ 743 (20%), US$ 1,148 (30%) | Optional USD 15 or USD 25 per visit (Advance, Excel, Apex) |
Outpatient coinsurance | Coinsurance applies to selected dental/bariatric care | Optional 10% or 20% on outpatient treatments |
Deductible linking rules | Core and Outpatient deductibles selected independently | Selecting an inpatient deductible requires outpatient excess or coinsurance |
Alea broker commentary on deductibles
Allianz Care: Published premium discount percentages (10%, 20%, 30%) make premium savings transparent, and Core and Outpatient deductibles can be selected independently.
Now Health International: Standard plans start with a Nil deductible, and per-visit excess options of USD 15 or USD 25 keep routine claims predictable. However, selecting an inpatient deductible forces members to accept outpatient cost sharing.
Hospital limits and dental integration: High base ceilings with Now Health International vs unlimited dental with Allianz Care
Hospital accommodation and annual plan ceilings govern your financial security during major health events. Checking these differences helps clarify how much do private hospitals charge in Hong Kong.
Coverage Feature | Allianz Care | Now Health International |
Annual hospital ceiling | US$ 1,350,000 (Care Base) to US$ 5,000,000 (Care Signature) | USD 3,000,000 (Essential) to USD 4,500,000 (Apex) |
Hospital room accommodation | Private room across all plans | Hospital charges full refund across all plans |
Ancillary hospital charges | Covered in full | Capped at USD 1,500 (Essential/Advance), USD 2,000 (Excel), USD 2,500 (Apex) |
Dental plan structure | Optional Dental Plan (Care Base, Enhanced, Signature) | Built into Excel and Apex; optional on Essential and Advance |
Top-tier dental limit | Care Signature Dental: No limit | Apex: USD 1,500 routine, USD 3,000 complex (9-month wait) |
Alea broker commentary on hospital limits and dental care
Allianz Care: Private room accommodation is covered across all three tiers, and Care Signature Dental offers unlimited annual dental coverage. However, dental care requires buying an extra module.
Now Health International: Entry-level Essential starts with a high annual limit of USD 3,000,000, and dental benefits are built directly into Excel and Apex. However, Apex caps overall coverage at USD 4,500,000.
Which one to choose
Choose Allianz Care Care Signature if you want high core coverage up to US$ 5,000,000 with private room accommodation, unlimited outpatient options, and unlimited dental benefits.
Choose Now Health WorldCare Apex if you want high core coverage of USD 4,500,000, full refund outpatient consultations, and routine maternity care up to USD 17,500.
Choose Allianz Care Care Enhanced if you want built-in routine maternity benefits and emergency outpatient coverage within a balanced core hospital plan.
Choose Now Health WorldCare Advance if you want all-round inpatient and outpatient medical protection starting with a standard Nil deductible.
Questions to ask before you buy
Do you prefer a plan that covers outpatient doctor visits with a full refund, or are you comfortable purchasing a matching outpatient module?
Are you planning a pregnancy in Hong Kong that requires maternity delivery coverage within the next 12 to 18 months?
Would you prefer an annual plan deductible with published discount percentages, or an excess structure linked to outpatient cost sharing?
Do you require private room hospitalisation without room downgrade restrictions in Hong Kong private hospitals?
What level of annual hospital ceiling and dental coverage do you require for your medical needs?
Alea's verdict
The choice between Allianz Care and Now Health International centers on modular plan alignment versus built-in consultation depth. Allianz Care delivers a structured framework with private room accommodation across all tiers, built-in maternity on mid-level plans, and transparent deductible discount percentages. Now Health International provides comprehensive protection with full refund doctor visits from the Advance tier upward, higher entry hospital limits starting at USD 3,000,000, and a higher routine maternity ceiling on Apex. If you want private rooms across all tiers with independent deductible choices and included emergency outpatient care, Allianz Care is a strong option. If you seek full refund outpatient visits and high base inpatient ceilings, Now Health is a compelling alternative.
How we compared them
We compared these products using official plan rules and benefit schedule.
Alea is a licensed insurance broker in Hong Kong that compares more than 50 insurers, including Bupa Global and Cigna Global.
We help you save time, money and worry by explaining all your options and we work for you, not the insurer. Plus, you always get the best prices as our premiums are never higher than if you went directly with the insurers!
Why Choose Alea: We simplify health insurance. We have helped thousands of locals, expats, and families find the perfect coverage. Beyond securing your policy, our dedicated customer care team advocates for you year-round, ensuring you have expert support whenever you need it most.
Written by
Shannon Kapoor
Head of Customer Care & Insurance Specialist
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