Best Medical & Health Insurance in Hong Kong 2026
Compare the top medical insurance plans in Hong Kong. Find trusted insurers, pricing insights and expert advice.
Reviewed by a licensed advisor
Best insurers for medical insurance
Looking for the best medical insurance? You’re in the right place.
Here is our selection of top health insurance providers in Hong Kong:
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*This list is compiled based on our research and doesn’t aim to be exhaustive.
A sound health insurance plan is almost a must-have if you want to avoid the long queues at public hospitals and enjoy Hong Kong’s top-grade private healthcare services despite the city’s ever-soaring medical costs. But there comes the question: How do you choose a plan that fits, like, out of hundreds of plans and tens of insurers?
Our experts at Alea know all insurance products by heart and are here to recommend some top health insurers with the best costs, coverage, customer experience, claim process and additional features.
Let us break down the pros and cons of each insurer so you can compare your best options at a glance.
APRIL's MyHEALTH Hong Kong lets you build your cover from modules and choose how your medical history is underwritten.
Mix and match modules; outpatient cover is optional
Three underwriting options: full medical underwriting, moratorium or continued personal medical exclusions (CPME)
Five deductible levels on the hospitalization module
Two areas of cover only: worldwide, or worldwide excluding the USA
Bupa Hero VHIS Plan is a certified VHIS Flexi Plan, so its premiums qualify for the VHIS tax deduction of up to HK$8,000 per insured person each year.
Premiums tax deductible up to HK$8,000 per insured person each year
Guaranteed renewable to age 100, as required for all VHIS plans
Conditions you did not know about when you applied are covered from year 2 (25%), rising to 100% from year 4
Conditions you already know about may be excluded or charged a loading
Cigna HealthFirst Elite 360 Medical Plan is a high-limit plan with a choice of three areas of cover.
Annual limit of up to HK$50 million
Three areas of cover: Asia only, worldwide excluding the US, or worldwide
Guaranteed renewable for the lifetime of the insured person
Pre-existing conditions excluded unless you disclose them and Cigna agrees to cover them
Premiums rise with age and may be adjusted at each renewal
Henner offers comprehensive international health cover with good deductible discounts, though it is not the most affordable option.
Good deductible discounts
Deductible applicable to inpatient only
Expensive
AXA Global Healthcare's Global Health Plan comes in five levels, from Foundation to Prestige Plus, with optional upgrades.
Five levels of cover: Foundation, Standard, Comprehensive, Prestige and Prestige Plus
Optional outpatient upgrade on the Foundation and Standard levels
Conditions you had, or had symptoms of, before you joined are not covered
How do we select these insurers?
We have closely worked with our 50+ insurance partners for many years and we know their products inside out. As an independent insurance broker, we choose to work with insurers with an excellent track record and sell only products that we believe in, tried and tested. The above recommendations are made by our board of licensed insurance advisors based on criteria including the costs, coverage, customer experience, claim process and additional features of each insurer. In short, we are not paid to make these recommendations.
Types of medical insurance in Hong Kong
Most plans sold in Hong Kong fall into one of four groups. The type decides your tax deduction, your renewal rights and how pre-existing conditions are handled.
Type | What it covers | Pre-existing conditions | Tax deduction |
|---|---|---|---|
VHIS Standard Plan | Hospital stays and day surgery, with the same policy terms at every insurer. Includes prescribed scans (CT, MRI, PET, with 30% co-insurance), non-surgical cancer treatment and inpatient psychiatric care. Guaranteed renewal to age 100, no lifetime limit. | Unknown conditions: 25% paid in year 2, 50% in year 3, 100% from year 4. Known conditions: may be accepted with a loading or an exclusion. | Yes, up to HK$8,000 per insured person per tax year |
VHIS Flexi Plan | Everything in the Standard Plan, plus extra benefits each insurer chooses. A Flexi Plan can have a lifetime limit only if the annual limit is at least HK$5 million and the lifetime limit at least HK$20 million or 4 times the annual limit. | Same rules as the Standard Plan. A Flexi Plan may give lower cover for known conditions, as long as it stays at or above the Standard Plan minimum. | Yes, on the VHIS part of the premium |
Non-VHIS individual plan | Terms set by each insurer. Examples: Cigna HealthFirst Elite 360 offers Asia, worldwide excluding the US or worldwide cover; APRIL MyHEALTH Hong Kong offers worldwide or worldwide excluding the USA, with optional outpatient cover. | Set by underwriting: full medical underwriting, and on some plans a moratorium or CPME. | No |
Group medical (from your employer) | Chosen by your employer. Check what happens to it if you leave your job. | Set by the group policy. | Ask your employer |
More detail: compare VHIS plans, how pre-existing conditions are handled, group medical vs international cover and what happens to your cover when you leave a job.
How much does medical insurance cost in Hong Kong?
Insurers set their own prices and most plans are quoted individually, so there is no public price list for every plan. The exception is VHIS: every insurer must publish the premium table of its VHIS Certified Plans. Researchers at the University of Hong Kong analysed all 7,184 premiums of the 31 VHIS Standard Plans on sale in 2024. These hospital-only plans are the entry price of medical insurance in Hong Kong (the study reports US dollars; Hong Kong dollar figures are converted at 7.8 and rounded):
Age | Median annual premium | Cheapest to most expensive plan |
|---|---|---|
Under 30 | about HK$2,000 (US$253) | about HK$1,000 to HK$5,300 |
30 to 40 | about HK$2,900 (US$378) | about HK$1,500 to HK$6,600 |
40 to 50 | about HK$4,300 (US$552) | about HK$2,200 to HK$9,300 |
50 to 60 | about HK$6,600 (US$849) | about HK$3,400 to HK$15,400 |
60 to 70 | about HK$10,400 (US$1,334) | about HK$5,500 to HK$30,300 |
70 to 80 | about HK$16,000 (US$2,047) | about HK$8,800 to HK$35,800 |
Three points to keep in mind when you read these figures:
They are a floor. Standard Plans cover hospital care only, with a limit per benefit. Plans with outpatient care, full cover or worldwide cover, like the plans compared above, cost more.
The insurer changes the price a lot. At 40 to 50, the most expensive Standard Plan costs about 4 times the cheapest, for the same cover.
Age is the main driver. The average premium at 70 to 80 is 7.7 times the average under 30, and smokers pay about 30% more.
Premiums also follow medical costs, and these keep rising. Aon's 2027 Global Medical Trend Rates Report, published in October 2026, projects Hong Kong medical costs to rise 9% in 2026 and to stay at 9% in 2027.
For any other plan, the price depends on your age, area of cover, deductible, benefits and medical history. Get a free quote to see the premiums of several insurers side by side. Source: HKU School of Public Health (2025).
How to compare medical insurance plans in Hong Kong
When you compare medical insurance in Hong Kong, check these seven points before the price:
Inpatient only, or inpatient and outpatient. Hospital-only plans are cheaper. Outpatient cover (GP, specialists, physiotherapy) adds to the premium.
Area of cover. Hong Kong only, Asia, worldwide excluding the US, or worldwide. Adding the US usually raises the premium the most.
Limits or full cover. Check the annual limit and the limit per benefit, such as room and board or surgeon fees, or choose a full cover plan.
Deductible. A higher deductible lowers the premium. It works well if your employer already covers you.
Pre-existing conditions. With full medical underwriting, insurers may exclude them or add a loading. Some plans cover them after a waiting period.
VHIS certification. Premiums of VHIS Certified Plans are tax deductible, up to HK$8,000 per insured person each year. See how VHIS works.
Claims and service. Direct billing with hospitals, online claims and the speed of the insurer's service matter as much as the cover on paper.
The bottom line
There is no best insurer for everyone. Each plan has strengths and gaps, and the right one depends on your age, budget, area of cover and medical history. Our advisors compare more than 50 insurers for you and explain the differences in plain terms.
Get in touch with an advisor today for a detailed comparison of your insurance options!
Do I need health insurance?
This has a lot to do with whether you are using healthcare services in the public or private sector, of which costs can vary greatly. In essence, if you want to rely on private healthcare and avoid the often long waiting time at public hospitals, you are advised to get a medical insurance plan that can cover the high costs of treatment in private hospitals and doctors. Medical insurance can also cover you for specific health needs like eye examinations, dental scalings or body checkups. The best time to get health insurance is when you are still young and healthy, free from any pre-existing conditions that may be excluded by insurers.
Which medical insurance is best in Hong Kong?
Our picks of top insurers for medical insurance in Hong Kong are APRIL Hong Kong, Bupa Asia, Cigna Asia, Henner and AXA. The best plan depends on your age, budget, area of cover and medical history, so compare quotes from several insurers before you choose.
How much is medical insurance in Hong Kong?
Medical costs in Hong Kong are projected to rise 9% in 2026 and 9% in 2027 (Aon), and premiums follow them. For hospital-only VHIS Standard Plans, the median annual premium in 2024 ranged from about HK$2,000 under age 30 to about HK$16,000 at age 70 to 80 (University of Hong Kong study). Plans with outpatient or worldwide cover cost more. Premiums depend on your age, area of cover, pre-existing conditions, benefits and smoking habits. Get a personalized quote to check the price.
Is medical insurance tax deductible in Hong Kong?
Only premiums paid for VHIS Certified Plans are tax deductible: up to HK$8,000 per insured person each year, for yourself and specified relatives such as your spouse, children and parents, with no limit on the number of insured persons. Other medical insurance is not tax deductible.
Does medical insurance in Hong Kong cover pre-existing conditions?
It depends on the plan. VHIS plans cover conditions you did not know about when you applied: 25% of eligible costs in year 2, 50% in year 3 and 100% from year 4. For conditions you already know about, the insurer may accept them, add a loading or exclude them. Some international plans, such as APRIL MyHEALTH Hong Kong, also offer a moratorium: a condition may be covered after two years without treatment or symptoms.
Can my insurer stop renewing my medical plan?
VHIS plans are guaranteed renewable to age 100, whatever happens to your health after the policy starts, unless you did not give accurate and complete information when you applied. Outside VHIS, renewal terms depend on the plan: for example, Cigna says HealthFirst Elite 360 is guaranteed renewable for the lifetime of the insured person.
Written by
Julien Mathieu
Co-Founder & CEO | Official CFE Representative
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