Employees' Compensation Insurance for Domestic Helpers in Hong Kong

Any household in Hong Kong that employs a foreign domestic helper is legally an employer, and must hold Employees' Compensation insurance for that helper, on the same terms as any business. This is easy to overlook because the employer is a household rather than a company, but the legal duty is identical. This guide covers what the law requires, how it relates to the medical cover in the standard employment contract, and how to arrange it.

Why a household is an employer

Under the Employees' Compensation Ordinance (Cap. 282), an employer is anyone employing a person under a contract of service, which includes a household employing a foreign domestic helper under the standard employment contract required by the Immigration Department. The household carries the same duty as any business: to insure against liability for injury, illness or death arising from the helper's work.

What the law requires

EC cover and the contractual medical benefit, side by side

Most insurers package these two into a single domestic helper insurance policy, the simplest way to meet both obligations in one purchase.

The standard employment contract, briefly

Employing a foreign domestic helper in Hong Kong involves a standard employment contract set by the Immigration Department, which sets out matters such as wages, food or a food allowance, rest days and accommodation, alongside the medical benefit requirement. Insurance obligations sit within this wider framework, and while this guide focuses on the insurance side, it is worth being aware that the contract as a whole, not only the insurance clause, is what the Immigration Department and Labour Department expect a household to comply with in full.

Cost

Domestic helper insurance is a low, largely fixed annual cost, reflecting a contained and well-understood risk. The exact premium varies with the medical benefit level chosen. See our broader guide to Employees' Compensation costs for how EC pricing works generally.

If a helper is injured

Get appropriate treatment, notify the insurer, and report to the Labour Department within the required period, generally 14 days, or 7 if fatal. See EC claims and reporting for the full process. Because a domestic helper typically lives in the household's home, an injury sustained while carrying out household duties is generally treated the same as any other work injury, whereas an injury during clearly personal time off is assessed on its specific facts, which is one reason keeping a simple written note of what happened and when is useful even for a household employer.

Renewing, and what happens at contract end

Helper insurance is typically arranged for the length of the employment contract, commonly two years, and should renew alongside any contract renewal to avoid a gap. If a helper's contract ends early, whether because of resignation, termination or a transfer to a new employer, check with your insurer about any refund of unused premium or, where relevant, arranging cover for a replacement helper starting shortly after.

Transferring a helper between employers

When a domestic helper's employment is transferred from one household to another, whether because the original employer is leaving Hong Kong or the arrangement is otherwise ending, the new employer must arrange their own EC and contractual medical cover before the transfer takes effect, since the previous household's policy does not carry over to a different employer. This is worth building into the timeline of any transfer, since arranging cover typically takes only a short time but should not be left to the last day before the new contract begins.

Common claim scenarios for helpers

The kinds of injuries that lead to a helper insurance claim are broadly domestic in nature: a fall while cleaning windows or floors, a burn or cut while cooking, or a back or muscle injury from lifting heavy items such as furniture or groceries. Because the helper typically lives in the household, distinguishing an injury sustained during work duties from one sustained during personal time can occasionally require a little more clarity than in a typical workplace, and keeping a simple note of what happened, when, and what the helper was doing at the time helps an insurer process the claim smoothly.

Choosing the medical benefit level

Because domestic helper policies bundle EC cover with a contractual medical benefit, households do have a genuine choice to make on the medical side, even though the EC portion itself is fixed by law. Some households choose the minimum medical benefit the standard contract requires, while others opt for a richer level, reasoning that a helper who is a long-term member of the household is worth insuring generously, in the same spirit as they might insure any other long-serving employee. Neither choice is right or wrong, and the cost difference between benefit levels for a single person is usually modest relative to the household's overall budget, so this is worth a moment's genuine consideration rather than defaulting automatically to the cheapest option.

Multiple helpers in one household

Households employing more than one domestic helper need a separate EC obligation satisfied for each individual, though in practice this is usually arranged as a single policy covering all of them, which is simpler to administer than separate policies and often more economical than pricing each helper individually. If helpers join or leave the household at different times, for example if one helper's contract ends while another's continues, the policy should be updated to reflect who is actually employed at any given point, in the same way any employer would manage joiners and leavers on a larger scheme.

What to do before your helper's contract is renewed

As a helper's two-year contract approaches its end date, it is worth checking the insurance renewal at the same time as the employment contract itself, rather than treating them as unrelated administrative tasks that happen to fall around the same time. Confirm that the insurer's records still show the correct terms, check whether the premium has changed since the last renewal, and, if you are considering a different insurer, allow enough time to arrange this before the new contract period begins, in the same way you would for any other insurance renewal.

Arrange cover

You can buy directly or through a broker, who can compare a small number of specialist products quickly. Get an Employees' Compensation quote, or talk to an advisor.

The statutory figures that apply to a household

The numbers are identical to those facing any commercial employer, which is the point most households underestimate. The statutory minimum cover is HK$100 million per event. Failing to hold valid cover carries a fine of up to HK$100,000 and up to two years' imprisonment. Neither figure is reduced or softened because the employer is a private household rather than a business, and the Labour Department enforces the requirement accordingly.