How much does a VHIS Standard Plan actually cover? Legislation that never happened, the first-year zero, and the 12 standard benefits, 2026

TL;DR The Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme (VHIS) is run by the Health Bureau. Registration of insurers and certification of products opened on 1 December 2018, and the scheme was fully launched on 1 April 2019. The point most often got wrong: VHIS has never been legislated. The scheme documents themselves state that they are not statutory documents. The only law ever amended for VHIS is the 2018 amendment to the Inland Revenue Ordinance that made premiums tax-deductible. So the government certifies product terms while stating in terms that it does not regulate premiums. The Standard Plan benefit schedule has 12 items, an annual limit of HK$420,000 per policy year, HK$750 a day for room and board, HK$80,000 a year for prescribed non-surgical cancer treatments, and HK$20,000 a year for prescribed diagnostic imaging tests with 30% coinsurance. The other point almost every consumer summary drops: for a pre-existing condition unknown at application, the first policy year is "no coverage". The government's own web page and its FAQ both start the story at "25% in the second year"; three official texts spell out the first-year zero. And the basis on which that "25%" is calculated is written differently in the two languages — the Chinese says 「按保障限額賠償百分之二十五」, reimbursement of twenty-five per cent of the benefit limit, while the English says only "25% reimbursement", without saying of what. Even the number of certified plans has two official figures that do not agree (the FAQ: 100 plans / 573 products as at 30 June 2026; the certified-plan list pages, dated 17 July 2026, counted item by item: 103 products / 579 certification numbers). The government has published no counting rule, so this article prints both, each with its own date and basis. This article is about the system: what the scheme is, how it came about, how it works, the benefit schedule item by item, the waiting period, the edges of the renewal guarantee, the Standard/Flexi divide, and how to read the government's own premium summary. It does not assess, rank or recommend any insurer or product; which plan suits you, and how your health will be underwritten, are questions this article cannot answer and should not be answered by an article.

#What is VHIS, and why "voluntary"?

VHIS is not a policy and not one company's product. It is a set of certification standards the government has written for individual indemnity hospital insurance — and the standards themselves have no legal force.

Three terms that recur throughout. A Certified Plan is an insurance product certified by the Health Bureau as complying with the VHIS requirements. A VHIS Provider is an insurance company that must register with the Bureau before it may sell certified plans. The Scheme Documents are the four sets of rules the Bureau has made for the scheme.

Paragraph 1 of the introduction to the policy template defines the scheme itself: it is a policy initiative of the Health Bureau of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region for individual indemnity hospital insurance products, and participation by both insurers and consumers is voluntary [Note 1]. In one sentence: an insurer may stay out, and so may you. "Voluntary" does not refer only to the consumer — insurers are equally voluntary participants, and that fact determines how much force the whole scheme has.

Paragraph 5 of the same template lists the four scheme documents, and this list of four is complete: the registration rules for insurers, the policy template for certified plans, the compliance rules for products, and the code of practice for insurers. Paragraph 6, immediately following, is the single most important sentence in this article: the scheme documents are not statutory documents, and should not replace or contravene any legislation, law, rule, regulation, code or guideline [Note 2].

In other words: the government has never enacted any "medical insurance product certification standard" law for VHIS. The force of the scheme documents comes from insurers promising to comply when they voluntarily register, not from law.

It matters here which document is being discussed. The operative provisions of the product compliance rules (leaving aside the certification application forms annexed to the document) invoke only two ordinances in force: section 1.2(a) requires a certified plan to be one of two classes of insurance contract, both defined by reference to the Insurance Ordinance (Cap. 41) [Note 3]; and section 9.6 notes that under the Inland Revenue Ordinance (Cap. 112), qualifying premiums for a VHIS policy are eligible for a tax deduction. Nowhere else in the operative text is another "VHIS ordinance" invoked. But "two" counts the operative text only: the product certification application forms annexed to the same compliance rules carry, four times over, a personal information collection statement invoking sections 18 and 22 of and principle 6 of Schedule 1 to the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance — counting the forms, the compliance rules as a whole invoke three ordinances in force. And if "scheme documents" is read, as above, as the set of four documents, the count rises further: section 1.5(a) of the code of practice separately lists, non-exhaustively ("including but not limited to"), six Hong Kong ordinances — besides the Insurance Ordinance and the Inland Revenue Ordinance, also the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (Cap. 486), the Competition Ordinance (Cap. 619), the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (Cap. 201) and the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Ordinance (Cap. 615).

The government's objectives for the scheme are listed on the official "Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme" page (reviewed 27 July 2022) as three, and this list is complete: to raise the level of protection of hospital insurance products; to give the public an additional choice of using private healthcare services through hospital insurance; and, in the long run, to relieve pressure on public hospitals [Note 4].

As for the regulatory relationship, the same page is quite clear: all VHIS providers are supervised and regulated by the Insurance Authority under the Insurance Ordinance; in addition, providers must comply with the rules of the scheme, including the product compliance requirements and the code of practice [Note 5].

That structure determines everything that follows. What regulates the insurers is the Insurance Authority under the Insurance Ordinance; what VHIS adds is a layer of certification of product terms, and that layer is non-statutory. The government can therefore prescribe which clauses a policy must contain while saying in terms that it will not intervene on price.

⚠️ For anyone who reads "government certified" as "government guaranteed": what is certified is that the product terms meet a set of standards. It is not the government underwriting an insurer's finances, its underwriting decisions, or its premium levels.

#From the 2014 consultation to the 2019 launch: what was taken out along the way

What VHIS looks like today is the product of a subtraction made in 2017: the two requirements in the original proposal that most protected high-risk people were deferred, and have never been implemented.

The scheme's origins go back further. The Legislative Council Panel on Health Services paper of 13 January 2015 (File Ref.: FH CR 4/1/3822/13 Pt.4) records that the government held two stages of public consultation on healthcare reform in 2008 and 2010; the first stage put forward six supplementary financing options, and because the public had reservations about mandatory options, the idea of a voluntary, government-regulated private health insurance scheme took shape (originally the Health Protection Scheme, in Chinese 「醫療保障計劃（醫保計劃）」), later renamed the Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme. The same paper records one design that was later reversed: the original proposal was that after the scheme was implemented, insurers would not be allowed to sell individual hospital insurance products that did not meet the minimum requirements.

The public consultation document launched on 15 December 2014 put forward 12 "minimum requirements" (in the English original, "12 Minimum Requirements", at paragraph 10 of the executive summary). That was the only time the government published a numbered list of "minimum requirements", and it has since been superseded.

The seventh chapter of the Report on Consultation on Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme of January 2017 explains the changes in the government's own words: the high risk pool was moved to "separate consideration" because views on it were divided, and the report says in terms that this was to avoid delaying implementation of VHIS [Note 6]; "guaranteed acceptance with a capped premium loading" and policy "portability" were proposed to be dealt with at a later stage together with the high risk pool, because both depended on whether that pool was established [Note 7]; and products not meeting the minimum requirements were to be allowed to continue to be launched and sold in the market, only without tax concessions [Note 8]. "Pre-existing conditions must be covered" ended up as an incidental option — underwriters may offer a person taking out a Standard Plan an alternative with case-based exclusions and a lower premium [Note 9].

In one sentence: the original design was a government-subsidised high risk pool, under which the chronically ill, the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions would all be guaranteed acceptance with premium loading capped; the version that launched has no high risk pool, no guaranteed acceptance and no cap on loading, and instead allows insurers to add case-based exclusions in exchange for a lower premium.

The Research Office of the Legislative Council Secretariat criticised this in its Research Brief of 3 July 2018 (Issue No. 3, 2017–2018), noting that the regulatory mechanism is purely voluntary and confined to certified plans, while non-complying policies already in the market remain "lightly regulated"; and that after the 2017 consultation the minimum product requirements did not include the two major high risk pool proposals, weakening the scheme's overall attractiveness [Note 10].

There is a wording gap here that readers need warning about. The Chinese version of that research brief writes 「高風險池的『保證續保』」 — the high risk pool's "guaranteed renewal" — while the English version of the same sentence says "guaranteed acceptance". And the Chinese version of the 2017 consultation report uses 「必定承保而附加保費率設有上限」 for the same item, that is, guaranteed acceptance with a capped premium loading. Guaranteed renewal and guaranteed acceptance are two different things: the first has been implemented, the second never has. The consultation report's own wording governs.

Once the subtraction was done, the government's press release of 1 March 2018 announcing the scheme details put its own aim most plainly: it hoped to encourage more people to use private healthcare services through hospital insurance and so relieve pressure on the public healthcare system in the long run; and it said that VHIS provides a reference standard of basic protection, helping to drive up the level of protection of hospital insurance products that currently have lower benefit limits or narrower scope [Note 11].

Note the phrase at the end: "reference standard". The government's own account is that it hoped to use a benchmark to lift products across the market, rather than to drive non-complying products out — which is exactly the extension of that 2017 decision.

⚠️ For older readers, or those with a chronic condition, who assume "a government scheme will of course take me": the high risk pool was never established and guaranteed acceptance never took effect. Your application goes through underwriting, and it can be declined.

#What does "government certified" actually certify?

Certification has two layers: the company registers first, then each product is certified. And even with both layers done, the government still will not tell you how many products are on the market — because its own two figures do not agree.

Paragraph 3 of the introduction to the policy template sets out the procedure: an insurer must first register as a VHIS provider and apply for certification of the Standard Plan and Flexi Plans it intends to launch, before it may market those products as certified plans; the Bureau began accepting registration and product certification applications on 1 December 2018 [Note 12]. Paragraph 4: the scheme was fully launched for consumers on 1 April 2019.

Registration carries a continuing obligation, at section 2.3 of the code of practice: after registering as a VHIS provider, an insurer must offer consumers a Standard Plan certified by the Bureau to apply for [Note 13]. There is no such obligation for Flexi Plans — an insurer may choose whether to offer them, the number is not limited, and after launching one it may decide on its own to stop accepting new applications, though it must renew policies already issued [Note 14].

That is: the Standard Plan is a door that stays open; a Flexi Plan is not. A Flexi Plan can be withdrawn from sale at any time — existing policyholders keep their right to renew, but no new customer can get in.

#Registered providers: 30

The provider list on the VHIS website (retrieved 1 August 2026) carries 30 registered VHIS providers, each with a registration number and an effective date of registration. Of these, 22 have registration effective on 28 February or 6 March 2019, that is, before the scheme was fully launched; the latest is 10 March 2021.

Note: 33 company names appear on the Standard Plan list, more than 30, because the plans of three companies whose registration has been cancelled are still shown on that list. To count companies, count the provider list, not the plan list.

#How many certified plans are there? Two official figures that do not agree

The official FAQ (reviewed 9 July 2026), question 22, says that as at 30 June 2026 there were 100 certified plans on the market (Standard Plan and Flexi Plans together), offering 573 products in all [Note 15]. The English version of the same answer says 100 Certified Plans offering 573 products — the Chinese and English map 「款」 and 「方案」 onto the opposite English words (plans / products). Quote the whole sentence; do not lift the nouns out of it.

But counting the certified-plan list pages item by item (the pages' own date is 17 July 2026) gives a different result: 33 Standard Plan products and 70 Flexi Plan products, 103 in all; and 33 plus 546 certification numbers, that is 579. Applying the filters that the website's own "plan search" tool uses (excluding cancelled registrations, withdrawn products and renewal-only items) gives 30 Standard and 61 Flexi products, 91 products and 521 certification numbers.

The two figures are 17 days apart, and the government has published no counting rule — nothing says whether 「款」 includes products withdrawn from sale, renewal-only products, or the products of companies whose registration has been cancelled. So this article will not pick one as the right answer: both are printed, each with its date and basis.

Why can one plan carry dozens of certification numbers? Section 3.7 of the compliance rules provides that different combinations of benefit limits under the same benefit framework (say, ward, semi-private and private room versions) count as different certified plans, each issued its own certification number; section 3.8 says the same for optional supplementary benefit combinations. So "certification numbers" counts combinations of terms and "products" counts product names in the market; they were never the same unit.

One point of comparison in time: the government's press release of 2 September 2022 says that as at 31 August that year there were 86 certified plans on the market, comprising 32 Standard Plans and 54 Flexi Plans, offering 385 product options in all. Over four years, the number of plans went from 86 to 100 (the two figures are on the same measure, both being the government's own statement), and products or options from 385 to 573.

⚠️ For anyone planning to "compare all the plans": how many of those 100 still accept new applications is not something the government has published; the list pages themselves mark renewal-only items, and reading them one by one is more accurate than reading the total.

#What does the Standard Plan actually pay? The complete benefit schedule

The Standard Plan benefit schedule is the foundation of the whole scheme: every certified Standard Plan must follow it, and no certified Flexi Plan may fall below it. The schedule's own note says exactly that: this benefit schedule applies to all certified Standard Plans and represents the minimum requirement for all certified Flexi Plans.

The full text of the 5 notes below the schedule is at [Note 16]. Several points are worth spelling out, because each affects what actually reaches your pocket.

The surgical classification decides the ceiling on the surgeon's fee. Item (f) is not paid against the actual charge: the surgery is first placed in one of four classes — complex, major, intermediate, minor — by the policy template's surgical schedule, and then paid up to that class's limit. The surgical schedule follows the body of the policy template and occupies pages 42 to 57 of the English document. This article does not reproduce the surgical schedule, and no extract of it may be treated as a complete classification list. If the classification of a particular operation matters to you, open the template itself. For an operation not listed in the schedule, section 3(f) of Part 6 of the template provides that the company shall reasonably determine its classification by reference to the government gazette or other relevant publications, including fee schedules recognised by the government and medical bodies of the place where the surgery is performed [Note 17].

The anaesthetist's fee and the operating theatre charges are percentages of the surgeon's fee, not reimbursed against actual cost. Note (5) says the 35% applies to the lower of the amount actually paid for the surgeon's fee and the benefit limit for that surgical classification.

Do the arithmetic once: three figures for one intermediate operation together. Using the schedule's own numbers: the surgeon's fee limit for an intermediate operation is $12,500; if a particular operation's surgeon's fee is paid in full at $12,500, the anaesthetist's fee limit is $12,500 times 35%, which is $4,375, and the operating theatre limit is the same $4,375, so the three come to $21,250. Assume a stay of 3 days: room and board is 3 times $750, which is $2,250, and the attending doctor's visit fee likewise 3 times $750, or $2,250. On these five items alone the ceiling comes to $25,750, all of it counting against the $420,000 annual limit per policy year. Note: that is a calculation of limits, not a prediction of what you would receive — what is actually paid depends on the eligible expenses incurred, on any coinsurance, and on any case-based exclusion.

Prescribed diagnostic imaging tests are the only benefit on which the Standard Plan imposes coinsurance as a matter of course. The limit is $20,000 a year, with 30% coinsurance, so you pay 30 per cent of the eligible expenses for that item yourself. Section 2.15 of the compliance rules provides that, apart from this 30%, a Standard Plan may impose coinsurance only on "other benefits"; section 2.14 imposes the same restriction on deductibles.

The scope of "non-surgical cancer treatments" is a closed list of five. Note (4) says "only includes", so a cancer treatment other than radiotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy and hormonal therapy is not within this benefit item. Note (3) is likewise an "only includes" list of five categories of imaging test.

⚠️ For anyone who reads "$420,000 a year" as "private hospital costs are covered whatever they come to": $420,000 is the overall cap across the 12 items, and each item has its own sub-cap on top of that. Room and board at $750 a day is already the starting point of any real comparison.

#Who can take out a policy? "Must consider" is not "must accept"

What VHIS gives you is not a right to be covered but a right to be fairly considered.

Section 2.5 of the code of practice requires insurers to consider applications for certified plans from Hong Kong residents and from persons aged between 15 days and 80 years; two footnotes state respectively that "Hong Kong resident" includes holders of a Hong Kong identity card and children under 11 who are Hong Kong residents, and that the requirement may be waived where a certified plan is designed for a particular age group [Note 18]. FAQ question 28 uses the same words.

Question 29, immediately after, adds the other side of the "Hong Kong resident" limb: a non-Hong Kong resident may take out a policy, but the insured person must be a Hong Kong resident for the policy to qualify for a tax deduction; and an insurer may decide, according to its business practice, whether to accept an application with a non-Hong Kong resident as the insured person [Note 19].

The "Hong Kong resident" limb settles two things at once, and the consequences differ. First, it settles whether the "must consider" duty exists at all: if the insured person is not a Hong Kong resident, the insurer has no duty to consider, and whether to accept is for the company to decide according to its business practice. Second, it settles whether the premiums on that policy can be deducted from tax. So taking out a policy for a relative who is not a Hong Kong resident is one thing even if an insurer will accept it; the tax deduction is another.

Question 30 spells out the other half: a participating insurer may decline your application only after a fair and reasonable underwriting process conducted according to the principles set out in the code of practice [Note 20]. That is: you can be declined, but only after a fair and reasonable underwriting process.

Note the waiver at footnote 2 of the code of practice — a product designed for a particular age group may be exempt from the "must consider" duty. That waiver does not apply to the Standard Plan: section 2.11 of the product compliance rules provides that in offering a Standard Plan, an insurer must consider applications from Hong Kong residents aged between 15 days and 80 years as insured persons, and that a Standard Plan must not be targeted only at customers in a particular age group [Note 21]. So what a 75-year-old who has never held medical insurance has a right to have considered is the Standard Plan.

But "does not apply" does not mean there is no exception at all. Section 2.12, immediately following, provides that with the Bureau's approval, certain "other benefits" within a Standard Plan may be targeted at a particular age group [Note 22]. That is: with the Bureau's individual approval, the parts of a Standard Plan that are "other benefits" may be marketed with an age filter. The core "must consider" duty is not disturbed by this; but "no exception whatever" would not be an accurate statement.

What an insurer may do after underwriting is set out bluntly at section 2.8 of the code of practice: it may carry out underwriting, and on accepting an application may charge a premium loading and/or impose case-based exclusions, decline the application, or defer it for want of information [Note 23].

Is there a cap on premium loading? The scheme documents set none. The "capped premium loading" of the 2014 proposal (originally proposed at 200% of the standard premium) was deferred together with the high risk pool, and has never been implemented.

#The cooling-off period: not less than 21 days, and it does not apply on renewal

Section 2 of Part 2 of the policy template provides that the policyholder may cancel the terms and benefits within the cooling-off period and obtain a full refund of premiums paid, but that no refund is given if a benefit has been or will be paid, and that this right of cancellation does not apply on renewal [Note 24]. Section 4.15 of the code of practice sets the cooling-off period at 21 days, and an insurer may offer longer.

Note that the body of the policy template says to "insert a number of days not less than 21" — 21 days is a floor, and the actual number is filled in by each company and can differ from policy to policy. Two points about the calculation are worth remembering: the day of delivery of the policy or of the cooling-off notice does not count; and if the last day is not a working day, it rolls to the next working day.

⚠️ For anyone taking out a policy for a parent: the upper age for the "must consider" duty is 80, and past 80 even the right to be considered is gone. Section 2.6 of the code of practice does use different connectives in its Chinese and English versions (English "or", Chinese 「及」), but the next sentence of the same section, in both versions, says that an insurer "may also decline an application falling within (a) and/or (b) above according to its underwriting criteria" — so however the connective is read, the insurer may still decline on its underwriting criteria. The same sentence also provides that on declining, the company should explain the reason to the consumer, apply consistent criteria, and publish the relevant information at least on its own website.

#Pre-existing conditions: the first year is "no coverage", and 25% is 25% of what?

This is the most easily misread part of the whole article, and the misreading comes from the government's own consumer summaries.

Two terms first. A known pre-existing condition is one you were, or should have been, aware of at application; it must be declared when applying, and the insurer may impose case-based exclusions or a premium loading on it. An unknown pre-existing condition is one that already existed at application but of which you were not, and should not reasonably have been, aware. The two are handled entirely differently, and only the second attracts the waiting period below.

Part 8 of the policy template defines "pre-existing condition" without any time window, saying only "existing prior to the policy issuance date or the policy effective date, whichever is the earlier", and listing three situations in which a reasonably prudent person should have been aware of it: the condition has been diagnosed; it has manifested clear and distinct signs or symptoms; or medical advice or treatment for it has been sought, given or received [Note 25].

Note: the provision says only "prior to the policy effective date", with no look-back period. The commonly repeated "3 years before application" has no counterpart in the policy template, the code of practice, the product compliance rules or the official FAQ.

#Trap one: no coverage in the first policy year

The waiting period table at section 4 of Part 6 of the policy template sets out four tiers: no coverage in the first policy year; 25% of the benefit limit in the second policy year; 50% of the benefit limit in the third policy year; and the full benefit limit from the fourth policy year onwards [Note 26].

The VHIS website's "key product features of certified plans" puts the same thing this way: for pre-existing conditions unknown at application, partial coverage is provided after the policy effective date (25% in the second year, 50% in the third), and full coverage (100%) thereafter [Note 27]. Official FAQ question 17 does the same [Note 28].

Both consumer summaries start at "the second year", and neither writes down the first-year zero. Besides the body of the policy template, two further official texts do spell out the first year: item 24 of the glossary to the code of practice, and item 25 of the glossary to the product compliance rules — the same passage, the same 0% / 25% / 50%, numbered differently in the two documents [Note 29]. So the official texts that spell out the first-year zero number three, not two.

In one sentence: the waiting period is three policy years, at reimbursement rates of 0%, 25% and 50%, with full reimbursement from the fourth policy year.

That ladder is not used only for unknown pre-existing conditions. Official FAQ question 8(f)(ii) makes "treatment of congenital conditions" subject to the same reimbursement arrangement, so a congenital condition that manifests or is diagnosed from the age of 8 has to walk the same three policy years.

One technical detail actually favours the policyholder, but note what triggers it. The opening words of section 4.16 of the code of practice provide that the first policy year may be shorter than 12 months only where the applicant requests it and the insurer agrees; in that case section 4.16(b) provides that the waiting period for unknown pre-existing conditions should not be affected, so the insured person becomes eligible for 25% reimbursement immediately on renewal after the first policy year even if that year ran shorter than 12 months [Note 30]. That is: "three policy years" counts policy years, not 36 months; and if the applicant asks for a shorter first policy year and the insurer agrees, the waiting period still ticks over one notch rather than being stretched out because the first year was short — but the arrangement itself has to be asked for by the applicant and agreed by the insurer, and is not a rule that applies automatically.

#Trap two: "25%" is 25% of what? The Chinese and English are written differently

This section has to set the two languages side by side, because the two versions are not equally precise, and both are official versions.

The table at section 4 of Part 6 of the English policy template has four cells reading "no coverage", "25% reimbursement", "50% reimbursement" and "full coverage" [Note 31]. The English says only "25% reimbursement", without saying 25% of what. The Chinese policy template writes the same cell as 「按保障限額賠償百分之二十五」 — reimbursement of twenty-five per cent of the benefit limit, anchoring the percentage expressly to the benefit limit.

The interpretation clause at section 1 of Part 2 of the template provides that the Chinese and English versions are both official and of equal effect, and that in the event of ambiguity between them the interpretation more favourable to the policyholder must prevail [Note 32]. Paragraph (9) of the template's preamble also acknowledges that translation has taken a pragmatic rather than a literal approach [Note 33].

So: do not write, and do not believe, "25% of the bill". The English does not say that, and the Chinese says something else. The Chinese is the more precise of the two.

Do the arithmetic once: how far apart the two readings are. Take room and board from the benefit schedule, with a daily limit of $750. Suppose an insured person in the second policy year is hospitalised for 5 days for a condition that was a pre-existing condition unknown at application, and the actual room and board charge is $1,500 a day, $7,500 over the 5 days; the benefit limit for that item is 5 times $750, or $3,750. On the Chinese wording (25% of the benefit limit), the answer is $3,750 times 25%, which is $937.5. On the "25% of the actual cost" reading, it is $7,500 times 25%, or $1,875, still subject to the $3,750 limit, giving $1,875. On this calculation the two readings differ by a factor of two.

This article does not decide for the Bureau which reading is right. Paragraph 8 of the introduction to the policy template provides that the Bureau reserves the final decision on interpreting the scheme documents, on handling ambiguity between the Chinese and English versions, and on allowing waivers of some requirements in exceptional circumstances [Note 34]. The interpretation clause quoted above provides that ambiguity must be resolved in the way more favourable to the policyholder. Both hold at once: the point in dispute is finally determined by the Bureau, and until it is, the provision itself requires reading in the policyholder's favour.

#The burden of proof is on the insurer

The last paragraph of the same section provides that if an applicant, having been asked to disclose, fails to disclose a pre-existing condition of which they were or should have been aware at the time, the insurer has the right to declare the terms and benefits void, to recover benefits paid and/or to refuse coverage — and then the key sentence: the company must bear the burden of proof in such a case [Note 35]. For a genuinely unknown condition, the same section provides that the insurer has no right to re-underwrite or terminate the terms and benefits on that account.

⚠️ For anyone who has just taken out a policy and found an illness in the first year: if it is a pre-existing condition unknown at application, the first policy year pays nothing; if it was known at application and not declared, the insurer has to prove it. The line between the two lies in what you were, or should have been, aware of at the time of application — not in when the diagnosis was made.

#General exclusions: 14 of them, each to be read for yourself

The benefit schedule tells you how much is paid; the exclusions tell you whether anything is paid at all — and the second usually matters more to real experience.

Part 7 of the policy template lists 14 general exclusions. The table below is this site's headline summary, not the wording of the provisions; the count of 14 is complete, but the exact scope, exceptions and provisos of each must be read in the template itself.

Three of them are worth reading word for word, because they are the ones most often assumed to be covered when they are not — exclusion 6 (preventive treatment and preventive care, with its three exceptions), exclusion 10 (the full list of traditional Chinese medicine and alternative therapies) and exclusion 12 (the line at 8 years). The full text of all three is at [Note 36].

Exclusion 12 and one of the scheme's selling points are two sides of one line. The official FAQ lists "treatment of congenital conditions" as one of the scheme's enhancements, covering congenital conditions that manifest or are diagnosed from the age of 8; exclusion 12 is its other face — those manifesting or diagnosed before 8 are not covered. The two sentences draw the same age line, one from the coverage side and one from the exclusion side.

But the age line is not the whole of it — the same piece of promotional wording has a reimbursement-rate condition behind it. The English version of FAQ question 8(f)(ii) ends with "subject to the same reimbursement arrangement that applies to unknown pre-existing conditions", pointing straight at the arrangement described above [Note 37]. That is: on the FAQ's wording, a congenital condition that manifests or is diagnosed from the age of 8 has to walk the same three-year ladder — no coverage in the first policy year, 25% and 50% in the second and third, and full reimbursement only from the fourth. The Chinese "key product features of certified plans" column on the VHIS website says only that coverage includes congenital conditions manifesting or diagnosed from the age of 8, without that condition; it says "covered", but not "covered in full from when".

Two things to hold at once: this "same reimbursement arrangement" formulation appears only in the FAQ, and the body of the policy template sets no separate waiting-period table for congenital conditions; and under paragraph 7 of the template's introduction the FAQ does not form part of the scheme documents, serving only as guidance on their interpretation. This article reproduces the FAQ's wording without deciding how it operates under any particular policy's terms — the question is one for the insurer, not for a brochure.

⚠️ For anyone planning to use medical insurance for a health check or a screening test: exclusion 6 expressly carves out general check-ups, routine tests and screening procedures in the absence of symptoms. Medical insurance is indemnity cover for confinement and surgery, not a health-screening plan.

#What "guaranteed renewal to 100" guarantees, and what it does not

What is guaranteed is that the insurer cannot push you out; what is not guaranteed is that you can still afford it.

The opening words of Part 4 of the policy template provide that the terms and benefits take effect from the policy effective date on payment of premium and renew each policy year under Part 4, with renewal guaranteed to the insured person's age of one hundred [Note 38].

Section 2 of Part 4 sets out both sides of renewal: whether or not the company revises the terms and benefits on renewal, it has the right to adjust the standard premium for all policies in the same class by reference to the standard premium schedule then in use; but during each policy year and on renewal, it must not increase the premium loading rate or add case-based exclusions because of a change in the insured person's health [Note 39].

Section 4 of Part 4 is headed "no re-underwriting except in specified circumstances", and its text provides that whatever changes occur in the insured person's health after the policy issuance date or the policy effective date, the company has no right to re-underwrite while the terms and benefits are in force [Note 40].

The template lists four exceptions to that, and two of them are optional clauses. (a) The policyholder themselves asks for re-underwriting to reduce a premium loading or remove a case-based exclusion — and even if the company refuses or the policyholder does not accept the result, the company has "no right to terminate or decline to renew"; (b) the policyholder asks to add supplementary benefits or to switch to a plan with better benefits (re-underwriting confined to that part). The other two appear in the template in [if applicable] square brackets, that is, for each company to decide whether to adopt — [if applicable] (c) where the insured person changes place of residence, and [if applicable] (d) where the insured person changes occupation, both subject to a series of preconditions (the factor was considered at underwriting, the policyholder was told at application, the company has underwriting guidelines for it, and re-underwriting may consider only that change), and the template says expressly that the outcome "may be favourable or unfavourable to the policyholder and the insured person". So "never underwritten again for life" is not accurate: moving house and changing job can, under a policy that has adopted those two optional clauses, trigger re-underwriting.

The closing sentences of (c) and (d) also put a duty on the policyholder: the template provides that the company has a duty to ask the policyholder on renewal whether the insured person's place of residence differs from the last renewal date, and that the policyholder, having been asked, has a duty to notify the company of the change. The occupation paragraph is written the same way.

And what may follow re-underwriting is put very directly at paragraph (f) of the same section: after re-underwriting, the company may terminate the terms and benefits, impose a premium loading, increase or reduce an existing loading, add case-based exclusions, and amend or remove existing case-based exclusions [Note 41].

In other words: once moving house or changing job has triggered re-underwriting, the company may raise the loading, add exclusions, or even terminate the terms and benefits. A change of health can never trigger re-underwriting — that layer of protection is absolute; what can trigger it are those two [if applicable] residence and occupation clauses, and once triggered, the template itself says the result "may be favourable or unfavourable".

The policy itself also terminates automatically in certain cases, three of which are listed at section 15 of Part 2, whichever is the earliest: premium still unpaid at the end of the grace period; the day after the insured person's death; and the company ceasing to be authorised under the Insurance Ordinance to write or continue to write the policy [Note 42].

Official FAQ question 33 answers the same thing far more narrowly: asked "will my certified plan policy not be renewed", it says no, unless you failed to provide accurate and complete information at application [Note 43].

The FAQ covers only one route to non-renewal, while the policy template covers two different things, which must not be run together. One is the three circumstances in which the policy terminates automatically (section 15 of Part 2); the other is a separate route by which renewal stops — the policyholder giving the company written notice before renewal that they do not wish to renew (section 1(a) of Part 4). Both are official texts, but the terms are in the policy template and the FAQ is only the Bureau's explanation: paragraph 7 of the introduction says expressly that such supplementary information does not form part of the scheme documents and serves only as guidance on interpreting or elaborating them.

Guaranteed and not guaranteed, side by side:

⚠️ For anyone planning long-term around "guaranteed renewal to 100": that guarantee is aimed at the insurer's rights, not at your costs. Premiums rise with age and may also be raised across a whole class of policies, and neither is constrained by that guarantee.

#Standard Plan and Flexi Plan: the official definitions and the line between them

The difference is not merely dearer or cheaper. At the core is one rule: a Flexi Plan must add something on top of the "basic benefits" (that is, "supplementary benefits"), and that layer of basic benefits cannot in principle be weakened — but "cannot be reduced" is not without exception. Sections 6.2 to 6.4 of the compliance rules allow reductions in three specified situations (overseas territorial coverage, ward-class adjustment, and restrictions by choice of healthcare provider for supplementary benefits), and section 6.5 opens a further route, available only with the Bureau's individual approval, by which a qualifying Flexi Plan may add a deductible, coinsurance and a lifetime benefit limit even at the basic benefits level.

Section 1.5 of the product compliance rules provides that the product design of the Standard Plan is essentially fixed, its terms and benefits having to equal the minimum compliance requirements for certified plans, referred to as the "basic benefits"; section 1.6 provides that a Flexi Plan must offer "supplementary benefits" on top of the basic benefits, and must be designed to satisfy the "better benefits principle", meaning that compared with the Standard Plan it brings the customer higher protection and does not adversely affect the policyholder's entitlements under the basic benefits (save in the circumstances described in section 6.5) [Note 44].

The three-row table at section 1.8 draws the line most clearly: basic benefits — a Standard Plan must include them, a Flexi Plan must include them; supplementary benefits — a Standard Plan must not include them, a Flexi Plan must; other benefits — either may include them or not. So a plan is not "flexi" merely because it has more in it: without supplementary benefits it cannot be called a Flexi Plan, and with them it cannot be called a Standard Plan.

What counts as a "supplementary benefit"? Section 4.2 divides them into two categories. Category 1 is enhancement built on the Standard Plan framework: higher benefit limits, additional benefit items, reducing or removing the 30% coinsurance on prescribed diagnostic imaging tests, and amendments more favourable to the policyholder (for example narrowing the general exclusions, or shortening the waiting period for pre-existing conditions unknown at application). Category 2 is prescribed by the Bureau and set out in Annex I [Note 45].

Note item (iv) of category 1: the waiting period may be shortened. The three-year ladder above is the Standard Plan's floor, and a Flexi Plan may do better — item 24 of the glossary to the code of practice likewise states in terms that a Flexi Plan may set a shorter waiting period or higher reimbursement rates. Before buying a Flexi Plan it is worth asking directly: is the waiting period, and are the reimbursement rates, the same as the Standard Plan's?

What may a Flexi Plan reduce? Sections 6.2 to 6.4 of the compliance rules list three — coverage of eligible medical expenses outside Hong Kong may be reduced; a plan with a prescribed ward class may adjust the benefit payable where the insured person occupies a higher class of ward (but no adjustment may be made where the upgrade is due to a shortage of emergency rooms, to isolation required by the condition, or to any other reason not involving personal preference); and the supplementary benefits part may be restricted by choice of healthcare provider. All three carry the same restriction: they must not affect the "basic benefits" equivalent to the Standard Plan [Note 46].

And the sentence "must be clearly set out in the policy terms and conditions and/or the benefit schedule" appears not only in the ward paragraph — sections 6.2, 6.3 and 6.4 all end with almost the same sentence, so this is a right you can use directly, and there is more than one of them. The rules for adjusting by ward class, together with "definitions of all ward classes" (which the rules say must cover at least hospitals in Hong Kong), are paragraph 6.3(b); the definition of the restricted territory and the rules for adjusting coverage are paragraph 6.2; and the latest list of approved healthcare providers is paragraph 6.4. All three must be clearly set out in the policy terms and conditions and/or the benefit schedule. That is: not only "how much is deducted if I occupy a ward above the prescribed class", but also "how much is reimbursable for treatment overseas" and "who counts as an in-network healthcare provider" — none of these should be numbers a salesperson explains verbally; they should be in writing in the documents you receive, and if you cannot find any one of the three, ask to be shown the page.

The same goes for deductibles and coinsurance: sections 3.16 and 3.17 allow a Flexi Plan to impose them only on "supplementary benefits", "other benefits" or in the circumstances described in section 6.5; and section 3.18 forbids a lifetime benefit limit except under section 6.5.

The consumer-facing version is at official FAQ question 21: a Standard Plan offers terms and benefits equal to the minimum compliance requirements, and because the terms are standardised, Standard Plans from different insurers are largely the same apart from a very small number of permitted minor variations; a Flexi Plan offers the basic benefits equivalent to the Standard Plan plus flexible supplementary benefits [Note 47].

Two floors are worth remembering: FAQ question 10 notes that the basic benefits of all certified plans (the whole of a Standard Plan, and the part of a Flexi Plan equivalent to a Standard Plan) provide free choice of hospital and doctor; question 12 notes that the basic benefits of both Standard and Flexi Plans must provide worldwide coverage, except psychiatric treatments, which are confined to Hong Kong. A Flexi Plan's supplementary benefits may be tied to a medical network or restricted by territory; the basic benefits layer may not.

For a point-by-point comparison of Standard and Flexi, see the article on VHIS Standard Plan versus Flexi Plan.

⚠️ For anyone reassured by a salesperson saying the plan is VHIS and government-certified: "the basic benefits cannot be weakened" is not without exception. As a general matter the basic benefits of a certified plan indeed cannot be cut, but section 6.5 opens a door, passable only with the Bureau's individual approval, through which a Flexi Plan meeting six conditions (including a cap on deductible plus coinsurance at 3% of the annual benefit limit) may add a deductible, coinsurance and/or a lifetime benefit limit to the basic benefits at plan level. The network restrictions, territorial restrictions, deductibles and ward-class adjustments on the supplementary layer are designed by each company and can differ enormously between plans — though the definitions and adjustment rules for network and territorial restrictions, and the definitions and adjustment rules for ward classes, must all three be written into the policy terms and conditions and/or the benefit schedule, so you can ask about each and read each.

#Premiums: the government publishes a summary table, but does not regulate premiums

Both sentences hold at once, and together they are the scheme's core design: transparency in place of price control.

FAQ question 24 says: the Health Bureau does not regulate the premiums of certified plans, but participating insurers must publish the premium schedules of their certified plans so that consumers can consult and compare them, and the premium schedules of all certified plans can be consulted on the VHIS official website [Note 48].

The specific transparency requirements are at section 4.10 of the code of practice, all five of which are at [Note 49]: a standard premium schedule banded by age, sex and other factors (which must at minimum be provided through the company's website); the definition of "age" (last birthday, next birthday or nearest birthday); how premium discounts operate, if any; the levy collected by the Insurance Authority; and charges for other fees, if any.

In other words: the premium schedule must be banded by age and sex, must be on the company's website, must state how "age" is counted, and must account for discounts and levies — the provision governs disclosure, not price.

Besides each company's own premium schedule, the Health Bureau also compiles a cross-company table of its own: the Summary of Standard Premium of VHIS Standard Plan (HKD), in two files, female and male, each marked within the file "as at 17 July 2026". It lists annual standard premiums by single year of age from 0 to 100, across 43 data columns covering 30 providers — one company can occupy more than one column, because some price separately for a "standalone policy" and a "rider", and some split columns by band of entry age.

One passage in the table's own "notes to readers" is the one consumers most need to remember: standard premiums are usually set by age and adjusted on renewal, which means that the standard premium shown in the table for an age higher than your current age may be adjusted by the time you reach that age [Note 50]. The same passage also states that the table should not be read as the Health Bureau recommending any particular product or insurer to anyone, and that it excludes the premium levy collected by the Insurance Authority, differences between payment methods, premium discounts, smoker/non-smoker differences, and loadings charged for higher health risks.

In other words: the figures in the table are "standard premiums", not what you will finally pay.

The table below gives annual standard premiums by age for two providers. This is a single-measure data matrix — every cell is the same kind of thing (an annual standard premium), and the ages running across are the reason the table exists, so it keeps every age column and is presented in a horizontally scrollable container; removing any column would remove a published figure, and splitting one row into two tables would destroy the comparison for one applicant from age 0 to age 80.

These are two of the 30 providers, not the market. They are listed because their figures can be checked cell by cell against the certified plan premium schedules each publishes (one of which publishes monthly figures that match exactly when annualised).

How wide is the spread between companies? On the government's own summary, across all filled columns at the same age: for a woman of 30 there are 34 filled columns, from $2,070 (Liberty International Insurance Limited, standalone policy) to $4,230 (Dah Sing Insurance Company Limited, standalone policy); for a man of 30, 34 columns, from $1,620 (Avo Insurance Company Limited, standalone policy) to $4,104 (Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Company (Hong Kong) Limited, standalone policy); for a woman of 50, 34 columns, from $4,212 (Bowtie Life Insurance Company Limited, standalone policy) to $8,488 (Blue Cross (Asia-Pacific) Insurance Limited, standalone policy); for a man of 50, 34 columns, from $3,524 (Avo Insurance Company Limited, standalone policy) to $7,718 (Blue Cross (Asia-Pacific) Insurance Limited, standalone policy).

Why does this article talk only about ages 30 and 50? Because past 60 the number of filled columns starts to rise (35 at 60, 39 at 70, 43 at 80) — and the extra ones are renewal-only columns. Take age 60: of the 35 filled columns, one already shows a new-business entry age of 0-59 and a renewal age of 60-99, so its figure at 60 is a renewal price, not a new-business price. The summary also carries, for each column, both the new-business entry age and the renewal age, and taking the highest and lowest figures straight off the table at the higher ages runs renewal prices together with new-business prices. To compare new-business premiums above 60, you must first read each column's own new-business entry age range.

Another comparison trap: the definition of age is not itself uniform. The summary's column headers show most columns with a new-business entry age of "0-80", but some read "attained age nearest a birthday 0-81" and "next birthday age 1-81", while other companies split into bands such as "0-59 / 60-69 / 70-80" or "0-64 / 65-70 / 71-75 / 76-99". Section 4.10(b) of the code of practice requires each company to disclose its definition of age precisely because "60" under different definitions is not the same group of people.

Two points have to be stated here. First, the Standard Plan's basic benefits are uniform by rule, so a difference in premium is not a difference in cover. Second, this site does not assess, rank or recommend any insurer or any product; the figures above serve only to show how the government's published data should be read.

A record on one name: the summary table and the Chinese pages of the VHIS website give the company name as 「大新保險有限公司（前為「大新保險(1976) 有限公司」）」; the English list page of the same website shows the bracketed year in "Dah Sing Insurance Co (1967) Ltd". Both spellings were present on government websites on 1 August 2026; this article records the fact without deciding between them.

⚠️ For anyone planning to compare on price: since the Standard Plan's terms are uniform, prices genuinely can be compared directly — but compare the same form (standalone policy or rider), the same definition of age, and the same new-business or renewal status, and remember that the figures in the table exclude the levy and exclude any loading.

#Two official documents that describe the same exemption differently

This is the clearest internal official contradiction this article found, and it runs against the consumer.

Background: neither Standard nor Flexi Plans may in principle impose a lifetime benefit limit (compliance rules sections 2.16 and 3.18). But section 6.5 opens a door — with the Bureau's approval, certain Flexi Plans may add a deductible, coinsurance and/or a lifetime benefit limit at plan level, subject to six conditions, the full text of which is at [Note 51]: an annual benefit limit of at least HK$5 million; at least 10 of the 12 benefit items free of any individual benefit limit, individual deductible and/or coinsurance; total out-of-pocket deductibles and coinsurance in each policy year not exceeding 3% of the annual benefit limit; an option with no deductible and no coinsurance offered before the policy takes effect; at least one opportunity after it takes effect to switch without re-underwriting; and a lifetime benefit limit of at least 4 times the annual benefit limit.

Official FAQ question 9 (page reviewed 9 July 2026) lists only three conditions for the same exemption [Note 52].

The cell that matters most is the cap on the deductible. The "not exceeding 3% of the annual benefit limit" at section 6.5(c) is a direct consumer protection: on the rules' own example, an annual benefit limit of HK$5 million caps deductibles plus coinsurance at HK$150,000 for the year. The FAQ does not mention it at all.

Which governs? Paragraph 7 of the introduction to the policy template answers it: the Bureau will review and revise the scheme documents from time to time, and may from time to time clarify or elaborate parts of them (for instance by way of an FAQ), but that information does not form part of the scheme documents and serves only as guidance on interpreting or elaborating them [Note 53].

The product compliance rules are a scheme document; the FAQ is not. But the FAQ page's review date (9 July 2026) is four years later than the compliance rules' version date (1 July 2022), and the FAQ adds a HK$20 million floor that the rules do not contain. This article prints both and points out that the scheme documents are the rules themselves; it does not claim to know which reflects the Bureau's current practice.

⚠️ For anyone considering a Flexi Plan with a deductible that advertises a "high benefit limit": ask whether the plan is a section 6.5 exemption product. If it is, ask what the annual cap on deductible plus coinsurance is, whether an option with no deductible was ever offered before the policy took effect, and when that one re-underwriting-free switch falls due after it takes effect. All four are rights the rules spell out.

#Tax deduction: the one part of VHIS that really was legislated

The only part of the whole scheme that has passed through the Legislative Council is the tax deduction.

The government's press release of 1 March 2018 announcing the scheme details says that the government would amend the law to provide a tax deduction under VHIS, that premiums paid by a person for themselves and for their dependants would be deductible, that the annual cap on deductible premiums would be $8,000 per insured person, and that there is no limit on the number of dependants for whom a deduction may be claimed [Note 54].

The law itself: the Inland Revenue (Amendment) (No. 4) Bill 2018 was passed by the Legislative Council on 31 October 2018, having been gazetted on 18 May 2018. Paragraph 4 of the policy template provides that premiums paid for a certified plan on or after 1 April 2019 are eligible for a tax deduction. Paragraph 7.4 of the 2017 consultation report states the converse: products not complying with the VHIS requirements will not receive tax concessions.

A deduction is a deduction, not a rebate. The cap is $8,000 of qualifying premiums per insured person per year, and how much less tax you actually pay depends on your marginal rate; this article calculates no one's personal tax.

And there is one condition the press release did not state, spelled out only in the FAQ: the insured person must themselves be a Hong Kong resident. Question 29 says the insured person must be a Hong Kong resident for the policy to qualify for a tax deduction. The press release says only that premiums paid by a person for themselves and for their dependants are deductible, without listing the insured person's residence status. Read together they are complete: there is no limit on the number of dependants, but every insured person for whom a deduction is claimed must be a Hong Kong resident.

How many people actually use it? The Health Bureau's reply to the fifth Legislative Council question of 4 December 2024 gives, for three years of assessment, the number of taxpayers, the total qualifying premiums involved, and the proportion of insured persons receiving the deduction in full (about 74%) — the full text for all three years is at [Note 55].

The same reply also gives the scale of the scheme: as at 31 March 2024 the number of certified plan policies was approximately 一百三十四萬 — the reply's own Chinese figure, roughly one and a third million — of which 97% of insured persons had bought a Flexi Plan; and among all insured persons, more than half (about 53%) were under 40, about 35% were aged 40 to 59, and about 12% were 60 or above [Note 56]. On effectiveness, the same reply takes this position: the scheme has been running for about five years, three of them spanning the COVID pandemic, and it is too early to pronounce on its effectiveness [Note 57].

Put those two figures together and the scheme's real centre of gravity appears. There are 1.341 million policies, of which 97% of insured persons bought a Flexi Plan — which is to say that the Standard Plan this article has spent so much space unpacking is the one most people will never buy, and yet is the floor beneath the policy they did buy. The Standard Plan's real function is to be the floor below which no Flexi Plan may fall, and to be the door each company must keep permanently open.

As for claims performance, the most recent official publication is the press release of 2 September 2022, with data for 2021: the great majority (93%) of claims were paid, of which about 39% were paid in full, about 65% at a reimbursement ratio of 90 per cent or above, and about 78% at 80 per cent or above, with an overall reimbursement ratio for the year averaging about 89% [Note 58].

Those figures are for 2021 and were published in September 2022. The VHIS website's press release list shows no comparable statistics published since. Read them with their denominator in mind: all claims for the year, across plan types and across ages.

⚠️ For anyone taking out a policy for a parent and counting on the tax deduction: the cap is $8,000 of qualifying premiums per year for each insured person, with no limit on the number of dependants; but the insured person must themselves be a Hong Kong resident for the policy to qualify. What is actually deducted still depends on the qualifying premiums actually paid, and that figure of 74% describes the proportion of insured persons receiving the deduction in full in the 2022/23 year of assessment, not your case.

#What to do next

1. First confirm that what you are buying is a certified plan. Only certified plans attract all the rules described in this article, and only their premiums are deductible. Individual hospital insurance not meeting the minimum requirements is still lawfully sold in the market — that was a policy decision taken in 2017, not a loophole.
2. If you are declined or loaded, remember two things. First, a company may decline only after a fair and reasonable underwriting process, and should explain the reason to you; second, there is no cap on the loading, because that cap was deferred along with the high risk pool and never implemented.
3. Ask about the waiting period. For a Standard Plan it is 0% in the first year, 25% in the second, 50% in the third and full from the fourth. A Flexi Plan may be shorter or higher; the rules say so expressly, and it is worth asking directly.
4. If you are considering a Flexi Plan with a deductible, ask four questions. Is this a section 6.5 exemption product; what is the annual cap on deductible plus coinsurance (the rule is 3% of the annual benefit limit); was an option with no deductible ever offered before the policy took effect; and when does that one re-underwriting-free switch fall due afterwards.
5. Before moving house or changing jobs, read your policy once. Check whether it has adopted those two [if applicable] residence and occupation clauses. If it has, either event can trigger re-underwriting, and the template itself says the outcome "may be favourable or unfavourable".
6. When comparing premiums, line up three things. The same form (standalone policy or rider), the same definition of age, and the same new-business or renewal status. Above 60, read each column's own new-business entry age range first, or you will take a renewal price for a new-business one.
7. Two limits to remember on the tax deduction. $8,000 of qualifying premiums per insured person per year, with no limit on the number of dependants; but every insured person for whom a deduction is claimed must be a Hong Kong resident.
8. For the certified plan lists and the premium schedules, use the VHIS official website; the article comparing Standard and Flexi Plans item by item is linked under further reading below.

#Frequently asked questions

Is VHIS required by law?

No. Paragraph 6 of the introduction to the policy template says in terms that the scheme documents are not statutory documents. Insurers register voluntarily and consumers buy voluntarily; the insurers themselves are regulated by the Insurance Authority under the Insurance Ordinance. The only law enacted for VHIS is the Inland Revenue (Amendment) (No. 4) Bill 2018, passed on 31 October 2018, which is about the tax deduction on premiums.

How much is paid in the first year for an unknown pre-existing condition?

Nothing. The table at section 4 of Part 6 of the policy template says "first policy year | no coverage", with 25% and 50% in the second and third policy years and full reimbursement from the fourth. The summaries on the government web page and in the FAQ start at "the second year" and do not state the first year.

Is that 25% in the second year 25% of the bill or 25% of the limit?

The Chinese policy template writes 「按保障限額賠償百分之二十五」, that is, on the basis of the benefit limit; the English says only "25% reimbursement", without stating the basis. Both versions are official and of equal effect; the template provides that ambiguity must be resolved in the way more favourable to the policyholder, while inconsistency between the two versions is finally determined by the Health Bureau. This article does not determine it.

Is a congenital condition covered in full the moment the child turns 8?

No. The age of 8 is the line between excluded and covered (exclusion 12 excludes conditions manifesting or diagnosed before 8), but FAQ question 8(f)(ii) also says that a congenital condition manifesting or diagnosed from the age of 8 is subject to the same reimbursement arrangement as pre-existing conditions unknown at application, that is, the same ladder of 0% in the first year, 25% in the second, 50% in the third and full from the fourth. That condition appears only in the FAQ; the policy template sets no separate waiting-period table for congenital conditions, and the FAQ does not form part of the scheme documents.

I am not a Hong Kong resident — can I buy one?

FAQ question 29 says yes, but two things have to be kept apart: an insurer has no "must consider" duty towards a non-Hong Kong resident insured person, and whether to accept is for the company to decide according to its business practice; and the insured person must be a Hong Kong resident for the policy to qualify for a tax deduction.

How many certified plans are actually on the market?

The official FAQ (reviewed 9 July 2026) says 100 plans and 573 products as at 30 June 2026; counting the certified list pages item by item (pages' own date 17 July 2026) gives 103 products and 579 certification numbers, or 91 products after applying the website's own filters. The government has published no counting rule, the two figures do not agree, and this article prints both.

Does "guaranteed renewal to 100" mean the premium will not go up?

No. Section 2 of Part 4 of the policy template provides that the insurer may adjust the standard premium for all policies in the same class by reference to the standard premium schedule then in use; what it may not do is raise the premium loading rate or add exclusions because of a change in an individual insured person's health. FAQ question 24 also states in terms that the Health Bureau does not regulate the premiums of certified plans.

Is the waiting period the same for a Standard Plan and a Flexi Plan?

Not necessarily. Three policy years at 0% / 25% / 50% is what the Standard Plan requires; section 4.2(a)(iv) of the product compliance rules allows a Flexi Plan to shorten "the waiting period for pre-existing conditions unknown at application" as a supplementary benefit, and item 24 of the glossary to the code of practice likewise says a Flexi Plan may set a shorter waiting period or higher reimbursement rates. Each plan has to be read for itself.

#Notes: the official texts

[Note 1] VHIS Certified Plan Policy Template, paragraph 1 of the introduction:

The Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme (VHIS) is a policy initiative of the Health Bureau (the Bureau, formerly the Food and Health Bureau) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (the Government) for individual indemnity hospital insurance products. Participation by insurance companies and by consumers is voluntary. (our translation from the Chinese original)

Chinese original:

自願醫保計劃（簡稱「自願醫保」）是香港特別行政區政府（簡稱「政府」）醫務衞生局（簡稱「局方」，前稱「食物及衞生局」）就個人償款住院保險產品推出的一項政策措施。保險公司和消費者的參與均屬自願性質。

[Note 2] The same document, paragraph 6, in the source's English:

The Scheme Documents are non-statutory in nature. They should not supplant or conflict with any applicable statutes, laws, rules, regulations, codes or guidelines.

[Note 3] Product compliance rules, section 1.2(a): a certified plan must be either (i) an insurance contract of Class 2 (sickness) under Part 3 of Schedule 1 to the Insurance Ordinance (Cap. 41) providing benefits of an indemnity nature, or (ii) in the source's English, a contract which

combines long term business and additional business of the nature in relation to Class 2 (sickness) following paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 1 to the Insurance Ordinance (Chapter 41), for example by writing an insurance policy with both life and medical coverage or writing a medical insurance rider attached to and forming part of a life insurance policy

Section 9.6:

Under the Inland Revenue Ordinance (Cap. 112), qualifying premiums for a VHIS policy are eligible for a tax deduction. (our translation from the Chinese original)

Chinese original:

根據《稅務條例》（第112 章），有關自願醫保計劃保單的合資格保費具備條件作稅項扣除。

[Note 4] The VHIS official website, "Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme" page (reviewed 27 July 2022):

To raise the level of protection of hospital insurance products / to give the public an additional choice of using private healthcare services through hospital insurance / in the long run, to relieve the pressure on public hospitals (our translation from the Chinese original)

Chinese original:

提升住院保險產品的保障水平／為市民提供多一個選擇，透過住院保險而使用私營醫療服務／長遠可望減低公立醫院壓力

[Note 5] The same page:

As with all other insurance business, all VHIS providers are supervised and regulated by the Insurance Authority under the Insurance Ordinance. In addition, VHIS providers must comply with the rules laid down by the scheme, including the product compliance requirements and the code of practice. (our translation from the Chinese original)

Chinese original:

正如所有其他保險業務一樣，所有自願醫保計劃的產品提供者均受保險業監管局根據《保險業條例》的監督及規管。此外，自願醫保計劃的產品提供者必須遵守計劃所訂的規則，包括產品合規要求及實務守則。

[Note 6] Report on Consultation on Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme (January 2017), paragraph 7.6:

Given the divergent views of the public on the proposal to establish a high risk pool and on the revisions to the "minimum requirements" (see paragraphs 7.7 to 7.10 below), we consider it more prudent to further study and reassess the impact and financial model of a high risk pool. To avoid delaying the implementation of the Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme, we propose a phased approach, considering separately the proposal for a high risk pool and the need for legislation. (our translation from the Chinese original)

Chinese original:

鑑於市民對設立高風險池的建議和「最低要求」的修訂意見分歧( 請參閱下文第7.7 至7.10 段)，我們認為較審慎的做法，是再研究和重新評估高風險池的影響和財政模式。為免令自願醫保計劃延遲實施，我們建議採取分階段的做法，另行考慮高風險池的建議及立法的需要。

[Note 7] The same report:

7.7 We propose certain modifications to the "minimum requirements" originally proposed. Specifically, since the implementation of "guaranteed acceptance with a capped premium loading" and policy "portability" depends on whether a high risk pool is established, we propose that these two "minimum requirements" be dealt with at a later stage together with the high risk pool. (our translation from the Chinese original)

Chinese original:

7.7 我們提出對原建議的「最低要求」作出若干修訂。具體而言，由於實行「必定承保而附加保費率設有上限」及保單「自由行」，取決於是否設立高風險池，我們建議這兩項「最低要求」在較後階段才與高風險池一併處理。

[Note 8] The same report:

7.4 On this, some respondents proposed allowing underwriters to sell products that might not fully comply with the "minimum requirements". Some took the view that consumer choice matters a great deal and that existing insurance plans should not be entirely barred from the market. To protect consumers while giving them ample choice, we propose to allow underwriters to launch and sell in the market individual hospital insurance products that do not comply with the "minimum requirements", so as to meet the needs of some consumers. […] For the avoidance of doubt, products not complying with the requirements of the Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme will not receive tax concessions. (our translation from the Chinese original)

Chinese original:

7.4 就此，有回應者建議准許承保機構銷售可能不完全符合「最低要求」的產品。有意見認為消費者的選擇相當重要，也不應完全禁止現有保險計劃在市場出售。為了在保障消費者的同時，也讓消費者得到充分的選擇，我們建議准許承保機構在市場推出和銷售不符合「最低要求」的個人住院保險產品，以滿足部分消費者的需要。[…] 為免生疑問，不符合自願醫保計劃規定的產品不會獲稅項寬減。

[Note 9] The same report:

7.8 Having carefully considered the views received and weighed consumer protection, product choice and premium affordability, we propose that in accepting an application from a person taking out a "Standard Plan", underwriters may offer the applicant an alternative with case-based exclusions but a lower premium (that is, avoiding the premium loading an underwriter might charge for covering pre-existing conditions). This relaxation allows policyholders in poor health to obtain insurance and protection even without the guaranteed acceptance requirement of the original proposal (which had a high risk pool), and there is therefore a need to implement it. (our translation from the Chinese original)

Chinese original:

7.8 我們仔細考慮收集所得的意見，並權衡消費者保障、產品選擇和保費負擔後，建議承保機構在接納投購「標準計劃」的人士投保時，可向投保人士提供另一個設有個別不承保項目、但保費較低的選擇（即避免繳付承保機構因要為投保前已有病症提供保障而可能收取的附加保費）。這項放寬安排讓健康欠佳的保單持有人，即使沒有原建議（設有高風險池）中必定承保的規定，也能夠投保和獲得保障，因此有需要予以實施。

[Note 10] Research Office of the Legislative Council Secretariat, Research Brief, Issue No. 3 of 2017–2018 (3 July 2018), the first two points of paragraph 4.3:

There are, however, concerns in the community as to whether the Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme can achieve those objectives. First, the regulatory mechanism is purely voluntary and is confined to certified plans under the scheme. As for the non-complying policies already in the market, they remain "lightly regulated". Medical underwriters may still sell those products without having to face the product limitations noted above. Secondly, following the completion of the public consultation in 2017, the minimum product requirements of the Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme do not include the two major high risk pool proposals of "guaranteed renewal" and policy "portability", weakening the scheme's overall attractiveness. (our translation from the Chinese original)

Chinese original:

然而，社會上存在自願醫保能否達成上述目標的關注。首先，規管機制純屬自願性質，並只限於自願醫保下的認可產品。至於市場上現有不符合規定的保單，仍然"少有規管"。醫療承保機構仍可銷售這些產品，而毋須正視上文提及的產品局限。其次，在2017 年的公眾諮詢完成後，自願醫保的最低產品要求並無納入高風險池的"保證續保"和"保單自由行"兩大建議，削弱自願醫保的整體吸引力。

[Note 11] Government press release "Government announces details of Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme", 1 March 2018:

A spokesman for the Food and Health Bureau said: "The Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme hopes to encourage more people to use private healthcare services through hospital insurance, and so to relieve the pressure on the public healthcare system in the long run." And: "The Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme will provide a number of standardised product features to strengthen consumer confidence in buying hospital insurance so that they may use private healthcare services when needed. In addition, the guarantee of lifelong renewal encourages people to buy hospital insurance while young. The Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme provides a reference standard of basic protection, helping to drive up the level of protection of hospital insurance products that currently have lower benefit limits or a more limited scope of coverage." (our translation from the Chinese original)

Chinese original:

食物及衞生局發言人說：「自願醫保希望鼓勵更多人透過住院保險而使用私營醫療服務，從而長遠減輕公營醫療系統的壓力。」 發言人說：「自願醫保將提供多項標準化的產品特點，以增強消費者購買住院保險的信心，以便他們在需要時使用私營醫療服務。此外，終身續保保證可鼓勵市民於年輕時購買住院保險。自願醫保提供了一個基本保障的參考標準，有助推動一些現時保障額較低或保障範圍較有限的住院保險產品提升保障水平。」

[Note 12] Policy template, paragraph 3 of the introduction:

The scheme is implemented and administered by the Bureau. An insurance company intending to launch a product complying with the VHIS requirements must first register as a VHIS provider and apply for certification of the Standard Plan and Flexi Plans (if any) it intends to launch as certified plans complying with the VHIS requirements, before it may market those products as certified plans. The Bureau began accepting applications from insurance companies for registration and product certification on 1 December 2018. (our translation from the Chinese original)

Chinese original:

本計劃由局方執行和管理，保險公司如有意推出符合自願醫保規定的產品，必須先註冊為自願醫保的產品提供者，並就有意推出的標準計劃及靈活計劃（如適用）申請認可為符合自願醫保規定的認可產品，方可將有關產品以認可產品的名義推出市場。局方已由2018 年12 月1 日起接受保險公司的註冊及產品認可申請。

[Note 13] Code of practice, in the source's English:

2.3 Companies are required to make available a Standard Plan duly certified by HHB for new application at all times when they are registered as a VHIS Provider.

[Note 14] The same document, in the source's English:

2.4 Companies are allowed to offer Flexi Plans or not, and the number of Flexi Plan on offer is not restricted. After offering a certified Flexi Plan in the market, the Company concerned is allowed to cease receiving applications for such Flexi Plan at its discretion, but is required to continue to renew the policies issued under the Certified Plans according to the relevant requirements as stated in Part 4 of the VHIS Certified Plan Policy Template.

[Note 15] Official FAQ question 22. The English version:

there were 100 Certified Plans available in the market (including Standard Plan and Flexi Plans) which altogether offered 573 products.

The Chinese version:

有多少認可產品可供投保? 截至2026年6月30日，市場上認可產品的數目達100款（包括標準計劃及靈活計劃），合共提供573種方案。

[Note 16] The 5 notes below the Standard Plan benefit schedule, in the source's English:

(1) Eligible Expenses incurred in respect of the same item shall not be recoverable under more than one benefit item in the table above. (2) The Company shall have the right to ask for proof of recommendation e.g. written referral or testifying statement on the claim form by the attending doctor or Registered Medical Practitioner. (3) Tests covered here only include computed tomography ("CT" scan), magnetic resonance imaging ("MRI" scan), positron emission tomography ("PET" scan), PET-CT combined and PET-MRI combined. (4) Treatments covered here only include radiotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy and hormonal therapy. (5) The percentage here applies to the Surgeon's fee actually payable or the benefit limit for the Surgeon's fee according to the surgical categorisation, whichever is the lower.

[Note 17] Policy template, Part 6 section 3(f):

If the surgery to be performed is not listed in the surgical schedule, the company may reasonably determine the classification of that surgery by reference to the gazette published by the government or other relevant publications or information, including but not limited to fee schedules recognised by the government, the relevant regulatory bodies and medical bodies of the place where the surgery is performed. (our translation from the Chinese original)

Chinese original:

若需進行的手術並無列於手術表內，本公司可按照政府刊登的憲報或其他相關出版物或資料，包括但不限於在進行該手術的所在地，其政府、相關監管機構及醫學組織認可的收費表，合理地決定該手術的分類。

[Note 18] Code of practice, in the source's English:

2.5 Companies are required to consider applications for Certified Plans in relation to persons to be insured who are – (a) Hong Kong residents1; and (b) aged between 15 days and 80 years 2. 2 This requirement may be exempted for the Certified Plans of which the product design is targeted at particular age groups, such as people in younger ages.

The Chinese footnote:

1 It includes holders of a Hong Kong identity card and children under 11 who are Hong Kong residents. (our translation from the Chinese original)

Chinese original:

1包括香港身份證持有人，及身為香港居民的11 歲以下兒童。

[Note 19] Official FAQ question 29:

If I am not a Hong Kong resident, can I take out a certified plan? Yes. But the insured person must be a Hong Kong resident for the policy to qualify for a tax deduction. Under the rules of the Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme, if the insured person is a Hong Kong resident aged between 15 days and 80 years, a participating insurance company is required to consider that person's application for a certified plan. Even so, an insurance company may decide according to its business practice whether to accept an application with a non-Hong Kong resident as the insured person. (our translation from the Chinese original)

Chinese original:

假如我並非香港居民，我可不可以投保認可產品? 可以。但受保人必須為香港居民，有關保單方可申請稅務扣除。根據自願醫保計劃的規則，若受保人為香港居民及年齡介乎15天至80歲，參與計劃的保險公司必須考慮有關受保人投保認可產品的申請。儘管如此，保險公司可根據其業務常規，自行決定是否接受非香港居民的受保人之投保申請。

[Note 20] Official FAQ question 30, in the source's English:

The participating insurance companies may decline an application after a fair and reasonable underwriting process in accordance with the principles set out in the Code of Practice under VHIS.

[Note 21] Product compliance rules, section 2.11, in the source's English:

Companies offering Standard Plan are required to consider applications in relation to persons to be insured who are Hong Kong residents, and aged between 15 days and 80 years. A Standard Plan is not allowed to target at particular age groups of customers.

[Note 22] The same document, in the source's English:

2.12 Certain Other Benefits under a Standard Plan may target at a particular age group (e.g. younger age groups) subject to the approval by HHB. The targeted age group and the relevant product design must be specified in the application for product certification.

[Note 23] Code of practice, section 2.8:

A company may carry out underwriting on applications for all certified plans, and on accepting an application may charge a premium loading and/or add case-based exclusion provisions, decline the application, or defer processing the application for want of information. (our translation from the Chinese original)

Chinese original:

保險公司可就所有認可產品的投保申請進行核保程序，並可在接受申請時收取附加保費及/或加入個別不保項目條文、拒絕投保申請，或因資料不足而押後處理申請。

[Note 24] Policy template, Part 2 section 2:

(b) No premium will be refunded if a benefit has been paid or is to be paid. The above right of cancellation does not apply on renewal. (our translation from the Chinese original)

Chinese original:

(b) 若曾獲賠償或將獲得賠償，則不獲發還保費。上述取消的權利並不適用於續保。

Code of practice section 4.15, in the source's English: "The cooling-off period lasts for 21 days (or longer if offered by Companies) after the Delivery of the policy or the cooling-off notice…".

[Note 25] The definition in Part 8 of the policy template, in the source's English:

"Pre-existing Condition(s)" shall mean, in respect of the Insured Person, any Sickness, Disease, Injury, physical, mental or medical condition or physiological degradation, including Congenital Condition, that has existed prior to the Policy Issuance Date or the Policy Effective Date, whichever is the earlier. An ordinary prudent person shall be reasonably aware of a Pre-existing Condition, where - (a) it has been diagnosed; (b) it has manifested clear and distinct signs or symptoms; or (c) medical advice or treatment has been sought, recommended or received.

[Note 26] Policy template, Part 6 section 4 (a two-column table in the original; the two columns are separated below by 「｜」):

First policy year | no coverage / Second policy year | reimbursement of 25% of the benefit limit / Third policy year | reimbursement of 50% of the benefit limit / Fourth policy year onwards | reimbursement of the benefit limit in full (our translation from the Chinese original)

Chinese original:

首個保單年度｜沒有保障／第二個保單年度｜按保障限額賠償百分之二十五／第三個保單年度｜按保障限額賠償百分之五十／第四個保單年度起｜按保障限額全數賠償

[Note 27] The VHIS website's "key product features of certified plans", in the source's English:

Unknown pre-existing conditions — partial coverage will be provided in the second year (25%) and the third year (50%) after policy inception, and full coverage (100%) thereafter

[Note 28] Official FAQ question 17, in the source's English:

According to the terms and conditions, all Certified Plans will provide partial coverage of unknown pre-existing conditions in the second and third year after policy inception, at 25% and 50% respectively. Full coverage i.e. 100% will be provided from the fourth year onwards.

[Note 29] Item 24 of the glossary to the code of practice (item 25 of the glossary to the product compliance rules carries the same passage), in the source's English:

Waiting Period for Unknown Pre-existing Conditions — A period after issuance of a VHIS policy during which the Policy Holder is not eligible for, partially or fully, benefit coverage of Pre-existing Conditions that the Policy Holder is not aware of and will not reasonably have been aware of. For the Standard Plan, the waiting period is set at three Policy Years, with reimbursement ratio at 0%, 25% and 50% for the first three Policy Years respectively. A shorter waiting period or higher reimbursement ratio is encouraged for Flexi Plans.

[Note 30] Code of practice, section 4.16(b), in the source's English:

That the Waiting Period for Unknown Pre-existing Conditions should not be affected (i.e. the Insured Person can enjoy 25% reimbursement for unknown Pre-existing Conditions immediately after renewal of the first Policy Year even if it lasts for less than 12 months).

The opening words of section 4.16 provide that the first policy year may run to less than 12 months only where the applicant requests it and the insurance company agrees.

[Note 31] The English policy template, Part 6 section 4 (a two-column table in the original; the two columns are separated below by 「｜」):

First Policy Year｜no coverage／Second Policy Year｜25% reimbursement／Third Policy Year｜50% reimbursement／Fourth Policy Year onwards｜full coverage

[Note 32] Policy template, Part 2 section 1, in the source's English:

These Terms and Benefits have been prepared in both English and Chinese. Both English and Chinese versions are official versions and neither one shall prevail over the other. Any inconsistency shall be interpreted in favour of the Policy Holder.

[Note 33] The same document, paragraph (9) of the preamble:

Because Chinese and English are structured differently, the words, expressions and sentence structures used in one language version of this policy template may not be exactly the same as those in the other. In translation, therefore, a pragmatic rather than a literal approach has to be taken in choosing words, expressions and sentence structures… (our translation from the Chinese original)

Chinese original:

由於中文與英文語言結構不同，本保單範本在一種語言版本所用的詞彙、用語及句子結構未必跟另一種語言版本完全相同。因此在翻譯時，亦需採取務實而非字面直譯的方式來選擇詞彙、用語及句子結構…

[Note 34] Policy template, paragraph 8 of the introduction, in the source's English:

HHB reserves the final right to – (a) interpret the Scheme Documents, including the right to determine the meaning of the rules in both English and Chinese versions and to resolve inconsistency, if any, between the two versions of the same Scheme Document; and (b) grant exemption from compliance with part of the Scheme Documents under exceptional circumstances.

[Note 35] Policy template, the last paragraph of Part 6 section 4:

The company must bear the burden of proof in such a case. (our translation from the Chinese original)

Chinese original:

本公司必須就此情況負上舉證的責任。

The same section also provides:

If the policyholder or the insured person was not aware, and would not reasonably have been aware, of the pre-existing condition when submitting the application documents…, the company shall not have the right on that account to re-underwrite or to terminate these terms and benefits. (our translation from the Chinese original)

Chinese original:

若保單持有人或受保人在遞交投保申請文件…時不察覺，及理應不察覺該投保前已有病症，本公司將無權因此重新核保或終止本條款及保障。

[Note 36] Policy template, Part 7, exclusions 6, 10 and 12 in full:

6. Expenses on preventive treatment and preventive care, including but not limited to general check-ups in the absence of symptoms, routine tests or screening procedures, screening or monitoring procedures carried out solely by reason of the past medical history of the insured person and/or their family, hair mineral analysis, vaccination or health supplements. For the avoidance of doubt, this section 6 does not apply to – (a) treatment, monitoring, examination or treatment procedures carried out to avoid complications arising from other medical services received; (b) removal of pre-cancerous lesions; and (c) treatment to prevent the recurrence of a past illness or injury, or its complications. (our translation from the Chinese original)

Chinese original:

6. 預防性治療及預防性護理的費用，包括但不限於並無症狀下的一般身體檢查、定期檢測或篩查程序、或僅因受保人及/或其家人過往病歷而進行的篩查或監測程序、頭髮重金屬元素分析、接種疫苗或健康補充品。為免存疑，本第6 節並不適用於– (a) 為了避免因接受其他醫療服務引起的併發症而進行的治療、監測、檢査或治療程序；(b) 移除癌前病變；及 (c) 為預防過往傷病復發或其併發症的治療。

10. Expenses on traditional Chinese medicine treatment, including but not limited to herbal treatment, bone-setting, acupuncture, acupressure and tui na, and on alternative therapies, including but not limited to hypnotherapy, qigong, massage therapy, aromatherapy, naturopathy, hydropathy, homeopathy and other similar treatments. (our translation from the Chinese original)

Chinese original:

10. 傳統中醫治療的費用，包括但不限於中草藥治療、跌打、針灸、穴位按摩及推拿，以及另類治療，包括但不限於催眠治療、氣功、按摩治療、香薰治療、自然療法、水療法、順勢療法及其他類似的治療。

12. Expenses on medical services incurred for a congenital condition that manifested or was diagnosed before the insured person attained the age of eight (8). (our translation from the Chinese original)

Chinese original:

12. 受保人年屆八 (8) 歲前發病或確診的先天性疾病所招致的醫療服務費用。

[Note 37] Official FAQ, English page, question 8(f)(ii):

Treatment of congenital conditions - Cover investigation and treatment of congenital conditions which have manifested or been diagnosed from the age of 8, subject to the same reimbursement arrangement that applies to unknown pre-existing conditions.

The Chinese version of the same item writes 「償款安排與投保時未知的已有疾病相同」 — the reimbursement arrangement is the same as for pre-existing conditions unknown at application (our translation from the Chinese original).

[Note 38] Policy template, the opening of Part 4:

These terms and benefits shall take effect from the policy effective date upon payment of premium, and shall be renewed each policy year under the terms of this Part 4, with renewal guaranteed for the insured person up to the age of one hundred (100). (our translation from the Chinese original)

Chinese original:

本條款及保障會在繳交保費後於 保單生效日 起生效，並按本第四部分條款在每個保單年度續保，保證續保受保人至年齡一百（100）歲。

[Note 39] The same document, section 2:

Whether or not the company revises these terms and benefits on renewal, the company shall have the right to adjust the standard premium for all policies of the same portfolio by reference to the standard premium schedule then in use. For the avoidance of doubt, if a premium loading is set as a percentage of the standard premium (that is, a premium loading rate), the amount of loading payable will adjust automatically with any change in the standard premium. Within each policy year and on renewal, the company must not, by reason of a change in the insured person's health, increase the premium loading rate (or, where the loading is a fixed amount rather than a percentage of the standard premium, increase that fixed amount), or add to the insured person's case-based exclusions. (our translation from the Chinese original)

Chinese original:

不論本公司在續保時有否修訂本條款及保障，本公司將有權按當時採用的標準保費表向所有同一類別保單調整標準保費。為免存疑，若附加保費 設定為標準保費的某個百分比（即附加保費率），應付的附加保費金額將會按標準保費的變動自動調整。 在每個保單年度內及續保時，本公司不得因受保人的健康狀況變化而增加附加保費率（或在附加保費是以定額而非設定為標準保費某個百分比的情況下，增加其附加保費的定額），或增加受保人的個別不保項目。

[Note 40] The same document, section 4 (headed "no re-underwriting except in specified circumstances"), in the source's English:

While these Terms and Benefits are in force, the Company shall not have the right to re-underwrite these Terms and Benefits irrespective of any change in health conditions of the Insured Person after the Policy Issuance Date or the Policy Effective Date, whichever is the earlier.

[Note 41] The same document, section 4, paragraph (f), in the source's English:

(f) as a result of re-underwriting, these Terms and Benefits may be terminated, new Premium Loading may be applied, existing Premium Loading may be adjusted upwards or downwards, new Case-based Exclusion(s) may be applied, and existing Case-based Exclusion(s) may be revised or removed.

The closing sentences of paragraphs (c) and (d) provide that the company "shall have the obligation to request the Policy Holder to inform the Company of any change in the Place of Residence of the Insured Person, which means that as at the Renewal Date his Place of Residence differs from that as at the last Renewal Date (or the Policy Effective Date in the event of first Renewal). After receiving the request, the Policy Holder shall have the obligation to inform the Company of such a change." The occupation paragraph is drawn the same way.

[Note 42] Policy template, Part 2 section 15:

This policy shall terminate automatically on the earliest of the following – (a) where, under section 13 of this Part 2 or section 3 of Part 3, the policyholder has not paid the premium by the end of the grace period; or (b) the day after the insured person's death; or (c) the company ceasing to have the requisite authorisation under the Insurance Ordinance to write or to continue to write this policy. (our translation from the Chinese original)

Chinese original:

本保單將在以下情況時自動終止，以最先者為準 – (a) 按本第二部分第13 節或第三部分第3 節規定，保單持有人在寬限期屆滿時仍未繳交保費；或 (b) 受保人身故翌日；或 (c) 本公司不再獲《保險業條例》授權承保或繼續承保本保單。

[Note 43] Official FAQ question 33:

Will my certified plan policy not be renewed? No, unless you failed to provide accurate and complete information required for the application (for example a pre-existing condition at the time of application). (our translation from the Chinese original)

Chinese original:

我的認可產品保單會否不獲續保? 不會，除非您未能準確及全面地提供投保所需的資料(例如投保時的已有疾病)。

[Note 44] Product compliance rules, sections 1.5 and 1.6, in the source's English:

1.5 A Standard Plan is virtually fixed in product design, save for minor allowable variations. It must offer terms and benefits equivalent to the minimum requirements of Certified Plans under the VHIS, namely Basic Benefits. 1.6 A Flexi Plan must provide Enhanced Benefits as defined in Section 4 in addition to the Basic Benefits. The concept of Flexi Plans is to promote product innovation and competition for more consumer choices. The design of Flexi Plans must adhere to the "better-off principle" entailing terms and benefits that will bring more protection to the customers when compared with a Standard Plan while Policy Holders' entitlement to the Basic Benefits would not be adversely affected, save for the exceptions in Section 6.5.

[Note 45] The same document, in the source's English:

4.2 In principle, there are two defined types of Enhanced Benefits, the inclusion of either of which can qualify an IHIP as a Flexi Plan – (a) The first type of Enhanced Benefits is based on the Standard Plan framework (i.e. hospital and surgical benefits related) manifested by STC and SBS. It covers the following – (i) Higher benefit limits (e.g. supplementary major medical coverage); (ii) Extra benefit items (e.g. expenses on companion bed during confinement); (iii) Reduction or removal of Coinsurance for prescribed diagnostic imaging tests; and (iv) Amendment to policy terms and benefits to the advantage of Policy Holders, such as reduction in scope of general exclusions or shorter Waiting Period for Unknown Pre-existing Conditions; and (b) The second type of Enhanced Benefits is prescribed by HHB which are considered to have significant complementarity with the Standard Plan benefits. The prescribed benefits are listed under Annex I.

The Chinese text numbers the two as 第一類 and 第二類, and its item (iii) specifies the 30% coinsurance where the English says only "Coinsurance".

[Note 46] The same document, sections 6.2 to 6.4, in the source's English:

6.2 Flexi Plans may reduce benefit coverage for eligible medical expenses incurred in territories outside Hong Kong. However, the reduction must not apply to the Basic Benefits of the Flexi Plans, i.e. the coverage equivalent to the Standard Plan. 6.3 Flexi Plans with targeted ward class specified may adjust the payable benefits where a confinement involves the use of ward class higher than the class specified. However, the adjustment must not apply to the Basic Benefits of the Flexi Plans, i.e. the coverage equivalent to the Standard Plan — the three upgrades that may not be adjusted being "(i) unavailability of accommodation at the specified ward class due to ward or room shortage for emergency treatment; (ii) isolation reasons that require a specific class of accommodation; or (iii) other reasons not involving personal preference of the Policy Holders and/or the Insured Persons." 6.4 Enhanced Benefits under the Flexi Plans may be provided subject to restriction in the choice of healthcare service providers. However, the restriction must not apply to the Basic Benefits part of the Flexi Plans, i.e. the coverage equivalent to the Standard Plan.

[Note 47] Official FAQ question 21, in the source's English:

Standard Plan benchmarks the minimum complying requirements of VHIS. As the policy terms and benefits of Standard Plan are standardised, the Standard Plans offered by different insurance companies will be virtually the same (except for very limited minor allowable variations). Flexi Plans offer basic protection equivalent to Standard Plan coverage, plus a flexible top-up protection such as higher benefit amounts and wider benefit coverage, which vary from plan to plan and company to company.

[Note 48] Official FAQ question 24, in the source's English:

The Health Bureau does not regulate the premiums of Certified Plans. However, the participating insurance companies have to publish the premium schedules of their Certified Plans that facilitate comparison and the premium schedule of all Certified Plans of insurance companies can be accessed on the official VHIS website.

[Note 49] Code of practice, section 4.10:

For each certified plan, a company should provide the following premium information – (a) a standard premium schedule banded by age, sex and other factors (such as smoking habit) (the premiums shown excluding the levy collected by the Insurance Authority). This standard premium schedule must at minimum be provided through the company's website; (b) the definition of "age" (age at last birthday, age at next birthday or age at nearest birthday); (c) how premium discounts (such as a no-claim discount) operate, if applicable; (d) the levy collected by the Insurance Authority (or a link to the relevant web page); and (e) charges for other fees (or a link to the relevant web page), if applicable. (our translation from the Chinese original)

Chinese original:

就每一認可產品，保險公司應提供以下保費資料 – (a) 按年齡、性別及其他因素（例如吸煙習慣）分級的標準保費表（顯示的保費不包括保監局收取的徵費）。此標準保費表最少必須透過公司網站提供；(b) 「年齡」的定義（上次生日年齡、下次生日年齡或最近生日年齡）；(c) 保費折扣（例如無索償折扣）的運作，如適用；(d) 保監局收取的徴費（或相關網頁的連結）；及 (e) 其他費用的收費（或相關網頁的連結），如適用。

[Note 50] Health Bureau, Summary of Standard Premium of VHIS Standard Plan (HKD), "notes to readers":

As with the medical insurance products commonly found in the market, the standard premium of a Standard Plan (and of Flexi Plans) is generally determined by age and adjusted upon renewal. This means that the standard premiums shown in the premium schedule for ages higher than your current age may be adjusted by the time you reach those ages. You should take this factor into account, since medical insurance is by nature a long-term protection. (our translation from the Chinese original)

Chinese original:

與市場上常見的醫療保險產品一樣，標準計劃（及靈活計劃）的標準保費通常按年齡釐定，並在續保時作出調整。這表示保費表中比閣下現時年齡較高的相應標準保費，於閣下達至該等年齡時可能會有調整。閣下應考慮此項因素，因為醫療保險本質上是一種長期保障。

The same passage also states:

In no circumstances should this table be construed as a recommendation by the Health Bureau to anyone of any particular insurance product (including any of its product features) or insurance company… (our translation from the Chinese original)

Chinese original:

在任何情況下，本表不應被理解為醫務衞生局向任何人推薦任何特定的保險產品（包括其任何產品特點）或保險公司…

[Note 51] Product compliance rules, section 6.5, all six conditions, in the source's English:

(a) The Annual Benefit Limit is at least HK$5 million at plan level; (b) There is no itemised dollar benefit limits, itemised Deductible and/or Coinsurance applied for at least 10 of the 12 benefit items as prescribed under the Standard Plan framework (i.e. items (a) to (l) of the SBS); (c) The out-of-pocket amount on all the Deductible and Coinsurance instituted into the plan (including the Coinsurance for prescribed diagnostic imaging tests) per Policy Year must not exceed 3% of the Annual Benefit Limit (e.g. a maximum of HK$150,000 on all the Deductible and Coinsurance if the annual benefit limit is HK$5 million); (d) For the same product at policy inception, the Policy Holders must be given an option for coverage without any Deductible and Coinsurance at plan level; (e) After policy inception, the Policy Holders must be given at least one opportunity to switch, without any Re-underwriting, to coverage without any Deductible and Coinsurance of the same product at plan level. The timing of that switch can be specified in terms of an age, a year, or a time after certain Policy Years. The relevant details must be specified in the policy terms and conditions at policy inception; and (f) The Lifetime Benefit Limit must be at least 4 times of the Annual Benefit Limit at plan level.

[Note 52] Official FAQ question 9, in the source's English:

(a) The annual benefit limit must be at least HK$5 million; (b) The lifetime benefit limit must be at least HK$20 million or 4 times of annual benefit limit, whichever is higher; and (c) There must be no itemised dollar limit for at least 10 of the 12 standard benefit items (i.e. the benefit items prescribed under the Standard Plan framework).

[Note 53] Policy template, paragraph 7 of the introduction:

Where necessary, the Bureau will review and revise or update the scheme documents from time to time. The Bureau may also from time to time clarify or elaborate parts of the scheme documents (for instance by publishing frequently asked questions). Such information does not form part of the scheme documents but serves as guidance on their interpretation or elaboration. (our translation from the Chinese original)

Chinese original:

在有需要時，局方會不時審視及修改/更新各計劃文件。局方亦有機會不時釐清或闡述計劃文件的部分内容（例如以常見問題的方式發布）。有關資訊並不構成計劃文件的一部分，唯對計劃文件的詮釋或闡述具引導作用。

[Note 54] Government press release "Government announces details of Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme", 1 March 2018:

As announced in the 2018-19 Budget, the government will amend the law to provide a tax deduction under the Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme, so as to give an incentive encouraging people to buy certified plans under the scheme. Premiums paid by a person for themselves and for their dependants will both attract a tax deduction. The annual cap on premiums eligible for a tax deduction is $8,000 per insured person, and there is no limit on the number of dependants for whom a deduction may be claimed. (our translation from the Chinese original)

Chinese original:

正如二零一八至一九年度《財政預算案》所公布，政府會修訂法例以在自願醫保下提供稅務扣減，藉此提供誘因鼓勵市民購買自願醫保的認可產品。市民個人及為其受養人繳交的保費均可獲稅務扣減。每年可作稅務扣減的保費上限為每名受保人8,000元，而可申請稅務扣減的受養人數目並無上限。

[Note 55] Legislative Council question five: Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme (reply on behalf of the Secretary for Health), 4 December 2024:

According to the latest information held by the Inland Revenue Department, the numbers of taxpayers claiming a tax deduction in the three years of assessment from 二○二○／二一 to 二○二二／二三 were 247 000, 329 000 and 404 000 respectively, involving qualifying premiums totalling $1.693 billion, $2.355 billion and $2.987 billion. Taking the latest figures for the 二○二二／二三 year of assessment as an example, about 74% of insured persons received the deduction in full; we consider the present deduction cap still to be at an appropriate level, and will review it from time to time in the light of economic developments and market demand. (our translation from the Chinese original)

Chinese original:

根據稅務局現存的最新資料，在二○二○／二一至二○二二／二三的三個課稅年度申請稅務扣除的納稅人數目分別為247 000、329 000及404 000名，涉及合資格保費總額為16.93億、23.55億及29.87億元。以最新二○二二／二三課稅年度的數字為例，約74%受保人均可獲全數稅務扣除，我們認為目前扣稅上限仍屬合適水平，並會視乎經濟發展和市場需求，不時作出檢視。

[Note 56] The same reply:

As at 31 March 2024 the number of policies for certified plans under the Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme was approximately 1 341 000, of which 97% of insured persons had bought a "Flexi Plan", reflecting that many consumers in the market expect higher medical protection. Among all insured persons, more than half (about 53%) were under 40, about 35% were aged 40 to 59, and about 12% were 60 or above. (our translation from the Chinese original)

Chinese original:

截至二○二四年三月三十一日，自願醫保認可產品的保單數目約為1 341 000張，其中97%受保人購買「靈活計劃」，反映市場上不少消費者均期望得到較高醫療保障。在所有受保人當中，超過一半（約53%）為40歲以下人士，約35%為40至59歲人士，約12%為60歲或以上人士。

[Note 57] The same reply:

The Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme has been running for about five years, three of which spanned the COVID pandemic, during which the use of private healthcare services by Hong Kong people was greatly affected, with volumes and places of care differing from the position before the pandemic; it is therefore too early to pronounce on the scheme's effectiveness. (our translation from the Chinese original)

Chinese original:

自願醫保計劃推出至今約五年，其中三年橫跨新冠疫情，期間香港市民使用私營醫療服務大受影響，其使用量及就醫的地方亦有別於新冠疫情前的狀況，故此目前斷言計劃成效言之尚早。

[Note 58] Government press release "Number of VHIS policies exceeds one million", 2 September 2022:

The latest figures also show that in 2021 the great majority (93%) of claims were successfully paid, of which about 39% were paid in full, about 65% at a reimbursement ratio of 90 per cent or above, and about 78% at 80 per cent or above. Taking all claims for the year together, the overall reimbursement ratio averaged about 89%. (our translation from the Chinese original)

Chinese original:

最新數據亦顯示，二○二一年絕大部分（93%）的索償個案均可成功索償，其中獲全額償付的約佔39%，償付比率達九成或以上的約佔65%，償付比率達八成或以上的約佔78%。綜合全年的索償個案，整體償付比率平均約為89%。

The same press release also states:

As at 31 August this year there were 86 certified plans on the market, comprising 32 Standard Plans and 54 Flexi Plans (that is, products offering benefits beyond the Standard Plan), providing 385 product options in all for the public to choose from. (our translation from the Chinese original)

Chinese original:

截至今年八月三十一日，市場上的認可產品有86款，包括32款標準計劃及54款靈活計劃（即有關產品提供超出標準計劃的保障），合共385個產品選項供市民選擇。

#Matters on which this article makes no statement

• The "correct" number of certified plans. The two official figures — the FAQ (as at 30 June 2026) and the certified list pages (page date 17 July 2026) — do not agree, and the government has published no counting rule (whether, for instance, products withdrawn from sale, renewal-only products or the products of companies whose registration has been cancelled are included). This article prints both without reconciling them.
• One of the four scheme documents cannot be consulted. The introductions to the policy template, the product compliance rules and the code of practice all list "the registration rules for insurance companies under VHIS" as one of the scheme documents, but that document does not appear on the VHIS website's scheme documents page, its industry-zone rules page or its forms page. This article can therefore make no statement about its content.
• The surgical schedule. This article does not reproduce the surgical schedule, quoting only the template's provision for surgery not listed in it. No extract may be treated as a complete classification list.
• Statistical publication on the VHIS website stopped after September 2022. The website's press release list contains nothing between 2 September 2022 and June 2025, and the two items after that are anti-fraud notices rather than scheme statistics. The 2024 figures cited here come from a Legislative Council reply, not from the VHIS website.
• The basis on which the Standard Plan's benefit limits were set. Only the executive summary of the consultancy study commissioned by the government in 2018 (Consultancy Study on the Benefit Limits of Standard Plan under the Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme with Premium and Impact Assessment, the document's own date 28 September 2018) is public, and it does not explain item by item how $750 a day for room and board, $14,000 for miscellaneous charges or $420,000 a year were arrived at; this article makes no statement on the point.
• How the reimbursement arrangement for congenital conditions works at the level of policy terms. The condition "the same reimbursement arrangement as for pre-existing conditions unknown at application" appears in both the Chinese and English versions of the official FAQ (question 8(f)(ii)) and the two are consistent; but the body of the policy template sets no separate waiting-period table for congenital conditions, and the Chinese "key product features of certified plans" column does not state the condition. This article reproduces the FAQ's wording and points out that it does not form part of the scheme documents, without inferring how any particular policy's terms will be written.
• The order in which the 25% / 50% reimbursement and the 30% coinsurance apply. Where a claim involves both a pre-existing condition unknown at application and a prescribed diagnostic imaging test, how the two percentages apply in sequence is not explained in the policy template, the code of practice or the FAQ, and this article does not infer it.
• Underwriting outcomes by age. No official source publishes acceptance rates, sizes of premium loading or decline rates broken down by applicant age. This article offers no figure for "how much loading at what age".
• Time limits in the claims process. Pre-authorisation, cashless arrangements and the time taken to assess a claim are not uniformly governed in the official documents this article relies on, and this article states no number of days.
• Insurance Authority complaint statistics. That authority's complaint statistics files could not be obtained in this round of research; this article cites no figure from them and does not claim that the authority publishes complaint data broken down by insurer or by VHIS product.
• The difference in the bracketed year in a company name. The English list page of the VHIS website and its Chinese pages and premium summary record different years for the same company's former name (1967 and 1976), and both were present on 1 August 2026. This article records the fact without deciding which is correct.

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#Sources

• VHIS Certified Plan Policy Template (1 July 2022 version; introduction, Part 2, Part 4, Part 6 section 4, Part 7, Part 8, the Standard Plan benefit schedule, and the provision for surgery not listed in the surgical schedule): https://www.vhis.gov.hk/doc/tc/information_centre/c_standard_plan_template.pdf and the English text https://www.vhis.gov.hk/doc/en/information_centre/e_standard_plan_template.pdf (retrieved: 1 August 2026)
• Compliance Rules for Products under VHIS (1 July 2022 version; sections 1.2, 1.4–1.8, 2.11–2.19, 3.7, 3.8, 3.16–3.18, 4.2, 6.2–6.5, 9.6 and Annex I): https://www.vhis.gov.hk/doc/tc/information_centre/c_product_compliance_rules.pdf and https://www.vhis.gov.hk/doc/en/information_centre/e_product_compliance_rules.pdf (retrieved: 1 August 2026)
• Code of Practice for Insurance Companies under VHIS (sections 1.5(a), 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.8, 4.10, 4.15, 4.16 and glossary item 24): https://www.vhis.gov.hk/doc/tc/information_centre/c_cop.pdf and https://www.vhis.gov.hk/doc/en/information_centre/e_cop.pdf (retrieved: 1 August 2026)
• VHIS official website, "Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme" page (scheme objectives, key product features of certified plans, the regulatory relationship), page reviewed 27 July 2022: https://www.vhis.gov.hk/tc/about_us/scheme.html (retrieved: 1 August 2026)
• VHIS official website, "Frequently Asked Questions" (questions 8, 9, 10, 12, 17, 21, 22, 24, 28, 29, 30, 33), page reviewed 9 July 2026: https://www.vhis.gov.hk/tc/consumer_corner/faqs.html and https://www.vhis.gov.hk/en/consumer_corner/faqs.html (retrieved: 1 August 2026)
• Lists of certified Standard Plans and certified Flexi Plans (product entries and certification numbers counted; pages' own date 17 July 2026): https://www.vhis.gov.hk/tc/consumer_corner/standard-plan.html , https://www.vhis.gov.hk/tc/consumer_corner/flexi-plan.html , https://www.vhis.gov.hk/tc/consumer_corner/list-plans.html (retrieved: 1 August 2026)
• List of registered VHIS providers (30 of them, with registration numbers and effective dates of registration): https://www.vhis.gov.hk/tc/consumer_corner/list-providers.html (retrieved: 1 August 2026)
• Health Bureau, Summary of Standard Premium of VHIS Standard Plan (HKD), the files' own date "as at 17 July 2026" (female) https://www.vhis.gov.hk/doc/en/information_centre/Standard_Plan_Premium_Summary_Female.xlsx , (male) https://www.vhis.gov.hk/doc/en/information_centre/Standard_Plan_Premium_Summary_Male.xlsx (retrieved: 1 August 2026)
• AIA International Limited, certified Standard Plan standard premium schedule (S00013-01-000-02): https://www.vhis.gov.hk/doc/certifiedplan/sp/S00013/S00013-01-000-02-StandardPremium-Bilingual.pdf (retrieved: 1 August 2026)
• Bowtie Life Insurance Company Limited, certified Standard Plan standard premium schedule (S00023-01-000-03): https://www.vhis.gov.hk/doc/certifiedplan/sp/S00023/S00023-01-000-03-StandardPremium-Bilingual.pdf (retrieved: 1 August 2026)
• Government press release "Government announces details of Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme", 1 March 2018: https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201803/01/P2018030100434.htm (retrieved: 1 August 2026)
• Government press release "Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme to be fully launched next Monday", 29 March 2019: https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201903/29/P2019032900568.htm (retrieved: 1 August 2026)
• Government press release (passage of the Inland Revenue (Amendment) (No. 4) Bill 2018), 31 October 2018: https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201810/31/P2018103100706.htm ; gazettal announcement, 18 May 2018: http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201805/18/P2018051800295.htm (retrieved: 1 August 2026)
• Government press release "Number of VHIS policies exceeds one million", 2 September 2022: https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202209/02/P2022090200450.htm (retrieved: 1 August 2026)
• Legislative Council question five: Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme (reply on behalf of the Secretary for Health), 4 December 2024: https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202412/04/P2024120400319.htm (retrieved: 1 August 2026)
• Legislative Council brief — Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme (File Ref.: FH CR 4/1/3822/13 Pt.4), Panel on Health Services, 13 January 2015: https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr14-15/chinese/panels/hs/papers/hs20150113-fhcr41382213pt4-c.pdf and the English text https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr14-15/english/panels/hs/papers/hs20150113-fhcr41382213pt4-e.pdf (retrieved: 1 August 2026)
• Consultation Document on Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme (consultation launched 15 December 2014; the 12 "minimum requirements" at paragraph 10 of the executive summary): https://www.vhis.gov.hk/doc/tc/information_centre/consultation_full_chn.pdf and the English text https://www.vhis.gov.hk/doc/en/information_centre/consultation_full_eng.pdf (retrieved: 1 August 2026)
• Report on Consultation on Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme (January 2017; chapter seven, sections 7.4, 7.6, 7.7, 7.8): https://www.vhis.gov.hk/doc/tc/information_centre/VHIS_full_report.pdf and the English text https://www.vhis.gov.hk/doc/en/information_centre/VHIS_full_report.pdf (retrieved: 1 August 2026)
• Research Office of the Legislative Council Secretariat, Research Brief Issue No. 3 of 2017–2018, "Health insurance for individuals in Hong Kong", 3 July 2018 (paragraph 4.3 and note 40): https://www.legco.gov.hk/research-publications/chinese/1718rb03-health-insurance-for-individuals-in-hong-kong-20180703-c.pdf and the English text https://www.legco.gov.hk/research-publications/english/1718rb03-health-insurance-for-individuals-in-hong-kong-20180703-e.pdf (retrieved: 1 August 2026)
• Executive summary of the consultancy study commissioned by the Food and Health Bureau, Consultancy Study on the Benefit Limits of Standard Plan under the Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme with Premium and Impact Assessment, document date 28 September 2018: https://www.vhis.gov.hk/doc/en/information_centre/vhis_study2018_es3.pdf (retrieved: 1 August 2026)

This article is written from the official documents and government publications listed above; information date: 1 August 2026. It is information about the system, is not insurance advice, and is not a recommendation of any insurer or product; decisions about taking out a policy are for you to consider yourself, or with a licensed insurance intermediary regulated by the Insurance Authority.

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#Further reading

• On this platform: Is VHIS worth buying? Can people over 60 still take out a policy?
• On this platform: VHIS Standard Plan vs Flexi Plan vs traditional medical insurance
• On this platform: How do I apply for a waiver of medical charges?
• The VHIS official website: vhis.gov.hk
• The list of VHIS certified plans: vhis.gov.hk/tc/consumer_corner/list-plans.html
• Insurance Authority consumer education: ia.org.hk
• On this platform: Private hospital surgery costs