[Study Abroad Insurance 2026] Which is best for overseas study insurance? Compare 12 products for cover, premiums and offers

Every year, in the period before and after the release of DSE results and JUPAS outcomes, many parents and students reconsider overseas study. Whether going to Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United Kingdom or other destinations for further education, in addition to tuition fees, accommodation, visas and living expenses, medical, accident, personal belongings and third-party liability cover during the period of study should not be overlooked.

Overseas study insurance / student insurance generally covers risks such as medical expenses, emergency assistance, personal belongings, interruption of study, travel delay and personal liability while students are studying abroad. However, the scope of cover, claim limits, premiums and exclusions can vary significantly between products. On the 10Life insurance comparison platform, we compare 12 popular overseas study insurance products this time to help parents and students better understand how to choose before departure.

Student insurance, also known as overseas study insurance, is an insurance product designed specifically for students studying abroad. Compared with general travel insurance, student insurance is usually more tailored to the needs of long-term overseas living and study, and its coverage may include overseas medical expenses, emergency medical evacuation, family member visitation, interruption of studies, education fund, personal belongings, personal liability, trip cancellation and delay, among others.

For parents, the role of student insurance is not merely that “you can make a claim if you fall ill”; more importantly, when a student encounters a more serious incident overseas, requires hospitalisation, has their studies affected, or even needs a family member to travel urgently to the local destination, it can provide a certain degree of financial support.

Many people may consider using travel insurance as a substitute for student insurance, but the two do not serve exactly the same purpose in terms of cover.

Generally speaking, standard travel insurance is mainly designed for short trips, such as holidays, brief family visits or business travel. Even annual travel insurance usually comes with a maximum number of days per trip, for example 90 days or another specified period. Therefore, if a student is going overseas to attend university, secondary school or a long-term course, standard travel insurance may not provide sufficient cover.

By contrast, overseas education insurance is usually better suited to the needs of long-term study abroad. In addition to medical expenses and personal belongings, the cover may also include benefits more relevant to student life abroad, such as interruption of studies, education fund cover, emergency family reunion and personal liability.

Before taking out cover, parents should not look only at the premium, but should also compare the coverage items, maximum benefit amount, sub-limits, exclusions and claims requirements.

According to Table 1, only 4 of the 12 products have an overall score above 8, namely:

• AXA Hong Kong and Macau「卓越」Overseas Study Protection: 9.0 points
• MSIG Overseas Study Insurance Medical Plus Plan: 8.9 points
• HSBC Overseas Study Comprehensive Protection: 8.8 points
• Dah Sing 大新「學優遊」Overseas Study Protection Plan: 8.6 points

The scores show that different products have their own strengths. For example, AXA stands out in personal belongings, personal accident and personal liability cover; MSIG and Dah Sing perform better in education cover; while some products may not have the highest overall score, they still perform better in certain individual cover items.

Therefore, parents should not look only at the overall score or premium. Instead, they should compare plans based on the student’s study destination, course duration, whether valuable electronic devices will be brought along, whether cover for the US and Canada is required, and the relative importance placed on medical or education cover.

Overseas study insurance offers a wide range of benefits. 10Life’s actuaries have selected six major benefit categories, scored each benefit individually, and then calculated an overall score based on their respective weighting.

Consumers have different needs. When comparing overseas study insurance, in addition to the overall score, attention should also be paid to the scores of different cover categories. Some products may not have the highest overall score, but may excel in individual areas of cover.

For example, Zurich’s “Smart Study+” Overseas Study Insurance Plan has an overall score of 6.8, but its personal accident cover score reaches 10. Conversely, some products have a higher overall score, but may not necessarily rank highest in individual subcategories. Below is a further comparison of the cover differences among individual products.

Parents are usually most concerned about whether their children will have sufficient medical cover if they fall ill or have an accident overseas. Most overseas education insurance policies provide cover for inpatient and outpatient treatment overseas, and some also specify a limit on the number of outpatient visits.

In addition, if the insured student has previously received medical treatment overseas due to accidental injury or illness, and treatment could not be completed abroad, some overseas education insurance policies also cover the cost of follow-up consultations within a specified period after returning to Hong Kong, such as outpatient and inpatient expenses within 90 days or three months after returning to Hong Kong. However, the actual cover period, compensation amount and claims requirements vary by product.

Using Table 3 as an example, the total compensation limit for medical and related expenses under HSBC Overseas Study Comprehensive Protection is $2,500,000, while the corresponding limit for Prudential’s selected ‘Overseas Study Protection’ Superior plan is $1,200,000, a difference of more than one fold.

In addition to medical expenses, some more serious incidents may also involve emergency medical evacuation, repatriation to Hong Kong, or a relative travelling to the destination to visit the insured. Different insurers have different definitions of ‘relative’ or ‘family member’, requirements on the number of days of hospitalisation, and limits on airfare and accommodation compensation, so the policy terms should be read carefully before taking out cover.

A further common form of cover under overseas study insurance is the so-called “education fund”, which means that if the insured student’s parent(s) or legal guardian(s) should unfortunately die or become disabled as a result of an accident, the insurer will provide a continuing education assistance fund to help pay tuition fees. However, this is not available under every product. As shown in Table 3, MSIG provides an education fund of HK$300,000, while Starr does not offer this benefit.

In addition, “interruption of studies” is also a common benefit. This refers to situations where the insured student is unable to continue their studies due to prolonged hospitalisation, illness or injury, or the death of a family member. In such cases, the insurer will reimburse tuition fees already paid but not recoverable. As shown in Table 3, both MSIG and Starr provide this cover, but the benefit amount differs by HK$100,000 (or 100%).

When students go overseas to study, they usually take along laptops, mobile phones, cameras, tablets and other personal belongings. If these are lost, damaged or stolen, the resulting loss can be substantial. Therefore, personal belongings cover is also an important factor when comparing overseas education insurance plans.

However, personal belongings cover usually comes with two types of limits. The first is the overall claims limit, and the second is the sub-limit for each item or specified item. For example, mobile phones, laptops, cameras or sports equipment often have their own maximum compensation amounts.

Using Table 3 as an example, the total claims limit for personal belongings under AXA Hong Kong and Macau’s “卓越” Overseas Education Plus is $20,000, while the limit for the BOC學宜無憂留學保險優越計劃 is $10,000 — a difference of onefold. For camera cover, AXA’s limit is $7,500, whereas BOC’s is $1,500, a gap of 400%.

If students will be carrying valuable electronic devices abroad to study, they should pay particular attention before purchasing insurance to the per-item limit, whether a police report is required, whether depreciation deductions apply, and whether belongings lost when left unattended are excluded from cover.

When comparing overseas study insurance, parents and students may wish to pay attention to the following points:

1. Does the destination include the US and Canada?

Many overseas study insurance policies are divided into two premium categories: “including the US and Canada” and “excluding the US and Canada”. As medical expenses in the US and Canada are relatively high, premiums for cover including the US and Canada are usually higher. If the student is going to study in the US or Canada, you should confirm whether the policy covers these regions.

2. Is the medical cover sufficient?

Medical cover should not be judged by the overall sum insured alone. You should also pay attention to sub-limits for outpatient treatment, hospitalisation, surgery, return trips to Hong Kong for follow-up treatment, emergency medical evacuation and visits from relatives. The terms and claims requirements can vary significantly between products.

3. Sub-limit for personal belongings

If the student will be bringing a laptop, mobile phone, camera or other valuable items, you should note the maximum compensation for each item, rather than looking only at the overall personal belongings limit.

4. Does it cover interruption of studies?

Long-term overseas study involves high tuition fees. If the student is unable to continue the course due to illness, an accident or a family emergency, study interruption cover may reimburse tuition fees already paid that are non-refundable.

5. Exclusions and high-risk activities

Common exclusions in overseas study insurance include intentional acts, unlawful acts and certain high-risk or extreme sports, such as hiking above a specified altitude, diving beyond a specified depth, or participating in sports or activities involving payment in a professional capacity. You should read the terms carefully before purchasing, especially if the student plans to take part in outdoor activities, skiing, diving or other sports.

Healthcare systems, school requirements and everyday risks vary across study destinations, so when choosing overseas study insurance, you should also consider the region in question.

If you are preparing to study in Australia, parents should not only pay attention to tuition fees, living expenses and student visas, but also understand medical cover arrangements such as OSHC, and compare whether additional cover is needed for personal belongings, third-party liability, study interruption and emergency family visits.

If you are preparing to study in the UK, students may need to handle visa and related healthcare arrangements, but should still check whether cover extends to non-basic medical risks such as mobile phones, laptops, luggage, personal liability and emergency assistance.

If you are preparing to study in Canada, as healthcare arrangements may differ by province, school and student status, parents should confirm whether the student is covered immediately upon arrival, and whether additional overseas study insurance is needed as supplementary protection.

Further reading:

• 【Australia Study Guide 2026】A complete look at tuition fees, application process and living costs for studying in Australia!
• UK Study 2026: University tuition fees in the UK and the student visa application process
• Canada Study 2026: Education system, costs and student visa process
• Overseas study preparation checklist: What should you do before studying abroad?

1. What is the difference between study abroad insurance and travel insurance?

Travel insurance is mainly designed for short trips and usually comes with a limit on the number of days per trip after departure. Study abroad insurance is more suited to the needs of long-term overseas study, and its cover typically includes academic interruption, education funds, emergency family visits, and the risks students face while living abroad. For long-term study overseas, it is generally not recommended to rely solely on standard travel insurance.

2. If I already have school insurance, do I still need to buy study abroad insurance?

It depends on the scope of cover provided by the school insurance. Some schools or local systems may provide basic medical cover, but may not cover personal belongings, third-party liability, academic interruption, emergency family visits, follow-up treatment in Hong Kong, or trip delays. Parents should first understand the contents of the school insurance before deciding whether additional study abroad insurance is needed.

3. Does study abroad insurance cover mobile phones and computers?

Some overseas study insurance policies cover personal items such as mobile phones, laptops, and cameras, but they usually come with an overall claim limit and sub-limits for each item. Before taking out cover, you should check whether a police report is required, whether depreciation deductions apply, and whether lost property left unattended is excluded from cover.

4. Does study abroad insurance cover follow-up treatment in Hong Kong?

Many overseas study insurance policies cover the insured student’s follow-up treatment expenses in Hong Kong within a specified period after receiving medical treatment overseas due to illness or accident, for example within 90 days or three months after returning to Hong Kong. However, the actual cover period, claim amount, and conditions depend on the policy terms.

5. When is the best time to buy study abroad insurance?

It is generally recommended to compare options and purchase cover as early as possible before departure and after confirming the main study arrangements. Some cover for trip cancellation, academic interruption, or prepaid expenses may be affected by the time of purchase. Buying cover only shortly before departure may also mean that known risks or incidents that have already occurred will not be covered.

6. Will the premium be higher for studying in the United States or Canada?

Many overseas study insurance policies are divided into two regions of cover: “including the US and Canada” and “excluding the US and Canada”. Because medical costs in the United States and Canada are higher, premiums for policies including the US and Canada are usually higher. Students heading to the United States or Canada should confirm whether their policy covers those regions.

Overseas study involves multiple expenses such as tuition fees, accommodation, living costs, air tickets and visas, so parents will naturally want to keep the budget under control. However, when choosing study abroad insurance, one should not look only at the premium or the discount level.

An appropriate overseas study insurance plan should suit the student’s destination, length of study, school requirements, lifestyle and the family’s ability to bear the cost. If the student will be carrying more electronic devices, it is worth comparing personal belongings cover in detail; if tuition fees are high, attention should be paid to study interruption and education fund benefits; if the student is going to a region with higher medical costs, the limits for medical expenses and emergency assistance are also more important.

Before taking out cover, parents and students should compare the benefits, claim limits, premiums, exclusions and claim requirements, and then choose a suitable plan according to actual needs. Interested parents may browse the article to gain an initial understanding, or WhatsApp 3705 1599 to enquire with a 10Life insurance adviser.

Note:

1. This article compares the higher-tier plan of each product.
2. The premium and promotional information above were updated as of 23 June 2026 and do not include the levy collected by the Insurance Authority.
3. Product coverage, premiums, promotions and terms may change from time to time. Before taking out cover, please refer to the latest information from the insurer and the 10Life platform.
4. The contents of this article are for reference only and do not constitute any insurance application recommendation or insurance sales recommendation.

This English version of this article has been generated by machine translation powered by AI. It is provided solely for reference purposes. In the event of any discrepancy or inconsistency between this translation and the original Chinese version, the Chinese version shall prevail.