What coverage does travel insurance provide for delays in returning to Hong Kong due to illness during travel?

Hong Kong residents love to travel, often heading overseas during holidays. Before embarking on a trip, purchasing travel insurance for a few hundred dollars to secure peace of mind is a common and willing choice. When selecting travel insurance, many prioritise coverage for flight delays, as receiving compensation of a few hundred dollars can offset the premium cost. However, travel insurance offers far more than just flight delay protection; it includes coverage for medical expenses, accidents, property loss, and more. Particularly in the case of unexpected incidents during travel, the protection provided by travel insurance and the policyholder’s response are worth noting. In this analysis, 10Life will explore the coverage offered by travel insurance for hospitalisation due to illness during travel and delays in returning to Hong Kong.

Medical Coverage During Travel and Follow-Up Consultations After Return
 

Travel insurance medical coverage applies to expenses incurred due to illness during travel, covering both outpatient and inpatient treatments. Policyholders must seek medical attention in the travel destination to be eligible for claims. However, this coverage is limited to illnesses that begin “during the trip”; pre-existing conditions before departure are not covered. If a policyholder is hospitalised due to illness at the destination and the hospital stay exceeds the predetermined travel period set by the insurance, the medical expenses for the “overtime” period and follow-up consultations after returning to Hong Kong (typically within three months) may also be covered. Additionally, some travel insurance plans provide a hospital deposit guarantee, allowing a deposit to be paid to the hospital to facilitate admission. Certain policies also offer overseas hospitalisation cash benefits, compensating based on the number of days hospitalised.

 

For ease of future claims, policyholders should contact the insurance company’s customer service and emergency assistance hotline while at the travel destination to report their situation (unless the policyholder’s condition is extremely critical or uncontrollable). Alternatively, they can notify their insurance advisor (if applicable) to assist in coordinating with these departments promptly.

 

When a policyholder is hospitalised, accompanying minor children may be left without care and require urgent return to Hong Kong. Some travel insurance plans can arrange for a staff member to accompany the child back to Hong Kong. Others may cover the cost of an adult immediate family member to care for and accompany the minor back to Hong Kong.

 

Beyond accompanying children, the ill policyholder may also require care from family or friends. Many travel insurance plans offer coverage for visitation by a family member or immediate relative, as well as reasonable accommodation and transportation expenses for a travel companion. However, policy terms often stipulate that the policyholder must be hospitalised for a specified duration, such as 3 to 10 consecutive days, to qualify for this benefit.

 

If a policyholder is hospitalised due to illness and unable to board the originally booked flight back to Hong Kong, requiring a rebooked flight, some travel insurance plans will cover the cost of rebooking transportation. Before discharge, policyholders should remember to obtain hospitalisation, diagnosis, and discharge certificates from the hospital to prepare for claims.

 

Whether it involves escorting minor children back to Hong Kong, visitation by family or companions, or rebooking transportation for the policyholder, the policyholder or their insurance advisor (if applicable) typically needs to contact emergency assistance in advance and obtain approval before making arrangements. As a side note, emergency assistance is often provided by a third-party service provider, not an internal department of the insurance company. The author has heard of cases where policyholders were caught between emergency assistance and the insurance company’s customer service department, with poor coordination between the two, making claims more challenging. In such situations, policyholders can argue their case based on the policy terms. If faced with unreasonable claim denials, they should file a complaint with the Insurance Complaints Bureau.

 

 

 

Nowadays, many couples choose to travel abroad during pregnancy before the baby is born. However, most travel insurance plans do not cover illnesses related to pregnancy or childbirth. For those planning a babymoon, pregnant women are advised to travel during the mid-term of pregnancy when their physical condition is better, and to plan a comfortable and relaxed itinerary to minimise risks themselves.

 

The hospitalisation due to illness mentioned in this article must meet the criterion of “medical necessity”. Generally, travel insurance medical coverage does not apply to cosmetic surgery, non-essential surgeries, private nursing, purchasing or using equipment or devices, or staying in private hospital wards. Policyholders should familiarise themselves with the exclusions in their policy to avoid unexpected costs.

 

If you have any questions about travel insurance, you can ask anonymously on the 10Life website or app under “Ask a Question” and receive immediate responses from multiple licensed advisors.