Comprehensive critical illness cover, continually safeguarding your child (with dedicated SEN protection)

Children’s healthy growth is every parent’s greatest wish. Many parents purchase critical illness insurance for their children to build a safety net and protect against the substantial medical expenses that may arise if they fall seriously ill. When choosing critical illness insurance for their children, parents generally consider the scope of critical illness cover and the sum insured. In addition, parents may also wish to note whether the policy provides extra cover, so that their children can enjoy more comprehensive protection. 

When it comes to critical illness insurance for children, parents may wish to check whether the cover includes some relatively common childhood critical illnesses, such as leukaemia, commonly known as blood cancer, diabetes and severe asthma. It is also important to clarify whether the product covers critical illnesses arising from undiagnosed congenital conditions. In addition, parents may wish to look out for extra benefits, such as support for children with special educational needs (SEN). Some critical illness insurance products also cover SEN-related conditions such as autism.

AXA Hong Kong and Macau’s “愛唯守危疾保障” series (“愛唯守” series) offers total protection of up to 1,300% of the sum insured¹, covering 135 illnesses, including 15 non-severe childhood illnesses², such as autism and severe asthma. It addresses potential health risks during a child’s growth, helping parents safeguard their children’s development while easing the family’s financial burden.

According to data, there were more than 60,000 SEN students in Hong Kong in the previous school year (2023/24), up 5% year on year and double the number from ten years ago³. Therefore, in addition to comprehensive critical illness protection, AXA Hong Kong and Macau’s “愛唯守” series provides an additional 5% of the basic sum insured as special educational support for insured children with special educational needs⁴⁵, supporting their learning journey. 

If the insured child is diagnosed with a critical illness before the age of 18, parents, as caregivers, must face the illness together with their child throughout the process, making the challenges very significant. Therefore, AXA Hong Kong and Macau 「愛唯守危疾保障（升級版）」 provides parents with an additional childcare caregiver insurance benefit of 5% of the basic sum insured per month for up to 11 months, totalling as much as 55% of the basic sum insured, allowing parents to focus on caring for their child. 

Earlier reports have drawn attention to the considerable difficulties special-needs children face when applying for insurance. Indeed, when it comes to pre-existing conditions, whether special medical conditions or common critical illnesses, most insurers find it difficult to provide cover. If parents can arrange insurance for their children as early as possible, they can avoid being declined cover because of known medical conditions. Parents should therefore pay close attention to the timing of application and put in place protection for their children ahead of time, so that even if difficulties arise later, financial pressure and burden can be eased.

AXA Hong Kong and Macau「愛唯守危疾保障—愛寶保」 can be applied for as early as the 18th week of pregnancy, allowing children to receive cover for unknown congenital conditions and critical illnesses from birth, protecting their growth every step of the way.

As for the period before the child is born, that is, from the 18th week until the baby’s birth, the policy will provide cover for the mother, for example compensation for pregnancy complications or termination of pregnancy, at 105% of the total premiums paid⁸. At the same time, recognising the emotional stress expectant parents may face while welcoming a new life, the policy provides postnatal depression insurance compensation to support parents; each consultation with a psychiatrist or psychologist can be covered for up to 50 visits⁹.

「愛唯守危疾保障（升級版）—愛寶保」 also offers a special “First Year Baby Protection Insurance Benefit”. If the baby unfortunately develops a serious illness or dies within the first policy anniversary year, the policy will provide an additional compensation of 50% of the basic sum insured¹⁰.

When welcoming a new life, it is important to have comprehensive critical illness protection for your baby. AXA Hong Kong and Macau the “愛唯守” series not only provides all-round protection for children, but also offers support for parents. To protect two generations, apply now.

Last updated on: 16 October 2024

Notes:

1. The plan provides multiple critical illness insurance benefits for most covered serious illnesses until the life insured reaches age 85. Each benefit payment is equal to 100% of the sum insured. Under the critical illness benefit and multiple critical illness benefit, “愛唯守（升級版）” provides aggregate benefits of up to 1300% of the basic sum insured, while “愛唯守” provides aggregate benefits of up to 1000% of the basic sum insured.
2. Including: autism, haemophilia A and haemophilia B, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, childhood Huntington’s disease, Kawasaki syndrome, leg-length discrepancy, osteogenesis imperfecta, corrective surgery for paediatric scoliosis, Pompe disease, rheumatic valvular heart disease, severe asthma, haemorrhagic dengue fever, Still’s disease, type 1 childhood spinal muscular atrophy, Wilson’s disease.
3. Legislative Council Panel on Education: https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr2024/chinese/panels/ed/papers/ed20240301cb4-246-5-c.pdf
Legislative Council Secretariat Research Office: https://www.legco.gov.hk/research-publications/chinese/2022issh36-special-educational-needs-20221230-c.pdf   
4. The life insured is first diagnosed with special educational needs; and as a result of special educational needs, the life insured enrols in a special school during the period from the policy anniversary falling on or immediately after the life insured’s 6th birthday (inclusive) until the policy anniversary falling on or immediately after the life insured’s 18th birthday (exclusive) (or, where applicable, the earlier date), and has attended a special school for at least one school year.
5. If the life insured’s enrolment in a special school arises directly or indirectly from, or is related to, any serious illness or non-serious illness (as applicable), and a benefit under the policy has been paid or is payable in respect of that serious illness or non-serious illness (as applicable), the special education support will not be payable.
6. Child carer insurance benefit can only be claimed once.
7. Applicable to “愛唯守 - 愛寶保” and “愛唯守（升級版） - 愛寶保”.
8. Where a pregnant woman is carrying more than one foetus, in the event of the loss of one or more foetuses (as applicable), we will pay the bereavement benefit under the “愛唯守 - 愛寶保” policies in a number corresponding to the number of foetuses lost, provided that all such policies were applied for at the same time on the application date for all foetuses carried by the pregnant woman and all have the same basic sum insured.
“Total premiums paid” means the total amount of premiums due and paid from the policy date up to the time when the bereavement benefit or pregnancy complication benefit becomes payable (as applicable). If there is any change in the sum insured or premium payment mode, the total premiums paid will be adjusted accordingly.
9. For each consultation with a specialist in psychiatry or a registered psychologist, the benefit per visit is capped at HKD 2,000 / MOP 2,000 / USD 250 (depending on the policy currency), up to a maximum of 50 visits in total across all “愛唯守- 愛寶保” and “愛唯守（升級版） - 愛寶保” policies under each pregnancy. If a pregnant woman is carrying more than one (1) foetus, for the purpose of this insurance benefit, it shall be regarded as the same pregnancy and the same consultation.
10. The insurance benefit payable under the first-year Baby Protection benefit (“First-year Baby Protection Benefit Amount”) is equal to 50% of the sum insured on the date the critical illness benefit or death benefit becomes payable (as applicable) (excluding any part of the sum insured increased by the Top-up Benefit Rider). If the date on which the critical illness benefit becomes payable falls within 60 days after the child’s birth, or the date on which the death benefit under the basic plan becomes payable falls within 180 days after the child’s birth (as applicable), the benefit payable will be reduced to 20% of the “First-year Baby Protection Benefit Amount”. This insurance benefit will automatically cease and terminate on the first policy anniversary. Any outstanding amounts and unpaid premiums will be deducted from the benefit payable.

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.