With regard to the continued spread of the Novel Coronavirus, the Hong Kong Federation of Insurers (HKFI) would like to provide the following information regarding various types of insurance.

Please note that the following content is for reference only. The actual coverage is subject to the terms and conditions of individual policy. If policyholders have any enquiries, they should contact their insurance company / intermediary directly.

Medical Insurance

• Some insurance companies have announced that hospitalization / treatments prescribed for the Novel Coronavirus will be covered. If the insured person is diagnosed as suffering from Novel Coronavirus or is ordered mandatory quarantine, the insurance company will provide additional hospital cash protection. For customers taking out a new policy within a specified period of time, the waiting period for Novel Coronavirus will be waived.

• At the same time, some insurance companies have prioritized and simplified the outpatients and hospitalization claims diagnosed with the coronavirus.

• The above extended coverage varies among insurance companies. Policyholders are advised to check with their respective insurance companies/ intermediaries.

Employees’ Compensation Insurance

• Employees’ Compensation (EC) Insurance is a statutory insurance. If an employee sustains an injury or dies as a result of an accident arising out of and in the course of employment, his / her employer is in general liable to pay compensation under the Employees’ Compensation Ordinance (ECO) and the common law.

• For example, if an employee suffers from a slip injury during work from home as arranged by the employer, he / she needs to prove that the injury is related to his / her work. Otherwise, he / she may not be covered by the EC insurance. For common law damages, the employee must obtain proof that the accident was caused by the employer's negligence.

• The Novel Coronavirus is not an occupational disease specified in the ECO. However, if an employee is infected with the Novel Coronavirus as a result of an accident arising out of and in the course of employment as stipulated in the ECO, the employee can still claim for loss under this ordinance. Yet the final result is subject to the court’s judgment.

• For any enquiries about the insurance policy, please contact the insurance company / intermediary directly.

Travel Insurance

• If the itinerary is cancelled due to restrictions on entry (such as refusal of entry or failure to obtain a visa), in general, it is not a named peril covered by the travel insurance. Passengers should apply to vehicle operators, such as airlines, for refunds of airfare (depending on the arrangements of the relevant organizations).

• If the insured person unfortunately contracts the Novel Coronavirus while he’s overseas, he can claim for the medical / hospitalization expenses. If the itinerary needs to be changed because of his health condition / medical treatment, the additional accommodation and transportation costs may also be covered.

• If the insured person unfortunately suffers from the Novel Coronavirus before the tour starts and cannot start the journey, he may apply for compensation on the tour cancellation.

On cruise insurance,

• In the event where the insured being suspected or confirmed to have contracted infectious disease and resulted in compulsory quarantine abroad at a specified destination involuntarily, he will be eligible for cash allowance.

• However, if the insured’s change of itinerary is not caused by specified perils, it is generally not covered by insurance. Specified perils include strike, riot, adverse weather, natural disasters, mechanical breakdown / structural defeat of the scheduled sea vessel.
   

• As the products of different insurance companies vary, policyholders should pay attention to the terms and conditions of their own policy and should check with their insurance company / intermediary directly for enquiries.
   

(Updated on 5 Feb 2020)