Question 1

What is the Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme (VHIS)?

Accepted Answer

VHIS is a regulatory scheme launched by the Hong Kong Food and Health Bureau on 1 April 2019, supervised by the Insurance Authority (IA). All VHIS-certified plans must meet minimum benefit floors — guaranteed lifetime renewal, coverage to age 100, coverage for unknown pre-existing conditions, and no lifetime benefit cap. Source: vhis.gov.hk.

Question 2

How many VHIS plans are there in Hong Kong?

Accepted Answer

As of the latest data sync, VHISGuide tracks 579 active certified VHIS plans across 33 actively-selling insurers. The complete carrier list (including delisted ones) covers 33 companies. Data is refreshed monthly from the IA's certified plan register on vhis.gov.hk.

Question 3

What's the difference between Standard and Flexi VHIS plans?

Accepted Answer

Standard plans are the regulatory floor — every certified plan must include all Standard benefits. Flexi plans build on top with higher annual limits, higher ward tiers, broader geographic coverage, or additional benefit items; premiums are correspondingly higher. No Flexi clause can ever be stricter than Standard (regulator-enforced). Source: vhis.gov.hk plan document specification.

Question 4

Are VHIS premiums tax-deductible in Hong Kong?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Hong Kong taxpayers may claim a salaries-tax deduction for qualifying premiums paid on a VHIS-certified policy covering themselves or a specified relative, capped at HK$8,000 per insured person per tax year. Specified relatives include spouse, children, parents, grandparents, and siblings. Full conditions (third-party-payer rules, 6-year retention) at /en/tax-deduction. Primary source: Inland Revenue Department (IRD) FAQ on Tax Deduction for Qualifying Premiums Paid under the VHIS Policy.

Question 5

How are pre-existing conditions handled under VHIS?

Accepted Answer

Every VHIS-certified plan must cover unknown pre-existing conditions (PECs the policyholder was unaware of at application). Coverage phases in across policy years 1-4 at 0% / 25% / 50% / 100%. Known pre-existing conditions are subject to underwriting (premium loading, exclusion endorsement, or decline). Source: vhis.gov.hk plan document template Clause 22.

Question 6

Can I hold VHIS alongside a company group medical plan?

Accepted Answer

Yes. VHIS does not reduce or refuse benefit because the insured holds other medical cover. For a single hospitalisation or surgery, you can claim from the group plan first and submit the remaining balance to your VHIS plan (dual-claim), capped at actual expenses. Source: vhis.gov.hk FAQ.

Question 7

What's the difference between VHIS and traditional medical insurance?

Accepted Answer

VHIS is IA-supervised with minimum standards, guaranteed lifetime renewal, published annual premium schedules and registered plan documents. Non-VHIS medical insurance (traditional high-end plans, group medical, etc.) follows insurer-set terms — renewal, premium adjustments, and benefit scope are at insurer discretion, and there is no tax deduction. Source: vhis.gov.hk plan comparison guidance.

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