🛡️ Travel insurance, without the fine-print regret

The five parts of a policy that actually matter — and the traps Hong Kong travellers hit most often.

Travel insurance is the one thing you buy hoping to waste the money. Most policies look identical until something goes wrong, so instead of comparing prices, compare these five things — in this order.

1. Medical cover comes first

An overnight hospital stay in Japan, the US or Switzerland can run into six figures of Hong Kong dollars. Medical and emergency evacuation cover is the reason travel insurance exists — everything else is a bonus.

Look for at least HK$1,000,000 medical cover; unlimited is common in better policies
Emergency evacuation / repatriation must be included, not an add-on
Check how pre-existing conditions are treated — most policies exclude them entirely
Direct-billing hospital networks save you fronting the cash

2. Cancellation and delay: read the trigger list

Policies only pay for cancellations on listed grounds. In Hong Kong that list matters more than the payout number: check that Typhoon Signal No. 8 and Black Rainstorm warnings are named triggers, and when the cover starts (a policy bought after a storm is named pays nothing for it).

Flight delay usually pays per full 5–6 hours of delay — keep the airline's written confirmation
Missed connection and trip curtailment (coming home early) are separate items
Cancellation cover should start the day you buy the policy, not the day you fly

3. Belongings: mind the per-item cap

A HK$30,000 baggage figure sounds generous until you read the per-item cap — often HK$2,000–3,000, which won't replace a phone or camera. Some policies exclude unattended items, including bags left on rental-car seats.

Check the single-item limit against your most expensive gadget
Loss must usually be reported to police within 24 hours — get the report
Cash cover is tiny (often ≤HK$3,000); don't carry more than that uninsured

4. Activities and rental-car excess

Skiing, scuba diving, hiking above ~3,000m and motorcycling are commonly excluded or need a rider. If you're renting a car, a policy that covers the rental excess is often cheaper than the counter's own waiver.

5. Annual vs single-trip

From roughly three trips a year, an annual multi-trip policy usually costs less than buying per trip — and it means you're never caught uninsured by a last-minute fare. Watch the per-trip maximum duration (often 30–90 days).

Claims that actually get paid

Keep everything: boarding passes, receipts, medical reports, police reports
Photograph damaged luggage before repairing or replacing it
Get delay/cancellation confirmations from the airline in writing
File as soon as you're home — most policies set claim deadlines of 30 days

Before you buy — 60-second check

Medical ≥ HK$1M with evacuation included
T8 / black rain named as cancellation triggers
Per-item baggage cap covers your phone/camera
Your activities (ski, dive, hike, drive) are covered
Cover starts today, not on departure day
You know the emergency hotline and kept a copy of the policy

General information, not financial advice and not a recommendation of any product. Policy terms differ — always read the actual policy wording before buying.