Medical Insurance

I currently live in Guangzhou and would like to know what do people do about finding good medical insurance that will cover for everything.

Thank you

I would recommend the William Russell insurance package ... same price as BUPA, better quality, less paper work.

Hi Adam,


I am also covered under William Russell and I am very happy. I took my insurance through HealthLine Asia. They are broker and got me a good discount. They also take care of all my health issues. If I need a doctor, I call them. If I need to contact my insurance before being hospitalized, they do it for me.

They are very nice. Give them a call and ask for Maya: 6215 3513

Medical insurance policies usually cover the cost of medical treatment arising from illnesses or accidents. The following considerations should be taken into account when choosing an insurance company that best suits your needs:

1, Coverage

Coverage is usually divided into 2 major categories: Inpatient or Outpatient.

Inpatient benefits cover the costs of the hospitalization including room and board, nursing care, surgical procedures, anesthetists, specialists and physicians’ fees, operating theatre charges and intensive care costs.

Surgical and anesthetists fees are normally reimbursed according to the complexity of treatment or alternatively, a fixed percentage for each type of treatment.

Outpatient benefits cover the cost of consultation with a general practitioner or specialist, long-term medication, laboratory treatment and diagnostic charges.

A monetary limit is usually placed on each sub-category and an overall benefit limit per year or per admission may be imposed. Sometimes there may have a deductible (a fixed sum to be paid by the policy holder per benefit year) or a co-insurance (a fixed percentage of the total cost at each admission).

Depending on your needs, it is possible to purchase coverage for other types of medical expenses such as maternity or dental costs. Some insurers will also cover, on request, costs of visits to herbalists, bonesetters and acupuncturists.

2, Price

Given the large number of insurers available in Hong Kong, you should consider obtaining several quotations for comparison before committing yourself to an insurance policy. The premium of the insurance will vary upon your desired coverage, e.g. with or without outpatient coverage, maternity benefit.

3, Reputable claims service

You can look for insurance companies that have direct billing arrangement with local private hospitals. It provides a hassle-free claim service because the medical service provider will send all the hospital bills to your insurance company for direct settlement. You will only be asked to pay for any uncovered costs or portions. Matilda International Hospital has been working with a number of insurance companies for direct billing arrangements, please feel free to contact us should you have any queries.

You may contact some of the reputable international insurance companies, e.g. Cigna, Bupa International, that offer a wide range of medical coverage especially for expatriates for more details.