People walking with umbrellas under steady rain in a bustling Hong Kong street, surrounded by neon signs and high-rise buildings; visually capturing the wet conditions during Hong Kong’s rainy season, relevant for planning the best season to visit Hong Kong rain-wise.
TRAVEL INSURANCE

Hong Kong Travel Insurance Basics

Medical care, cancellations and unexpected weather problems can be expensive, so good travel insurance is essential.

Medical Events

Hong Kong is a very safe destination, but that doesn’t mean nothing can go wrong. Illness, falls, flight delays and lost luggage can happen anywhere, and medical treatment for visitors isn’t free

Tourists can use Hong Kong’s excellent public hospitals, but they’re normally classed as non-eligible persons and charged accordingly. From January 2026, a visit to a public hospital Accident and Emergency department costs HK$2,100. A general hospital bed costs HK$7,400 per day, while intensive care can cost HK$35,600 per day. Tests, scans, medicines and some specialist services may be charged separately.

In a medical emergency, call 999. Queen Mary Hospital serves Hong Kong Island, while Queen Elizabeth Hospital is one of the major emergency hospitals in Kowloon. Take your passport and insurance details with you where possible.

I never travel without comprehensive insurance. I was reminded exactly why when I recently broke my foot while travelling in India. Because of the injury, I couldn’t fly home in an ordinary economy seat and had to be repatriated to New Zealand on business-class flights. Thankfully, my travel insurance covered the arrangements. Without it, the cost would have been enormous.

Weather Events

Hong Kong can also be affected by typhoons, particularly between May and November. Severe weather can cause flight cancellations, ferry suspensions, transport disruption and changes to travel plans, so make sure your policy includes suitable cancellation, delay and trip-interruption cover. 

What Your Policy Should Cover

Look for a policy that covers:

  • Emergency medical treatment and hospital stays
  • Medical evacuation or repatriation home
  • Trip cancellation and interruption
  • Flight delays and missed connections
  • Lost or delayed luggage
  • Any hiking, water sports or other activities you plan to do
  • Pre-existing medical conditions, where applicable

I’d buy insurance as soon as you make your first major booking rather than waiting until just before departure. That way, your cancellation cover begins well before the trip itself.

In a medical emergency, call 999. Keep your insurer’s emergency-assistance number and policy details on your phone, and contact them as soon as reasonably possible if something serious happens. They may need to approve treatment, arrange payment directly or organise your journey home.

Compare Insurance Providers

It pays to shop around. The cost of premiums can vary widely between insurance providers, as well as the specific things covered by each policy. I often do a quick check through visitorcoverage.com

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✈️Travelling Soon?

These are the travel tools and booking sites I personally use and recommend most often when planning a trip to Hong Kong:

Travel Insurance: I use Visitor Coverage to compare travel insurance policies side-by-side before I book.
Flights: I search flights using Expedia to compare prices and routes.
Hotels: I book most of my Hong Kong hotels through Booking.com because the free cancellation policies are often really flexible.
eSIMs: I use Airalo for mobile data in Hong Kong and China. It’s easy to set up before you land.
Airport Express Tickets: I usually book Airport Express tickets through Klook because the QR-code entry makes arrival much smoother after a long flight.