AXA Hong Kong launches Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme

The insurer will offer personal reimbursement for hospitalisation.

AXA Hong Kong has registered by the Food and Health Bureau (FHB) as a Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme (VHIS) provider and will offer the Standard Plan for personal reimbursement for hospitalisation, namely “WiseGuard Medical Insurance Plan”, and a plan with flexible options known as “Smart Medicare”.

The VHIS is designed by the government to take pressure off Hong Kong's ageing public medical system through an annual $8,000 tax incentive that helps facilitate entry into the private system.

Both of AXA Hong Kong's VHIS programmes can be insured as a stand-alone basic plan or supplement to other AXA Hong Kong basic plans. Optional supplementary major medical is available as a top-up for “Smart Medicare” customers for a more comprehensive protection; whilst existing designated customers of “Smart Medicare” can enjoy auto-upgrade, exempted from re-underwriting, to the VHIS Flexi Plan on the policy anniversaries.

To enable customers to prepare for sudden and huge medical expenses, AXA Hong Kong will enhance Smart Medicare in keeping with the VHIS Flexi Plan which is divided into three benefit levels: Regular, Superior & Premier. Existing Smart Medicare designated customers are exempt from re-underwriting for auto-upgrade upon the policy anniversary, and it is expected that up to 70% medical insurance customers of AXA Hong Kong will be benefited. Whether for a new or an auto-upgraded customer, Smart Medicare not only includes the product features of the VHIS Standard Plan, but also the outpatient kidney dialysis, medical negligence benefit amongst other benefits.