VHIS FAQs: Benefits, tax deduction, why choose VHIS, and migrating to the Zurich VHIS Series
ArticleJune 27, 2025
To help you better understand the Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme (“VHIS”) and the Zurich VHIS Series, this page gives you a clear overview of how VHIS works and how our plans can support your health protection needs.
Whether you are thinking about taking out a VHIS plan, comparing different options, or considering migrating your existing coverage to a plan under our VHIS Series, we aim to make everything simple and straightforward, and to support you at every step.
Table of contents (click to jump to relevant section)
Overview of VHIS & the Zurich VHIS Series
The Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme ("VHIS") is a scheme introduced by the Health Bureau to ensure that hospital insurance plans offered by insurers meet clear standards. This helps you choose coverage that fits your needs.
VHIS is designed to:
- Strengthen the protection level of hospital insurance products
- Give you more options for private healthcare
- Over time, help ease pressure on public hospitals
VHIS Certified Plans come in two types:
- Standard Plans – provide standardized hospital insurance coverage.
- Flexi Plans – build on Standard Plans and offer additional protection and greater flexibility, such as higher benefit limits and broader coverage, so you can tailor your plan to your personal needs.
For more information about VHIS, you can visit the official VHIS website provided by the Health Bureau, or email the VHIS Office at vhis_enquiry@healthbureau.gov.hk if you have any questions.
If you’d like to learn more about tax deductions for VHIS premiums, please visit the Inland Revenue Department website. For information about insurance company regulations, please see the Insurance Authority website.
Zurich VHIS Series benefits
Why do I need the Zurich VHIS Series?
Medical costs continue to rise. A VHIS Certified Plan (certified by the Health Bureau) helps you and your loved ones stay protected with clear benefits and long term peace of mind. Key advantages of our VHIS plans include:
Tax deduction
If you are a Hong Kong taxpayer and you or your spouse is the policyholder, you may claim a tax deduction of up to HKD 8,000 per insured person for each assessment year on premiums paid for a VHIS Certified Plan (subject to the Inland Revenue Department's rules)1.
Premium transparency
You can view the premium tables anytime, making it easier to choose coverage that fits your needs and budget:
Eligibility before aged 80; guaranteed renewal2 up to aged 100
You can apply up to age 80 and enjoy guaranteed renewal up to age 100, regardless of changes in your health. In addition, VHIS Standard Plans have no lifetime benefit limit.
Coverage of unknown pre-existing conditions
VHIS provides coverage for unknown pre-existing conditions3, subject to a waiting period and progressive reimbursement:
|
Policy year |
Reimbursement ratio |
|
First policy year |
0% |
| Second policy year | 25% |
| Third policy year | 50% |
| Fourth policy year onwards | 100% |
21-day cooling-off period
You have a 21-day cooling-off period during which you can cancel the policy and receive a refund of premiums paid.
Other special benefits
|
Benefit item |
Description |
|
Day case procedures |
Includes endoscopy performed in day centres |
| Prescribed diagnostic imaging tests | Includes CT, MRI and PET scans during hospital stay or as outpatient treatment (subject to 30% coinsurance) |
| Prescribed non-surgical cancer treatments | Includes treatments such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy and hormonal therapy |
| Psychiatric inpatient treatment at local hospitals | Covered up to HKD 30,000 per policy year |
Why should I consider the Zurich VHIS Series if I already have medical insurance or company group coverage?
Even if you already have individual medical insurance or company group coverage, our VHIS Series can help you strengthen your protection and give you more flexibility. It can:
- Top up your existing coverage to help with higher medical expenses
- Support continuity of protection if you change jobs or if your employee benefits change
- Offer flexible options – through our Flexi Plans and deductible choices, you can tailor the coverage to suit your needs and budget
Claims
How do I submit a claim and how long does it take to process?
Submitting a claim with us is simple:
- Prepare your documents
Gather all required documents, such as medical receipts and a diagnosis summary. Depending on your case, additional documents may be needed. For a full list of required documents, please refer to our Medical Claim Document Checklist. - Submit your claim
Use our eClaims service to submit your claim within 30 days of your medical expense.
What happens next?
Once we receive all required documents, we’ll start processing your claim. Most claims are settled within a few weeks, although the actual processing time may vary depending on the type and complexity of your case.
Can I estimate my claim amount before treatment?
Yes. If you would like to understand the likely eligible claim amount before your treatment or hospitalisation, you can use our Pre-hospitalization Claim Assessment Service.
Simply complete the assessment form (Pre-hospitalization claim assessment form) together with your registered attending physician and email it to vhis_claims@hk.zurich.com at least 3 business days before your scheduled treatment or hospitalisation. We’ll notify you of the assessment result by email within 5 business days after we receive the completed form.
Coverage
Can I have more than one Zurich VHIS policy at the same time?
Yes. For each insured person, you can hold one Zurich VHIS Standard Plan and one Zurich VHIS Flexi Plan with us at the same time, so you can combine coverage to suit your needs.
Please note: the total tax deduction for VHIS premiums is capped at HKD 8,000 per insured person for each assessment year, regardless of how many VHIS policies you hold1.
Does the Zurich VHIS Series cover unknown pre-existing or congenital conditions?
Yes, our VHIS Series provides coverage for unknown pre-existing conditions. It also covers congenital conditions if they are diagnosed, or symptoms first appear, when the insured person is aged 8 or above. To understand how reimbursement works for unknown pre-existing conditions, please refer to the reimbursement table here.
Definitions
Who is eligible to apply for a Zurich VHIS plan?
Hong Kong residents aged between 15 days and 80 years are eligible to apply for a VHIS Certified Plan. Once you are insured, your VHIS policy is guaranteed renewable up to age 100, regardless of changes in your health2.
Policy management
Can a Zurich VHIS plan be jointly owned by more than one person?
Our VHIS plans are issued with one policyholder per policy to keep policy ownership and benefits clear and simple. Joint ownership or splitting of policy ownership is not allowed.
Premiums and tax deduction
Can I get a tax deduction with a Zurich VHIS Series plan? How can I estimate the deductible amount?
Yes. If you or your spouse is the policyholder of a VHIS Certified Plan under our VHIS Series, you may claim a tax deduction of up to HKD 8,000 per insured person per assessment year for premiums paid for that Certified Plan4.
To estimate your eligible tax deduction, please visit the VHIS Office website and the Inland Revenue Department website.
Renewal
What should I do if I relocate to another country?
If you move to another country, please inform us at your next renewal. A change in your place of residence may require us to review and re underwrite your VHIS policy.
For more details on how your coverage may be affected, please refer to our VHIS Series Policy and Benefit Information.
Remarks
1For details of your tax arrangement, please refer to the Inland Revenue Ordinance (Cap. 112) , the Inland Revenue Department website (FAQ on Tax Deduction for Qualifying Premiums Paid under the Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme (VHIS) Policy) and consult your tax advisor.
2Guaranteed renewal is subject to meeting the requirements in the renewal provisions of the policy terms and conditions and payment of the prevailing premium on each policy anniversary. Zurich reserves the right to amend premium, benefits and terms upon policy renewal.
3Coverage begins from your policy’s effective date. However, partial coverage applies in the early policy years.
4The insured person of the Certified Plan should be the taxpayer or any of the specified relatives, which include the taxpayer's spouse and children, and the taxpayer's or his/her spouse's grandparents, parents and siblings. There is no limit on the number of insured persons and the number of eligible policies.
• Children include:
aged less than 18; or
aged 18 to less than 25 receiving full-time education; or
aged 18 or above but incapacitated for work by reason of physical or mental disability.
• Parents or grandparents include:
aged less than 55 but eligible to claim an allowance under the Government's Disability Allowance Scheme; or
aged 55 or above.
• Brothers or sisters include:
aged less than 18; or
aged 18 to less than 25 receiving full-time education; or
aged 18 or above but incapacitated for work by reason of physical or mental disability.
• Tax deduction for the qualifying premiums paid under a VHIS policy (not including levy) will be based on the premiums paid after deducting any premium discount (if any). Whether tax deduction is allowable is subject to the Inland Revenue Ordinance and the circumstances of the policyholder (as taxpayer) and the insured person(s) (as specified relative(s)). Please refer to the website of the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) or contact the IRD directly for any tax related enquiries. Zurich does not provide tax and/or legal advice. You should consult an independent tax and/or legal advisor if needed.
Migrating to our VHIS Series
If you are an existing policyholder of one of our designated medical plans, you will receive an invitation to migrate to our VHIS Series at your policy renewal. If you choose our recommended VHIS plan, you can complete the migration without re underwriting.
The new plan will generally offer greater flexibility, but please make sure you read the following terms and conditions and FAQs carefully first.
Application
Will I need to go through underwriting when I migrate to a Zurich VHIS plan?
If you migrate to our recommended VHIS plan, no additional underwriting is required. This means you can move to the new plan smoothly, without any re-assessment of your health.
Can I upgrade, downgrade, or migrate to a Zurich VHIS plan other than the recommended one?
Yes. If you choose our VHIS plan that is different from our recommended option, we will need to conduct underwriting and may request some additional information. Our team will contact you and guide you through each step to keep the process as simple as possible.
Claims
What happens to claims if I migrate from my previous medical plan to a new Zurich VHIS policy?
If your medical services or treatment are received before your new VHIS policy starts, all related medical expenses will be processed under your previous medical plan.
Any medical services or treatment received on or after the start date of your new VHIS policy will be covered according to your new VHIS plan benefits. This helps ensure your protection continues smoothly as you move from your previous plan to the new one.
Coverage
Can I migrate only some members if my current medical plan covers multiple people?
Our VHIS plans are individual policies, with one plan issued for each insured person. If your current plan covers more than one person, each insured person will need to apply for and migrate to their own VHIS plan.
You cannot keep part of a multi person plan on the original cover while migrating only some insured persons to our VHIS plan.
How can I find out which plan is recommended for me?
You can view your recommended plan by visiting our VHIS migration page and check the “Coverage comparison” section.
Will my exclusions, deductible, or premium loading change after migration
To maintain continuity of coverage when you migrate to our recommended VHIS plan:
- Exclusions and premium loadings
Any existing exclusions and premium loadings under your current policy will be carried over to your new VHIS policy. - Waiting period and pre-existing conditions
The waiting period and pre-existing conditions under your current policy will be waived, except for mental conditions, physiological degradation and congenital conditions. These conditions will be covered according to the standard terms and conditions of your VHIS policy. - Deductible
The deductible will follow the terms and conditions of your new VHIS policy.
Will my existing medical conditions be covered after I migrate to a Zurich VHIS plan?
Yes. If a medical condition is already covered under your existing medical policy, it will continue to be covered when you migrate to our recommended VHIS plan, subject to the terms and conditions of your VHIS policy. This helps ensure your protection continues smoothly without interruption.
Please remember, all known pre existing conditions must be disclosed. These may be excluded from coverage according to the standard VHIS policy terms.
Our VHIS plans also provide coverage for unknown pre existing medical conditions (conditions that already existed but you were not aware of at the time you applied), as well as for congenital conditions if they are diagnosed, or symptoms first appear, when the insured person is aged 8 or above. For further details on how these conditions are covered and reimbursed, please refer to here.
Is there continuity of coverage during the migration application period?
Yes. Your current medical plan will continue to cover you until your new VHIS plan takes effect, so there will be no gap in coverage.
If you decide not to migrate and instead renew your existing policy before it expires, your coverage will also remain uninterrupted.
To avoid any disruption, please submit your migration request before the deadline and pay your premiums on time:
- If you are migrating to our recommended VHIS plan, we suggest submitting your request at least three weeks before your current policy expiry date.
- If you choose our VHIS plan that requires underwriting (that is, a plan other than our recommended option), please submit your request at least one month before your current policy expiry date.
Premiums and renewal
What is the premium for the recommended VHIS plan if I migrate?
You can find the premium for your recommended VHIS plan under the “Coverage comparison” section on our VHIS migration page.
How is my VHIS premium calculated, and which age is used?
Your VHIS premium is calculated based on your age at your last birthday when we complete your application or renew your policy.
Will I still get my current “No Claims Bonus” renewal benefit if I migrate to the Zurich VHIS Series?
No. Our VHIS Series does not include a No Claims Discount feature. As a result, any existing No Claims Discount from your current medical policy will not be transferred to your new VHIS policy.
The value of VHIS lies in its standardized features, transparency and guaranteed renewal, which help provide long term medical protection.
For more information, please visit our VHIS migration page. You can find the premium schedule under the “Coverage comparison” section.
We’re here to help.
If you have any questions or need help understanding your coverage or migration options, you may contact us by fill out this e-form or email us at enquiry@hk.zurich.com. Or you can speak with your insurance intermediary.
Disclaimer
The information contained in this material is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute any recommendation or advice to any person. Readers should not make any decision based solely on the information contained herein. Before acting on any information in this material, readers should consider their personal situation and seek independent advice.
The information contained in this material does not constitute an offer for the purchase or sale of any insurance products or services. No insurance product or service is deemed to be offered, marketed or solicited for sale in any jurisdiction in which such offer, marketing or solicitation would be unlawful under the laws of such jurisdiction.
Zurich Insurance (Hong Kong) has based this material on information obtained from sources it believes to be reliable, but it does not warrant the correctness, adequacy and completeness of the information contained herein.
The information contained in this material may not be reproduced either in whole, or in part, without prior written permission of Zurich Insurance (Hong Kong). In no event shall Zurich Insurance (Hong Kong) be liable for any damages or losses arising out of or in connection with the use, reliance on or distribution of the information contained in this material by any person