Does your pet need pet insurance in Hong Kong? What are the best pet insurance providers?

As we all know, veterinarian care can be incredibly costly in Hong Kong. Pet insurance can cover your pet’s medical expenses, liability to third parties, and sponsor missing pet advertisements, as well as unexpected funerals resulting from accidents. Currently, most of the pets covered by pet insurance are still cats and dogs.

Common health coverage in pet insurance Hong Kong 

Outpatient and surgical expenses are the most common medical protection in pet insurance. See below for a non-exhaustive list of what's covered. 

• X-rays
• Ultrasound and laboratory tests
• Surgery fees
• Operating room fees 
• Anesthesiologist fees 
• Euthanasia administration expenses
• Prosthetics, wheelchairs, and related costs
• Inpatient expenses 
• Consultation fees

Some pet insurance plans also cover the cost of specific diagnosis and treatment methods, such as chemotherapy and behavioral treatment.

Third party liability insurance

Occasionally, you hear news of furkids accidentally injuring others in play. Third party liability protection can compensate for any injury, death, illness, or loss of property caused by the insured pet to a third party.

This is similar to third-party liability insurance in home insurance or third-party car insurance. However, note that not all breeds can be insured. Working dogs who are involved in competitions, stunts, drug detection are usually exempted. The same goes for naturally aggressive breeds.

Funeral service fee

In the unfortunate case of your pet's death, pet insurance in Hong Kong can cover the cost of its cremation, funeral service fees, and any handling fees charged by your vet or funeral service provider.

Pet insurance premium is usually based on your pet's age, breed, medical history, and physical condition. Keep in mind that most plans out there set a minimum and maximum age at which your pets can apply for insurance. It's usually between 8 weeks to 6 months old. Rarely do insurers not set a limit on what age your pets must be insured by. However, those that don't will still reject applicants around 11-13 years old. Either way, as your furkid ages, the premium increases.

The monthly premium for the basic plan for puppies and kittens (less than 6 months old) ranges from HKD $95 to HKD $116. For older furkids (8 years old and up), it ranges from HKD $326 to HKD $403.

Compare premiums and pay attention to item limits 

Besides comparing pet insurance premiums on leaflets, you should also carefully compare the upper limit of individual items/benefits. Double-check whether you'll need to co-pay with the insurer or pay for the initial cost if you've exceeded your upper limit. 

Exclusions

As with health insurance for humans, get to know the policy exclusions before buying insurance. Pre-existing conditions, congenital diseases, certain breeds of cats and dogs, and pets without chip implants are some of the more common pet insurance exclusions.

Waiting period

Most pet insurance plans have a waiting period. This means you must wait for a specific period of time before you can claim compensation, even after purchasing pet insurance. Generally, the waiting period for pet insurance in Hong Kong is one month. That said, when it comes to certain policies (e.g. orthopedic diseases, chronic kidney disease, cancer, and genetic diseases), this can last up to six months.

No claims discount

Haven't made any claims for years? Your insurance company will likely reward you with a discount as you renew your policy for next year. Keep in mind that not all pet insurance in Hong Kong offers this discount.

Claim procedures

The simpler the claim procedure, the better. After all, who has the time to sort through complicated procedures when your furkid is sick and requires medical assistance?

Learn about your insurer's required documents, the general time it takes to process claims, and whether the procedures are convenient before securing a plan. 

Blue Cross Pet Care pet insurance provides comprehensive medical protection with coverage for the following items: 

• Veterinary consultations
• Treatments
• Drugs/medications 
• Surgery
• Laboratory tests
• Chemotherapy
• Behavioral treatment
• Third party liability protection*
• Overseas protection for pets traveling abroad. 

*Third-party liability protection may be upgraded according to your needs.