Moving To Hong Kong? Don't Forget Your Health Insurance!

If you’re currently planning a move to Hong Kong, it is important that you are aware of your health insurance options. Generally speaking, the health care system in this part of the world is very good – especially when compared with some of the smaller European cities. Yet, there are still some very big differences between the health care system in this country and the one in Hong Kong.
In Hong Kong, health insurance is a choice. There is a system of free health care in place, but it does come with a lot of limitations. Most expat workers do receive free health insurance from an employer. However, these policies are capped on a per day, per condition basis. They often struggle to cover anything but the most basic level of care, say the experts at HubPages.com.
Those who are planning to live and work in Hong Kong, for a significant amount of time, are advised to purchase a private health insurance policy. This is a very heavily populated part of the world – it’s health care system isn’t bad, but the sheer number of citizens does mean that it’s often put under intense strain. If you do not have a private policy, you may have to wait some time for treatment.

Certain medical specialists in Hong Kong are spread very thinly, making it difficult for people to get the treatment that they need in a timely fashion, says Allianz.com. Midwives and obstetricians are in short supply, so Hong Kong can be a difficult place to give birth without private insurance. It isn’t always, but it can be – especially for European expats who are used to a certain level of care.
Luckily, private health care isn’t astronomically expensive in this part of the world – most Hong Kong’s citizens choose to rely on state care. Whilst this does mean that the state system gets overcrowded, it also means that private health care is a lot less expensive than it is in the UK. Compared to the cost of private care in Britain, private care in Thailand is fairly cheap.
This is a situation that lots of expats are keen to take advantage of. If you would prefer to visit a private hospital during your time in Hong Kong, it is recommended that you take out a suitable health insurance policy to help you cover the costs, say the experts at Gov.Hk. This is strongly recommended, especially considering the fact that not all medical costs are covered by the state, anyway.
When you start a new job in Hong Kong, make sure that you find out as much about your employer insurance as possible – then, make the decision about whether or not to take out private insurance. If you do still feel the need to take out a private health insurance policy, get in touch with a reliable company like Direct Asia. Visit www.directasia.com.hk for more information and advice on how to get a reliable, affordable insurance quote.
It’s important to realise that you do have options. As an expat, you probably have more options than a lot of the less wealthy citizens in Hong Kong. It’s not true that the Hong Kong health care system is poorer than the health care system anywhere else. Yet, it is true that the sheer amount of people in this part of the world, can lead to a complicated and time consuming wait for treatment.
Author Bio: James Patrick is a freelance Blogger, currently living in NJ,USA. He recommends, if you are travelling to Hong Kong health insurance from Direct Asia. James can usually be found working on her next big feature, or interviewing local citizens.