Basic Features of Travel Insurance 旅遊保險的基本特點
Travel insurance is a package policy bringing together all four types of subject matter: property, the person, liability and pecuniary interests. Separate sections define their own cover and pre-set limits, but the insurer prices the plan as a whole rather than rating each section separately.
Standard plans are generally not redesigned for individual applicants. An applicant normally cannot remove a section for a premium discount or secure a higher personal money limit simply by offering an extra premium. The insurer may sometimes agree to an extension, but this is an exception; standardisation helps simplify administration and control costs.
A policy may insure one person or several people. Besides the proposer, insured persons may include an accompanying spouse and children of either spouse who are below the plan's specified age. Cover for children should not be assumed to apply regardless of age.
Single-trip policies are most common and usually cover travel from the place of origin to the destination and back, although one-way travel can also be insured. An annual policy may cover an unlimited number of trips, subject to its terms. In Hong Kong, travel insurance agents authorised only for restricted scope travel business cannot sell annual policies. [IA GL24, relevant footnote](https://www.ia.org.hk/en/legislative_framework/files/GL24_2025_ENG.pdf)
Documentation 文件
The application form must identify the applicant and each person to be insured, specify the trip and state the selected insurance plan. These details establish who is applying, who will be insured, which journey is involved and which plan is being purchased.
Once the proposal is accepted, the insurer or its agent issues a certificate of insurance or an insurance policy. Either document, with its attached provisions, can evidence the insurance contract. A certificate does not require a separate policy document to perform that evidential function.
Distinguish general provisions from sectional provisions. General provisions apply to every section; sectional provisions apply to one or more sections, but not all. Assess a particular cover by reading its applicable general and sectional provisions together.
Common Hong Kong policy sections include personal accident benefits, medical expenses, hospital benefit, emergency services, baggage and personal effects, baggage delay, personal money, loss of travel documents, personal liability, travel delay, loss of deposit or cancellation of trip, curtailment of trip and outbound travel alert. This is an overview of common sections; the purchased plan's documents determine its actual cover.
Insured Trip 受保旅行或旅程
An insured trip normally runs from the origin specified in the certificate to the planned destinations within the territorial limits, then back to the origin. The area might be Asia, Worldwide, or Worldwide except Canada and the United States of America. Even Worldwide cover remains subject to exclusions for travel in, to or through specified countries.
The certificate also sets a maximum trip duration. Events occurring beyond it are outside cover unless an applicable extension operates. For example, a policy may automatically extend the maximum duration by 10 days without charge when the trip is unavoidably prolonged. The 10 days illustrate a possible provision; they are not an entitlement under every policy.
One possible wording starts non-cancellation cover when the insured leaves home or office, whichever is later, but no earlier than 12 hours before departure from the origin's international departure point. Cover ends on return to home or office, whichever is earlier. If neither has been reached, it ends 12 hours after return to the place of origin.
A narrower alternative defines the trip from the departure immigration counter to the return immigration counter. Cancellation cover usually starts when the certificate is issued and ends on the planned departure date, so its timing differs from other covers. Travellers going on business should also confirm that the plan covers business travel as well as pleasure travel.
Practice
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