What kind of insurance should I buy when hiring a domestic helper?
In Hong Kong, foreign domestic helpers (domestic helpers) mainly come from the Philippines and Indonesia. The current minimum wage is HK$5,100 per month, with a meal allowance of HK$1,236. They are entitled to statutory holidays and standard employment contract protections under the Employment Ordinance. Recent government measures to strengthen regulation, provide subsidies, and implement safety measures reflect the challenges and policy updates faced by domestic helpers living and working in Hong Kong
The core requirement for foreign domestic workers in Hong Kong is that employersmustpurchase Employees' Compensation Insurance (commonly known as Labour Insurance) for them in accordance with the Employees' Compensation Ordinance; otherwise, it is illegal. In addition to the statutory Labour Insurance, many employers will purchase additional comprehensive domestic worker insurance to cover outpatient visits, hospitalization, repatriation, re-hiring, and employer's legal liability, among other additional protections.
Key points of the law
Foreign domestic helpers are protected under the Employment Ordinance and the Employees' Compensation Ordinance, and are bound by standard employment contracts. Employers must purchase valid Employees' Compensation Insurance for their domestic helpers to protect their legal liability for work-related injuries; employing them without such insurance is illegal. Furthermore, the standard contract requires employers to provide free medical care to their domestic helpers during the employment period, including medical visits, hospitalizations, and dental emergencies—a responsibility beyond statutory insurance
What is the difference between comprehensive domestic helper insurance and labor insurance?
The biggest difference between comprehensive domestic helper insurance and labor insurance liesthe scope of coverage: labor insurance only covers the minimum legal requirements and mainly protects domestic helpers from employers' legal liability caused by work-related injuries or occupational diseases during their work period; comprehensive domestic helper insurance, on the basis of labor insurance, adds additional coverage such as outpatient visits, hospitalization, repatriation, replacement hiring, and personal accidents.
What does labor insurance cover?
Employment Insurance, or Employees' Compensation Insurance, is a mandatory insurance policy for foreign domestic helpers under Hong Kong law. It primarily covers statutory compensation liabilities related to work-related injuries, occupational diseases, medical expenses, wage compensation, permanent disability, and death. Simply put, the key aspects of Employment Insurance are "compliance" and "work injury liability."
What does comprehensive domestic helper insurance cover?
Comprehensive domestic helper insurance typically includes basic labor insurance coverage, plus additional coverage for outpatient visits, hospitalizations, surgery, dental care, personal accidents, repatriation, hiring a new domestic helper, and property loss. Some products also cover losses incurred by the employer due to the domestic helper's infidelity. Therefore, it's more like an "enhanced" domestic helper protection plan
What are the exclusions/limitations of comprehensive insurance?
The general exclusions of comprehensive domestic helper insurance include:
Common exclusions
• War, civil war, nuclear weapons, radiation, terrorism
• Suicide, self-harm, or attempted suicide
• Pregnancy, childbirth, miscarriage, abortion and their complications
• For existing injuries, illnesses, or diseases that existed before the insurance was purchased, some policies may also have a waiting period
• Routine/general physical examinations and therapeutic treatments
Medical-related restrictions
Many comprehensive domestic helper insurance policies exclude or restrict coverage for mental illness, sexually transmitted diseases, congenital abnormalities or deformities, infertility, sterilization, heart disease, and cancer. Some policies also do not cover treatments related to drug abuse, alcoholism, or non-prescription drugs. Some plans also exclude HIV/AIDS-related illnesses
The general application process for comprehensive domestic helper insurance is as follows:
1. First, confirm whether you are an employer and whether you have already signed or will soon sign an employment contract with the domestic helper
2. Choose an insurance company and plan, and clearly understand the coverage details
3. Fill in the insurance application information, including employer information, domestic helper's name, passport/identity information, employment contract date, work location, etc
4. After receiving the policy, check whether the effective date matches your start date or the arrival date of your domestic helper in Hong Kong, as some plans have a waiting period and are not fully effective on the same day
5. Keep a copy of the policy and claim information. In the event of medical, re-employment or other insured incidents in the future, submit the documents for claim within the specified time limit
Other things to note
Some plans also have restrictions on the age, job type, or income of domestic helpers. For example, they are not applicable to certain postpartum care workers, domestic helpers who need to drive, or high-income domestic helpers
If you are planning to hire a domestic helper and need to arrange insurance for them, AWM partners with multiple insurance companies to help you choose the most suitable insurance plan. For more information, please contact AWM via WhatsApp or email .