Do I Need Travel Insurance For China?

You are planning a fancy trip to China and travel insurance is the least interesting topic you may think about? But during one of your trips, have you ever found yourself in a situation where you had to get emergency treatment or where you lost your baggage at the airport?

Hence, you’re probably wondering how to find the best travel insurance for visiting China.

In the below ultimate guide for travelling from the UK to China, we will tell you everything you need to know about travel insurance for your trip: is it compulsory, key features, premiums, driving requirements in China? Let’s get started.

Why do I need travel insurance for China?

Involved in a car accident while driving abroad, injured while practicing sport, sick....

Unfortunately, those things happens much more often than we think, and it could leave you and your travel partners with significant expenses to pay if you didn’t apply for travel insurance before leaving.

Here is a list of the most common unexpected costs arising during people’s trips:

What if….	How much will you have to pay without travel insurance?	How much will you have to pay with travel insurance?
You need air rescue	£5,000	£0 until medical expense limit is reached
You need to have surgery and to stay at a hospital	£5,000	£0 until medical expense limit is reached
You need medical repatriation	£100 000	£0 real fees paid out
Your baggage has been lost at the airport	£800	£0 until personal belongings is reached
Someone stole your money	£200	£0 until limit is reached
You need to cancel your trip	£5,000	£0 until cancellation limit is reached

For as cheap as a few pounds per day, “Comprehensive Travel Insurance” is a contract which fully covers you for your trip to the China and provides you with both financial compensation as well as assistance during your trip.

What are the best travel insurance policies for China?

How can you choose between the plethora of travel insurance policies on offer and find the least expensive policy? Many insurers, even some small ones, offer very good value for money deals. We’ve come up with a selection of small and big actors offering tempting deals.

Among them you’ll find:

Insurer	Our review
	Provides all travel insurance types with 4 levels of cover (all rated 5 stars by Defaqto): Standard, Premier, Exclusive, Superior 4,8/5 on TrustPilot Very good customer care according to reviews Offers dedicated family travel insurance No credit or debit card fees guarantee Possibility to apply 12 months in advance UK-based customer service and claim team Reimburse within 14 days
	4,58/5 rate on Reviews Provides all types of travel insurance with 2 level of protection: Gold and GoldPlus Medical compensation for up to 85 years old Dedicated customer service according to reviews
	4,8/5 consumers reviews rate on TrustPilot / 5 stars on Defaqto Specialist insurer providing full cover for up to 1000 medical conditions (including Alzheimer’s, HIV, cancer etc.) Includes cover for pregnant women UK based-call center 24/7 assistance team Provides cover for people up to 100 years old Provides all travel insurance types with 3 level of protection Medical compensation limit minimum is £3M and max £10M Also provides cover for cruise and winter sports

Even better, use our comparison tool to find the best deal for you! At Safe, we’ve checked out hundreds of travel insurance providers and we are now able to allow you to compare dozens of holiday insurance deals in only a few seconds without giving any personal details.

What type of travel insurance do I need for my trip to China?

You can apply for different insurance types depending on your type of trip, from frequent luxury or business travel to cheap holidays to China.

You will most often have the choice to apply between different travel plan:

• worldwide excluding USA, Canada
• worldwide including USA, Canada
• Australia, New-Zealand
• Europe.

For China, as for any destination, travel insurance policy types are:

Travel insurance type	Explanation	Main features per type of travel policy
Single trip insurance	These travel insurance policies are for one-off holidays. You will be covered from the start of the journey until the end. You can decide the number of days you want to be covered for.	Covers for the period of the stay (can be up to 365 days) Often an age limit to apply for policy
Annual multi-trip insurance	These policies are made for frequent travellers going away for holidays, business trips or for any other reason several times a year. You would need to check whether it is more competitive to buy two or three single trip insurance policies or an annual multi-trip policy.	12 months policy Length of each trip usually limited to 31 days (but can vary from 10 days to 90) Age limit to apply for policy (66 years old on average)
Long stay and gap year insurance	These plans are made for students or any british resident wanting to explore the world, including for backpacking, gap year trips or for any other long stay reason.	Usually covers periods between 90 days for up to 18 months Age limit to apply for policy (from 16 to 45 only usually)

How much is travel insurance to China?

For example, this is the cheapest price for a single trip policy of seven days (with an excess at £100):

Age	Single trip cover to China
18 – 35	From £19.78
36 – 50	From £19.87
51 – 65	From £25.56
66 – 75	From £28.12

It is, however, quite difficult to give precise ranges of how much a travel insurance will cost you for China, as prices are based on a wide range of criteria. It will mainly depend on:

• If you’re going for a single or annual multi-trip as mentioned above
• If you’re subscribing to upgrades such as cruise, business or gadget cover
• If you have pre-existing medical conditions
• The length of your stay in China
• If you’re travelling alone, with your partner, a group or your family
• The financial limits you’d like to get in case of a claim
• The excess amount you’re willing to pay
• What will you be doing in China (e.g. winter or extreme sports)?

What does your travel insurance for China should cover?

Each travel insurance policy is different, since it is the insurer who determines the content of the contracts it offers: guarantees, compensation limits, deductibles, travel insurance prices, etc.

However, all contracts on the market must include at least the following guarantees, applicable in Europe and elsewhere abroad:

• Medical expenses: compensation by the insurer for your health expenses during your stay (consultation, analysis, emergency treatment, longer hospital stay, etc.).
• Repatriation assistance to the UK: financial and logistical support by a dedicated 24/7 team for your early return to your country of residence if it proves necessary.
• Trip cancellation and cover for delayed or missed departure: compensation if you need to cancel your trip for whatever reason or if you missed your departure.
• Personal liability: compensation for any damage or injury made to a third-party (consider adding it as extra if not included in standard cover).
• Baggage: compensation for any lost or theft of baggage while travelling (consider adding it as extra if not included in standard cover).

Most of the time, travel insurers offer different formulas. Cover types involved are usually the same, but the compensation limits and deductibles vary.

Main guarantees	Cover you should get for your trip to China	Limit you should get for your trip to China	Good to check
Medical travel insurance	Any emergency transport, medical procedures and treatments at the hospital 24/7 assistance team and helplines	£1 million limit on average	Are private or public hospitals included in your policy? Will there be advance fees? If you haven’t declared any pre-existing medical conditions or a pending diagnosis, any claim related to healthcare will be declared as invalidated by your insurer. Are dental emergency treatments included? Will any “accompanying person” fees be reimbursed?
Trip cancellation / curtailment	Illness, injury or even death of you or one of your relatives at the time of departure Very bad weather conditions at your destination Terrorist attack at your destination	£2000 limit minimum	Is it included as standard or as an option? Will you get compensation if you cancel your trip for “all justified reasons”? Which reasons exactly are included to get compensation for your trip cancellation?
Baggage	Compensation for baggage and belongings theft or loss up to the limit known No receipt required	£1500 limit minimum	Is it only valid during return transport or during the entire stay? Do you need the receipts for any belongings for baggage claims?
Missed departure, delay	Compensation if you miss your flight or train when it is beyond your control or if your journey is delayed	£500 limit minimum (£200 limit for delay)	Are all justified reasons for missed departure covered? How many hours delay to get compensation?
Repatriation	Cost of repatriation before or after your original ticket	Real fees	Is any transportation mode included (by alternative schedule flight or by air ambulance)?
Personal liability	Compensation for any damage or injury made to a third-party during your trip up to the limit known	£2 million limit on average	What is the limit by article and valuables (don’t focus on overall limit only)?
Legal expenses	Legal fees for claiming compensation to another person	£15000 limit on average	Does it cover any lawyer fees (including appointment fees)?

What are the nice-to-have features for your travel insurance to Europe?

Main guarantees	Cover you should get for your trip to China	Limit you should get for your trip to China	Good to check
Money and cash	Covers for loss or theft of money or equivalent such as cheques, pre-paid tickets	£500 for money limit minimum £200 for cash minimum	How long can you make a claim to the police to be covered? Is there a 24-hour claim limit?
Dental emergency	Covers for emergency dental care	£250 minimum	What is included in emergency dental care? Cosmetic will most of the time be excluded
Loss of passport or documentation	Covers additional fees such as accomodation or travel replacement as a result of loss of documentation	£250 minimum	How many nights are covered? Do you need receipts of any additional fees incurred?

Which upgrades could you add as extras for your travel insurance to China?

Additionally, you may tailor your policy for your trip to China area with optional extras such as:

• Business trip insurance for China
• Sport, winter sport, extreme sport cover
• Schedule Airline Failure (at least £1500 covered)
• Gadget insurance
• Cruise cover
• Etc.

What does your travel insurance to China not cover?

Most travel insurers will not give financial compensation for:

• Any claim made as a result of pre-medical condition or pending diagnosis undeclared at the time of purchase
• Any claim made as a result of you being under drugs or alcohol
• Difficulties due to natural disaster, war, civil unrest (watch out for strikes)
• Any claim made as a result of a terrorist attack (except if you took this cover as an option)
• Pregnancy and childbirth complications during travel

What else should you pay attention to while shopping around for travel insurance for China?

While shopping around for travel insurance for your trip to China, always pay attention to:

• The compensation amounts you will get for a claim by consulting our up-to-date reviews on each insurer (especially for medical expenses, trip cancellation, personal liability, baggage and personal belongings)
• The deductible amounts you’ll have to pay in case of claim (don’t forget that you’ll need to pay the excess on each claim)
• The exclusions you may have in your policy (strike, cancellation trip due to the carrier defaulting etc.)
• Coverages included in policies or available as upgrades (winter sports, business trip etc.)
• The claim process (100% online? How many days do you have to make a claim?)
• The maximum duration of each trip included as standard (at least 31 days)
• The upper age limit (if you are a senior travelling).

What should I know before travelling to China?

Is China safe to visit?

This is what the Foreign Travel Office writes about China:

You should always take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance before you travel.
British nationals normally need a visa to enter mainland China, including Hainan Island, but not Hong Kong or Macao.

Foreign nationals over the age of 16 must carry their passport at all times.
You must register your place of residence with the local Public Security Bureau within 24 hours of arrival.

China has a zero tolerance policy on drugs. There are severe penalties for drugs-related offences including the death penalty. Police often raid bars and nightclubs checking for the use of illicit substances. Raids on private homes have also occurred.

Terrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in China. Although foreigners haven’t been specifically targeted, attacks may occur in places visited by foreigners. You should take particular care during national holidays or when transiting public transport hubs, and always follow the advice of the local authorities. Previous attacks have targeted public places including on one occasion at a railway station and an open air market in 2014. There have been no recent attacks in the main tourist areas. The risk is higher in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous region. You should take particular care and remain vigilant when travelling to or within Xinjiang.

Don’t attempt to travel to Tibet without getting the correct permits. The Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) can be closed to foreigners without notice.

Police have the power to detain or prevent you from leaving China if you’re involved in or connected to a business and/or civil dispute.

In light of ongoing protests and demonstrations in Hong Kong, there are reports of greater scrutiny from mainland authorities at border crossings between the mainland and Hong Kong. This includes reports that travellers’ electronic devices have been checked at border crossings. You should be aware that the thresholds for detention and prosecution in China differ from those in Hong Kong.

China doesn’t recognise dual nationality. If you have both British and Chinese nationality you may be treated as a Chinese citizen by local authorities, even if you enter China on your British passport. If this is the case, the British Embassy may not be able to offer you consular assistance. The FCO has published guidance on nationality in China. If you’ve formally renounced Chinese citizenship, you should carry evidence that you have done so.

High levels of air pollution can occur in major urban and industrialised areas in China, and may aggravate bronchial, sinus or asthma conditions. Children, the elderly and those with pre-existing medical conditions may be especially affected. You can check the pollution index levels for many cities in real time.

The typhoon season in China normally runs from May to November. You should monitor the progress of approaching storms and follow the advice of the local authorities.

Territorial disputes between China and neighbouring countries have caused high regional tension. There have been anti-Japanese and anti-Korean demonstrations in several cities across China.
If you’re abroad and you need emergency help from the UK government, contact the nearest British embassy, consulate or high commission.

The Overseas Business Risk service offers information and advice for British companies operating overseas on how to manage political, economic, and business security-related risks.

How to contact the British Embassy in China?

Depending on where you are located, you can contact:

	British Embassy Beijing
Address	British Embassy Beijing 11 Guang Hua Lu, Jian Guo Men Wai 100600 Beijing China
Phone (if you’re in China)	(General enquiries only) +86 (0) 10 5192 4000 Monday to Friday: 8:30am to 12pm, 1:30pm to 5pm
Phone (if you’re in the UK)	020 7008 1500
Email	www.gov.uk/contact-consulate-beijing