Travel insurance for China: what I’d check before buying
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Most trips to China go without a hitch. But if you do end up in hospital, you'll meet a system that works differently from the one at home. Treatment generally starts after you've paid, and your insurer reimburses you afterwards. So the policy you pick matters more than you'd think, and so does how you'll pay on the day.
What actually happens if you get ill
This is the sequence, roughly, at a public hospital in a big city:
- Registration. You show your passport and get a patient card. Large hospitals often have an international or VIP department with English-speaking staff.
- Payment before each step. Consultation, tests and medicine are each paid for as you go, usually at a counter or by scanning a code.
- Admission needs a deposit. The UK government's guidance on medical treatment in China says initial deposits are typically 3,000 to 7,000 yuan, refunded at discharge if unused, and topped up if treatment costs more.
- You claim afterwards. Unless the hospital has a direct billing arrangement with your insurer, you send receipts and reports home and wait.
The same UK guidance points out that many hospitals don't take international cards, and that even with insurance you may be asked for a deposit before your insurer's money comes through. That's why I'd always set up Alipay with a foreign card before the trip, and keep some cash. It's your payment method for hospitals too, not just noodles.
The five things I'd check in a policy
- Mainland China is covered for medical costs. Some policies exclude certain countries, or treat Hong Kong and the mainland differently. Read the territory list.
- Emergency evacuation and repatriation. The UK government calls medical evacuation from China "extremely expensive". If your policy doesn't cover it, you pay. Embassies don't.
- A 24-hour assistance line that can guarantee payment. This is what gets a hospital to admit you without you emptying your account first. Ask whether they can send a guarantee of payment to a Chinese hospital, and how fast.
- How claims work. Online claims, which documents they want, and whether they accept Chinese-language receipts. Keep every receipt (发票), every test result and the discharge summary.
- Activities and pre-existing conditions. Hiking unrestored sections of the Great Wall, skiing in the north, or high-altitude trips to western Sichuan or Yunnan may need an add-on. Read the pre-existing conditions section properly, not just the headline.
A case from the other direction
In 2017, China Daily reported on a Chinese tourist who fell into a coma in Bali with a severe lung infection. Doctors recommended moving her to Singapore or China, and a chartered medical flight was quoted at around 800,000 yuan. The basic insurance her tour came with covered accidental death, not illness. Her family raised the money from friends and by selling property.
It's a story about outbound travel, but the lesson is the same for anyone coming here: a cheap policy that looks fine on paper can fail precisely when the bill is largest. Evacuation and illness cover are the parts that matter. Everything else is detail.
New: insurance sold in China for visitors
On 10 September 2026, Xinhua reported that Beijing's financial regulators had launched what they describe as the first comprehensive travel insurance designed for inbound foreign visitors. It covers accidents, medical costs and rescue, with protection up to 1.5 million yuan, for ages 28 days to 80, priced between 50 and 490 yuan, with a bilingual assistance service and faster claims for people leaving China.
My take: it's a welcome sign, and handy if you've arrived without cover. But I'd still buy a policy from home before flying. It covers the journey itself, cancellations and delays, and any medical care you need on the way back. Think of a local product as a backup, not the plan. Check how long it covers you and whether evacuation home is included.
Before you fly
- Save your policy number and the 24-hour assistance phone number in your phone and on paper.
- Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay with a foreign card, and check its payment limits.
- Write down your allergies, blood type and regular medicines, ideally with the Chinese names.
- Pack enough of your prescription medicine for the whole trip, in original packaging.
- Tell someone at home which policy you have and how to reach the insurer.
Where to go when you need care
| Option | Cost | Language | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| International clinic or private hospital | High | English standard | Minor illness, when your insurer has direct billing |
| International department of a public hospital | Moderate | English usually available | Most problems in big cities |
| Regular public hospital | Low | Chinese, with translation apps | Emergencies and specialist care, if you're prepared to queue |
For a real emergency, call 120 for an ambulance. More on how hospital visits work in seeing a doctor in China, and what to do in a crisis in emergencies.
Quick questions
Does my home health insurance cover China?
Sometimes, often not. US domestic plans, Medicare and many national systems in Europe and Australia cover little or nothing abroad. Check in writing before you rely on it.
Does my credit card's travel insurance count?
It might, usually only if you paid for the trip with that card, and medical limits can be low. Read the actual benefit document, not the marketing page.
Which policy do you use?
I compare options before each trip, because policies change. Whatever you choose, read the evacuation and pre-existing conditions sections before you buy. That's where policies differ most, and where it matters most when something goes wrong.
General information, not insurance advice. Sources: UK government: medical treatment in China, Xinhua (Sept 2026), ITIJ, Insurance Business, citing China Daily (2017).
If something here has changed, email me. I re-check every guide and update the date at the top.
Affiliate disclosure: some links in this post are affiliate links. If you buy through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Written by David, who lives in China. About me