1 Assuming a taxpayer has a VHIS policy he or she could enjoy a maximum tax-deductible premium of HKD8,000 per eligible insured person per tax assessment year. The aggregate maximum tax-deductible limit for both qualifying deferred annuity premiums and Tax Deductible Voluntary Contributions is HKD60,000 per taxpayer per year. The actual amount of tax saved varies according to each taxpayer’s taxable income and the applicable tax rate.
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Whether you are taking up a VHIS policy for yourself or a family member, it’s eligible for tax deduction of up to HKD8,000* per insured person per tax assessment year, with no limits on the number of insured persons!
Learn more about tax deduction
*The actual amount saved varies according to each insured person’s personal tax assessment and individual circumstances. For details, please consult independent tax and accounting consultants.
Melissa quit her 9-to-8 job three years ago to follow her dreams in France where she learnt how to make desserts. She is now an instructor at a cooking school in Hong Kong, teaching interest classes in dessert-making. Since she knows how to promote her skills on social media, Melissa is often invited by companies to teach dessert-making classes. Her income therefore depends on how many classes she teaches. While her hands could be tied if there are too many classes, there is invariably downtime when she just ends up staying idle at home.
Despite an unstable income, Melissa is satisfied with what she earns – an average annual income of HKD420,000. Given the limits of her group life policies, she is concerned about her health coverage for emergencies such as sudden illnesses or accidents. That's why she decides to take up a certified plan under the Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme (VHIS). As she is single, she understands that the earlier she starts retirement planning, the better she can prepare for her golden years. She also understands it’s necessary to save more for retirement as long as she has a decent income.
Given the unstable nature of her income, she splits the money she wants to save between a Qualifying Deferred Annuity Policy (QDAP) and a Tax Deductible Voluntary Contributions (TVC) account, allocating a total of HKD60,000 each year to these two plans.
Asset | HKD |
Deposit | 500,000 |
Equities and Funds | 320,000 |
MPF Accrued Benefits | 350,000 |
Total Assets | 1,170,000 |
HKD | |
Annual Personal Income | 420,000 |
Taxable Income# | 270,000 |
Annual Salary Tax Payable# (Originally) | 27,900 |
Tax Deduction for VHIS Plan@ | (7,479) |
Tax Deduction for TVC / QDAP Premiums | (60,000) |
Tax Payable (Now)# | 16,428 |
Annual Tax Savings | 11,472 |
# : The amount of tax payable shown above is computed on June 23, 2019 using the tax calculator developed by the Inland Revenue Department. It is for reference only. The amount is based on the assumption that there is no other applicable tax concession, tax-deductible or allowance.
@ : Total amount of VHIS premiums eligible for tax deduction = HKD7,479
Writer: Alvin Lam, Certified Money Coach
The information above is for general reference only. It shall not constitute nor shall it be taken as a substitute for the professional advice from an insurance advisor or the MPF registered intermediaries on the purchase of insurance policies. No aspect of this website shall be solely relied upon for the decision of insurance purchase. You should seek relevant professional advice before taking action on any matters to which information provided on this website may be relevant. For more details, please contact your Manulife insurance advisor or the MPF registered intermediaries. We do not provide any tax, legal or accounting advice and consultation to you. If you have any questions, please consult the IRD or independent tax, legal and accounting consultants.
VHIS is a policy initiative introduced by the Health Bureau. Citizens may apply for tax deduction on the qualifying premiums paid by a citizen for himself/herself and his/her specified dependent(s) (i.e. specificed relatives) for VHIS certified plans on or after April 1, 2019. The deduction ceiling is set at HK$8,000 per insured person per year. There is no cap on the number of dependent(s) that are eligible for tax deduction. For example, if you purchase 3 VHIS plans for 3 dependents, you can apply for tax deduction for the premiums paid up to HK$24,000 (HK$8,000 x 3) per year.
Specified dependents include the taxpayer’s spouse and children, and the grandparents, parents, brothers or sisters of the taxpayer or his/ her spouse. Please refer to Section 112 of the Tax Ordinance for the detailed definition.
Tax savings from purchasing VHIS certified plan depend on the eligible premiums paid and tax rate like below:
Eligible VHIS certified plan premiums x Tax Rate = Potential Tax Savings
For example, if your premium paid is HK$3,800, assuming the tax rate is 17%, you may possibly enjoy HK$646 in tax savings. But the actual tax savings you can enjoy will depend on your personal tax assessment and situation. For details, please visit the website of VHIS Office of Health Bureau and the Inland Revenue Department.
VHIS is an individual indemnity hospital insurance product, which provides reimbursements of medical expenses.
2 types of certified plans are available under VHIS – Standard Plan and Flexi Plan. Standard Plan follows the minimum requirements of VHIS from the Government, providing standardized basic protection. Flexi Plan provides more comprehensive protection and product selection compared with Standard Plan. Manulife offers Manulife Shelter VHIS Standard Plan, Manulife First VHIS Flexi Plan and Manulife Supreme VHIS Flexi Plan to give you well-rounded protection based on your needs.