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Employees' Compensation Insurance
Workers' Compensation Insurance (Labor Insurance)
Statutory Employer Liability · Compensation for Work-Related Injuries and Occupational Diseases · Full Coverage for Full-Time, Part-Time, and Temporary Workers
Under Section 40 of the Employees' Compensation Ordinance, employers are required to take out employees' compensation insurance to cover their legal liabilities for injuries, occupational diseases, or deaths arising out of and in the course of employment; failure to do so prohibits the hiring of any employees—whether full-time or part-time, permanent or temporary. We assist businesses in comparing plans from various insurers and provide end-to-end support for policy applications and claims processing.
Latest News
Compensation amounts under the *Employees' Compensation Ordinance* have been adjusted effective January 1, 2026, and industry guidelines regarding employee protection during work-from-home (WFH) arrangements are now in place; please confirm the latest arrangements with us before taking out or renewing your policy.
Coverage
Scope of Coverage
Employees' Compensation Insurance covers an employer's liability to pay compensation—as required by the Employees' Compensation Ordinance—for employees' work-related injuries, occupational diseases, or deaths.
Statutory Employer Liability
Assume the employer's liability for compensation under the Employees' Compensation Ordinance (Cap. 282 of the Laws of Hong Kong) in respect of employees' work-related injuries, occupational diseases, or death.
Statutory minimum insured amount
For fewer than 200 employees: minimum coverage of HK$100,000,000 per incident; for more than 200 employees: HK$200,000,000.
Covers all employees
Coverage applies regardless of the duration of the contract or working hours, employment status (full-time or part-time, permanent or temporary), work location, or the nature of the work or position.
common law liability for negligence
It may cover additional compensation liability incurred by the employer due to negligence resulting in an employee's work-related injury or death (subject to policy terms and conditions).
Work-from-home safeguards
Workplace injury coverage during work-from-home (WFH) periods has been clarified through industry guidelines; for details, please refer to the information published by the Hong Kong Federation of Insurers.
Dedicated personnel to follow up on the declaration
From insurance declarations and salary adjustments for renewals to the follow-up of work-related injury claims, we assist you in meeting statutory and insurance company requirements.
Application
Documents Required for Insurance Application
In accordance with the industry’s “Unified Operating Model for Employees’ Compensation Insurance — Declaration of Employee Remuneration,” employers must provide the following complete information to the insurance company when arranging new policies or renewing existing ones.
New Policy Application
- Fully completed and signed (with company seal) insurance quotation contract
- Copy of the policyholder's (employer's) valid business registration document
- MPF contribution notices for the last three months / Salary records / Employer's return of remuneration and pensions
- Claims history for the past three years (written records from previous insurers, if any)
Policy Renewal
- Employees' Compensation Insurance "Premium Adjustment and Employee Earnings Declaration Form"
- MPF contribution notices / payroll records / tax returns for the last three months
- Policy Renewal Notice (to be returned prior to the policy expiration date)
- Information on the latest number of employees, job categories, work locations, and whether work outside Hong Kong is required.
Important Notice: The estimated total annual income declared by the policyholder must be accurate and complete, and must cover all employees falling within the scope of the Employees' Compensation Ordinance (Cap. 282). Failure to disclose all material facts or any understatement of the total annual income may render the insurance void, and the insurance company may take legal action to recover any amounts already paid out as claims.
Main Exclusions
Key Exclusions
- The Policyholder's liability for the employees of its subcontractors.
- Accidents occurring outside the covered area (usually referring to Hong Kong)
- The injured or sick person is not an "employee" as defined under the Employees' Compensation Ordinance.
- Any fines and punitive damages
- Injury caused by nuclear energy or radiation
- Any incident resulting from war or civil unrest
The above is a summary; for details, please refer to the policy terms and conditions of the respective insurance companies.
Claim Documents
Documents must be submitted for the claim.
- Copy of completed Form 2 / 2A / 2B
- Copy of the injured employee's identity card (if applicable)
- Accident report and color photographs of the accident scene (if applicable)
- Notice Regarding Whether the Injured Employee Has Returned to Work
- Forms 6 and 9 issued by the Labour Department (if applicable)
- Original "Sick Leave Certificate" and original "Medical Expense Receipts"
- Records of wages and medical expenses paid to the injured employee
- Proof of wages for the past 12 months (if applicable)
- Original copy of Form 5/7, or an agreement between the employer and employee approved by the Labour Department.
Partner Insurers
Partner Insurance Companies
We partner with numerous renowned insurance companies to compare the most suitable private car insurance plans and premiums for you.
Claims Guide
Claims Guide
In the event of any incident that could give rise to a claim, please notify our Claims Department immediately; we will provide full assistance throughout the process of filing the report with the Labour Department and handling the claim with the insurer.
Instant Notifications
Please contact our Claims Department immediately after the accident and provide your policy number, the policyholder's name, and a contact telephone number. A delay in notification may result in the insurance company refusing to process the claim in accordance with the policy terms.
Submit the form within 14 days.
If an employee is incapacitated for work for more than three days, Form 2 must be completed; if the period of incapacity is three days or less, Form 2B must be completed. Employers are required to submit two original copies directly to the Employees' Compensation Division of the Labour Department within 14 days of the incident, and to provide a copy to the company to notify the insurer.
Resumption of Duty, Injury Assessment, and Compensation
Submit Form 5 (Certificate of Assessment of Compensation), Form 7 (Certificate of Assessment), or Form 6/9 (Review), together with sick leave certificates, medical expense receipts, and salary records, to the insurance company to process the claim.
The Claims Department will contact you immediately.
Please note that a delay in notification may result in the insurance company refusing to process your claim in accordance with the terms of the policy.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Some content is based on publicly available information from the Labour Department and the Hong Kong Federation of Insurers and is provided for general reference only; actual coverage is subject to the terms and conditions of the policy.
Q1: Are all occupational diseases covered by the *Employees' Compensation Ordinance*?
Not all of them. Schedule 2 of the Ordinance lists only 48 types of occupational diseases—categorized into four major groups and caused by physical, biological, chemical, or other factors—that are covered. If an employee suffers from a disease not included in the list, they must prove that the condition constitutes “personal injury by accident arising out of and in the course of employment” in order to qualify for compensation.
Question 2: Is an injury sustained while traveling for work covered by the Employees' Compensation Ordinance?
Under Section 5(4)(g) of the Ordinance, an accident sustained by an employee while “travelling by any means of transport” between Hong Kong and a place outside Hong Kong for work purposes—with the employer’s permission—is deemed to be an accident arising out of and in the course of employment. However, an injury sustained merely while walking to board the transport is generally not regarded as an accident arising out of and in the course of employment. It is recommended that separate group medical or personal accident insurance be purchased for employees.
Question 3: Can an employee receive workers' compensation after seeking treatment from a registered Chinese medicine practitioner for an injury?
Yes. Effective September 1, 2008, if the attending “Registered Chinese Medicine Practitioner” certifies that an employee is temporarily unfit for work and issues a sick leave certificate, the employer is legally required to pay sick leave allowance. Before the consultation, it is advisable to verify that the practitioner is registered in accordance with Section 2 of the Chinese Medicine Ordinance (Cap. 549).
Q4: How should an employer handle a situation where an employee has been on leave for more than seven days but the assessment of the injury has been delayed?
Employers may apply to a branch office of the Employees’ Compensation Division for the “written closure of an outstanding case” by submitting a completed form accompanied by proof of payment for work-related sick leave and the relevant medical certificates. The Labour Department will issue Form 5 (Certificate of Assessment of Compensation) based on the circumstances, which the employer can then submit to the insurance company to process the claim.
Question 5: Does Employees' Compensation Insurance cover sick leave and medical expenses incurred overseas?
Generally, coverage is not provided. Sick leave certificates must be issued by a registered medical practitioner in Hong Kong; under Section 10AA of the Ordinance, an employer is not liable for medical expenses incurred by an employee outside Hong Kong unless the Commissioner for Labour has issued a certificate regarding such expenses.
Q6: What are the consequences of underreporting the number of employees or the amount of wages?
The policy terms clearly stipulate that employers must accurately declare the number of employees and their salaries. In the event of a false declaration or misrepresentation, the insurance company may take legal action to recover any amounts already paid out or even void the policy.