After childbirth, new mothers need to recuperate and take care of their newborns. As a result, many families hire postnatal care helpers. Just like hiring a foreign domestic worker or a part-time helper, employers are required to purchase insurance for postnatal care helpers. So, how should one choose postnatal care insurance? What is the difference between postnatal care insurance and employee compensation insurance? Today, Kwiksure will address common questions about postnatal care insurance and compare different insurance premiums.

Why Do You Need Postnatal Care Insurance?

According to the Employees’ Compensation Ordinance, all employers must purchase Employees’ Compensation Insurance for their employees, regardless of the duration of employment, even if they work for just one day. This insurance is necessary to cover the legal responsibility for any injuries sustained by employees while at work. Therefore, if you plan to hire a postnatal care helper, you must purchase employees' compensation insurance for them. Failure to do so is illegal and can result in a fine of up to HKD 100,000 and imprisonment for two years.

What’s the Difference Between Employees’ Compensation Insurance and Postnatal Care Insurance?

"Employees’ Compensation Insurance" is a form of insurance that meets the legal requirements for compensating employees for work-related injuries. To cater to different employment situations, insurance companies have developed various plans based on employees' compensation insurance, such as local domestic helper insurance, part-time helper insurance, and postnatal care insurance.

Postnatal care insurance primarily provides coverage required by law, including medical expenses and legal liabilities for injuries sustained by the insured employee while working. The maximum coverage per incident is HKD 100 million. Some employees' compensation insurance policies may also include personal liability coverage, personal accident insurance, or fidelity insurance.

Although the coverage is similar, the details may vary between policies, so you should not arbitrarily purchase insurance. For example, you cannot use local domestic helper insurance to replace postnatal care insurance, as this may result in situations where the coverage is invalid in case of an accident.

Where Can You Buy Postnatal Care Insurance?

Some insurance companies may not specifically offer postnatal care insurance but include it under domestic helper insurance. However, not all domestic helper insurance plans include postnatal care services. For example, FWD’s Domestic Helper Insurance explicitly states that the duties covered include general household tasks, postnatal care, and babysitting. On the other hand, Dah Sing Bank’s "Lok Yung Yung" Domestic Helper Protection Plan offers separate options for postnatal care and domestic work, with different premiums depending on the coverage period.

When Should You Purchase Postnatal Care Insurance?

Some postnatal care insurance policies have a waiting period, usually around two weeks. It is recommended to purchase the insurance early so that it is in effect before the postnatal care helper starts working.

Does 24-Hour Postnatal Care Affect Insurance?

Different families have different requirements for postnatal care. Some only need a few hours of service each day, while others may require 24-hour care. Generally, working less than 40 hours a week is considered part-time, while more than 40 hours a week is considered full-time. When purchasing postnatal care insurance, you should consider whether the helper is part-time or full-time, as the working hours will directly affect the premium. Some postnatal care insurance policies allow a minimum coverage period of one month, offering greater flexibility.

Do You Need to Be Careful When Hiring Older Postnatal Care Helpers?

Many people prefer experienced postnatal care helpers to ensure better care for both the mother and the newborn. However, postnatal care insurance often has age restrictions. For example, in FWD’s Domestic Helper Insurance, the insured person must be between 18 and 65 years old, so older postnatal care helpers may not be covered.

Will Moving to a Grandparent's House Void the Coverage?

Welcoming a new family member brings joy not only to the parents but also to the grandparents, who may request that the new mother moves in with them for easier care. However, note that postnatal care insurance is only valid at the insured address. If the helper is required to provide services at a different address, the insurance policy may be invalid.

[Best Postnatal Care Insurance] Comparison of Premiums

*Source: Labour Department