Look for: Mainland China
Skip it if: It only says “Asia” or “worldwide except…” and never names China
Open the policy you already have before you buy another.
Look for mainland China, hospital treatment and getting you home. If those three are there, you can stop. EHIC, GHIC and CEAM do not cover China.
What you already have
Will your current cover pay in China?
Look for the words in the middle column. If they are missing, this is not your China cover.
Table scrolls sideways →
| Cover | Enough? | Find these words | If they are missing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home health plan | Usually no | overseas treatment, mainland China, evacuation | Your home plan usually only pays at home. If it says “worldwide”, still check those three words. |
| Credit-card perk | Rarely | territorial limit, mainland China, medical evacuation | Open the booklet that came with your card, not the ad. “Abroad” or “Europe” is not China. |
| EHIC / GHIC / CEAM | No | Europe only | These cards only work in Europe (and the UK for CEAM). They do not work in China, and they will not fly you home. |
| Annual / multi-trip policy | Maybe | mainland China + evacuation + your activities | Keep it if those three are in the wording. Only buy another policy if one of them is missing. |
Before you buy another policy
Five things to look for
If the policy you already have covers all five, you can stop. If one is missing, that is the gap.
Look for: Hospital treatment on the trip
Skip it if: It only covers cancelled flights and lost bags
Look for: Getting you home if something serious happens
Skip it if: There is no evacuation or repatriation line for mainland China
Look for: How you get your money back
Skip it if: There is no phone number and no claim steps
Look for: Scooter, hiking, or altitude if you will do them
Skip it if: Those activities are excluded — common on Tibet or high Yunnan routes
If you get sick in China
Call 120, then pay at the hospital
Call 120
Ask for an ambulance. Say the city and a nearby landmark. In China this number is 120, not 911 or 112.
Pay at the hospital
Some travelers say a hospital wants payment before treatment. That is traveler-reported, not an official nationwide rule. Keep a working card or Alipay. Your EHIC, GHIC, CEAM or home plan will not pay it back.
Keep the receipt
If you have travel insurance, call the 24/7 number on the policy and send the receipt. The line that can get large is flying you home if something serious happens.
Need an English-speaking hospital? See this hospital list. Going to Tibet or high Yunnan? Tell your insurer about altitude before you buy. More on paying at a hospital · calling 120 · where CEAM works.
At the border
Do you need it to enter China?
Table scrolls sideways →
| How you enter | Insurance | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday, visa-free, or 240-hour transit | You don’t show it | You do not hand over an insurance paper at the border for a tourist or visa-free trip. |
| Work (Z) or long study (X1) | Ask your sponsor | Your employer or school may require a medical plan. Ask them. That is their rule, not a tourist border check. |
FAQ