Bowtie Launches Brand-New "StillCover" Plan

Rely on Public Hospitals for Major Illnesses, Choose Private Ones for Minor Procedures
Bowtie StillCover Restores the Power of Choice for Patients with "Three Highs" or Diabetes

HONG KONG, Aug. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Bowtie, Hong Kong's first virtual insurer^[1], today announced the launch of a new Supplementary Medical Plan — "Bowtie StillCover" (available in Basic and Advance Plans). Designed as a powerful supplement to Hong Kong's public healthcare system, the plan addresses the pain points faced by two distinct groups of people on their path to treatment.

Many people living with chronic conditions such as the "three highs" or diabetes may be declined or charged a premium loading by insurers when applying for a VHIS plan, based on their health declaration, which leaves them unable to access private medical coverage through VHIS.

At the same time, people who rely on the public healthcare system also face a dual burden under "long waiting times and costly self-financed items" — non-urgent surgeries at public hospitals (such as joint replacement, polypectomy and gallstone removal) commonly involve waits of two to seven years^[2]; while targeted cancer therapies (up to HK$25,000–80,000 a month), artificial knee joints (around HK$40,000–65,000 each) and prescribed diagnostic imaging (around HK$10,000–22,000 per scan) place a heavy financial burden on patients^[3].

This leaves many people caught in a dilemma when illness strikes: wanting to go private but lacking medical insurance; or staying in the public system and enduring long waits and high out-of-pocket costs.

"Bowtie StillCover" is tailor-made for the following two customer groups:

1. Chronic disease patients and those previously declined cover: covering chronic disease patients whose condition and health records are well managed (such as the "three highs", Type 2 diabetes patients not requiring insulin injections), including those previously rejected by insurers or charged a loading due to their health declaration during VHIS application process^[4];
2. Public healthcare system users: people who rely mainly on public hospitals for treatment, but want additional financial protection against long waiting times and costly self-financed items.

"Only around half of Hong Kong's population currently has medical coverage^[5]. Bowtie's mission has always been to close the protection gap and serve those who remain underinsured. Traditional underwriting mechanisms often reject 'model patients' who work hard to keep their health conditions under control, while those who rely on public hospitals continue to suffer the dual burden of long waits and high self-funded costs," said Mingo Tsang, Director, Marketing and Branding, Bowtie.

He added: "Launching 'StillCover' is a concrete step forward in extending the boundaries of what the market can protect. We want to add a missing piece to the puzzle beyond VHIS — so that whether it's chronic disease patients seeking fair coverage, or people looking to ease the burden of public hospital self-financed costs, everyone can access the financial safety net they deserve."

Bowtie StillCover's key benefits include:

Basic Plan: Provides a total benefit limit of up to HK$500,000 per policy year, under a co-insurance mechanism^[6], covering eligible hospitalisation and surgical expenses at Hong Kong public hospitals^[7], self-financed drugs and medical items^[6] (such as cardiac stents and novel targeted therapies), prescribed diagnostic imaging tests^[8] and second medical opinions^[9] — building a solid financial safety net for public hospital patients.

Advance Plan: Builds on the Basic Plan with additional cover for 182 designated surgical procedures^[10], including some of the procedures with the longest waiting times at the Hospital Authority (such as joint replacement, endoscopy, and prostate and uterine surgery), and extends to a network of designated private hospitals and Greater Bay Area medical institutions (including CUHK Medical Centre, Gleneagles Hospital Hong Kong, and The University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital). Once pre-approved and subject to policy terms, insured persons can arrange treatment for designated surgeries at network hospitals, with a cashless hospitalisation service available so there is no hassle of paying upfront^[11].

Bowtie StillCover is now open for application. The plan is a Supplementary Medical Plan and is not a Certified Plan under the Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme (VHIS); Bowtie aims to offer customers an additional medical protection option beyond VHIS. Acceptance remains subject to individual underwriting outcomes, and exclusions or restrictions may apply. For more product details, please visit: https://www.bowtie.com.hk/en/insurance/stillcover.

About Bowtie

Bowtie Life Insurance Company Limited is an authorized life insurance company and Hong Kong's very first virtual insurer authorized by the Insurance Authority under the fast track pilot scheme. Its vision is to bridge the health protection gap and transform the way people access healthcare in Asia. Through digital technology, Bowtie makes health insurance more affordable and accessible for individuals and small-medium enterprises.

To date, Bowtie has raised over HK$1 billion from Sun Life Financial and Mitsui & Co., providing over HK$150 billion in protection amount to families. Learn more at www.bowtie.com.hk.

SOURCE Bowtie