Author
Bowtie Team
Updated on
2025-07-10
Disclaimer: This article is translated with the assistance of AI.
With countless critical illness plans on the market, how do you pick the right one? As a leading insurance comparison platform in Hong Kong, 10Life has developed a rigorous rating system that turns complex terms into clear scores. Check out 10Life’s critical illness rating criteria and key tips to find the perfect plan for you!
Which Products Are Covered in 10Life Critical Illness Ratings?
In the 2022 5-Star Insurance Awards, 10Life evaluated two categories of critical illness insurance: (1) Term CI and (2) Lifetime Critical Illness Insurance .
(1) Term CI
Term CI offers coverage for a specific period, commonly 1, 5, or 10 years. During this time, premiums typically remain unchanged until the next renewal. If the insured is unfortunately diagnosed with a severe critical illness as defined by the policy during the coverage period, they receive a lump-sum payout.
When comparing different Term CI products in the market, 10Life made the following general assumptions:
- The insured is 25 / 30 / 35 / 40 / 45 years old, non-smoking male or female.
- Coverage amount is HK$1,000,000 / HK$500,000.
- 10-year coverage period.
(2) Lifetime Critical Illness Insurance
Lifetime Critical Illness Insurance operates similarly to Term CI , providing a lump-sum payout if the insured is diagnosed with a severe critical illness as defined by the policy. The key difference is that lifetime coverage lasts for the insured’s entire life, eliminating the need for periodic renewals and ensuring continuous critical illness protection.
When comparing various lifetime critical illness insurance plans, 10Life made the following general assumptions:
- The insured is 25 / 35 / 45 years old, smoker or non-smoker, male or female.
- 25-year premium payment term (or the closest option to 25 years), with a basic coverage amount of USD 150,000 (approximately HK$1,200,000).
What Are 10Life Critical Illness Rating Criteria?
10Life’s critical illness rating system is fair and rigorous. Taking Term CI as an example, 10Life evaluates based on the following three key criteria, each with different weightings, to calculate the final score and rating.
Criterion 1: Adequate Coverage for Cancer, Heart Disease, and Stroke
Weighting: 82.5%
Cancer, heart disease, and stroke are the most common critical illnesses in Hong Kong, accounting for over 90% of critical illness claims. They are collectively referred to as the “Big Three Critical Illnesses.”
10Life assesses whether a critical illness plan provides sufficient protection for the insured based on the coverage scope and claim terms for these Big Three illnesses.
If a critical illness insurance plan includes the following terms, it will result in a deduction of points:
Cancer Coverage
- Cancer vague exclusion clauses, such as “non-life-threatening cancer”
- Does not cover any of the top 10 cancers#, including colorectal cancer , lung cancer , breast cancer, prostate cancer , liver cancer , stomach cancer, non-melanoma skin cancer, endometrial cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and thyroid cancer
- Insufficient coverage for carcinoma in situ / No coverage for carcinoma in situ
- Compensation for carcinoma in situ reduces coverage for severe critical illnesses
Heart Disease Coverage
- Coronary artery disease not defined as a type of heart disease (unless the insured undergoes specific policy-defined surgeries or procedures)
- Does not cover multiple heart and vascular-related critical illnesses
- Insufficient early-stage heart disease treatment coverage – angioplasty protection / No coverage for early-stage heart disease treatment – angioplasty
Stroke Coverage
- Does not cover “stroke caused by accidental or traumatic brain injury” stroke
- Does not cover “stroke caused by migraines”
- Does not cover “stroke caused by vasculitis or infection”
Criterion 2: Coverage Beyond the 3 Big Critical Illnesses
Weighting: 7.5%
The Life Insurance Association Singapore (LIA) in 2019 published a Critical Illness Framework , mandating that critical illness insurance products must adhere to the definitions of 37 different critical illnesses outlined in the document.
Taking this as a reference, 10Life categorizes the 31 critical illnesses beyond cancer, heart disease, stroke, coronary artery surgery, angioplasty, and other severe coronary artery diseases as “Other Critical Illnesses.” If a critical illness plan fails to cover these 31 illnesses, points will be deducted proportionally.
Criterion 3: General Terms and Conditions
Weighting: 10%
Lastly, 10Life evaluates the general terms and conditions of critical illness plans. If these terms are unfavorable for claims, points will be deducted.
Deduction criteria include:
- Requirement of a survival period after critical illness diagnosis
- Lack of multiple critical illness coverage
- Reduction of severe critical illness coverage after early-stage critical illness payout
- #According to the Hong Kong Cancer Registry, the top ten cancers include lung cancer, colorectal cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, liver cancer, stomach cancer, endometrial cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, non-melanoma skin cancer, and thyroid cancer.
Is 10Life’s Critical Illness Rating Comprehensive?
To help policyholders objectively compare different critical illness products, 10Life has implemented a detailed 5-star rating system, covering aspects like critical illness coverage scope, exclusions, claim terms, and more.
However, among numerous comparison factors, 10Life does not include premium costs.
As a policyholder, you naturally want the highest critical illness coverage possible, but personal affordability is also a key consideration.
Moreover, having coverage for more critical illnesses isn’t always better. What matters most is relevant coverage. For instance, some critical illness products cover 80 conditions, including rare diseases like pheochromocytoma or severe Crohn’s disease with an incidence rate of less than 1%, which may not be practically useful.
Generally, the higher the premium, the more comprehensive the critical illness coverage. Whether the covered items justify a significantly higher premium is a topic worth further discussion.
Insurance isn’t about chasing scores. When selecting a critical illness product, besides referring to 10Life’s ratings, take an extra step to compare the premiums and coverage items of your preferred products. Get the best value critical illness insurance for yourself and your family!
10Life 5-Star Critical Illness VS Bowtie Term CI
Bowtie Term CI focuses on quality over quantity. Designed with international standards in mind, it simplifies complexity by covering 42 major critical illnesses, accounting for over 97% of critical illness claims, with an overall coverage rate exceeding 98%^! It also protects against 4 “severe conditions,” ensuring coverage even for undocumented injuries or illnesses. This offers policyholders more comprehensive, practical, and cost-effective protection.
Let’s compare Bowtie Term CI with 10Life 5-Star Critical Illness plans right now!
| Company B | Company G | Bowtie Term CI Early Stage and Multiple Cover | |
| Coverage Amount | $500,000 | $500,000 | $500,000 |
| Cancer Coverage | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Heart Disease Coverage | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Stroke Coverage | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Other Critical Illness Coverage | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Number of Covered Major Critical Illnesses | 36.5 | 36.5 | 37 |
| Second Critical Illness Coverage | Cancer Only | Covers Cancer, Heart Disease, and Stroke | |
| Renewal Period | Annual Renewal | Annual Renewal | Annual Renewal |
| First-Year Premium | $2,512 | $2,950 | $1,260 |
| 10-Year Average Premium | $4,128 | $4,153 | $1,880 |
- ^ According to a major illness survey conducted by a reinsurance company in Asia from 2008-2012, cancer, coronary artery bypass surgery, heart disease, other serious coronary artery diseases, stroke, benign brain tumors, and kidney failure accounted for approximately 97% of critical illness insurance claims among women in Hong Kong. The remaining data is based on publicly available information collected by Bowtie through various channels and derived through mathematical calculations, provided for general educational and reference purposes only.
- * *Assuming the policyholder is a 35-year-old non-smoking male with a coverage amount of HK$500,000.
10Life Critical Illness Insurance FAQs
What is 10Life?
10Life is a Hong Kong insurance comparison platform with a team of actuaries, medical consultants, legal advisors, data analysts, and insurance consultants. They are dedicated to using their expertise to break down the details of over 1,000 insurance products from more than 40 insurance companies for Hong Kong residents.
Is 10Life Critical Illness Insurance Rating Reliable?
The criteria for 10Life’s critical illness ratings are determined by actuaries, and each critical illness product’s terms and performance are objectively evaluated by a professional team to calculate the relevant scores.
However, 10Life’s critical illness insurance ratings do not take premium costs into account. If cost-effectiveness is a priority for policyholders, it’s recommended to conduct additional comparisons on your own.
Looking for the perfect coverage? Get Bowtie Term CI now!
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