Quota-free Scheme and Unilateral Recognition

What is the Quota-free Scheme?

Under the Quota-free Scheme, eligible Hong Kong private cars are allowed to travel between Hong Kong and Guangdong via the HZMB without obtaining a regular quota.  The Quota-free Scheme enables Hong Kong residents to drive to Guangdong for business, visiting families or sight-seeing on a short-term basis, thus making better use of the HZMB and promoting the development of the Greater Bay Area.  Applicants must be Hong Kong residents with a valid Hong Kong Identify Card and a valid Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents (i.e. a Home Return Permit), and they must be the registered owners of the private cars concerned.  The applicants’ vehicles are allowed to stay in the Mainland for a continuous period of no more than 30 days per visit, and no more than 180 days each year in total.

For details regarding the Quota-free Scheme, please refer to the website of Guangdong Provincial Government (in Chinese only).  For details regarding the application procedures, please refer to the website of the Transport Department (in Chinese only, English version will be available in due course).

What is Unilateral Recognition?

For the convenience of Hong Kong car owners and/or drivers, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Insurance Authority and the relevant authorities in the Mainland reached an agreement for implementing the Unilateral Recognition policy.  A Unilateral Recognition insurance policy issued by a Hong Kong insurer comprises a main policy, which is the Hong Kong motor insurance cover, and a top-up policy, which is the Mainland motor insurance cover and is effective in the Mainland.  The entire insurance policy is issued by a Hong Kong insurer, so that Hong Kong car owners and/or drivers do not have to purchase two separate policies for Hong Kong and the Mainland.

The applicability of Unilateral Recognition policy is aligned with the Quota-free Scheme: Hong Kong non-commercial private cars entering Guangdong via the HZMB and Zhuhai port without a regular quota (i.e. with a Hong Kong car plate only – no Mainland car plate).

What does the Unilateral Recognition policy cover?

Unilateral Recognition products comprise a main policy, a mandatory top-up cover and a selective top-up cover:

1. The main policy is a Hong Kong statutory motor insurance policy (either a third-party liability or comprehensive insurance policy) compliant with the Motor Vehicles Insurance (Third Party Risks) Ordinance (Chapter 272 of the Hong Kong laws).
2. The mandatory top-up cover is equivalent to the Mainland Compulsory Traffic Accident Liability Insurance for Motor Vehicles (Compulsory Motor Insurance), which protects against only third-party (excluding the driver and passengers of the insured vehicle) personal injury and/or property loss and covers liability of a maximum of RMB 200,000 per event (which is the statutory minimum requirement in the Mainland).
3. The selective top-up cover is equivalent to the Mainland Commercial Insurance for Motor Vehicles (Commercial Motor Insurance), which protects against third-party personal injury and/or property loss in excess of the statutory minimum requirement in the Mainland, as well as claims relating to the driver and passengers of the insured vehicles.  Policy holders can choose the protection limits that meet their needs, ranging from RMB 1 million to 10 million for the former, and from RMB 10,000 to RMB 100,000 for the latter.

Considering the economic development and geographical risks in Mainland cities and to meet the needs of Hong Kong car owners and/or drivers entering Guangdong province for motor insurance protection in the Mainland, we recommend that Hong Kong car owners and/or drivers choose selective top-up cover (i.e. Commercial Motor Insurance) depending on their ability to withstand risks to obtain more comprehensive protection.  If the insurance protection limit is insufficient to cover liabilities arising from an accident, car owners and/or drivers will be liable for the difference.

Hong Kong car owners and/or drivers can procure Unilateral Recognition products when they first purchase a motor insurance policy or renew their existing motor insurance policy.  If they have in-force Hong Kong statutory motor insurance, they can procure top-up Mainland cover within the validity of their existing Hong Kong policy.  The maximum validity of the top-up cover is one year (i.e. the maximum validity of Hong Kong statutory motor insurance); Hong Kong insurers may offer top-up cover with shorter validity (validity of 30 days would be the most common) depending on clients' needs.

「港車北上」 及 「等效先認」

甚麼是「港車北上」？

「港車北上」允許合資格的香港私家車可在無須取得常規配額下，經大橋往來香港與廣東省。「港車北上」會便利香港居民以自駕方式到廣東省作短期商務、探親或旅遊，進一步善用大橋和促進粵港澳大灣區的發展。申請人須為持有有效香港居民身份證及港澳居民來往內地通行證（即「回鄉證」）的香港居民及須為申請私家車的登記車主。而申請人車輛每次入境內地後可連續停留不超過30天，每年在內地累計停留不得超過180天。

有關「港車北上」詳情請參閱廣東省政府相關網站。至於具體申請方法和步驟等資料，請參閱運輸署網站。

甚麼是「等效先認」？

為方便香港車主及／或司機，特區政府、保險業監管局與內地相關當局已達成共識實施「等效先認」政策。香港保險公司提供的「等效先認」保單，形式為於香港汽車保險保單上附加內地汽車保險，而後者於內地有效，整張保單由一家香港保險公司出單，香港車主及／或司機並不需要分開購買兩份保單。

「等效先認」的適用範圍配合「港車北上」，即經港珠澳大橋珠海口岸進入廣東區域行駛、非常規配額（只懸掛香港車牌無粵港兩地牌）的香港非營運小汽車。

「等效先認」的保障範圍為何?

「等效先認」產品包含主單、強制性附加險和選擇性附加險：

1. 主單為符合《汽車保險（第三者風險）條例》（香港法例第272章）的香港法定車輛保險（包括第三者保險或綜合保險）；
2. 強制性附加險等同內地的「機動車交通事故責任強制保險」（「交強險」），保障範圍僅包括第三者（不包括受保車輛車上人員及司機）人身傷亡或財產損失，每次事故的總責任限額為內地法定最低要求（人民幣20萬）；及
3. 選擇性附加險等同內地的車輛商業保險（「商業險」），保障範圍包括第三者人身傷亡或財產損失在內地法定最低要求以外的額外賠償，以及受保車輛車上人員及司機的相關賠償；投保人可視乎需要決定賠償限額，前者可選擇人民幣1百萬至1千萬，後者為人民幣1萬至10萬。

考慮到內地城市的經濟發展以及地區環境風險，並更充分地滿足進入廣東省駕駛的香港車主及／或司機對汽車保險賠償限額的需求，我們建議香港車主及／或司機應按自己風險承擔能力投保選擇性附加險（即商業險），以獲得更全面的保障。如保險賠償限額不足以支付意外賠償責任，車主及／或司機需要負責承擔差額。

香港車主及／或司機可以在投保或續保時選購「等效先認」產品；如本已備有有效的香港法定車輛保險，可在有關保單的有效期內，選擇附加內地保障範圍。附加險保障期最長為1年（即香港法定車輛保險的有效期）；香港保險公司亦可依據客戶個別需求，提供短期附加險保障，當中以30日保障期最為普遍。

「港车北上」 及 「等效先认」

甚么是「港车北上」？

「港车北上」允许合资格的香港私家车可在无须取得常规配额下，经大桥往来香港与广东省。「港车北上」会便利香港居民以自驾方式到广东省作短期商务、探亲或旅游，进一步善用大桥和促进粤港澳大湾区的发展。申请人须为持有有效香港居民身份证及港澳居民来往内地通行证（即「回乡证」）的香港居民及须为申请私家车的登记车主。而申请人车辆每次入境内地后可连续停留不超过30天，每年在内地累计停留不得超过180天。

有关「港车北上」详情请参阅广东省政府相关网站。至于具体申请方法和步骤等资料，请参阅运输署网站。

甚么是「等效先认」？

为方便香港车主及／或司机，特区政府、保险业监管局与内地相关当局已达成共识实施「等效先认」政策。香港保险公司提供的「等效先认」保单，形式为于香港汽车保险保单上附加内地汽车保险，而后者于内地有效，整张保单由一家香港保险公司出单，香港车主及／或司机并不需要分开购买两份保单。

「等效先认」的适用范围配合「港车北上」，即经港珠澳大桥珠海口岸进入广东区域行驶、非常规配额（只悬挂香港车牌无粤港两地牌）的香港非营运小汽车。

「等效先认」的保障范围为何?

「等效先认」产品包含主单、强制性附加险和选择性附加险：

1. 主单为符合《汽车保险（第三者风险）条例》（香港法例第272章）的香港法定车辆保险（包括第三者保险或综合保险）；
2. 强制性附加险等同内地的「机动车交通事故责任强制保险」（「交强险」），保障范围仅包括第三者（不包括受保车辆车上人员及司机）人身伤亡或财产损失，每次事故的总责任限额为内地法定最低要求（人民币20万）；及
3. 选择性附加险等同内地的车辆商业保险（「商业险」），保障范围包括第三者人身伤亡或财产损失在内地法定最低要求以外的额外赔偿，以及受保车辆车上人员及司机的相关赔偿；投保人可视乎需要决定赔偿限额，前者可选择人民币1百万至1千万，后者为人民币1万至10万。

考虑到内地城市的经济发展以及地区环境风险，并更充分地满足进入广东省驾驶的香港车主及／或司机对汽车保险赔偿限额的需求，我们建议香港车主及／或司机应按自己风险承担能力投保选择性附加险（即商业险），以获得更全面的保障。如保险赔偿限额不足以支付意外赔偿责任，车主及／或司机需要负责承担差额。

香港车主及／或司机可以在投保或续保时选购「等效先认」产品；如本已备有有效的香港法定车辆保险，可在有关保单的有效期内，选择附加内地保障范围。附加险保障期最长为1年（即香港法定车辆保险的有效期）；香港保险公司亦可依据客户个别需求，提供短期附加险保障，当中以30日保障期最为普遍。