Guide to Singapore expat health insurance 2021

Guide to Singapore expat health insurance 2021 – that will be the topic of today’s article.

Nothing written here should be considered formal advice, and some of the facts might have changed since we wrote this article.

For any questions, or if you are looking to invest or get insured as an expat, you can contact me using  this form, or use the WhatsApp function below.

Introduction

In the last years, health and life insurance is one of the most important things among both wealthy and average-salary people. Insurance is a way to protect you and your property from various risks. It is of two types:

• mandatory;
• voluntary.

In the first case, insurance is necessary – this is dictated by the law. But there are voluntary insurance types, such as:

• medical;
• pension;
• motor third party liability insurance for vehicle owners;
• liability insurance for businessmen, as well as for several groups of professionals.

And in this article we will mainly talk about medical insurance in Singapore, how it can be done, what you have to know as an expat and much more interesting facts. But first let’s discuss something important too, how to find a company to cooperate with?

What to look for when choosing an insurance company?

License

The company must have a license for a specific type of insurance. Check if there is a license for the type you need. Download the table “Subjects of insurance business”, find the company you need there and check. You can also check the availability of a license online using the Directory of Financial Market Participants (official information of the Bank of Russia).

Rates

Insurance rates must comply with the requirements set by the country. Very low rates can be a sign of fraud. The approximate cost of the policy can be calculated online on the website of the insurance company. Calculate the cost on the websites of different companies, check the numbers. Please note: the more risks are provided for in the contract, the higher the price of insurance.

Reputation

Focus on well-known companies with a good reputation that have been on the market for a long time. Interview acquaintances, read reviews on the Internet.

Terms

Study the insurance conditions carefully. Demand the full version of the contract, since not everything is spelled out on the policy form. Pay special attention to the item that lists the signs of an insured event. Learn what the insurance does not cover. Check with the company representative about the procedure for compensation for damage in various situations, ask about the timing.

So in this article we will try to provide all the information about health and life insurance in one of the most developed cities, in Singapore. This should be a short but in-detailed guide for expats who are planning to move to Singapore and need a medical insurance.

Medical insurance for travel/move to Singapore

A powerful Asian tiger – Singapore, attracts not only travelers from all over the world, but also businessmen, scientists, being the focus of the economic life of Southeast Asia. Singapore is also a huge transit hub at the intersection of logistics routes from Asia to the New World. Tourist attractions and the number of contrasts per square meter attract here, albeit few, but sophisticated tourists – there is where to relax, what to see.

Regardless of the reason for your trip, you need health insurance in Singapore – whether it is a final destination or a transit point. The transit time can be several days – and this is enough for your body to face at least the problem of acclimatization. The hot humid climate adds “charm”. Therefore, the policy will not be superfluous.

Medical insurance requirements for travel to Singapore

Most tourist countries have the same requirements for a health insurance policy, but nuances do happen. Singapore legislation sets forth a number of specific postulates, for example, the amount of coverage must be at least 2 million rubles. or be equivalent to this amount in any other currency.

In addition, the insurance package should include:

• Provision of emergency medical care and assistance in case of sudden injuries and illnesses during the trip;
• Help with intoxication or sudden acute allergic reaction;
• Transportation to the country of residence if the victim cannot travel on his own;
• Repatriation of the body to its homeland in case of death.

Please note an important point – basic packages usually do not include allergy treatment. But the specifics of the region, geography and climate are such that the risk of these complications is high, and legislation requires that health insurance in Singapore cover the costs of their treatment. When choosing an insurance package, be sure to discuss this point with a consultant.

Otherwise, the legislator’s prescriptions are standard:

• The insurance period must cover the entire duration of the trip.
• The minimum coverage is 30,000 USD. e. Taking into account the intricacies of medicine in Singapore, experts recommend increasing the amount of coverage from 50,000 to 100,000 cu. e. The cost of such insurance will increase insignificantly, but during the trip you will be calmer.

One of the most important criteria for choosing an insurer is the availability of accreditation and assistance (on-site service partner). This is a reason to opt for Sport.insure. A service company (assistance) is a partner of the insurance company in the country of insurance, which performs the services of an intermediary. If an insured event occurs, the assistance will cover the costs as soon as possible, but if the insurance company does not have a partner on the spot, you will have to invest first your own funds, and after returning home, negotiate with the company to pay compensation.

How to choose an insurance program?

The key criterion should not be the desire to save money, but to protect yourself, your health, and, in the long term, your wallet. The more risks the insurance program includes, the better. You can calculate the final cost of insurance in Singapore in the online calculator. For your convenience, our company has developed 4 basic packages:

“Reasonable minimum”. Price per insured person – 364 rubles. for a week trip. This package will cover inpatient treatment, doctor’s calls and ambulances; covering the costs associated with the appointment of the attending physician and the purchase of medicines, the cost of diagnostic laboratory tests – this also includes dressings and fixation equipment in case of injuries, hospital stays, visits to narrow specialists, emergency surgical interventions, emergency dentistry, transportation to the doctor and to place of residence in case the insured does not have the opportunity to do it on his own after medical intervention – up to the return of the insured person to the territory of residence, observation in a hospital. In the event of a fatal outcome, the minimum package includes payment for autopsy and embalming of the body and its return to the territory of residence.

“Economy package”. To the above options in this package are added (and all this for 570 rubles):

• Expenses for the relocation of relatives accompanying the victim;
• Early return of the insured home;
• Coverage of the costs of paying for housing before leaving the country after the end of the hospital stay;
• Returning to the territory of children’s residence or organizing communications – for example, telephone conversations with the Service Department, organizing a visit to a third party.

“Improved protection”. The cost of such a package is only 32 rubles. more, while the insured gets the opportunity (to all of the above):

• Organization of temporary return home;
• Baggage delivery to a different address;
• Organization of legal support, assistance in the recovery of lost / stolen documents and the provision of translation services in a hospital – agree, if you do not speak the language, the latter option will be important.

“All inclusive package” worth 697 rubles. adds the following to the above:

• Organization of search and rescue actions;
• Insurance against non-departure at the scheduled time;
• Purchase of regular medications prescribed in the territory of insurance.

What should be the amount of insurance coverage?

The amount of insurance coverage for Singapore varies from $ 30,000 to $ 100,000. If there are professional risks and taking into account the high cost of medicine, it is recommended to increase the amount – you must agree, there are professions or activities that are potentially dangerous with the possibility of getting quite serious injury. 

And medicine in Singapore is not a cheap pleasure. For example, hospitalization with a minor head injury will cost a patient from $ 290 to $ 1960, appendicitis – from $ 500 to $ 1150, a simple CBC – from 20 to 250, pneumonia treatment in a hospital – up to 3200, but a stroke will result in both at least $ 10,000.

Medical services in the country are built on a commercial basis, but for local residents it is cheaper due to government subsidies and benefits. But for an injured foreigner, in the absence of insurance compensation, the services of both public and private medical institutions will cost a large amount. 

Without a prescription, you won’t even buy the necessary medicines from a public pharmacy. In private institutions, you will have to pay additionally for each visit to the doctor, as well as for the services of staff.

Singapore cannot be called a country of increased danger for tourists, and if you follow the basic rules of hygiene and basic safety, you do not particularly risk anything. But, as the well-known proverb says, “God takes care of those who are taken care of.”

What is covered by insurance in Singapore?

What options does each travel health insurance program provide for travel to Singapore?

Program “A”:

• Emergency and emergency medical care;
• Transportation costs associated with treatment;
• Emergency dentistry for tooth trauma or acute inflammation;
• Repatriation costs of the body.

Program “A1”:

Everything included in program A, plus advanced transportation options;

• Coverage of living expenses until returning home;
• Coverage of expenses for the arrival of a third party or the return of minor children to their homeland;
• Coverage of the costs of communication with the insurance company – for 
• example, telephone calls.

Program “A2”:

• All costs foreseen by the two previous programs
• Payment for the translator;
• Providing legal assistance in case of loss or theft of documents;
• Payment for the services of a lawyer;
• Arranging and paying for temporary return;
• Ability to send baggage to another address or return it;
• Coverage of all costs associated with the negotiation process with the service company.

Program “A3”:

• All of the above expenses;
• Payment for rescue and search operations;
• Compensation for expenses incurred in case of flight cancellation or delay;
• Expenses for daily medications.

We should also pay attention to dental care. None of us is safe from the fact that a tooth aches unbearably on a trip. If you have come to the country for, say, 2 weeks, it is unlikely that you will be able to “endure” until you return home. 

When contacting a doctor, it is worth remembering that the coverage of dental care is limited by limits – up to $ 80. or the equivalent of this amount in the first 3 insurance packages, and 180 c.u. – in program A3. 

It happens that a tooth is damaged as a result of an injury, and then the costs are covered in the amount provided for by the limit of the treatment agreement after the accident.

If the irreparable happens and the person dies, the family faces obstacles in returning the body to their homeland. You have to involve diplomats, waste time, whereas with the right insurance, everything could be made easier. If you have an insurance policy, repatriation is made to the nearest port / airport in your homeland, or at the request of relatives home, if this does not go beyond the costs stipulated by the contract.

At the request of relatives, repatriation is replaced by cremation and the delivery of an urn with ashes, or burial in the country of death. Costs for any of the above options should not exceed those indicated in the contract, and indirect payments, such as customs duties, are not eligible for compensation.

Risks not covered by insurance – not insured events

An important point – in the insurance there is a precedent for an insured event. Figuratively speaking, this is a list of conditions in which you will be entitled to a payment. For example, if during a trip you get pneumonia, the treatment will be paid. But if it turns out that this is an exacerbation of chronic bronchitis, which was diagnosed before the signing of the contract, and there is no direct threat to your life, most likely you will have to be treated at home. Remember that insured events are not:

• Injuries and injuries sustained under the influence of drugs or alcohol;
• Chronic or acute diseases diagnosed before signing the contract, except for acute allergic reactions and exacerbations, if not provided separately;
• Quarantine or disinfection measures, vaccination;
• Diagnostic studies, other than those required to diagnose a sudden onset of an acute condition;
• Physiotherapy and rehabilitation, prosthetics, cardiac surgery;
• Purchase of medical equipment, in addition to those that are necessary to facilitate movement in case of injuries – for example, crutches, sticks, rental of a wheelchair, etc.;
• Sanatorium treatment and treatment that can be carried out by the insured after returning home;
• Extracorporeal treatment;
• Diseases / injuries that did not occur in the territory of insurance, conditions acquired due to deliberate disregard of medical contraindications;
• Conditions caused by immunodeficiencies, hepatitis and exacerbations of tuberculosis.

Types of insurance compensation

Suppose that the insured event did occur. What should you do to get qualified medical care and full reimbursement of all costs incurred? The methods are as follows:

Through a service company – this presupposes the presence of an insurance company partner in the country of visit – assistance. You simply call the contact numbers that are indicated on the insurance policy and contact the health care institution of the country where you are being treated. The service company will perform all the functions assigned to it under the terms of the contract, and the insurer will reimburse it for all costs.

Directly from the insurer – You will first have to spend on your own, however, upon returning to your homeland, you will receive all payments due. For this you need:

• Notify the insurance company about the occurrence of the insured event within 24 hours;
• Collect all receipts and receipts that support your spending, examination reports, prescriptions and doctor’s orders;
• Upon returning to your homeland, you, within 30 days, submit an application to the insurance company in writing and provide all supporting documents – a policy or a copy of it, a completed original certificate from honey. the institution to which you applied, etc.

Does Singapore health insurance cover pregnancy and childbirth?

Pregnancy is not considered an insured event. Some insurance companies have separate insurance and pregnancy support programs. 

The insurance rules state that Program A does not provide coverage for the treatment of conditions associated with pregnancy in general, and for more comprehensive insurance packages, there is no coverage from 24 weeks. 

The only insured event is an emergency termination of pregnancy at any time, if such a need has arisen due to an accident.

Restrictions on buying a policy

Most insurance policies are universal, that is, they are valid not in one country, but in several. For example, insurance in Singapore will be valid in most Asian countries, and there is a single sample of insurance policy in the territory of the Schengen countries. 

At the same time, medical insurance for travel to Singapore will not be valid in Japan, the United States and some other countries. 

Due to medical insurance issued for traveling abroad, it will not be possible to solve your medical problems in the country of citizenship, registration or permanent residence in the manner prescribed by law – it is valid only in the country of insurance.

Medical insurance for Singapore visa

Russian citizens need to apply for a tourist visa to enter Singapore. It is not required for transit, but it is recommended by the consulate. And to obtain a visa, a medical insurance policy is a must. When crossing the border, it is better to have a printed policy with you – the border service officer has the right to demand to show it.

Medical insurance requirements for obtaining a visa

When buying insurance in Singapore, we take into account the following specific requirements that are put forward by the legislation of this country:

• The insurance company must, without fail, provide the possibility of transporting the insured to the nearest hospital, where he will be provided with assistance;
• Insurance coverage starts at $ 30,000;
• The insurance policy must be valid throughout Southeast Asia, including without fail Vietnam and Thailand.

Insurance policy coverage for visa

Even the most minimal medical insurance policy for traveling abroad, issued on our website, is sufficient to obtain a tourist or transit visa. This is a policy corresponding to the “A” insurance program, above we have listed the options that are included there.

Insurance for multi-visa

As mentioned above, a multi-visa can operate on the territory of Singapore – when, when choosing an insurance package, you choose several countries at once and take out insurance for a long time – this procedure is very convenient for those who often have to travel for personal or work reasons.

Work visa insurance

Any insurance program is suitable for obtaining a work visa. The main requirement is that it must cover the entire period of stay in the country (as a rule, a work visa is issued for a period of 90 days or more), and include coverage of all potential risks that are possible during your stay in the country of insurance.

Student visa insurance

Students planning to study in Singapore purchase a national student insurance policy, the cost of which is paid immediately after receiving a positive response on the visa. 

It only covers hospitalization and expenses caused by accidents, therefore, if you have an international insurance policy, it is quite possible to replace a student’s one with it, for which it is enough to attach the scanned first page of the agreement to the documents for obtaining a visa.

How to make changes to your insurance policy

The contract may be terminated by agreement of the parties in the event of a trip cancellation or a change in circumstances. It is possible to make changes to the current document by concluding an additional agreement. 

The law provides for cases of automatic prolongation of the contract in case the insured is forced to stay in the insurance territory due to treatment. 

Any change to the contract, like it itself, comes into force on the 5th day after signing, therefore it is recommended to purchase an insurance policy for traveling abroad no later than 5 days before the start of the trip. To make changes or additions to the agreement, you can use the feedback form on our website.

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