Everything you need to know about recent changes to maid insurance

Maid insurance plays a crucial role in safeguarding the well-being and welfare of domestic helpers employed in Singapore.

In a recent development, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has enhanced its regulations with regard to medical insurance for foreign employees. These changes were implemented to protect the well-being of both employers and employees while keeping up with the rising costs of medical treatments due to inflation.

Here are some of the changes to expect.

Enhanced medical insurance coverage

The biggest change to medical insurance regulations for all migrant workers, maids included, is the increase in medical coverage. The annual claim limit has increased to a minimum of $60,000, up from the previous $15,000. This was implemented due to medical inflation and the rising costs of hospitalisation and medical expenses.

Employers are now also responsible for co-paying 25 per cent of the amount above the first $15,000. You would not have to pay out-of-pocket for any medical expenses that are less than $15,000. This means that if your helper has a medical bill of $60,000, you will have to pay $$11,250 (25 per cent of $45,000). The remaining $48,750 (75 per cent of $45,000) will be directly billed to your insurer.

This is in contrast to the previous system where employers had to pay the full medical bill upfront and then claim the covered amount (previously a minimum of only $15,000 per year) from the insurer thereafter.

This change in regulations means that employers are better protected from large lump-sum payments for medical expenses. In 2021, a Filipino domestic helper fell critically ill due to severe blood poisoning, which resulted in over $165,000 of medical costs.

MOM's goal with this regulation change is to prevent such unexpected medical emergencies from putting employers into financial duress or even forcing employers to take out expensive loans just to cover the necessary medical costs.

With about 1,000 employers in 2022 facing medical bills outside of the old coverage limits, the new annual claim limit of $60,000 is expected to cover 99 per cent of all medical claims made for migrant domestic workers

Age-differentiated premiums

As of July 1, 2025, Insurers will be required to offer lower premiums for maid insurance plans for maids who are below the age of 50. The majority of maids in Singapore are below the age of 50 years old and are hence less prone to injuries and illnesses.

On the other hand, premiums are much higher for maids who are above the age of 50 as they are more likely to incur expensive medical expenses.

Considerations for employers

With the implementation of enhanced medical insurance, employers need to review their existing maid insurance policies. It is essential to ensure that the policies comply with the revised coverage limits.

Employers should also explore insurance options offered by various providers to find the most suitable coverage for their specific requirements. Here are some good maid insurance options to consider if you are looking to review your coverage.

MSIG's MaidPlus Maid Insurance

MSIG's basic tier MaidPlus Standard is a great option for people looking for above-average medical coverage for 26 months at a reasonable cost. On top of regular medical coverage, you will also receive coverage for worldwide emergency medical and surgical expenses, accidental dental injury and even Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) treatments. MSIG also already offers age-differentiated premiums, increasing its value if your domestic helper is below the age of 50 years old.

MSIG's MaidPlus Standard Plan offers coverage for termination expenses, domestic worker belongings damage, re-hiring expenses and repatriation, making it perfect for those looking for comprehensive coverage to give them complete peace of mind.

Etiqa's eProtect Maid Insurance

Etiqa's basic tier eProtect Maid Plan A is a good value maid insurance plan, especially considering that they run frequent promotions on their maid insurance products.

Etiqa offers both 14-month and 26-month plans. Under these plans, you will receive competitive coverage for personal accident costs, hospitalisation and surgical expenses, repatriation expenses and even wages compensation and levy exemptions.

FWD Maid Insurance

FWD's basic tier Essential maid insurance plan provides good value for money while providing well-balanced coverage. FWD also runs frequent promotions on their maid insurance plans, making it a good bang for your buck. Similar to MSIG, FWD has also already implemented age-differentiated premiums, making their premiums for 26 month plans for maids under the age of 50 years old some of the cheapest on the market even before any promotions.

FWD offers flexible coverage by offering a selection of independent add-ons, which you can purchase to enhance your coverage even if you have an insurance plan with a different provider. These add-ons include cashless outpatient medical expenses, coverage for MOM's mandatory six-monthly medical examination as well as coverage for the Philippines Embassy's performance bond if your domestic helper is Filipino.

If you are looking for a plan with even greater value, consider their Exclusive maid plan, FWD's highest tier of maid insurance. Under this plan, you can receive a waiver for the co-payment of 25 per cent of medical bills, up until the benefit limits. This means that under the Exclusive maid insurance plan, you will not have to bear any of the medical costs upfront for any hospitalisation expenses up to $60,000.

Great Eastern's GREAT Maid Premier

Great Eastern's GREAT Maid Premier basic tier Silver Plan is another competitive maid insurance that offers age-differentiate premiums. It provides coverage that is on par with other maid insurance plans for personal accidents, hospital and surgical expenses, repatriation expenses, wages, compensation and levy refund as well as employer's liability to the insured person and liability to third parties.

Similar to FWD, Great Eastern's mid-tiered Gold plan and top-tier Platinum plan do not require copayment with hospitalisation expenses, which means that you would not incur any out-of-pocket expenses for hospitalisation and surgical bills up to $60,000.

Conclusion

The recent changes to medical insurance requirements for migrant workers, as implemented by the Ministry of Manpower, are a significant step towards better protection and support for both employers and domestic helpers.

The enhanced medical insurance scheme, increased coverage limits, and direct billing to hospitals provide greater medical protection for maids in Singapore, as well as greater financial protection for employers who have to bear the cost of any medical treatments.

Ultimately, these changes aim to create a more equitable and caring environment for all parties involved.

ALSO READ: Maid insurance policies in Singapore (2023): What are they and how much do they cost?

This article was first published in ValueChampion.