Previously, with more Singaporeans flocking back home from overseas countries, the number of COVID-19 cases in Singapore rose. What happens if you really do get tested positive for COVID-19? Here’s a look at what the government and insurance companies are covering as part of compensation for COVID-19.
No one could have anticipated this pandemic to take over our normal routines in 2020. As the Coronavirus outbreak continues to affect more countries globally with little signs of slowing down, countries are and have closed their borders to foreigners and also deterring their own citizens from travelling out of the country.
We previously looked at whether your travel insurance will cover COVID-19 and also shared 10 things you can do with your existing travel fund, now that you won’t be travelling for the next few months. This has not only paused our travel plans, but it has also disrupted our day-to-day lives in numerous ways. Companies have implemented work-from-home measures and numerous social distancing measures have been enforced by the government. It is, after all, better to be home and safe than be sorry.
On 21 April 2020, the government extended the circuit breaker for another 4 weeks to June 1 instead of May 4, to further reduce the increasing local transmission of COVID-19. It will see further closure of most physical workplace premises, with the exception of those providing essential services or those in selected economic sectors which are critical for local and the global supply chains. Standalone food and beverages outlets will also be closed, as well as barbers and hairdressing services, among others. Read more here.
With the number of confirmed cases in Singapore on the rise, it’s not surprising that many of us are worried about our own well-being and that of our loved ones. And so, we take a look at what the Singapore government’s compensation for COVID-19 as well as the additional COVID-19 coverage being provided by insurance companies.
Compensation for COVID-19: What the Government is Paying for
Back in February, the Ministry of Health (MOH) announced back that the Singapore Government is paying for hospital bills incurred by Coronavirus patients in public hospitals. However, since 7 March 2020, this was changed to only apply to Singapore citizens, Singapore residents and long term pass holders.
On 24 March 2020, the government also announced that Singaporeans, Singapore residents and long term pass holders who leave Singapore from March 27 2020 will be charged unsubsidised rates at public hospitals, if they are admitted as suspected COVID-19 patients within 14 days of returning. These people will also not be able to claim from their MediShield Life or Integrated Shield Plans for these treatments at both public and private hospitals.
| Testing Fees | Hospital Fees | |
| Singaporeans | Waived | Government to pay
If you leave Singapore from 27 March 2020 and get admitted as a suspected COVID-19 patient within 14 days of returning, you will have to pay the full hospital charges yourself |
| Singapore Residents | Waived | Government to pay
If you leave Singapore from 27 March 2020 and get admitted as a suspected COVID-19 patient within 14 days of returning, you will have to pay the full hospital charges yourself |
| Long-term pass holders | Waived | Government to pay
If you leave Singapore from 27 March 2020 and get admitted as a suspected COVID-19 patient within 14 days of returning, you will have to pay the full hospital charges yourself |
| Short-term visit pass holders | Waived | To pay yourself |
Costs to keep in mind if you are a Singaporean, Singapore Resident, long term pass holder
1. Testing fees
The Singapore government will pay for the COVID-19 testing fees. The cost of each testing kit is about $260 to $270.
2. Hospital fees
All patients suspected of being infected by the Coronavirus must be admitted to hospitals for isolation and management to prevent community transmission. Patients have been conveyed to visit hospitals around Singapore such as the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID), Ng Teng Fong General Hospital (NTFGH) and Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (KTPH).
The Singapore government will pay for hospital bills in full for Singapore Residents and long term pass holders who are admitted to public hospitals for COVID-19. You will not need to foot your hospitalisation bill. This means that the government will be covering the costs involved should you contact COVID-19. However, this coverage does not extend to outpatient treatment.
However, if you choose to leave Singapore from 27 March 2020 and get admitted as a suspected COVID-19 patient within 14 days of returning, you will have to pay the full hospital charges yourself
3. Cost of 14-day Stay-Home-Notice (SHN) at SHN facilities
From 9 April 2020, all travellers returning to Singapore from overseas will have to serve their 14-day SHN at dedicated facilities instead of their homes. All meals will be provided and this will be paid for by the government. However, all returnees who disregard prevailing travel advisories and left Singapore from 27 March 2020, will have to bear the full cost of their 14-day SHN at dedicated SHN facilities themselves.
If you are a foreigner in Singapore
1. Testing fees
The testing fee will continue to be waived by MOH for all short-term visit pass holders (STVP). This is part of Singapore’s public health measures to identify and initiate contact tracing for confirmed cases who may have been infectious while in Singapore.
2. Hospital fees
From 7 March 2020, foreigners who are short-term visit pass holders (STVP) who seek treatment for COVID-19 in Singapore will need to pay for the cost of their treatment and hospital stay. This announcement came after a spike in the number of cases in Singapore that were imported from other countries.
What will your insurance cover?
Insurance companies have stepped in with free COVID-19 coverage that will be extended to all their eligible customers. If you have specific insurance plans with these insurance companies in Singapore, here’s a summary of the additional coverage being provided in the unfortunate event that you contact COVID-19.
| Insurance Provider | Coverage | Eligibility | Validity |
| AIA | $1,000 (lump-sum) Hospitalisation income $25,000 Death benefit |
Singapore Resident* with a valid NRIC/FIN. Must have an inforce Life Insurance or Accident & Health Insurance policy that has been issued on or before 31 July 2020. | Up till 31 December 2020 or 30 days after the DORSCON level has officially stepped down to green (whichever is earlier) |
| AXA | $200 per day Hospital Income Benefit (Up to 90 days)
$20,000 Death Benefit $100/ day quarantine allowance (applicable for Home Insurance) |
Individual Life and General Insurance customers: Life, Shield, Motor, Travel, Home, Personal Accident, Domestic Helper, and Individual Health Policyholders and Life Assureds with an in-force policyMotor Policy(ies) with AXA | From 1 February 2020 to 30 September 2020; after DORSCON level has officially stepped down to green; or when AXA’s COVID-19 Care Package fund of S$500,000 has been fully utilised (whichever is earlier). |
| DBS/POSB | $100 per day if hospitalised (up to 14 days)
$1,000 lump sum payout if admitted to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) |
Account holders that sign up from now till 31 March 2020. | Your cover starts immediately once you submit your application, and expires automatically at the end of 30 days |
| Etiqa | $100 per day Hospitalisation Benefit (for stable condition, capped at $1,000)
$200 per day Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Benefit (capped at $1,000) $50,000 Death Benefit |
Must have an inforce life protection or insurance savings plans with Etiqa | |
| Great Eastern | $200 per day Hospital Income Benefit (Up to 60 days)
$20,000 Death Benefit |
Must have a Life or Accident and Health (“A&H”) policy, including Dependants’ Protection Scheme (“DPS”) and ElderShield scheme issued by GELS; or the policyholder of all in-forced Personal Lines insurance policies under Great Eastern General Insurance Limited, except for single or one-way travel policies. | From 14 February 2020 to 31 December 2020; or the date when an aggregate of S$1 million has been paid out from the Great Eastern COVID-19 Customer Care Fund (whichever is earlier). |
| HSBC Insurance | $200 per day for hospitalisation (up to 45 days) $1,000 lump sum upon diagnosis $10,000 Death Benefit |
Must have an insurance policy issued by HSBC Life. | From 7 February 2020 until 6 February 2021. |
| Manulife | $1,500 payout upon diagnosis of COVID-19
$2,000 additional payout for hospitalization of 5 days or more for confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 $30,000 Death Benefit |
All existing individual inforce/new policyholders and individual life customers of Manulife. | 17 February 2020 until 1 June 2020 |
| NTUC Income | $100 per day for hospitalisation (up to 30 days)
$10,000 Death Benefit |
Individuals insured by Income’s Personal Accident (PA) plans with infectious disease cover. | From 17 February 2020 until 31 August 2020. |
| Prudential | $500 one-time cash benefit for those quarantined
$200 daily cash benefit for those hospitalised (up to 3 months) |
Individuals and employees of Prudential’s corporate and SME customers holding an in-force insurance policy with Prudential Singapore, residing in Singapore with a valid NRIC/FIN, and their family members. | From 23 January 2020 till 30 June 2020. |
Here are the full details of the COVID-19 support being provided by insurance companies for their customers in Singapore.
AIA: Free Additional Insurance Cover Against COVID-19
As part of support and compensation for COVID-19, AIA is providing existing customers with free additional insurance cover against COVID-19. All eligible customers will automatically benefit from this free additional insurance cover with immediate effect with no action or additional purchase required.
These guaranteed benefits can be received up till 31 December 2020 or 30 days after the Disease Outbreak Response System Condition (DORSCON) level has officially stepped down to green – whichever is earlier.
Full details here.
AXA: COVID-19 Care Package
AXA has introduced their COVID-19 Protection Campaign, providing complimentary coverage against COVID-19 for their customers. Healthcare frontliners fighting the pandemic will receive doubled protection.
Here’s the protection being provided to customers, as well as the doubled protection for healthcare frontliners.
Full details here.
If you have an existing Home Insurance with AXA, you can also enjoy quarantine allowance of $100 per day. AXA currently has an ongoing promotion with SingSaver that rewards you with $5 PayNow and 50% discount (from 15 April – 30 April 2020) when you apply for the AXA SmartHome Insurance.
Alternatively, if you are looking for a Personal Accident plan, you can enjoy up to 41% off AXA SmartPA Protect+ with the promo code ‘SINGSAVER’.
DBS: COVID-19 relief insurance coverage
DBS is offering all DBS/POSB customers and their immediate family complimentary COVID-19 relief insurance coverage to cushion the expenses of COVID-19 patients. Will receive:
- $100 per day if you are hospitalised (up to 14 days)
- Lump sum payout of S$1,000 for ICU stay due to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)
To start your 30 days free coverage under COVID-19 Hospital Cash, you have to complete an online form by 31 March 2020. This free coverage will expire automatically at the end of 30 days and no payment is required.
Full details here.
Etiqa: Financial Assistance Benefit
Etiqa Insurance Singapore has introduced Financial Assistance Benefit to those insured with their life insurance policies in light of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. You will be eligible for this benefit if you have an existing life protection and insurance savings plans with Etiqa.
Full details here.
FWD
Unlike the free coverage being provided by the providers shown in the summary table, FWD does not provide free coverage for COVID-19.
Customers can purchase FWD’s Personal Accident plan to get themselves covered. FWD’s Personal Accident plan covers medical expenses for infectious diseases including Coronavirus (COVID-19), Dengue and more. Here’s the protection FWD’s Personal Accident plan provides:
If you purchase FWD’s Personal Accident (PA) insurance from 4 March 2020, you can make claims related to the outbreak after a reduced waiting period of 15 days from your policy coverage start date.
Full details here.
Great Eastern: Customer Care Fund
Great Eastern launched a $1 million customer care fund to help any policyholders and their immediate families who are hospitalised due to COVID-19. The benefits of the Customer Care Fund are as part of compensation for COVID-19.
HSBC Insurance: Complimentary special benefits for Novel Coronavirus
As part of support and compensation for COVID-19, you and your family members will receive the following Complimentary Special Benefits with cover guaranteed for a full year, if you have an insurance policy with HSBC Life.
Full details here.
Manulife: COVID-19 support fund
Manulife set up a $1 million COVID-19 support fund to provide additional protection coverage to customers in Singapore, at no added cost. All Customers of Manulife Singapore who contracted COVID-19 and/or died due to COVID-19 infection are eligible for these benefits as part of compensation for COVID-19.
This is effective from 17 February 2020 until 1 June 2020 for all existing individual inforce/new policyholders and individual life insureds of Manulife as part of compensation for COVID-19.
Full details here.
NTUC Income: COVID-19 protection
From 17 February 2020, if you hold either of 2 Income PA plans, PA Assurance with Infectious Disease cover and Personal Accident Infectious Disease policy, you will enjoy extended COVID-19 coverage. More specifically, customers will receive:
- Cash pay-out of $100 per day of hospitalisation in Singapore due to COVID-19 (for up to 30 days)
- One-time pay-out of $10,000 if the insured person were to pass away due to COVID-19
Also, Income’s Group Employee Benefits policies now cover COVID-19. From now till 31 May 2020, as part of compensation for COVID-19, employees of organisations insured by Income’s Group Employee Benefits policies will be offered a cash pay-out of $100 per day of hospitalisation in Singapore (up to 30 days), and a pay-out of $20,000 in the unfortunate event of death due to the new coronavirus.
Full details of compensation for COVID-19 here.
Prudential: PRUcare Package
Prudential Singapore’s PRUcare Package provides cash benefits to not only those hospitalised due to COVID-19, but also to those that are quarantined due to being in close contact with confirmed cases.
Here’s what Prudential’s PRUcare Package provides:
- $500 One-time Cash Benefit for those Quarantined
- $200 Daily Cash Benefit for those Hospitalised (up to 3 months)
- Relief for SMEs: A care package to ensure employees of SMEs covered by its Group Insurance, continue to receive medical coverage throughout this period.
As part of compensation for COVID-19, you can qualify for the PRUcare Package as long as at the time of quarantine or hospital admission for COVID-19, you already have an inforce policy with Prudential and meet the eligibility criteria.
Full details here.
Besides paying for the testing fee as well as the hospital bills of Singaporeans, Singapore Residents and long-term pass holders, the Singapore government has also put in place other efforts to help citizens tide through this difficult period.
During Budget 2020, an $800 million COVID-19 package was announced to help Singapore recover from this coronavirus outbreak. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat has also shared that a second COVID-19 relief package is currently in preparation.
This article was republished on theAsianparent with permission from SingSaver. SingSaver is a personal finance comparison platform which provides free, quick and easily accessible resources to help consumers understand personal finance products in Singapore; including credit cards, personal loans and travel insurance.
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