{"id":26481,"date":"2020-09-03T01:00:13","date_gmt":"2020-09-03T00:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.saporedicina.com\/english\/?p=26481"},"modified":"2022-03-11T15:59:39","modified_gmt":"2022-03-11T14:59:39","slug":"health-insurance-expat-singapore","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saporedicina.com\/english\/health-insurance-expat-singapore\/","title":{"rendered":"Best Health Insurance for Expats in Singapore – Our Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Expat<\/p>\n

Click here if you want to send a request for a
free quotation to the broker we recommend at the moment<\/a><\/div>\n

Do you live in or plan to move to Singapore<\/a> and wonder what health insurance you should go for?<\/p>\n

As you might know by now, most international insurance providers offer packages for foreigners who live there and you can even find regional headquarters. <\/p>\n

With that said, you must understand how Singapore\u2019s healthcare system works practically, how you compare to locals, what insurance options you have, and more.<\/p>\n

In this article, we try to provide as much valuable information as possible so that you can get your feet wet and prepare before your departure. You will learn how the medical system works, what benefits Singaporeans and PRs have compared to other foreigners, about public and private hospitals, how you can find insurance, and more.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s get started and review how it works when seeking medical attention in Singapore.<\/p>\n

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Health Insurance for Expats in Singapore- Index<\/h3>\n
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  1. Medical attention in Singapore<\/a><\/li>\n
  2. Why do I need health insurance in Singapore?<\/a><\/li>\n
  3. Hospitals in Singapore<\/a><\/li>\n
  4. Types of insurances in Singapore<\/a><\/li>\n
  5. What is an insurance broker and why might you need one?<\/a><\/li>\n
  6. Table comparing health insurance policies for Singapore<\/a><\/li>\n
  7. How to evaluate the features of a health insurance policy<\/a><\/li>\n
  8. Send a request for a free quotation to the broker we recommend<\/a><\/ol>\n<\/div>\n

    <\/p>\n

    Ps. If are just traveling in the city, then you might want to check our article on travel insurance for Singapore<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    <\/strong><\/p>\n

    Medical attention in Singapore<\/h2>\n

    Singapore is renowned for having some of the best healthcare systems in the world, it\u2019s common that world celebrities and politicians come here as medical tourists.<\/p>\n

    Doctors and nurses speak fluent English and Chinese and have often studied at reputable schools overseas or locally. In the last few years, countries like the US have been checking the Singaporean model in greater detail to see if anything can be taken from it.<\/p>\n

    You see, Singapore\u2019s healthcare system is similar in the way that it\u2019s comparatively free and not funded by heavy tax spending, like in many European countries. <\/p>\n

    Singaporean citizens sometimes enjoy free healthcare or basic healthcare come at very low costs<\/a>. One of the reasons why this works is that workers pay around 37% of their salaries in obligatory savings accounts. They can also use the Central Provident Fund (CPF) for healthcare services.<\/p>\n

    The money can later be used for housing, healthcare, insurance, and education. Worth mentioning is also that employers partly contribute to the payments.<\/p>\n

    With that said, expats cannot enjoy the heavily subsidized prices as Singaporeans and permanent residents (Singapore PRs) can. Instead, you have to opt-in for robust private health insurance. <\/p>\n

    The insurances vary in both quality and price, a reason why many expats have to rely on brokers or do thorough research before choosing health insurance.<\/p>\n

    Why do I need health insurance in Singapore?<\/h2>\n

    Singapore is one of the most expensive countries in the world and it would be reckless to visit or move to the country without having good health insurance.<\/p>\n

    If you end up having an accident, you could end up paying tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of US-dollars if you require in-patient treatment.<\/p>\n

    Illnesses can come unexpectedly as well and require treatments for months and sometimes years. Traveling back to your home country is not always an option if the illness quickly becomes worse.<\/p>\n

    No matter if you are an expat that gets reimbursed by your company or a student, you should secure health insurance prior to entering the country.<\/p>\n

    Hospitals in Singapore<\/h2>\n

    Like most other countries, Singapore has both public and private international hospitals. A key difference is that public hospitals provide exceptional healthcare services that don\u2019t differ much from private dittos.<\/p>\n

    This is generally not the case in developing countries where public hospitals can suffer from old facilities, poor sanitation, over-crowdedness, and comparatively low quality of healthcare services.<\/p>\n

    As such, this puts much pressure on private hospitals in Singapore as they have to compete with the public option that is significantly cheaper but with a similar level of standard.<\/p>\n

    Thanks to its large expat population, international hospitals have managed to find a big pool of clients though. <\/p>\n

    Public hospitals<\/h3>\n

    Singapore currently has 11 public hospitals, including 1 women\u2019s hospital, 7 general hospitals, 1, children\u2019s hospital, 1 psychiatric hospital, and 2 community hospitals. Here, patients can get help with everything from emergency treatment, inpatient treatment, and outpatient treatment.<\/p>\n

    The benefits of using public hospitals in Singapore are that you can meet the same doctor every time, enjoy shorter waiting times, and a clean and relaxing environment. This is not the case in mainland China, for example, where hospitals can be somewhat chaotic and unsanitary.<\/p>\n

    The public hospitals available in Singapore include:<\/p>\n

      \n
    • KK women\u2019s and children\u2019s hospital<\/li>\n
    • National university hospital<\/li>\n
    • Ng teng fong general hospital<\/li>\n
    • Jurong community hospital<\/li>\n
    • Singapore general hospital<\/li>\n
    • Tan tock seng hospital <\/li>\n
    • Institute of mental health<\/li>\n
    • Alexandra hospital<\/li>\n
    • Changi general hospital<\/li>\n
    • Khoo teck puat hospital<\/li>\n
    • Yishun community hospital<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Private hospitals<\/h3>\n

      There are almost an equal amount of private hospitals in Singapore (10 in total) that cater to foreigners and locals. Most of the hospitals belong to three large groups:<\/p>\n

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      • Pacific Healthcare<\/li>\n
      • Parkway Holdings<\/li>\n
      • Raffles Medical Group<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        You\u2019ll notice that private hospitals are a bit smaller than public dittos and with a more luxurious experience. 5-star rooms can fetch for more than SGD 8,000 in places like Gleneagles, for example.<\/p>\n

        The private hospitals currently available in Singapore include:<\/p>\n

          \n
        • Mount Elizabeth Hospital<\/li>\n
        • Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital<\/li>\n
        • Parkway East Hospital<\/li>\n
        • Raffles Hospital<\/li>\n
        • Thomson Medical Centre<\/li>\n
        • West Point Hospital<\/li>\n
        • Concord International Hospital<\/li>\n
        • Farrer Park Hospital<\/li>\n
        • Gleneagles Hospital<\/li>\n
        • Mount Alvernia Hospital<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          Types of insurances in Singapore<\/h2>\n

          As mentioned, locals pay a substantially large part of their salary for mandatory savings programs in Singapore. The funds can be used to fund subsidized local public healthcare. For expats who are not permanent residents, this is not an option, unfortunately.<\/p>\n

          If you move to Singapore, you should consider opting-in for private medical health insurance. This is done by a majority of the expats living and working in Singapore.<\/p>\n

          There are plenty of international insurance providers available in this small financial hub and they have a long experience in helping foreigners. Some of the benefits of using international insurance, sometimes referred to as International Private Medical Insurance (IPMI), are:<\/p>\n

            \n
          • They are lifetime renewable, which means that the insurance companies won\u2019t reject you if you develop a serious illness<\/li>\n
          • No escalating prices where the insurance companies offer you a low rate at a start but increase the rate drastically in the following year(s)<\/li>\n
          • No restrictive provider networks and where the insurance company only allows you to pick selected hospitals, GPs, and specialists. Otherwise, they won\u2019t fully reimburse you<\/li>\n
          • Local insurances often have higher co-pays, low limits, a long list of exclusions, and similar. This is generally not the case for international insurances<\/li>\n
          • Even if Singapore has superior healthcare, it can be important to be covered for medical evacuations. Almost in all instances, this is not an option in local insurances, but it is optionable for the international ditto<\/li>\n
          • Local insurances often offer zero or little coverage for pre-existing conditions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            What is an insurance broker and why might you need one?<\/h2>\n

            Insurance brokers can be helpful in the sense that they know the local insurance industry in and out, including complicated terms, the best policies, and prices that match your criteria.<\/p>\n

            In short, these professionals help you to find the best insurance based on your needs. To navigate this market on your own can be a daunting task and take you weeks. Besides, by hiring an insurance broker, you will avoid common pitfalls.<\/p>\n

            Usually, insurance brokers contact expats directly, but you can also try to find them online.<\/p>\n

            After you have explained your needs, they send you a list of, let\u2019s say, 5 insurance providers and suitable packages. You can then choose if you want to go for in-patient benefits, out-patients benefits, or both.<\/p>\n

            Oftentimes, they are foreigners that have a long experience of working overseas. Thus, they understand the needs of foreigners. Not to forget, they don\u2019t add any extra costs as they claim a percentage of the fees from the insurance providers\u2019 base fee.<\/p>\n

            Working with insurance brokers is recommended thanks to the time you save and the invaluable advice. They can also help you with claims and often reply swiftly to your questions.<\/p>\n

            One of their tasks is to act as an intermediary between the insurance provider to make the process as smooth as possible.<\/p>\n

            Table comparing health insurance types for Singapore<\/h2>\n
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