Maid insurance in Singapore: MOM's mandatory requirements
Employers of foreign domestic workers must arrange specific insurance before a Work Permit is issued. Here is what the mandatory cover includes and where plans typically go further.
Employers of foreign domestic workers (FDWs) in Singapore are not simply encouraged to buy insurance for their helper, they are required to, as a condition set by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) before a Work Permit is issued. Understanding what is mandatory, and what most standard policies bundle in on top, helps you buy the right plan rather than either under-insuring or paying for cover you did not need to add separately.
The security bond
MOM requires employers to place a security bond, typically for $5,000, as a guarantee against certain obligations, including repatriation costs and unpaid salary or levy. In practice, employers almost always satisfy this through a bond insurance product rather than depositing cash with MOM directly, and this is one of the two compulsory components every maid insurance policy is built around.
The medical insurance requirement
The second compulsory component is medical insurance for the helper herself. MOM's medical insurance requirements, enhanced with effect from 1 July 2023, set out that employers must provide their FDW with an annual claim limit of at least $60,000 for inpatient care and day surgery. Under the current cost-sharing structure, the first $15,000 of a claim is paid by the insurer, after which the employer bears 25% of the remainder and the insurer covers the other 75%. This is a meaningful shift from a purely token medical benefit, and it reflects that the employer carries real financial exposure if their helper needs hospital treatment, on top of the moral obligation to see her cared for.
Insurers price plans in two age bands, generally splitting helpers under 50 from those aged 51 to 60, since risk and premiums differ meaningfully between the two groups. Policies are typically written for a 26-month term specifically to span the two-year Work Permit employment contract with a small buffer.
What sits alongside the compulsory minimum
Beyond the security bond and the $60,000 medical floor, published maid insurance plans commonly bundle in a set of further benefits that are not individually mandated but are close to standard market practice:
- Personal accident cover for the helper, paying out on accidental death or disability, commonly in the range of $60,000 on entry-level plans and considerably higher on enhanced tiers.
- Repatriation expenses, covering the cost of sending the helper home, separate from the security bond's own repatriation guarantee.
- Employer's liability and third-party liability, covering claims arising from the helper's actions in the course of her duties.
- Wage and levy reimbursement for a limited number of days if the helper is hospitalised and unable to work.
- Replacement helper or alternative maid services, so the household is not left without support if the helper is hospitalised for an extended period.
Enhanced or premium-tier plans typically improve on the basics rather than replace them: for example, waiving the 25% employer co-payment that applies on standard-tier medical benefits, or raising the personal accident benefit to $100,000 or more.
What to check before choosing a plan
- Does the plan meet the current MOM medical insurance requirement in full, including the $60,000 annual claim limit and the correct employer/insurer cost-sharing split?
- Is the policy term aligned to your helper's actual Work Permit period, so cover does not lapse before her contract ends?
- What is the personal accident sum insured, and is it adequate relative to what a serious injury or death would mean for both her family and your own liability exposure?
- Does the plan cover outpatient treatment such as dental or Traditional Chinese Medicine, which some insurers add as a bonus feature beyond the mandatory hospitalisation benefit?
- What happens if you terminate the helper's employment early, and is there a termination and re-hiring benefit that helps with the cost of finding a replacement?
You can compare current maid insurance plans on our maid plan comparison, and check your existing policy against MOM's current requirements with the coverage gap check.
Talk to an advisor
Getting the security bond, the medical insurance floor and the optional add-ons right, without overpaying for cover you do not need, is easier with someone who tracks MOM's current requirements closely. An advisor on our platform can review your renewal against the latest rules before your helper's Work Permit is due.
Sources
This content is educational information from a licensed advisor, not financial advice. Product details vary by insurer — verify specifics with an advisor.
