If you are planning to get a helper, it is essential for you to buy maid insurance. This is to ensure that your helper and her family are well protected against any accidents or medical expenses that might occur. In Singapore, it is mandatory for employers of foreign domestic workers (FDWs) to purchase insurance before their helper arrives in the country. Your insurance package should minimally include the following:
Medical insurance of at least $15,000 per year, covering inpatient care and surgery.
Personal accident insurance of at least $60,000 per year, covering unexpected situations that might result in death or a permanent disability.
Security bond of $5,000 (unless your helper is Malaysian). This can be bought either separately or as part of an insurance package.
All costs must be borne by you and cannot be passed on to your helper. Maid insurance policies are generally available for 14-month or 26-month periods, depending on the period for which you hire your helper. Beyond the basic coverage, some insurance policies might offer additional coverage for medical and dental charges, wage compensation, third-party liability and theft, to name a few. Different policies will provide you with different add-on benefits and at different costs, so it is important to consider the coverage and your budget while choosing the right policy for you and your helper.
If you are just beginning your search, a good place to start would be the Singapore Ministry of Manpower’s guidelines on insurance requirements for FDWs. Here is a short summary of some options that are available to you to help guide your search. All costs below are for a 26-month policy for a helper from the Philippines.
Insurance Policy | Benefits | Cost |
FWD | Security bond paid directly to MOM Pre-existing medical conditions Repatriation expenses Wage compensation 100% refund on cancellation | Starting from $297.50 |
NTUC Income | Security bond paid directly to MOM Outpatient medical expenses Repatriation expenses FDW’s personal liability Wage compensation (add on) | Starting from $314.96 |
Great Eastern | Termination and re-hiring expenses Wage compensation Levy reimbursement | Starting from $217.21 |
The table above only covers some of the benefits that you can expect when you purchase maid insurance; make sure to explore further before choosing the one that is right for you. Hiring a maid in Singapore is already expensive, so make sure that you and your helper are well-protected against any additional, unexpected expenses that might occur. Plus, with JiPay, you can also help your FDW become more financially independent - try it now for free.
About JiPay
JiPay is an app for families to manage their helper's and kid's expenses.
It comes with a free prepaid Mastercard for your helper to do your shopping.
Click here to get the app!