Uncovering your health insurance options in Singapore
Singapore, like many other major cities around the world, has a wide variety of choice for nearly all aspects of life. This includes health and health insurance. As someone moving here you will quickly find that the cost of healthcare is expensive, which means it will be a good idea for expats to secure health insurance. The question is when it comes to health insurance options in Singapore, which is the best? To help answer that, we have produced a new guide.
About our newest Singapore health insurance guide
Aptly titled, Local vs International Health Insurance in Singapore, this guide was written to help provide some insight into the options new arrivals to Singapore have when they start the process of procuring medical insurance in the city.
The 2018-2019 version of the guide is available now from our website and is a valuable tool that provides an overview of the different options expats have in terms of health insurance in the city.
Of course, this guide is not just for expats. It has been written to provide all readers with the information they need to learn more about their options in Singapore. In fact, the guide has been written to answer the top five questions we get from all clients around health insurance in Singapore.
These questions include:
- What are the main health insurance options in Singapore?
- What are the pros, cons, and main features of each insurance option?
- What does a typical insurance comparison look like?
- What are the main issues with local plans I should look out for?
- What factors should I consider when choosing health insurance?
What does it cover?
To make the guide as digestible as possible we have split it into four key sections:
- Types of health insurance available in Singapore
- Why International Private Medical Insurance (IPMI) is the superior choice
- How do I know if IPMI is the best fit?
- Where can I go for health insurance in Singapore?
Combined together, the sections in this guide provide you with an overview of your health insurance options in the city along with a glimpse into which options are better suited for expats and locals.
One of the most important things the guide points out is the fact that while Singapore has a robust and enviable universal health system, it is only available to citizens and Permanent Residents. This means that any expats who need to see a doctor in Singapore will not be able to take advantage of publicly subsidized care and, therefore, will need to pay full price for care
As healthcare can be expensive in Singapore, even at public hospitals, it is important for expats and new arrivals to ensure that they not only understand their health insurance options but also secure the right plan for themselves and their family.
Which health insurance options are best for expats in Singapore?
When looking at your health insurance options in Singapore, the guide covers three types of health insurance plans that expats have available to them:
- Medishield – Singapore’s universal health insurance payment system. This is open to citizens and expats who have become Permanent Residents.
- Local health insurance – Plans that cover care in Singapore only.
- International health insurance – Plans that cover care in nearly every country in the world.
In our experience, of the three general types of plans available, expats can benefit the most from international health insurance plans. These plans, also referred to as International Private Medical Insurance (IPMI), are designed to provide cover for those who are globally mobile.
With high limits and benefits, these plans will be able to help offset or completely cover healthcare costs not only in Singapore, but also your home country.
Of course, local plans are still an option for some, but many have low benefits levels and a number of other negatives that make them an inferior option for most. We cover this in more depth in our guide, which can be found here.
How Pacific Prime Singapore helps
It is our mission to help simplify insurance. One of the ways we do this is by offering helpful guides like the Local vs International Health Insurance in Singapore guide. We also offer a variety of value-added services that you will not find from other brokers – or even insurers.
If you are looking to learn more about your health insurance options in Singapore, download our guide for free from our website, or contact us today. Our advisors are standing by to help answer any of your questions, and even provide you with a free quote that compares your options.
Jantra curates and reports on the results of Pacific Prime’s monthly newsletters, as well as manages Pacific Prime’s Deputy Global CEO’s LinkedIn posts. Complemented by her background in business writing, Jantra’s passion for health, insurance, and employee benefits helps her create engaging content - no matter how complex the subject is.
Growing up as a third-culture kid has given her a multicultural perspective that helps her relate to expats and their families while 8 years of working remotely have given her unique insight into hybrid work arrangements and enthusiasm for employee benefits.
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