This guide explains how a claim on maid insurance generally works in Singapore. It covers what to do at the time, what to keep, how to notify the insurer and what the insurer checks. It also covers what to consider if a claim is declined. Each insurer runs its own claims process. The points below are general and may differ from a particular policy.
Before anything happens
A claim is easier when the employer already knows what the policy says. Maid insurance bundles several kinds of cover, and each one leads to a different type of claim. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) sets minimum medical and personal accident cover for every foreign domestic worker. It also requires a security bond.
Things to check in the policy:
- Hospital and surgical cover. The MOM minimum is an annual limit of at least S$60,000. Some plans set a higher limit.
- Personal accident cover of S$60,000. It is paid to the helper, or to her family, if an accident leaves her permanently disabled or she dies.
- The S$5,000 security bond, which the insurer provides to MOM, and whether the plan includes a bond waiver.
- Repatriation if the helper passes away or must return home.
- Exclusions. These include conditions found at the pre-employment medical exam, pregnancy and childbirth, cosmetic and routine dental treatment, and self-inflicted injury.
- Policy dates. Cover usually runs for 14 or 26 months, to match the work permit.
- The insurer's claims contact. Each insurer's contact is listed on the Claims page.
At the time of an illness or accident
The first concern is the helper's health and safety. Medical care comes before paperwork. A fall in an HDB kitchen, a burn while cooking or a sudden fever all start the same way: get treatment, then record what happened.
At the time, consider these steps:
- Get medical attention without delay, at a clinic, polyclinic or hospital.
- Tell the clinic or hospital that the helper has maid insurance, and give the policy number.
- Write down the date, time and place, and what happened.
- Take photos of the scene if an accident caused the injury.
- Contact the insurer early, especially before a planned admission or surgery.
- If the helper goes missing, note when she was last seen and keep copies of any reports made.
Documents to keep
Most claims are decided on paper. Missing documents are a common reason for delay. Keeping originals in one folder, with photos on a phone as backup, makes the claim simpler.
Documents that insurers generally ask for:
- The policy schedule and the helper's work permit details
- Itemised hospital and clinic bills, with original receipts
- Medical reports, the discharge summary and any referral letters
- The pre-employment medical exam report, as insurers may check it against the condition claimed
- For an accident, any police report or written account of what happened
- For a personal accident claim, medical reports on the disability or the death certificate
- For repatriation, receipts for the costs involved
- Copies of all emails and letters with the insurer
Notifying the insurer and submitting the claim
Insurers usually set a time limit for telling them about a claim. The limit differs between plans and is stated in the policy wording. Most insurers accept claims through an online form, by email or by post. The employer usually submits medical and bond claims. Personal accident benefits are paid to the helper or her family.
A checklist for submitting:
- Find the insurer's claims contact on the Claims page.
- Check the notice period in the policy wording.
- Complete every part of the claim form.
- Attach copies of all supporting documents.
- Keep the claim reference number.
- Note the date the claim was submitted.
What the insurer checks and how long it takes
The insurer first checks that the policy was in force on the date of the illness or accident. It then checks that the helper is the person named on the policy. It looks at whether the treatment is covered, whether an exclusion applies and whether the bills fall within the plan's limits.
The MOM minimum medical cover includes a co-payment. On a bill above S$15,000, the insurer pays 75% and the employer pays 25%. Plans may differ above this minimum, so the policy wording is the place to check.
Bond claims work differently. If MOM forfeits the bond, the insurer pays it. Without a bond waiver, the insurer can ask the employer to repay that S$5,000. With a waiver, it usually cannot.
How long a decision takes differs between insurers. It also depends on how complete the documents are. The insurer may ask for more information before it decides.
Questions to ask the insurer while the claim is open:
- Has the claim been received, and is it complete?
- Are any more documents needed?
- Which part of the bill is covered, and which part falls to the employer?
- When can a decision be expected?
- How will payment be made, and to whom?
If a claim is declined
A declined claim is not always the end of the matter. Some are declined because a document was missing. Others are declined because an exclusion applies. Knowing the reason helps decide what to do next.
Steps to consider:
- Ask the insurer for the reason in writing.
- Compare the reason with the policy wording and the exclusions.
- Send any missing documents if that was the cause.
- Ask about the insurer's internal review or appeal process.
- If the matter is still not resolved, the Financial Industry Disputes Resolution Centre (FIDReC) handles disputes between consumers and financial institutions in Singapore.
Things to note
- Medical cover has limits. Hospital and surgical limits differ between plans, and the co-payment above S$15,000 applies under the MOM minimum. The maid insurance quote page shows plans side by side.
- Personal accident benefits go to the helper or her family, not to the employer.
- A bond waiver does not stop MOM forfeiting the bond. It affects whether the insurer can ask the employer to repay it.
- Conditions found at the pre-employment medical exam are excluded, even if treatment happens later in Singapore.
- The cost of insurance cannot be passed on to the helper. MOM requires the employer to pay for it.
Where to get help
The Claims page lists each insurer's claims contact. Questions about a specific claim go to the insurer, which makes the decision. For questions about this site, the Contact page has the details. To look at plans again before a renewal, the maid insurance quote page and the compare page show what each insurer offers. More guides are on the guides page.