TL;DR
- Getting married doesn't change any policy by itself. What changes is what you now share: trips, a home and maybe a car.
- For the honeymoon, you can compare single-trip and annual travel cover. Medical conditions you already had are excluded unless declared and accepted.
- Personal accident cover is priced on what you do. Two people with different jobs may see different prices.
- Home insurance can cover the renovation you paid for, not just your things. Note the rule on a home left empty for more than 60 days.
- If you both drive one car, check whose names are on the policy.
Do we need to change our insurance just because we got married?
Short answer: not automatically, but it's a natural point to take stock. Your policies don't know you got married. Each one still covers what it says, for the people it names. What changes is the life around them. You might be planning a honeymoon, collecting keys to a new flat and sharing one car.
Whether anything needs updating depends on what each of you already holds. It also depends on whose name is on which policy. A quick list of every policy you both have, and who it covers, makes the rest of this much easier.
Single-trip for the honeymoon, or annual travel cover?
Short answer: it depends on how often you travel after the honeymoon. A single-trip policy covers one journey. An annual policy covers your trips across a year. You can compare both on the travel insurance page.
If the honeymoon is your one big trip, a single-trip comparison is simpler. If you also do a few weekend trips to Malaysia or Thailand each year, annual cover may be worth comparing alongside it. Premiums differ between plans and destinations. You can see examples for the Maldives, Japan and annual Asia cover.
Whatever you compare, a few points from the policy wording matter on a honeymoon:
- Cancellation and shortening are covered for covered reasons only. Read which reasons a plan lists.
- Existing medical conditions are not covered unless you declared them and the insurer accepted them.
- Unattended belongings in a public place are not covered. Think of a bag left on a beach chair while you swim.
- Alcohol or drugs: losses while under the influence are excluded. Worth remembering at the celebration dinner.
- Travel advisories: places the Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises against are excluded.
What this depends on: your destination, how long you're away, and any health conditions either of you has.
Can one personal accident plan cover both of us?
Short answer: you can compare cover for a couple, and the couple price page shows what that looks like. Personal accident (PA) insurance pays out after an accident, not an illness. The benefits are similar across plans, but the limits differ.
In general, a PA plan covers:
- A lump sum for accidental death or permanent disability
- Medical bills after an accident, including TCM and physiotherapy
- A daily cash benefit while you're in hospital
- On some plans, infectious diseases such as dengue and HFMD
It doesn't cover illness that wasn't caused by an accident, unless the plan names it. Self-inflicted injury, injury under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and war, terrorism and nuclear risks are also excluded.
PA is priced on what you do. So if one of you works in an office and the other is a nurse or an electrician, prices may differ. What this depends on: each of your jobs, and whether either of you already has accident cover through work. You can compare plans on the personal accident page.
We just got the keys to our flat. What does home insurance actually cover?
Short answer: more than your sofa and TV. Home insurance generally covers four things:
- Your belongings against fire, flood, burglary and accidental damage
- Renovations and fixtures you paid for
- Your legal liability if someone is hurt in your home
- Somewhere to stay if your home can't be lived in
The renovation part matters for newlyweds. Many couples spend a good chunk of their savings on carpentry, flooring and built-ins. Home insurance can cover those, not just loose items. Liability matters too, once relatives start visiting for housewarmings and Chinese New Year.
The exclusions are where couples get caught. Wear and tear and gradual deterioration are not covered. Neither is damage by pets or pests. Business equipment and stock are excluded, which matters if one of you runs a small business from home. And losses while the home is left empty for more than 60 days are excluded. That's worth knowing if there's a long gap between renovation and moving in.
What this depends on: whether it's an HDB flat, a condo or a landed home, whether you own or rent, and how much your renovation and belongings are worth. You can compare plans on the home insurance page.
My spouse will drive my car too. Does the insurer need to know?
Short answer: check that both of you are named. Car insurance does not cover drivers who aren't named on the policy, outside its terms. What 'outside its terms' means differs between plans, so read that part closely.
Car insurance is priced from your car and your driving record. Adding a second driver with a different record may change the price. Comprehensive cover generally includes damage to your car from accidents, fire and theft. It also covers injury to other people and damage to their property, windscreen repair or replacement, personal accident cover for the driver, and 24-hour roadside assistance and towing.
A few exclusions are worth flagging for a shared car. Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is not covered. Private hire, racing and rallies are excluded, so weekend private hire driving falls outside the cover. Wear and tear and mechanical breakdown aren't covered either.
What this depends on: who drives, how often, and each driver's record. You can compare plans on the car insurance page.
What trips couples up when it's time to claim?
Short answer: usually a detail in the exclusions, not the main cover. Some common ones from the policy wording above:
- A health condition that wasn't declared before a trip
- A bag left unattended at the airport or a cafe
- A home left empty for more than 60 days
- A spouse driving when only one name is on the car policy
Each insurer runs its own claims process. Keeping receipts, reports and photos generally makes things smoother. Our Claims page explains how claims work after you buy.
What to do next
- List every policy you both hold, and note whose name is on each one.
- Compare plans side by side on the comparison page, then read each plan's exclusions before you buy.
- If something does go wrong later, start with the Claims page.