This guide covers the insurance side of hiring a domestic helper in Singapore. It explains what the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) asks for, and how the security bond and bond waiver work. It also covers what the medical cover does, how to time cover around the work permit, and what happens at renewal. It's general information, not advice for your household.
What MOM requires before the work permit is issued
Maid insurance is compulsory. MOM requires employers to buy medical and personal accident cover for their helper. You also need a S$5,000 security bond. All three must be in place before the work permit is issued.
Maid insurance plans put these together in one policy. On the maid insurance comparison page, every plan shown meets MOM's minimum requirements for medical and personal accident cover. Every plan also includes the S$5,000 security bond.
What these plans include:
- Hospital and surgical bills, at or above the MOM minimum
- Personal accident cover of S$60,000, as MOM requires
- The S$5,000 security bond, provided by the insurer
- Repatriation if the helper passes away or must return home
The security bond and the bond waiver
The security bond is money MOM can forfeit in some cases, for example if a helper goes missing. You don't usually pay the S$5,000 up front. The insurer provides the bond instead. When you buy a plan, the insurer sends the bond document to MOM.
If MOM forfeits the bond, the insurer pays it. What happens next depends on the waiver. Without a bond waiver, the insurer can ask you to repay that S$5,000. With a waiver, the insurer usually can't.
Questions to ask about the bond:
- Does the plan include a bond waiver?
- How much more is the premium with the waiver?
- Can the insurer still ask for repayment with a waiver in place? If so, when?
- How are the bond details passed to MOM, and when?
Two typical-price pages show the difference: a new helper on 26 months with a bond waiver, and a renewal on 14 months with no waiver.
Timing the cover around the work permit
Maid insurance plans are usually sold for 14 or 26 months. Work permits run for one or two years. The extra two months cover the time between applying and getting the permit.
Cover should start before your helper starts work, and last as long as the work permit. The typical-price pages assume cover starts 30 days ahead.
Things to check on timing:
- The policy length matches the work permit: 14 months for one year, 26 months for two
- The start date falls before the helper's first working day
- The cover and bond are in place before the work permit is issued
- You have the helper's details ready, such as nationality and whether this is a new permit or a renewal
Plans ask for the helper's nationality. One example on the comparison pages is a new helper from Myanmar on 26 months.
What the medical and personal accident cover does
The medical part pays hospital and surgical bills. Every plan we show meets the MOM minimum, but limits differ between plans. A higher limit means fewer bills for you if your helper has a long hospital stay.
The personal accident part provides S$60,000 of cover, as MOM requires. Repatriation cover pays to send the helper home if she passes away or must return home.
The cover has limits. These plans don't cover:
- Conditions found at the helper's pre-employment medical exam
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Cosmetic and routine dental treatment
- Self-inflicted injury
Things to compare:
- The hospital and surgical limit on each plan
- What you'd have to pay if a bill goes above the limit
- The exclusions listed in each policy wording
- A copy of the pre-employment medical exam report, kept with the policy
If something happens during the work permit
You may need to claim for a hospital stay, an accident, a repatriation or a forfeited bond. The insurer that issued the policy handles the claim. The steps and documents differ between insurers.
Things to keep ready:
- The policy number and the insurer's contact details
- Hospital bills, receipts and medical reports
- Any letters from MOM about the bond
- A record of dates, such as admission and discharge
The Claims page explains how to reach each insurer's claims team.
Renewing the cover
When you renew the work permit, you need to renew the insurance and bond too. It's a good time to compare plans again. Hospital limits, the waiver and the premium may all differ from your first policy.
Prices on the comparison page assume no claim on maid insurance in the last 3 years. The insurer confirms this when you apply. If there has been a claim, the price shown may not apply.
Things to check at renewal:
- The new policy starts before the current one ends
- The policy length matches the renewed work permit
- You decide again whether you want a bond waiver
- The helper's details are up to date
- You compare plans again on the prices page
Things to note
- A bond waiver doesn't remove the bond. You still need the S$5,000 security bond. The waiver only affects whether the insurer can ask you to repay it.
- The MOM minimum is the lowest allowed, not a fixed amount. Hospital and surgical limits above it differ between plans.
- Conditions found at the pre-employment medical exam aren't covered, even if treatment is needed later.
- Maid insurance doesn't cover pregnancy and childbirth.
- Maid insurance doesn't cover your household's own belongings. Contents cover is a separate product, described on the home insurance page.
Where to get help
For questions about a claim, the Claims page lists how to reach each insurer. For questions about comparing plans or using the site, email us or use the chat button. To compare plans that meet MOM's requirements, start on the maid insurance page.