How To Find The Most Value-For-Money Maid Insurance Plan

Foreign domestic workers (FDW) play a vital role in supporting Singaporean families. To get your FDW the insurance protection she needs that’s light on your wallet, read on.

In this day and age, it’s become almost the norm to hire a foreign domestic worker. In fact, statistics show that 1 in 5 Singaporean families depend on live-in help in order to keep the household running smoothly and/or to take care of elderly folks.

While hiring FDWs is a growing necessity for many Singaporeans, the COVID-19 pandemic has not made it any easier to employ one — there are also more costs to bear such as swab tests and Stay-Home Notice (SHN).

To hedge against rising costs, the need for a value-for-money maid insurance plan is now more important than ever.

How do you find the most value-for-money maid insurance plan? 

If this is not your first foray in hiring an FDW, you should be familiar with MOM’s stipulated guidelines of at least S$15,000 hospitalisation coverage and S$60,000 for personal accident plus the S$5,000 security bond.

While they are mandatory, these guidelines should act as your baseline, because relying on the prerequisites alone is not enough.

A higher coverage (and more comprehensive benefits) will allow you to save more on out-of-pocket expenses in the long run.

Case in point: plans that offer insufficient hospitalisation coverage and lack of COVID-19 benefits should be kicked to the proverbial curb.

To help you get started, here are some key features to pay special attention to when you’re thinking of switching or buying a value-for-money maid insurance plan.

#1 High hospital and surgical coverage

To hedge against astronomical healthcare fees, one of the key features to look at is hospitalisation and surgical coverage. It needs to be large enough to cover the bills should your helper get seriously ill and require major surgery. 

At the very least, your cover should be double the MOM-approved S$15,000 hospitalisation coverage for ample protection against such costs.

#2 COVID-19 coverage 

Effective from 1 Jan 2021, MOM announced that all FDWs should have insurance coverage of at least S$10,000 in the event of COVID-19 diagnosis within 14 days of arrival in Singapore. As such, be sure to check that the maid insurance plan offers this benefit before making a decision. Bonus points if the plan also covers her after her Home-Leave. 

#3 Medical check-ups coverage 

To keep track of your helper’s wellbeing and ensure that she is in good health, one feature that shouldn’t be overlooked is the medical check-ups coverage. MOM guidelines require at least two medical check-ups every year. The coverage is typically offered as an add-on, but what you should be looking out for is member rates at panel clinics to maximise your savings on these expenses.

#4 Outpatient medical benefit 

Ditto for outpatient medical benefits, an ideal plan should offer you exclusive member rates at a selection of panel GP clinics. It is an added bonus if the plan also provides outpatient dental benefit. By visiting these panel clinics, you won’t have to worry about expensive bills catching you off guard.

#5 FDW’s personal belongings 

Much has been said on the healthcare side of things but don’t forget that your helper won’t just show up at your home empty-handed. To protect her personal valuables and belongings against theft and damage, check if the plan in question has her personal belongings covered should unforeseen events happen. 

Pro tip: Depending on the plan, this benefit might only be found in higher tiers.

Which plan covers all of the above?

To reap the benefits of a high coverage plan that includes all the important features discussed above (and many more), you should consider the ultra-comprehensive HLAS Maid Protect360 Pro. With four ascending tiers that provide a wider and higher range of coverage options the further up you go, you are sure to find the right plan that fits both you and your helper’s needs.

How does HLAS Maid Protect360 Pro compare against other plans?

To help you weigh your options and see how HLAS Maid Protect360 stacks up against other maid insurance plans on the market, we’ll compare it against other insurers.

*Please refer to the policy wordings for more information

Key standouts: 

Out of the three plans here, HLAS is the only one that offers physiotherapy benefits under the Premier and Exclusive tiers. 

In addition, HLAS also stands out as the only option that offers extensive medical coverage for infectious diseases, which includes dengue and zika to HFMD and avian influenza — albeit as an optional Enhanced Medical Benefits rider.

Lastly, thanks to HLAS’s unique four tiers (most plans only have three), it leads the pack in maximum coverage for key benefits like hospitalisation and surgery, third-party liability, wage compensation and re-hiring expenses. This flexibility in premium cost will come in handy as you’ll have more options to help you find the coverage that works for your budget.

Conclusion: HLAS Maid Protect360 Pro is value for money

Whether you’re on the more budget-conscious side or you’d rather get the widest coverage and biggest payouts, you will find what you need with HLAS Maid Protect360 Pro. The Basic tier costs S$239 while the highest Exclusive tier costs S$456. 

To get the best of both worlds, you may consider going for the second-highest tier (Premier, at S$377) as you’ll be able to enjoy the full list of benefits that HLAS has to offer. In comparison, the Basic tier does not cover items such as exclusive rates at affiliated clinics, dental expenses, ambulance fees and your helper’s personal belongings, which is important to have. With such extensive coverage, it only cost $14.50 a month over a span of 26 months.

In addition, being a HLAS policyholder means enjoying the sweet perks available. Not only will you enjoy a generous COVID-19 coverage with the Enhanced Medical Benefits Rider (which covers COVID-19 costs for helpers who need to serve their Stay-Home Notice upon arrival and when they return from home leave), you’ll also get a free medical teleconsultation for your helper. Better yet, as an optional benefit, you can enjoy member rates that allow you to save more on cost and get 50% off the mandatory bi-annual medical check-ups. 

If your helper’s current insurance is up for renewal, HLAS Maid Protect360 Pro is a must-have if you want a comprehensive yet money-saving plan that’ll safeguard you from exorbitant out-of-pocket expenses. Your wallet might just thank you for it. 

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