updated: Nov 21, 2024
These renewable insurance standalones cost very little in defraying very large medical bills. Here are the best ones for you to consider.
When it comes to insurance, the first few plans that come to mind (and rightly should) include life insurance, health insurance and critical illness insurance.
Personal accident insurance typically falls under the 'good-to-have' section but is one that shouldn't be overlooked, simply because it provides great coverage at a very low cost. The annual premium is also independent of your claims and you can choose to change providers each year if you wish to.
Another aspect of personal accident insurance that is often overlooked is the coverage provided for infectious diseases, something that has become increasingly important due to COVID-19. You might be glad to know that many personal accident insurance plans have also turned hybrid by including COVID-19 coverage. So, in a single plan, you can get benefits for mishaps of both the physical and the autoimmune kinds.
Let’s look at what a personal accident plan really entails and compare the best plans out there.
Simply put, a personal accident insurance policy is a type of general insurance that provides benefits in the case of accidental death, disability and injury. The benefits usually cover all phases of suffering an accident, from evacuation to hospitalisation and treatment, rehabilitation and recovery. In case of a fatality, personal accident plans also provide a death benefit.
When shopping for a personal accident insurance plan, make sure that the basics are covered. These include accidental death and disability, inpatient and outpatient coverage (several good plans include) as well as daily allowance for hospital stays.
Many personal accident plans also include reimbursement for physiotherapy, chiropractic and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) treatments cost — which don't come cheap.
(Note: Confused about the similarities and overlaps with term life and hospitalisation/MediShield plans? Check out this handy article.)
It could be your go-to plan if you want higher protection against unforeseen accidents in general. It could also be for all of you who are self-employed, regularly engage in outdoor activities and sports, or simply require a higher payout for your family in case of accidental death.
You could also find personal accident plans useful if you frequently make visits to the TCM, physiotherapist or chiropractor. For example, if you actively play sports, engage in strenuous activities, or if you're simply clumsy and sprain your ankle every once in a while.
Here’s our roundup of the best personal accident insurance plans around.
Plan name | Price (SGD) | Best for | Main Benefit: General coverage |
Optional Riders | Other info |
MSIG ProtectionPlus (Silver) | S$124.20 | Affordability and high hospital cash benefit cap | S$100,000 for accidental death S$150,000 for permanent and total disablement Up to S$100,000 for permanent and partial disablement S$50/day hospital cash benefit (capped at S$2,500) |
NA | Free cover for up to 3 children and 10% off your spouse's premiums when you and your spouse enrol at the same time Bereavement grant of S$3,000 |
FWD Personal Accident Insurance | S$141.80 | Various needs with multiple plans available | For all plans, unlimited emergency medical evacuation when you are overseas. The basic tier provides S$100,000 coverage for accidental death or disability, and S$10,000 funeral grant for accidental death S$2,000 accidental medical reimbursement for both inpatient and outpatient medical expenses S$100,000 Guardian angel benefit (per policy year). If both the insured person and spouse die/ are permanently disabled from an accident, this additional payout will be triggered to ensure the child gets financial protection. |
Wide range of riders to choose from, which includes coverage of medical expenses overseas | S$15,000 Home modifications and S$2,000 for mobility & prosthesis aids in the event of an accident causing temporary total disablement Personal liability S$100,000 |
Allianz Accident Protect (Silver) | S$169.57 | High coverage and great for families with children | S$50,000 payout upon accidental death S$50,000 benefit for total permanent disability, or partial permanent disability S$2,500 coverage for medical and surgical expenses per accident S$2,500 for bereavement allowance S$5,000 for mobility aids and home modification |
Upgrade to include Hospitalisation Benefit, Weekly Cash Benefits, or Dependent Cover Benefits | Enjoy a 10% premium discount for each year without a claim, up to a maximum of 30% Enjoy a 15% premium discount on the adult premium payable for all couple/family plans |
AIG Sapphire Enhanced Choices (Standard) | S$173.31 | Basic coverage plus flexibility, with different add-ons available | S$100,000 accidental death and permanent disablement S$2,000 accident medical reimbursement S$4,000 mobility aid and ambulance services reimbursement S$50 per day hospitalisation allowance (injury) Up to 25% no claim bonus |
S$100 per visit for physiotherapy, S$750 for TCM treatment, and other riders available | Higher limits for inpatient medical treatment at S$4,000 S$15,000 third degree burns payout Free coverage of up to 25% of selected benefits for your children when you and your spouse are insured under the same policy |
GREAT Protector Active (Basic) | S$332.64 | High coverage and multiple plans available for different needs | S$200,000 accidental death coverage Up to S$600,000 coverage for accidental major permanent disablement Up to S$3,000 accidental medical reimbursement Enjoy up to 150% of payout with the benefit booster |
None | Does not include hospitalisation cash allowance, but covers insect bites, food poisoning and Hand Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) |
For those with young dependents, FWD Personal Accident Plan offers peace of mind with a dedicated Guardian Angel benefit of up to S$500,000 per policy year. This ensures financial protection for the young ones in the event of accidental death or permanent disability of you and your spouse.
At the basic tier, you’ll get S$100,000 coverage for accidental death and disability coverage, and S$2,000 accidental medical coverage for both inpatient and outpatient medical expenses.
What’s worth noting is that the plan also covers unlimited emergency medical evacuation when you are overseas plus emergency phone charges of S$300 and ambulance fee of S$500 for hospital transfer due to an accident. This could be a good option for those who need to travel frequently either for business or leisure.
Apart from inpatient and outpatient medical expenses, the plan also includes coverage for physiotherapy, seeking treatment from Chinese physician, acupuncturist, bonesetter and chiropractor expenses–increasingly common expenses among deskbound workers.
In the event of permanent disability, FWD Personal Accident Plan also provides a home modifications benefit as well as for mobility & prosthesis aids.
For those seeking higher coverage, you can choose up to S$1,000,000 max coverage as well as optional riders for more protection.
Do note that COVID-19 infectious disease is no longer covered under FWD Personal Accident plan.
Annual premium: From S$141.80 (based on a white-collar office worker for a minimum sum assured of S$100,000).
Unlike the plans listed above that extensively cover infectious diseases, if you're looking for a personal accident plan that focuses on, well, accidents, this is one for you to consider.
Where MSIG ProtectionPlus stands out is its high personal accident coverage of S$100,000 for accidental death, S$150,000 for permanent and total disablement and up to S$100,000 for permanent and partial disablement.
For the Silver plan, you also get up to S$1,000 worldwide medical expenses coverage which includes Traditional Chinese Medicine. Should you meet with an accident, you will receive S$200 daily hospital cash benefit for a maximum of 50 days.
Parents will be glad to know that MSIG ProtectionPlus includes coverage for up to three children for free, if both you and your spouse are policyholders. However, if only one parent is covered, the child premium would range from S$10.70 to S$26.75 depending on the plan’s tier.
Read our review of MSIG's personal accident plan.
Annual premium: From S$124.20 (Based on a 30-year-old with no pre-existing illnesses or accidental injuries in the last five years working in a non-manual occupation. E.g. accountant).
Allianz’s Accident Protect is a do-it-all personal accident insurance plan. The Silver tier policy grants a S$50,000 payout upon accidental death, total permanent disability, or partial permanent disability.
But that’s not all, because the policy provides coverage for medical and surgical expenses to the tune of S$2,500 per accident.
And if you require mobility aids or home modifications after an accident, you’ll be happy to know that there’s coverage for these too. With regards to infectious diseases such as dengue fever or malaria, a S$200 lump sum payment will be disbursed upon diagnosis. Should you require additional protection, a number of riders are available as well.
These riders include hospitalisation and weekly cash benefits. Alternatively, Allianz Accident Protect has a built-in No Claim Bonus. A 10% discount off your premium is granted for every year that a claim is not made, for a maximum of 30%.
There’s also a 15% discount when you add your spouse and/or children into your policy to create a couple/family plan.
Lastly, Allianz Accident Protect boasts Gold, Platinum tiers and even a tier for children too, if you feel that you need greater coverage against infectious diseases or accidents.
Annual premium: From S$169.57 (Based on a 30-year-old working in a non-manual occupation. E.g. accountant).
The Sapphire Enhanced Choices Standard plan by AIG covers all the bases, including S$100,000 for accidental death and permanent disablement, S$2,000 accident medical reimbursement and S$4,000 mobility aid and ambulance services reimbursement.
There's also great flexibility to include add-ons for coverage such as physiotherapy treatments (up to S$100 per session) and TCM treatments (up to S$750) — an ideal solution if you are looking for coverage for alternative treatments.
While the Standard plan does not come with infectious diseases coverage, you can get such coverage when you add on the comprehensive benefits package.
If you’re looking for additional coverage, AIG offers a wide range of coverage tiers for their personal accident plan. Choose between the Sapphire Enhanced Choices Standard, Preferred, Deluxe, or Prestige.
The Sapphire Enhanced Prestige plan offers coverage of up to S$500,000 for accidental death and permanent disablement, S$10,000 for accidental medical reimbursement and S$250 per day daily hospital income for injuries.
If you and your spouse are insured under a single policy, your children enjoy free coverage of up to 25% for selected benefits.
Annual premium: From S$173.31 (Based on a 30-year-old working in a non-manual occupation. E.g. accountant).
If you are looking after your elderly parents, or if you’re 40 years old and above, you could instead consider the Advanced Silver Standard plan. It comes with benefits that include the following:
Annual premium: From S$115.54, but annual premium differs for each age band. (Based on a 40-year-old working in a non-manual occupation. E.g. accountant).
A Great Eastern plan that provides solid coverage for personal accidents, the GREAT Protector Active comes with a lump sum payout of S$200,000 for accidental death and up to S$600,000 for accidental major permanent disablement. This is the highest coverage offered by the plans listed in this article.
Should you get injured, you receive up to S$3,000 accidental medical reimbursement. Your coverage is boosted up to 1.5 times payout when you are injured in a road traffic accident or while traveling in a public conveyance or while travelling overseas.
However, this plan does not include hospitalisation cash allowance. Instead, it has an accidental medical reimbursement benefit that provides up to S$3,000 per accident and up to S$500 per sickness, which includes insect bites, food poisoning and Hand Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD).
Annual Premiums: S$332.64 (Based on a 30-year-old working in a non-manual occupation. E.g. accountant).
Protected up to specified limits by SDIC.
Note: This is only product information provided. You may wish to seek advice from a qualified adviser before buying the product. If you choose not to seek advice from a qualified adviser, you should consider whether the product is suitable for you. Buying an insurance product that are not suitable for you may impact your ability to finance your future healthcare needs.
If you decide that the policy is not suitable after purchasing the policy, you may terminate the policy in accordance with the free-look provision, if any, and the insurer may recover from you any expense incurred by the insurer in underwriting the policy.
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