The Answer in 60 Seconds: Per the MOM Designated Insurer list, there are 24 designated insurers for employers (list dated 1 January 2026) and 6 for platform operators (list dated 26 December 2024). The new policy must take effect with zero gap from the old policy expiry — Section 24 of the Work Injury Compensation Act 2019 requires continuous cover, and Section 25 makes failure to insure an offence. Existing claims under the old policy remain with the old insurer (run-off).

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The 24 designated insurers for employers (MOM list, 1 January 2026)

AIG Asia Pacific · Allianz Insurance Singapore · Allied World Assurance · Berkshire Hathaway Specialty · China Taiping · Chubb Insurance Singapore · EQ Insurance · ERGO Insurance · Etiqa Insurance · Great American Insurance · Great Eastern General · HL Assurance · Income Insurance · India International Insurance · Liberty Specialty Markets · Lonpac Insurance · MS First Capital · MSIG Insurance · QBE Insurance · Singapore Life · Sompo Insurance · Tokio Marine · United Overseas Insurance · Zurich Insurance (Singapore Branch).

For platform operators (6 designated, list dated 26 Dec 2024): Chubb, Etiqa, Grabinsure (S), Great Eastern General, Income Insurance, Singapore Life.

The Step-by-Step

Step 1 — Confirm the new insurer is on the MOM list. Only designated insurers can issue WICA 2019-approved policies. Buying from a non-designated insurer means the policy is not WICA-compliant — you remain exposed under Section 24.

Step 2 — Plan zero-gap inception. The new policy must commence at 00:01 the day after the old policy expires (or the same date with a "from-noon-to-noon" handover, depending on policy form). Any gap, even one day, is a Section 25 offence. Per GIA's published Work Injury Compensation guidance for employers: "Finalise all insurance contracts and provide the information required to your insurer at least 21 days before policy commencement." Liberty Insurance Singapore republishes this same 21-day lead time on its blog.

Step 3 — Submit the underwriting declaration. WICA underwriting requires:

  • Number of employees (manual / non-manual ≤ S$2,600 / non-manual > S$2,600 if extending cover)
  • Annual estimated wages by category
  • Job descriptions / nature of work (drives the rating tier)
  • Worksites
  • Claims history (typically 3-year loss run from the previous insurer — request this from the incumbent at renewal)
  • WSH compliance and any active MOM stop-work orders or notices
  • For construction/marine/high-hazard: project details

Step 4 — Notify employees of insurer change. Not a legal requirement under WICA but operationally important — employees in the middle of an injury claim need to know which insurer to contact.

Step 5 — Existing claims continue under the old insurer (run-off). Per WICA 2019 Section 32 ("Obligations of designated insurer"), designated insurers must process claims under their issued policies. Open claims at the date of changeover stay with the prior insurer; new accidents from the changeover date are claims under the new insurer.

Step 6 — Occupational disease claims with long latency. This is the trap. WICA covers occupational diseases (e.g. noise-induced hearing loss, certain occupational cancers) where the disease may manifest years after exposure. Liability typically attaches to the insurer on cover at the date of last exposure (or first manifestation, depending on policy and statutory triggers). When changing insurers, retain records of every WICA insurer you've held and the policy periods. A worker diagnosed in 2030 with NIHL from exposure 2022–2026 will need to identify which insurer was on cover for which years.

Step 7 — File the i-Report and policy details with MOM. Designated insurers transmit policy data to MOM. Per AIG's published commentary on WICA 2019: "All claims arising from these policies will be processed by the designated insurers… Designated insurers are required to share claims information with MOM."

Common Mistakes

  1. Forgetting the 21-day lead time. Underwriting takes time. Last-minute switches risk inception delays and Section 25 exposure.
  2. Not requesting the loss run from the incumbent early. Without a 3-year claims history the new insurer underwrites blind and quotes the worst case.
  3. Choosing the cheapest premium without checking common-law extension. The MOM-approved WICI 2019 wording covers only statutory WICA compensation; common-law liability is a separate policy or add-on (see MOM's summary of the regulatory regime for WIC insurers under WICA 2019). If you drop common-law cover during the switch, an injured worker can sue the company for damages above WICA limits and the new insurer won't respond.
  4. Forgetting Foreign Worker Medical Insurance (FWMI). Distinct from WICA; covers non-work-related medical for foreign workers. Typically renewed alongside but separately rated.
  5. Cancelling the old policy before the new one is bound. Always keep the old policy live until you have the new policy schedule in hand.

What This Means for Your Business

WICA is a strict-liability regime. The designated-insurer requirement, the no-fault claims process, and the Section 24/25 offence structure exist because Parliament wanted certainty for injured workers. From an employer's standpoint, the practical risk during an insurer change is twofold: a coverage gap (immediate Section 25 exposure plus personal liability for any accident in the gap), and an attribution problem on long-tail occupational disease.

The mitigation is process discipline: 90 days before renewal, request loss runs and start the new underwriting; 30 days before, lock terms; day-of, confirm policy schedule received and effective from 00:01. Keep an immutable archive of every WICA policy schedule for at least 30 years (some occupational disease latencies are decades).

Questions to Ask Your Adviser

  1. Is the proposed new insurer on the current MOM Designated Insurer list?
  2. Are we maintaining or dropping the common-law extension during the switch?
  3. How will open claims from the prior policy year be handled, and have employees been informed?
  4. Do we have a complete archive of past WICA policies for occupational disease claim attribution?
  5. Has the FWMI policy been considered separately, and is renewal aligned?

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Related Information

Published 4 May 2026. Source verified 4 May 2026. COVA is an introducer under MAS Notice FAA-N02. We do not recommend insurance products. We provide factual information sourced from primary regulators and route you to a licensed IFA who can match a policy to your specific situation.