What changed for maid (FDW) insurance on 1 July 2025?

The Answer in 60 Seconds From 1 July 2025, all new and renewed FDW medical insurance policies must comply with MOM's Stage 2 enhancements: (1) standardised exclusion clauses across all insurers; (2) age-differentiated premiums with a split at age 50; and (3) direct hospital reimbursement — insurers pay hospitals directly, so employers no longer pre-pay and claim back. The Stage 1 minimum coverage of S$60,000/year with a 25% employer co-payment above the first S$15,000 (introduced 1 July 2023) remains in place.

The Sourced Detail

Singapore's migrant domestic worker (MDW) insurance regime is set under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act and operationalised through MOM's medical insurance requirements. The reforms have come in two stages.

Stage 1 — 1 July 2023

Per the MOM press release of 31 March 2023:

  • Minimum annual claim limit raised from S$15,000 to S$60,000 for new policies/renewals from 1 July 2023.
  • Co-payment introduced: employer fully covered (first-dollar) up to S$15,000; above S$15,000, insurers cover 75% and employers co-pay 25%, up to the S$60,000 cap.

The arithmetic: a S$60,000 hospital bill costs the employer S$11,250 (25% of the S$45,000 above the S$15,000 first-dollar threshold).

Stage 2 — 1 July 2025

Per the MOM FAQ on enhanced FDW MI:

(a) Standardised exclusions. Previously each insurer had its own list of exclusion clauses. From 1 July 2025, MOM prescribes the allowable exclusion clauses, ensuring consistency. This removes "surprise rejection" risk.

(b) Age-differentiated premiums. Premium structures must reflect two age bands: workers aged 50 and below, and workers above age 50. Older workers may pay higher premiums; younger workers may pay less. Pre-2025, premium was largely flat across age.

(c) Direct hospital reimbursement. Insurers must reimburse hospitals directly upon admissibility of the claim. Pre-2025, the employer typically pre-paid the hospital and claimed reimbursement after — a cash-flow burden.

Underlying coverage — what stayed the same

  • The S$60,000 minimum annual claim limit and the 25%/75% co-payment structure carry over from Stage 1.
  • Personal accident coverage requirement (S$60,000) per the SingSaver summary remains in place.
  • The Foreign Worker Security Bond (S$5,000 for non-Malaysian FDWs) remains a separate instrument.
  • 12-month waiting period for pre-existing conditions, except where covered after 12 months continuous employment with the same employer.

Co-payment waiver riders

Per EQ Insurance and ERGO brochures, several insurers offer optional riders to waive the employer's 25% co-payment for an additional premium.

Policy term and pricing

Per SingSaver, 26-month policies (covering the 24-month Work Permit plus a 2-month buffer) typically cost S$250 to S$500 (before GST), depending on coverage level and insurer; 14-month policies are also available but generally less cost-effective per month. For specific quotations, refer to insurer brochures published on MOM's accredited insurer list.

What This Means for Your Business

For SMEs and family employers of FDWs, three implications.

Cash-flow burden has materially eased. The direct-reimbursement requirement removes pre-payment friction. For a S$30,000 hospitalisation bill, the employer no longer has to lay out ~S$22,500 upfront. The insurer pays the hospital; the employer's exposure is the 25% co-payment (S$3,750) above the S$15,000 threshold.

Age 50 is now a renewal trigger. If your FDW crosses age 50 during a policy term, the new premium band kicks in at next renewal. Budget accordingly.

Standardised exclusions reduce comparison difficulty but do not eliminate it. Base premium, optional riders, claim-service quality, and panel-hospital networks still vary.

Questions to Ask Your Adviser

  1. For my FDW's age band, what is the premium difference between the lowest and highest of the eligible insurers on MOM's accredited list?
  2. What is the cost of a co-payment waiver rider, and at what hospitalisation severity does it pay back?
  3. Does the policy include an outpatient extension and dental rider, and at what marginal premium?
  4. What is the panel-hospital network — does it include the public restructured hospitals my FDW would actually use?
  5. How does the policy interact with the personal-accident component, and is there a single-policy bundle versus separate policies?

Related Information

Published 3 May 2026. Source verified 3 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.