Guide To Health Insurance Plans For Newborns
In Singapore, there are a variety of health insurance plans available for newborns, be it government-funded ones or those provided by private insurance companies. If your child holds Singaporean citizenship or Permanent Residency status, he or she will automatically receive coverage under MediShield Life, a fundamental health insurance scheme managed by the Central Provident Fund (CPF) Board.
As a new parent, you will also have the choice of opting for enhanced coverage under MediShield Life by acquiring a private Integrated Shield Plan (IP) for your newborn. Let's take a look at what is available for your newborn in this quick guide.
Types Of Health Insurance Plans For Newborns & Children
Like standard adult health insurance, this coverage extends to medical expenses such as hospitalisation, surgery, and treatment for chronic or critical illnesses and accidents. Here are the main types of health insurance to consider for your child:
Hospitalisation and surgery
If your child is a Singaporean, they likely have coverage through MediShield Life for hospitalization and surgery.
MediSave assists in covering significant hospital expenses including:
- Ward and treatment charges, surgery costs (Class B2/C wards, selected specialist outpatient treatments, ICU and community hospitals)
- Newly diagnosed congenital anomalies or conditions*
- (E.g. Cleft palate, Hole in heart, Down’s syndrome)
- Neonatal conditions*
- Option to pay your child’s MediShield premiums using either your or your spouse's Medisave account
- Subsidised premium payable per year
However, MediShield Life may not fully cover expenses for public Class A wards or private hospitals. If you seek superior medical care for a sick or injured child, purchasing a private integrated shield plan to complement their MediShield Life becomes essential. This can be financed through your Medisave account.
Critical illness
This policy offers a lump sum payout upon diagnosis of a critical illness, even if hospitalization or treatment isn't required. An illness is classified as critical if it progresses to Stage 3 or 4 (an advanced stage with a lower likelihood of recovery). The funds can be crucial in covering treatment costs.
Personal accident
Children are susceptible to various accidents, resulting in injuries or worse. This insurance assists in covering the expenses associated with restoring your child's health.
Why Consider Health Insurance For My Child?
You may question the necessity of purchasing insurance for your child, especially if she is in good health without any major illnesses. However, her young age and excellent health status actually make it the optimal time to invest in insurance.
1. Cover for unexpected medical issues
Children may be susceptible to illnesses and accidents, with no assurance that they won't encounter major health issues. Should your child require hospitalisation, Medisave can cover medical expenses, albeit with limitations (up to $450 per day for hospitalisation and up to $300 per day for surgical hospital charges). Health insurance serves to bridge this gap.
2. Get comprehensive coverage with no exclusions
Children are eligible for comprehensive insurance coverage without any exclusions and most insurers typically do not cover pre-existing conditions or ailments. Given your child's likely absence of any medical history, obtaining full coverage is straightforward. This ensures that she will be protected should any medical conditions arise in the future.
3. Enjoy lower premiums
Premiums are significantly lower because children with clean medical records are deemed low-risk cases by insurers. Moreover, you can utilise Medisave to pay for your child's insurance premium, eliminating out-of-pocket expenses and considering that insurance premiums tend to increase over time, you'll make significant savings in the long run.
4. Consider an endowment plan
At this stage, you may also consider incorporating insurance into your financial planning for your child's future. Beyond safeguarding against adverse situations such as illness or death, an endowment plan can assist in saving for future needs such as education or significant life events.
Conditions Commonly Covered For Newborns
Coverage for newborns may vary from insurer to insurer, but the primary aspects of coverage will often feature claim benefits for:
Congenital Abnormalities/Conditions
- Absence of Two Limbs
- Anal Atresia
- Atrial Septal Defect
- Biliary Atresia
- Cerebral Palsy
- Cleft Palate / Cleft Lip
- Club Foot
- Coarctation of Aorta
- Congenital Blindness
- Congenital Cataract
- Congenital Deafness
- Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia
- Congenital Dislocation of Hip
- Congenital Hypertrophic Pyloric Stenosis
- Development Dysplasia of the Hip
- Down’s Syndrome
- Infantile Hydrocephalus
- Patent Ductus Arteriosus
- Retinopathy of Prematurity
- Spina Bifida
- Tetralogy Fallot
- Trancheo-Esophageal Fistula /
- Esophageal Atresia
- Transposition of Great Vessel
- Truncus Arteriosus
- Ventricular Septal Defect
Hospital Care Benefits for Newborns (usually up to a specific number of days)
- Admission into ICU / HDU
- Incubation of a newborn child7
- Infectious diseases: - Avian Influenza (H7N9 & H5N1)
- Inpatient hospitalisation due to Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease
- Phototherapy or blood transfusion for
- Severe neonatal jaundice
- Premature birth requiring neonatal ICU / HDU
- Chikungunya fever
- Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
- Dengue haemorrhagic fever
- Ebola
- Japanese encephalitis
- Malaria
- MERS-CoV
- Nipah virus encephalitis
- Rabies
- SARS
- Severe measles
- Typhoid fever
- Zika fever
Comparison Of Best Health Insurance For Newborns In Singapore
| Coverage | Prudential PRUShield | Singlife Shield | AIA Mum2Baby | Great Eastern GREAT Maternity Care 2n 5 Header | Raffles Shield (Private/Shield A) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre- & Post-Hospitalisation | Up to 180 days (pre-hospitalisation) and 365 days (post-hospitalisation) | Up to 180 days (pre-hospitalisation) and 365 days (post-hospitalisation) | Up to 30 days of daily hospital care benefits | Up to 120 days of daily hospital care benefits (including twins, twins may have extended benefits) | Up to 180 days (pre-hospitalisation) and 365 days (post-hospitalisation) |
| Hospital stays | Covers Class A, B1, and B2 wards (depends on which tier of plan) | Covers Class A, B1, and B2 wards (depends on which tier of plan) | Covers Class A, B1, and B2 wards (depends on which tier of plan)mn 4 | Covers Class A, B1, and B2 wards (depends on which tier of plan) | Covers Class A, B1, and B2 wards (depends on which tier of plan) |
| Congenital & neonatal conditions | Up to $20,000 per year for congenital anomalies | Claimable for amount as charged | Up to S$25,000 (with critical illness coverage riders available) | Claimable for amount as charged | Up to $30,000 per lifetime per child |
| Accidents | Up to S$5,400 coverage for accidental injuries | Up to S$1,000 per lifetime per child | Upon request from AIA Health Insurance agent | Up to S$1,000 per child | Up to $2,500 per year |
| Policy coverage limit per year | Up to S$1.2 million for medical treatment | Up to S$2 million | Upon request from AIA Health Insurance agent | Upon request from GREAT Eastern’s Health Insurance agent | Up to $300,000 |
| Co-insurance payment | 10% - 50% (varies by plan and ward class) | Up to 10% (varies by plan and ward class)mn 3 | Up to 10% (varies by plan and ward class) | Upon request from GREAT Eastern’s Health Insurance agent | Up to 10% (varies by plan and ward class) |
*Disclaimer: The above data are based on the information from the various respective insurance providers (last updated 14 March 2023), and may vary depending on the tier of insurance plan purchased, type of ward, type of hospital, and other related factors. It's always best to consult with your health insurance agent for a more accurate breakdown of benefits and maximum claim limits.
Best Health Insurance Plans For Newborns
Prudential PRUShield
- Max. Annual Coverage Limit
- S$1,200,000
- Pre-Hospitalisation Benefit
- 180 days
- Post-Hospitalisation Benefit
- 365 days
AIA HealthShield Gold Max
- Max. Annual Coverage Limit
- S$2,000,000
- Pre-Hospitalisation Benefit
- 100 days
- Post-Hospitalisation Benefit
- 100 days
Great Eastern SupremeHealth
- Max. Annual Coverage Limit
- S$1,500,000
- Pre-Hospitalisation Benefit
- 120 days
- Post-Hospitalisation Benefit
- 365 days
Raffles Shield
- Max. Annual Coverage Limit
- S$1,500,000
- Pre-Hospitalisation Benefit
- 180 days
- Post-Hospitalisation Benefit
- 365 days
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to buy a health insurance plan for my newborn?
- Yes and no. It is not necessary to buy health insurance for your newborn when you’re pregnant or after you’ve given birth, but good to have as it can help offset and reduce the total medical expenses in the event of any pregnancy complications or any congenital illnesses that your newborn may get, which can lighten your financial burden.
Can I use my MediSave for my newborn’s medical expenses?
- Yes and no. As long as you and/or spouse meet the eligibility requirements of claiming from MediSave, you may be able to use your MediSave to pay for a portion of your newborn’s insurance claims. However, it is subject to the review and approval of the Ministry of Health.