Is the ElderShield Life scheme compulsory?

Yes and no. It is compulsory for those who are born in Singapore Citizens and PRs who are born from 1932 to 1979 are covered for ElderShield, but if you were born on 30 September 1932 or before, or had a pre-existing disability as of 30 September 2002, you wouldn’t have been able to join ElderShield in 2002.

How much do I need to pay for my ElderShield premium?

ElderShield premiums start from $154 for men and $197 for women. The premiums will vary depending on your age, gender, health condition and other factors such as your financial circumstance.

Do ElderShield premiums increase with age?

Yes. Your premiums will increase every year until you turn 65 years old.(Premiums are determined when you enter the scheme and remain fixed. You pay them each year until the policy anniversary after turning age 65, or when you make a successful claim.)

Can I cancel my ElderShield?

No. Once you’re enrolled in the ElderShield scheme, you will not be able to opt out, unless you are eligible to replace your ElderShield with CareShield Life. The ElderShield premiums which you have paid will be taken into consideration when computing your CareShield Life premiums.

ElderShield in Singapore Explained: What Is it, Coverage, Benefits

First introduced in 2002 as a long-term care insurance scheme for severe disability in Singapore, ElderShield provided payouts of $300 - $400 per month for up to 5 or 6 years upon severe disability.

All Singaporeans and PRs are automatically entitled to ElderShield once they turn 40, but this was in effect until 2019 when the Singapore government took over the administration of ElderShield from insurers, and CareShield Life was put in place.

New auto-enrolments at age 40 for ElderShield are no longer existent and Singapore Citizens and PRs who turn age 40 in 2020 have all been enrolled into CareShield Life since 1st Oct 2020 or when they turn 30, whichever is later. Similar to the current CareShield Life, ElderShield focuses on covering your long-term care needs if you become disabled due to old age or certain health conditions.

Fact #1

50% of healthy Singaporeans aged 65 could become severely disabled.

Fact #2

The median duration of Singaporeans suffering severe disability is about 4 years.

Fact #3

You’ll need $1,379 per month to cater to the basic needs of each single elderly household.

Lifetime worldwide coverage

There are 2 types of plans, namely the ElderShield 300 or ElderShield 400, which insure you until the age of 65.

Monthly benefit of $300 or $400

Singaporeans and PRs can expect a maximum coverage amount of about $3,600 or $4,800 per year for five to six years, depending on which plan you pick.

Automatic coverage

Singaporeans/PRs born between 1970 and 1979 will be automatically covered by the ElderShield, andthose born in 1980 and later are insured with CareShield Life.

Payouts for up to 72 months

If you’re under the ElderShield 300, the monthly payouts of $300 will be for up to 60 months, and $400 for up to 72 months under the ElderShield 400.

Premiums payable via MediSave

ElderShield premiums are fully payable by MediSave and you may top up your MediSave funds via e-Payment through CPF e-Cashier if needed.

Commencement of benefits

You will only be entitled to ElderShield’s monthly payouts when“severely disabled”, which is defined as the inability to perform at least 3 out of 6 Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) including feeding, toileting, washing, dressing, mobility and transferring.

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Is ElderShield Replaced By CareShield?

Currently, new auto-enrolments at age 40 for ElderShield are no longer existent, so yes, the ElderShield was replaced by CareShield only for Singapore Citizens and PRs who turn age 40 in 2020, and those who turn 30 in 2020 were automatically enrolled in CareShield. The rest of the age groups will automatically be enrolled in CareShield when they turn 30, unless they do not fulfil the eligibility requirements.

Am I Covered For ElderShield?

As shared above, Singapore Citizens and PRs who are born from 1932 to 1979 are covered for ElderShield, while those who turn 40 in 2020 will have their ElderShield replaced by CareShield, and those who turn 30 in 2020 will be automatically enrolled in CareShield. The rest of the age groups will automatically be enrolled in CareShield when they turn 30.

If you fall into the category of Singapore Citizens and PRs who are born on 30 September 1932 or before, or had pre-existing disability as of 30 September 2002, you wouldn’t be eligible to join ElderShield in 2002. Instead, you may be eligible for the Interim Disability Assistance Programme for the Elderly (IDAPE) in the event you become severely disabled.

The most accurate and fastest way to know for sure if you’re covered under ElderShield would be to check CPF Board’s website. Here are a few simple steps to find out.

Step 1

Log into your CPF Account

Use your SingPass MyInfo details to log in and it’ll bring you to the CPF Board main page. “My dashboards” which appear once you hover your cursor over “my cpf”, select “Healthcare” under “My dashboards”.

Step 2

Navigate to the plan you’re covered with

Scroll down to the “Long-term care insurance” section and under this section, you will be able to see if you’re covered under the ElderShield Plan or CareShield Plan. If you’re covered under the ElderShield Plan, it will display either the coverage benefits of ElderShield 300 or ElderShield 400 which you’re entitled to. If you are not covered under ElderShield, this section will inform you that you are covered under CareShield Life.

Step 3

Consider other alternatives

In the situation you’re not covered under either ElderShield or CareShield Life, the “Long-term care insurance” section may show that you’re either not covered for any of these insurance plans or that you’re under the Interim Disability Assistance Programme for the Elderly (IDAPE). If you are not covered with any of the above, it’ll be wise to consider other healthcare or personal accident insurance plans.

ElderShield 300 vs. ElderShield 400: What’s The Difference?

	ElderShield 300	ElderShield 400
Monthly payout amount	$300	$400
Eligibility requirements	Singapore Citizen or PR age 40 and above Inability to perform at least 3 out of 6 Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)	Singapore Citizen or PR age 40 and above Inability to perform 3 or more Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)
Coverage	Worldwide	Worldwide
Monthly premium (after government subsidy)	From $154	From $177
Payout duration	Up to 5 years	Up to 6 years

Step 1

Arrange for a disability assessment

You may refer to this list on the CPF Board’s website for the list of MOH-accredited severe disability assessors to arrange for a disability assessment to be conducted by any MOH-accredited severe disability assessor.

Step 2

Payment of assessment fees

You’ll need to set aside some money to pay for the assessment fees which include:

$100 for a clinic assessment
$250 for a house call

Both types of fees are payable to the assessor at the time of your assessment. You’ll only be reimbursed for these fees in full together with the first payout if you are assessed to be severely disabled.

Step 3

Log in to AIC’s e-Service portal (eFASS) to submit your details

It’ll be faster to submit online via eFASS (shorter waiting time for application approval) than by email at [email protected] or walk-in to any of the AIC links to request for a hardcopy application form.

Note that if you’re an ElderShield policyholder but no longer a Singapore Citizen/PR, you wouldn’t be able to apply via eFASS, so please inform AIC of your status and request for a hardcopy application form by writing to [email protected]. If you reside in a nursing home, you can arrange for payments to be made to the nursing home to offset your bills. Please inform your nursing home for assistance with your claim application for ElderShield.

Step 4

Claim settlement

Once your assessment is successful and your submission to eFASS is successful, the necessary payouts will be made to your nominated bank account in the following month, which may include payouts from the month the application was submitted. The payouts will be reflected as "ElderShield” in your bank statement. Thereafter, you’ll continue to receive monthly payouts in your nominated bank account by the end of every month, for as long as you’re eligible.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the ElderShield Life scheme compulsory?: Yes and no. It is compulsory for those who are born in Singapore Citizens and PRs who are born from 1932 to 1979 are covered for ElderShield, but if you were born on 30 September 1932 or before, or had a pre-existing disability as of 30 September 2002, you wouldn’t have been able to join ElderShield in 2002.
How much do I need to pay for my ElderShield premium?: ElderShield premiums start from $154 for men and $197 for women. The premiums will vary depending on your age, gender, health condition and other factors such as your financial circumstance.
Can I use my MediSave to pay for my ElderShield premiums?: Yes, ElderShield premiums are fully payable by MediSave. You may top up your MediSave funds via e-Payment through CPF e-Cashier if you don’t have enough funds in your MediSave.
Do ElderShield premiums increase with age?: Yes. Your premiums will increase every year until you turn 65 years old.(Premiums are determined when you enter the scheme and remain fixed. You pay them each year until the policy anniversary after turning age 65, or when you make a successful claim.)
Can I cancel my ElderShield?: No. Once you’re enrolled in the ElderShield scheme, you will not be able to opt out, unless you are eligible to replace your ElderShield with CareShield Life. The ElderShield premiums which you have paid will be taken into consideration when computing your CareShield Life premiums.