This article was written in collaboration with AXA Singapore. Views expressed in the article are the independent opinion of DollarsAndSense.sg
In a country with a resident population of 5.6 million, we have about 1.6 million foreigners living in Singapore. Some of them are working, others are studying and there are also some who are here because their spouses have been assigned to work in Singapore.
There is also a growing number who have married a Singaporean and who have relocated to Singapore. According to the Department of Statistics, more than a third of marriages in 2016, or about 8,500 marriages, are between Singaporeans and non-citizens.
Moving to live in a new country requires proper planning. Singapore is no exception. Foreigners living in Singapore need to consider where they intend to live, the schools their children should attend, childcare arrangements and other administrative and logistical preparations. They also have to weigh the cost of each decision they make.
Do You Have Sufficient, Or Even Any, Health Insurance Coverage In Singapore
If you are living in Singapore, one of the important matters you cannot afford to overlook is your health insurance coverage. As most people who have been to a hospital will attest, the cost of healthcare in Singapore is high.
Unlike life insurance, your existing health insurance policies bought back in your home country may not cover for the cost of hospitalisation in Singapore.
If you are living in Singapore, you should ensure that you have sufficient health insurance coverage in Singapore. While most employers should already provide some form of health insurance benefits to their employees, you should definitely check in to ensure that is the case, and whether or not the coverage extends to your family members who may also be living in Singapore with you.
If you do not have any health insurance coverage in Singapore, am a self-employed, or do not feel that the coverage provided to you by your company is sufficient, you should consider getting your own health insurance policy.
Read Also: Singapore’s Medical Inflation Rate Is At 15%: Why That Spells Disaster For Us
AXA SmartCare Optimum Enhanced – Providing You With The Protection You Need In Singapore
The AXA SmartCare Optimum Enhanced is one example of a health insurance plan that is able to provide you with the long-term healthcare coverage that you need to live in Singapore. This gives you a peace of mind, knowing that you can enjoy living in Singapore without having to worry about healthcare costs.
Here are a few key coverage areas that it provides.
Inpatient & Day Surgery Treatment
The most common type of coverage you need would be inpatient and day surgery treatment. This is in the event of an accident, where you may require immediate hospitalisation.
Similar to most other developed nations, being admitted into a hospital in Singapore can cost a significant sum of money, even in public hospitals. If you opt for a longer stay in a private hospital, it will cost you even more.
AXA SmartCare Optimum Enhanced provides coverage of up to S$1 million and reimburses eligible medical expenses, in full, up to the policy annual limit. You can find out the full breakdown of claimable medical expenses in the product brochure on the AXA website.
Outpatient Treatment
Outpatient treatments refer to treatments that are performed in a hospital without the need for an overnight stay. Common types of such outpatient treatments include cancer treatment, kidney dialysis and other emergency treatments that do not require an overnight stay.
General Practitioners & Specialist Treatment
Even healthy and physically fit people do fall ill from time to time. In these instances, we may visit a General Practitioner (GP) for a consultation and to receive the necessary medication to aid our recovery.
For more complicated treatments, we may need specialist consultation, which will be usually referred by a GP. Such consultations tend to be more expensive and may also include procedures such as an X-ray or lab tests.
Pay For The Right Coverage You Desire
One important aspect of insurance planning that we always stress is that people should insure themselves adequately. You do not want to run the risk of being underinsured, as that could potentially mean having to spend much more on healthcare treatments in the future should an unfortunate incident occur. At the same time, paying more for additional coverage you don’t need simply means spending money unnecessarily.
The AXA SmartCare Optimum Enhanced provides policyholders with three level of coverage.
| AXA SmartCare Optimum Enhanced Plans | Annual Policy Limit |
| Silver Plan | S$250,000 |
| Gold Plan | S$500,000 |
| Platinum | S$1,000,000 |
The Silver Plan, which is the most affordable plan, provides a coverage level of up to S$250,000 per year. Its Gold Plan provides a higher coverage level of up to S$500,000. The premium plan, which is the Platinum Plan, provides an annual coverage of up to S$1,000,000.
Do note that the annual policy limit is also subjected to the individual sub-limits for certain eligible medical expenses. We encourage you to find out more about the respective sub-limits in each of the plan in the SmartCare Optimum Enhanced brochure.
If you’d like to add dental and travel insurance coverage, you can also purchase the dental and travel inconvenience rider with the main plan. This may be a practical add-on, especially if you are intending to travel frequently for holidays, or are worried about dental care cost in Singapore.
In addition, if you are buying the SmartCare Optimum Enhanced plan for your family members who are living with you in Singapore, you can also enjoy a family discount of 10% when you get coverage for three or more family members.
Living and working in Singapore can be a fun and enriching experience, as long as you ensure that you have sufficient medical coverage.
Do you have a question on healthcare insurance for non-locals in Singapore? Share your question with us on Facebook.
Partner’s Message:
From now till 31 December 2017, new applicants who purchase the SmartCare Optimum Enhanced plan will also receive an additional S$30 CapitaVoucher. So if you are thinking of getting health insurance coverage, you should consider signing up before this promotion ends.
Terms & Conditions applies. For more information, please go to https://www.axa.com.sg/promotions/axagamechanger.
