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If you employ a migrant domestic worker (MDW), MOM requires you to buy medical insurance and personal accident insurance for her, and (unless she’s Malaysian) a security bond. This guide sets out MOM’s current requirements, how the co-payment works, and what optional cover insurers sell, so you can compare quotes on the same basis.
This is general information, not financial advice. It doesn’t take your personal circumstances into account. Read the insurer’s policy wording, and check MOM’s website for the latest requirements.
1. What MOM requires (as of 17 Oct 2026)
| Requirement | MOM’s minimum |
|---|---|
| Medical insurance (MI) | Inpatient care and day surgery, with an annual claim limit of at least S$60,000. If the plan has sub-limits, each sub-limit must meet this minimum. |
| Co-payment (since 1 Jul 2023) | For claim amounts above S$15,000: insurer pays 75%, employer pays 25%. |
| Stage 2 changes (from 1 Jul 2025) | Standardised allowable exclusion clauses; age-differentiated premiums in two age bands (50 and below; above 50); direct payment by insurers to hospitals once a claim is admissible. |
| Personal accident insurance | Sum assured of at least S$60,000 per year, covering accidents that result in permanent disability or death. No extra exclusions beyond those in the Employment of Foreign Manpower Regulations. Compensation is payable to the helper or her beneficiaries. |
| Security bond | S$5,000 per helper (Malaysian helpers excepted), as a banker’s or insurer’s guarantee. |
| Who pays | The employer. You can’t pass the cost of the insurance or the bond on to your helper. |
2. How the co-payment works
The insurer pays admissible MI claims in full up to S$15,000. For the amount above S$15,000, the insurer pays 75% and the employer pays 25%, up to the policy’s limits. Some insurers sell an optional rider that covers some or all of the employer’s 25% share. Check the rider’s terms and limits in the policy wording.
3. Optional cover insurers sell
These are add-ons or higher-tier benefits that some plans include. Whether any of them are relevant depends on your household. Compare what each policy actually covers.
| Optional cover | What it generally does | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Co-payment rider | Covers some or all of the employer’s 25% co-payment share | Limits, and whether it applies to all admissible claims |
| Security bond indemnity / waiver | Reduces what the insurer can recover from you if the bond is forfeited | The circumstances covered, and any amounts still recoverable from you |
| Wages and levy reimbursement | Pays an allowance while your helper is hospitalised | Daily amount, maximum days, waiting periods |
| Outpatient cover | GP, dental or TCM visits | Per-visit and annual caps |
| Third-party liability | Liability if your helper accidentally injures someone or damages property | Sum insured and exclusions |
| Higher MI limit | Medical limits above MOM’s S$60,000 minimum | Sub-limits and exclusions |
4. What to compare in quotes
- Policy period: check that it matches the Work Permit period, or that you can renew in time.
- Age band: premiums differ for helpers aged 50 and below and above 50 (MOM Stage 2).
- Exclusions: read the policy’s exclusion list.
- Bond terms: who issues the guarantee, and the indemnity terms you sign.
- Claims: direct payment to hospitals, the documents needed, and how the co-payment is collected.
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