Singapore Expats

Hi, I have been searching through old posts but haven't quite found the answer to my question.

My husband's employer will provide insurance for the whole family. Being Canadian however, we don't really have a sense of what is and isn't adequate insurance in Singapore as all of our hospitals are government-run and paid for.

As an example, inpatient services are covered to a maximum of $45,000 pp per year, I think, under the employer's policy. Would this be sufficient to cover a hospital stay for a critical illness?

It seems that some expats get additional global insurance on top of their employers' insurance. We don't necessarily need insurance to return home to Canada for care, but we do want to make sure that we are adequately covered for any potential hospital bills etc. Any suggestions?

A friend of mine had her toe straightened and that with one overnight stay cost $25k. That was not major surgery.

Zeenit wrote:A friend of mine had her toe straightened and that with one overnight stay cost $25k. That was not major surgery.

And that was in Singapore?

movingtospore wrote:Hi, I have been searching through old posts but haven't quite found the answer to my question.

My husband's employer will provide insurance for the whole family. Being Canadian however, we don't really have a sense of what is and isn't adequate insurance in Singapore as all of our hospitals are government-run and paid for.

As an example, inpatient services are covered to a maximum of $45,000 pp per year, I think, under the employer's policy. Would this be sufficient to cover a hospital stay for a critical illness?

It seems that some expats get additional global insurance on top of their employers' insurance. We don't necessarily need insurance to return home to Canada for care, but we do want to make sure that we are adequately covered for any potential hospital bills etc. Any suggestions?

Try BUPA, I wouldn't say they are cheap but they seem to provide some good coverage. I say seem as I haven't looked in detail, at least not in regard to Singapore.

sundaymorningstaple wrote:

Zeenit wrote:A friend of mine had her toe straightened and that with one overnight stay cost $25k. That was not major surgery.

And that was in Singapore?

That was at raffles Hospital. Not sure if they gave her a "special price"

I was shocked as well.

You sure that didn't include the cost of extracting her foot out of some rude person's arse who wouldn't get out of the doorway of the MRT when she was trying to alight?

25K for one overnight visit? Wow. I guess that's the answer to my question. We'll definitely look into extra insurance, thanks.

movingtospore wrote:25K for one overnight visit? Wow. I guess that's the answer to my question. We'll definitely look into extra insurance, thanks.

You're getting the wrong impression here -- $25k for an overnight visit for a bent toe of all things is completely and totally out of line in Singapore. For comparison, a doctor's consultation at a neighborhood clinic starts from 10 dollars (yes, ten), and giving birth in a top-of-the-line private clinic at Mt. Elizabeth complete with a few nights' stay is around $10k.

sundaymorningstaple wrote:You sure that didn't include the cost of extracting her foot out of some rude person's arse who wouldn't get out of the doorway of the MRT when she was trying to alight?

haaha soooo funny but so true lol

Thanks for the info. I think we'll look into insurance but try not to get sucked into buying a deluxe package when maybe that isn't warranted. It's strange for us as here you pay your monthly premiums to the government and then never pay a hospital bill in your life. But perhaps that's why the Candian health system is going bankrupt.

I just wanted to post some current info on this... my son had a freak accident this week that required emergency surgery and an overnight stay at Gleneagles. Total cost was $3.5k. (They estimated between 2.8 - 4.5 on the insurance forms - so came in right in the middle).

PR can apply for some better medical plans with private insurance company

movingtospore wrote:As an example, inpatient services are covered to a maximum of $45,000 pp per year, I think, under the employer's policy. Would this be sufficient to cover a hospital stay for a critical illness?

Not sufficient in my opinion. This may give you some idea:
http://www.moh.gov.sg/mohcorp/billsize.aspx