The Ministry of Manpower in Singapore requires you to buy an insurance policy for your domestic helper. This can cover any work-related accidents or medical charges sustained by the maid. Indeed, you must find the best policy to protect yourself and your maid. As such, here are some tips to know in finding the best insurance policy product in the market:
Tips in Finding The Best Maid Insurance Policy
For any employer wishing to hire a foreign domestic helper for the first time, the best solution is to purchase maid insurance from the agency. But the insurance scheme from the agency might not always be the best product for you.
If you go online to search and compare the several maid insurance Singapore policies, you can save money and time. This is because getting maid insurance will often require you to travel to the agency to sign some papers. This will also help you save money paying for the middlemen commissions and fees.
Indeed, finding the best maid insurance policies can be confusing especially for the first-timers. Not only are you dealing with a total stranger who will live at your home for the first time. The stakes are high if there are young children or elderly parents that are left in your domestic helper’s care while you work outside your home or overseas. Moreover, with the various insurance plans available in the market today, selecting the right one becomes a headache. Two durations are available in the market today. These are 14 and 26 months. If you are not sure what is best for you and your maid, you can choose to buy the 14-month insurance policy first. But sometimes, buying a 26-month plan might be cheaper and you can sometimes get further discounts.
If cost is a big factor for you, then you can check these guidelines now. The majority of the maid insurance plans are categorized into three tires which are the basic, mid, and top tiers. These are based on the price and coverage level. As a general rule, the higher the tier, the more coverage it will provide.
Basic Tier
The basic tier is recommended if you are on a budget. This is recommended for those who are willing to forego the extra coverage provided by the more expensive insurance plans. The majority of the basic maid insurance Singapore plans cost around $260 for a 26-month policy. This works for $10 per month.
Mid-Tier
The mid-tier plans at HL Assurance Singapore offer the best value for your money since it can offer a wider coverage at an affordable price. The average cost for a mid-tier plan is around $320 for a 26-month policy. This works at $12.30 each month.
If your foreign domestic helper gets sick, ends up in the hospital, and cannot work, for now, you will be covered for up to $30 for each day in wage compensation. Moreover, the medical bills will be taken care of by the insurance company.
Top-Tier
The top-tier insurance policies at HL Assurance Singapore for the domestic helper have the highest payouts and widest coverage. The majority of the top-tier plans are priced around $360 for a 26-month policy. This works out to be $14.40 each month. If your prime concern is the coverage for the theft, then you can check for a top-tier insurance policy that offers a generous payout.
When to Buy a Maid Insurance Policy?
Insurance policy starts five days from the date of purchase. It also starts within 14 days from the date of application. Start dates are categorized into three.
For new maids, the policy start date begins the moment the maid arrives in Singapore. Meanwhile, for the renewal maids, the policy start date begins one day after the expiration of your maid’s current work permit. Finally, for the transfer maids, the policy start date begins on or before the date you apply for a transfer with the Ministry of Manpower.
Tips Before Buying a Maid Insurance Policy
First, determine if your helper has any pre-existing condition. Determining whether your insurance plan covers your helper’s pre-existing conditions is important. This will help you know more about what are the things not covered in the policy.
Second, check if the policy you are about to buy can cover malaria and dengue fever. This is because some insurers do not cover these conditions.
Third, pay attention to the outpatient benefits of a maid insurance policy. This will cover the cost of the medical treatment for your domestic helper because of accidents like falls, bruises, and cuts. Indeed, this is a likely scenario during her employment to you. Thus, it would be best to consider an insurance plan with higher outpatient coverage.
Lastly, make sure to consider an optional waiver of counter indemnity because it can limit your liability on the $5,000 security bond to $250.
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