Singapore Term Insurance FAQs

Singapore Term Insurance 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Term Insurance?

• At its most basic form, a Term Insurance policy is one where you pay only for insurance cover with no accumulation of cash value. 
• Term insurance comes with a fixed policy term, where the number of years of cover is specified. Insurance proceeds will only be paid out if an event that is covered under the policy happens during the policy term. Nothing is paid out if the life assured survives the specified policy term or if an event that is covered happens after the specified policy term.

2. How does the cost of Term Insurance compare with other types of Insurance products? 

• As term insurance comes with policy term that is specified and does not accumulate cash value, it is usually the cheapest compared to other types of insurance policies which accumulate cash value such as Endowment, Whole-Life or Investment-Linked insurance policies for the same sum assured (insurance cover).

3. What are the different periods of cover available for Term Insurance?

• Term insurance generally specifies to what age a person can be covered, eg. 60 years old
• Before this specified age, there are usually two options

• Fixed Policy Term: Where the number of years to be covered for is specified (eg. 10 years or 30 years) subject to the maximum cover age and the maximum policy term of cover available for the policy. After the policy term, coverage ceases.

• Renewable Policy Term: Generally in 5-year term or in some cases, 1-year term. The policy is automatically renewed at the end of the term with the same coverage subject to the maximum cover age. Premiums usually increase upon renewals.

4. Does term insurance pay any cash value or maturity benefits?

• No cash value or maturity benefits. Refer to Question 2.

5. What kind of insurance coverage does Term Insurance provide?

• Term Insurance usually comes with Death and Total & Permanent Disability benefits. Depending on insurance companies and the specific term insurance product, riders may be added on to the main plan such as Terminal Illness Benefit, Critical Illness Benefit and Personal Accident Cover.

6. What are the disadvantages of Term Insurance?

• As Term Insurance do not accumulate cash values, the sum assured stays the same and will not be able to take into account inflation.
• With a fixed policy term cover, there may also be the risk of the policy term expiring when you continue to need the protection cover.

7. What happens if I miss my premium payment for Term Insurance?

• Typically there is a 30 day-grace period from the premium due date to make your premium payment. However, unlike policies with cash values accumulated, a Term Insurance policy will lapse once the grace period is over as there are no cash values accumulated for the payment of premiums through deduction of the cash values.

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Disclaimer

She has 3 policies but no coverage article

A few key points to note if you came across the article.


Critical Illnesses definitions standardized by the Life Insurance Association of Singapore and General Association of Singapore

To avoid a situation like this, you may want to consider 


Prudential's PruEarly Stage Crisis Cover which is a insurance plan to cover illnesses before the critical illness stage.
May want to consider it to cover the gap for your insurance financial planning

Disclaimer

PRUearly Stage Crisis Cover

Should a critical illness strike, the earlier it is diagnosed, the easier it is to manage and the higher the chances of a full recovery. PRUearly stage crisis cover offers financial support right from the early stages of critical illnesses.

Covering a broad and extensive list of illnesses, PRUearly stage crisis cover helps reduce the financial burden resulting from selected early stage critical illnesses - and make it easier for you to concentrate on a full recovery. 

The first insurance policy of its kind to cover selected complications arising from diabetes, PRUearly stage crisis cover also offers additional reassurance with a $3,000 death benefit. 

Future premiums are waived after the first claim is made under the 50% Severity Payout.

Key Benefits

• Wide coverage with as many as 70 different medical conditions such as Cancer (at the non-invasive stage), chronic kidney diseases, severe asthma and severe Dementia
• Waiver of all future insurance premiums upon a successful claim under the 50% Severity Payout
• Allow second claim if the medical condition deteriorate or a different medical condition occur, PRUearly stage crisis cover will pay the balance of this benefit
• First insurance policy of its kind in Singapore to make payouts for selected diabetic complications. A payout of 20% of the sum assured will be made upon diagnosis of one of the covered Diabetic complications, up to a limit of S$20,000. Diabetic complicationscovered include Diabetic Retinopathy, Diabetic Nephropathy or amputation of part of limb due to gangrene
• Offers a one time claim for Angioplasty and other Invasive Treatment for Coronary Artery of 10% of the Sum Assured, up to a maximum limit of S$10,000

PRUearly stage crisis cover is available as a standalone product (PRUearly stage crisis cover) or supplementary benefit (Early Stage Crisis Cover).

Early Stage Medical Conditions (50% Severity Payout)	Intermediate Stage Medical Conditions (100% Severity Payout)	Critical Illnesses (100% Severity Payout)
Moderately severe Alzheimer's Disease or Dementia	-	Alzheimer's Disease/ Severe Dementia
Reversible Aplastic Anaemia	-	Aplastic Anaemia
Bacterial Meningitis with full recovery	-	Bacterial Meningitis
Surgical removal of pituitary tumour or Surgery for subdural haematoma	-	Benign Brain Tumour
Loss of sight in one eye	Optic Nerve Atrophy with low vision	Blindness (Loss of sight)
Coma for 48 hours	Severe Epilepsy for Coma for 72 hours	Coma for 96 hours
Keyhole coronary bypass surgery or Coronary Artery Arthrectomy or Transmyocardial Laser Revascularisation or Enhanced External Counterpulsation Device Insertion	-	Coronary Artery By-pass Surgery
Partial loss of hearing or Cavernous sinus thrombosis surgery	Cochlear implant surgery	Deafness (Loss of hearing)
Encephalitis with full recovery	-	Encephalitis
Liver surgery	Liver Cirrhosis	End stage Liver Failure
Severe Asthma or insertion of a Veno-cava filter	Surgery removal of one lung	End stage of Lung Disease
Hepatitis with Cirrhosis	-	Fulminant Hepatitis
Cardiac pacemaker insertion or Pericardectomy	Cardiac defibrillator insertion or Early Cardiomyopathy	Heart Attack
Percutaneous Valve Surgery	-	Heart Valve Surgery
HIV due to Assault, Organ Transplant or Occupationally Acquired HIV	-	HIV Due to Blood Transfusion and Occupationally Acquired HIV
Surgical removal of one kidney or Chronic Kidney Disease	-	Kidney Failure
Loss of Speech due to neurological disease	-	Loss of Speech.
Moderately severe burns	-	Major Burns
- Carcinoma in situ of specified organs - Early Prostate Cancer - Early Thyroid Cancer - Early Bladder Cancer - Early Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia - Early Melanoma	Carcinoma in situ of specified organs treated with Radical Surgery	Major Cancers
Facial reconstructive surgery or Spinal cord injury	-	Major Head Trauma
Small bowel transplant; or Corneal transplant	-	Major Organ / Bone Marrow Transplantation
Early Motor Neurone Disease	-	Motor Neurone Disease
Early Multiple Sclerosis	-	Multiple Sclerosis
Moderately severe Muscular Dystrophy	-	Muscular Dystrophy
Moderately severe Parkinson's Disease	-	Parkinson's Disease
Early Pulmonary Hypertension	Secondary Pulmonary Hypertension	Primary Pulmonary Hypertension
Early Progressive Scleroderma	Progressive Scleroderma with CREST syndrome	Progressive Scleroderma
Brain aneurysm surgery or Cerebral shunt insertion	Carotid artery surgery	Stroke
Minimally invasive surgery to Aorta or Large asymptomatic aortic aneurysm	-	Surgery to the Aorta

Table: Medical conditions covered under Special Benefit

	Claimable percentage of sum assured	Maximum limit
Angioplasty and other Invasive Treatment for Coronary Artery	10%	$10,000
Diabetic complications include Diabetic Retinopathy, Diabetic Nephropathy or amputation of part of limb due to gangrene.	20%	$20,000

Life Assured	Premium Term	Premium per day6
Male non-smoker age 30 years old at next birthday	45 years	$1.37
Female non-smoker age 30 years old at next birthday	45 years	$1.34
Male non-smoker age 40 years old at next birthday	35 years	$2.20
Female non-smoker age 40 years old at next birthday	35 years	$2.35

For more information, refer to the official Prudential Assurance PruEarly Stage Crisis Cover website.

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