Guide
Foreign worker medical insurance (FWMI): cost and MOM rules
· Last reviewed 23 October 2026
Every Work Permit and S Pass holder must have foreign worker medical insurance (FWMI), bought by the employer. It has to pay at least S$60,000 a year for hospital stays and day surgery, and MOM needs the policy details before it issues or renews the pass. A plan that meets the minimum costs about S$120 to S$280 per worker a year for workers aged 50 and below, GST included.
What does MOM require?
| Rule | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Who needs it | Every Work Permit and S Pass holder, with the same minimum for both. Employment Pass holders don’t need it. |
| Minimum cover | S$60,000 a year for hospital stays and day surgery, including illness that has nothing to do with work. Any sub-limit, such as a limit per illness, must also reach S$60,000. |
| Your share of big bills | The insurer pays the first S$15,000 of a claim in full. Above that, it pays 75% and you pay 25%. You can buy an add-on that covers your 25%. |
| Exclusions | Since 1 July 2025, a plan may only leave out items on MOM’s standard list. |
| Pricing by age | Since 1 July 2025, insurers can charge at most two rates: one for workers aged 50 and below, one for those above 50. |
| Hospital bills | Since 1 July 2025, the insurer pays the hospital directly once it accepts the claim, so you don’t pay up front. |
| When to buy | Before MOM issues or renews the pass. For a Work Permit, you enter the policy details in WP Online, and the cover must last the whole permit. |
| Who pays the premium | You do. MOM doesn’t allow the cost to be passed on to the worker. |
| If you don’t comply | A fine of up to S$10,000. Failing to pay a worker’s medical bills can also mean up to 12 months’ jail and a ban on hiring foreign workers. |
SourcesMinistry of Manpower (Singapore)Ministry of Manpower (Singapore)
How much does foreign worker medical insurance cost?
We checked the published rates of eight insurers in September 2026. Prices are per worker per year, including GST.
| Plan | Yearly premium per worker |
|---|---|
| MOM minimum: S$60,000 a year, you pay 25% above S$15,000 | S$120 to S$280. Most plans: S$150 to S$220 |
| MOM minimum, with your 25% share covered | S$140 to S$320 |
| Higher limit: S$75,000 to S$100,000 | S$150 to S$340 |
| MOM minimum for a worker above 50 | S$120 to S$490 |
Free for employers. Quotes by the next working day.
Why do quotes differ?
- Age. Some insurers charge workers above 50 the same as everyone else; others charge nearly three times as much.
- Team size. Most plans get cheaper per worker as you insure more people.
- Your 25% share. Covering it usually adds S$20 to S$80 a worker.
- Limit per year or per illness. A per-illness limit starts again for each new condition, so it can pay more in a bad year.
- Existing conditions. Some plans cover them from day one; others wait 12 months.
- Who the plan accepts. Some leave out heavy manual work, such as construction or shipyard jobs, or need a clean claims record.
How does the 25% co-payment work?
On a S$40,000 hospital bill, the insurer pays the first S$15,000 in full and 75% of the rest. Your share is S$6,250.
With the add-on that covers your share, the insurer pays it all. Anything above the plan’s limit is yours either way, because MOM holds employers responsible for their workers’ medical bills.
| Part of the bill | Insurer pays | You pay |
|---|---|---|
| First S$15,000 | S$15,000 | S$0 |
| Next S$25,000 | S$18,750 (75%) | S$6,250 (25%) |
| Total | S$33,750 | S$6,250 |
SourcesMinistry of Manpower (Singapore)Ministry of Manpower (Singapore)
What can a plan leave out?
Since 1 July 2025, insurers can only exclude what’s on MOM’s standard list. The main items:
- Pregnancy and childbirth.
- Conditions you or the worker knew about before the cover began, but only in the worker’s first 12 months with you.
- Treatment outside Singapore, ambulance fees, and dental work not caused by an accident.
- Cosmetic surgery, vaccinations and check-ups that aren’t linked to a hospital stay.
- Work injuries already paid under WICA.
- Mental illness, self-harm and alcohol-related treatment, but only from the second time. The first must be covered.
Who pays for GP visits?
You do. The insurance only has to cover hospital stays and day surgery, but MOM makes the employer pay for outpatient treatment too.
Workers who live in a dormitory for 7 or more people, or work in construction, marine shipyard or process, must also have a Primary Care Plan for GP care. It costs S$108 to S$138 per worker a year, falling to S$97 to S$113 from 1 April 2027. For other workers, an outpatient plan covers GP visits for a set yearly premium.
SourcesMinistry of Manpower (Singapore)Ministry of Manpower (Singapore)Ministry of Manpower (Singapore)
What else do Work Permit holders need?
Most Work Permit holders need more than medical insurance. We can arrange the insurance, WICA and security bond together.
| Cover | What it pays for | Who needs it |
|---|---|---|
| Medical insurance | Hospital stays and day surgery, from any cause | Every Work Permit and S Pass holder |
| WICA insurance | Work injuries and work-related illness | Manual workers, and other staff earning S$2,600 a month or less |
| Security bond | Nothing for the worker. It’s a S$5,000 guarantee to MOM | Each non-Malaysian Work Permit holder |
| Primary Care Plan | GP visits | Workers in larger dormitories, construction, marine shipyard or process |
SourcesMinistry of Manpower (Singapore)Ministry of Manpower (Singapore)
How we set it up
- Tell us how many workers you have, their passes and ages, the work they do and when cover should start.
- We compare plans across insurers, on price and on the points above, and send quotes by the next working day.
- Once you choose, you get the policy details to enter in WP Online before MOM issues the permit.
- When workers join, leave or renew, we update the policy with the insurer.
Questions
Do S Pass holders need the same insurance as Work Permit holders?
Yes. MOM sets the same S$60,000 minimum for both, with the same 25% co-payment above S$15,000.
Do Employment Pass holders need foreign worker medical insurance?
No. MOM doesn’t require it for Employment Pass holders, though many employers add them to the company’s group medical plan.
Can I deduct the premium from the worker’s salary?
No. The premium is the employer’s cost. MOM only lets a worker pay part of a medical bill: up to 10% of their fixed monthly salary, for no more than 6 months in every 2 years, and only if the contract says so and they agree.
Is foreign worker medical insurance the same as WICA?
No. WICA pays for injuries and illness caused by work. Foreign worker medical insurance pays hospital bills from any cause. Most Work Permit holders need both.
Do I have to pay the hospital first and claim later?
Not since 1 July 2025. The insurer pays the hospital directly once it accepts the claim, and you pay only your 25% share above S$15,000, if your plan has one.
What if the bill is more than the insurance pays?
You pay the difference. MOM holds employers responsible for their workers’ medical bills, so S$60,000 is a minimum, not a cap. A higher limit or the add-on that covers your 25% lowers the risk.
Can I insure just one worker?
Yes. Several insurers cover a single worker. Others need at least two or three, and the rate per worker usually falls as the group grows.
Sources for this page
- Are employers required to buy medical insurance for Employment Pass holders?
Page updated 30 September 2021. Clarifies that medical insurance is not a condition for the pass; an employer may still offer cover by contract.
- Buying a Primary Care Plan (PCP) from Anchor Operators
Relevant section: PCP prices per worker per year
Page updated 18 September 2026. Primary source checked for the specific statements cited. Bene planning examples are editorial guidance, not rules issued by this publisher.
- Can employers buy riders or plans that offer buyback of the 25% co-payment component?
Relevant section: Riders to reduce the employer’s 25% co-payment
Page updated 14 March 2024. Primary source checked for the specific statements cited. Bene planning examples are editorial guidance, not rules issued by this publisher.
- Do I need to pay my Work Permit holder’s outpatient treatment costs?
Relevant section: Employer responsibility for inpatient and outpatient treatment
Page updated 14 March 2024. Primary source checked for the specific statements cited. Bene planning examples are editorial guidance, not rules issued by this publisher.
- Enhanced Primary Care Plan and appointment of new Anchor Operators
Source version: From 1 April 2027
Relevant section: Revised annual capitation rates
Press release dated 6 August 2026. Primary source checked for the specific statements cited. Bene planning examples are editorial guidance, not rules issued by this publisher.
- List of allowable exclusions for Work Permit and S Pass medical insurance
Source version: Policies, renewals and extensions starting on or after 1 July 2025
Relevant section: Groups A to C
Primary source checked for the specific statements cited. Bene planning examples are editorial guidance, not rules issued by this publisher.
- Medical insurance for Work Permit holders (sector-specific rules)
Relevant section: Minimum coverage, co-payment, enhanced MI Stage 2, worker co-payment, submission in WP Online
Page updated 18 September 2026. Statutory requirement for the pass type; general information, not legal advice.
- Medical insurance requirements for S Pass holders
Relevant section: Minimum coverage, co-payment, enhanced MI Stage 2
Page updated 18 September 2026. Statutory requirement for the pass type; general information, not legal advice. Confirm current requirements on the official page.
- Security bond requirements for migrant workers
Relevant section: What is a security bond; when to buy; discharge and forfeiture
Page updated 5 October 2026. Primary source checked for the specific statements cited. Bene planning examples are editorial guidance, not rules issued by this publisher.
- What is the penalty for not meeting the medical insurance requirement?
Relevant section: Fines, imprisonment and hiring bans
Page updated 14 March 2024. Primary source checked for the specific statements cited. Bene planning examples are editorial guidance, not rules issued by this publisher.
- What is the Primary Care Plan (PCP)
Relevant section: Who must have a PCP
Page updated 7 August 2026. Primary source checked for the specific statements cited. Bene planning examples are editorial guidance, not rules issued by this publisher.
- Work injury compensation insurance
Relevant section: Who needs to be insured; compulsory insurance
Page updated 11 July 2024. Primary source checked for the specific statements cited. Bene planning examples are editorial guidance, not rules issued by this publisher.