FAQs

Frequentlyasked questions

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GHS, GMM, as-charged, ward class and more, explained in plain English.

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About bene

What does bene do?

We help Singapore employers choose group insurance for their teams. You tell us about your company and the cover you want; we compare plans from the insurers on our panel, set them out side by side in plain English, and help you put the one you choose in place.

Do you help with anything besides insurance?

Yes. We also help HR teams with employee engagement: candle-making and terrarium workshops, health talks by doctors, movie screenings and pickleball tournaments. These are free for companies whose group insurance is with us, subject to availability and our terms. Other companies are welcome to enquire. Tell us your team size and what you have in mind, and we’ll suggest something that fits.

Is bene an insurance company?

No. We don’t issue policies or pay claims. Your policy is issued by the insurer you choose, and that insurer pays the claims. Our job is to help you compare, choose and look after your plan.

Which insurers do you compare?

The 14 insurers on our panel: AIA Corporate Solutions, AIG, Allianz, Chubb, Cigna Group Health, HL Assurance, HSBC Life, Income, Liberty Insurance, MSIG, Prudential, Singlife, Sompo and Tokio Marine Life. We don’t place business with every insurer in Singapore, so our comparisons cover our panel rather than the whole market.

Who gives the advice?

Advice is given by a representative of SingCapital Pte. Ltd., a financial adviser licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore. The representative’s name and registration details are on our disclosures page.

How does bene get paid?

The insurer whose policy you choose pays us a commission, which is part of its premium. You pay the premium and nothing to us, so our advice is free for employers. If you’d like to know the commission on a plan we recommend, just ask.

Quotes

What do you need from us for a quote?

Your company name, the number of employees you want to cover, your industry and the covers you’re interested in. For exact prices, insurers also need a simple employee list with each person’s age or date of birth, gender, nationality or pass type and job role. Names aren’t needed at this stage.

How quickly will I get quotes?

Within the next working day of receiving your details. If an insurer needs more, such as health declarations for a higher sum insured, we’ll tell you what’s needed and when to expect final terms.

What size of company do you work with?

Any size, from small teams to large workforces. Our calculator gives ballpark prices for teams of 2 to 200 employees. For larger teams, send us your details and we’ll come back with exact quotes.

Am I committed once I ask for a quote?

No. Quotes are free and you’re free to walk away. Cover starts only after you accept an insurer’s terms, complete its proposal and pay the first premium.

How is the calculator different from a quote?

The calculator gives an indicative yearly range for a typical office team, based on insurers’ published package rates. It’s a starting point, not a quote. An exact quote uses your team’s real details, and the insurer sets the final premium after underwriting.

Can you look at the plan we already have?

Yes. Send us your policy schedule or renewal notice and we’ll compare it with what other insurers on our panel offer for similar cover.

Cover basics

Which cover should a small company start with?

Most companies start with group hospital and surgical (GHS) cover, because a hospital stay is the most expensive thing that can happen to an employee’s health. Many then add GP and specialist visits, and some add term life, personal accident or dental. We’ll suggest a starting package for your team and budget.

What’s the difference between GHS and GMM?

GHS pays hospital and surgery bills up to set limits for each item. Group major medical (GMM) sits on top and pays part of the costs above those limits, usually after a deductible and with co-insurance. GMM is bought together with GHS, not on its own.

Do we have to cover every employee?

Group plans cover defined groups, such as all full-time staff. You can give different categories of staff different plan levels, as long as the categories follow objective criteria such as job grade. Most insurers expect everyone in a category to join.

Can employees add their spouse and children?

Many insurers allow dependants on medical plans, paid by the company or by the employee. The rules on ages and take-up vary by insurer, so tell us if you want it and we’ll include it in the quotes.

Can we cover foreign employees?

Yes. Employees on Employment Passes, S Passes and Work Permits can join group plans. Foreigners aren’t covered by MediShield Life, so the group plan may be their main hospital cover, and S Pass and Work Permit holders also need the medical insurance MOM requires. We’ll check whether a plan meets MOM’s rules.

Are pre-existing conditions covered?

It depends on the insurer and the size of your team. Small groups often have pre-existing conditions excluded for a period, while larger groups are more likely to have them covered from the start. If you’re moving from another group plan without a gap, many insurers carry cover over. We’ll show you each insurer’s terms.

Our employees have MediShield Life or an Integrated Shield Plan. Do they still need group cover?

MediShield Life is basic cover for Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents, sized for subsidised wards in public hospitals. Group cover can pay for higher wards and costs MediShield Life leaves to the employee, and it covers foreign staff too. How the two work together depends on the plan, and we’ll explain it for the plans you’re considering.

Price

What affects the premium?

Mainly the covers and levels you choose, how many employees you cover, their ages, the kind of work they do and, for larger teams, your claims history. Dependants and higher sums insured add to the price.

Is GST charged on group insurance?

Group term life is usually exempt from GST. Medical and accident cover carries GST, and critical illness varies by insurer. Our calculator shows prices including GST, and our quotes say clearly whether GST is included.

How is the premium paid?

The insurer bills your company directly, usually yearly in advance, and some insurers offer other payment terms. You don’t pay anything to bene.

What happens when we hire or someone leaves during the year?

You let the insurer know, and new joiners are added and leavers removed. Premiums for mid-year changes are usually adjusted pro rata. We can help you with the paperwork.

Switching and renewal

Can we switch insurers?

Yes, usually at renewal. We compare your renewal terms with other insurers on our panel, and if you move, we line up the new policy to start the day the old one ends, so there’s no gap in cover.

Can we switch in the middle of the policy year?

It’s possible, but check the cancellation terms first, because not every insurer refunds unused premium in full. We’ll tell you what switching mid-year would cost before you decide.

Will employees lose cover for existing conditions if we switch?

Not necessarily. Many insurers accept employees covered under your previous group plan without new waiting periods, provided there’s no gap between the policies. Terms differ, so we check them before you move.

Our renewal premium went up. What can we do?

Send us the renewal notice. We’ll look at why it rose, such as claims, your team’s ages or plan changes, and ask other insurers on our panel for comparable terms. Sometimes a different plan level or co-payment keeps the benefits your team values at a price that works.

When should we start reviewing before renewal?

About six to eight weeks before your policy ends. That leaves time for quotes, questions and any health declarations without rushing the decision.

Claims and service

Who handles claims?

The insurer, often through a third-party administrator for clinic visits. Employees usually show their medical card or app at panel clinics. If a claim gets stuck or an employee isn’t sure what’s covered, message us and we’ll help.

What do you do after we buy?

We help you set up the policy and get cards and benefit information to your team, answer questions through the year, and review your terms against the market before each renewal.

Can our employees ask you questions directly?

Yes, if you’re happy for them to. They can WhatsApp or email us about their cover, such as whether a clinic is on the panel or how to make a claim.

What should an employee do before a planned hospital stay?

Check the plan’s ward entitlement, then ask the hospital to request a letter of guarantee from the insurer. With one, the employee usually pays no deposit, and bills within the plan’s limits go straight to the insurer.

Data and privacy

What do you do with the details we send?

We use them to prepare your quotes and advise you, and we share them only with SingCapital and the insurers we ask to quote. Our privacy notice explains how we handle personal data.

Is it safe to send our employee list?

Send only what insurers need. Ages or dates of birth, gender, nationality or pass type and job role are usually enough for a quote, without names or NRIC numbers. We keep it only as long as we need it for your quotes and policy.

Will you send us marketing messages?

Only if you agree to them. We use your contact details to respond to your request, and you can ask us to stop other messages at any time.