You've planned, you've saved and now it's time to take your dream vacation. For foreigners in Singapore and local residents, travelling is always an amazing experience, but it can also be very risky. So before you go, one important question remains: Are you insured? Without the proper plan, you could be putting yourself in a lot of danger. Travel insurance policies can protect you from a number of risks including unexpected medical treatment costs or trip cancellations due to medical emergencies, so do not leave home without it and travel with a peace of mind.
What Is The Criteria For Foreigners In Singapore To be Eligible To Buy Travel Insurance?
While Singaporean citizens and PRs have no problem buying travel insurance online, every insurer has a slightly different eligibility criteria when it comes to foreigners. At minimum, you need to be a Singapore resident to be eligible. However, some providers have stricter requirements than that such as the types of employment passes foreigners are on when they work in Singapore.
Are Expats Able To Buy Travel Insurance?
Due to foreigners not being covered by public healthcare and insurance schemes unless they are PRs, private insurance for expats such as travel insurance must be bought privately. This is because it is much harder for expatriates to apply for permanent residency in Singapore as compared to other countries and without being a PR, expatriates on employment passes will not be covered under Singapore’s national insurance policies.
How To Choose The Right Travel Insurance For Foreigners In Singapore?
When choosing the right insurance plan for international travel, it is important to choose a flexible travel insurance plan that does not have too many limits of coverage that it provides you. For instance, check the types of benefits offered such as whether it allows you to make claims for costs such as overseas hospitalisation, medical treatment and medical evacuation. Another thing to note is the limit of claims - does it enable you to claim medical costs incurred at both public and private hospitals or whether it requires you to pay additional premiums depending on where you are admitted to.
Also, do read up on whether your policy provides you with the ability to claim costs that are tied to pre-travel COVID-19 tests as the latest local government advice may demand that travellers entering the country are required to take these tests.
Let's look at the best travel insurance plans for foreigners in Singapore.
Compare travel insurance plans in Singapore
Check providers on MoneySmart to find the best travel insurance plan with COVID-19 coverage, lost baggage, medical emergencies, flight delays, pre-existing conditions, pregnancy claims and more.
Best Travel Insurance for Foreigners in Singapore (2024)
Check out these foreigner-friendly travel insurance providers in Singapore.
Best Travel Insurance for Foreigners in Singapore (2024)
- Best for digitally savvy travellersFWD Travel Insurance
- Open to transit travellersEtiqa Travel Insurance
- Great value for moneyBubblegum Travel Insurance
- Premium travel insurerAIG Travel Insurance
MoneySmart Exclusive
Add-on Covid-19 Coverage | Low Premiums
MoneySmart Exclusive
Add-on Covid-19 Coverage | Low Premiums
- Med. Coverage (Overseas)
- S$500,000
- Trip Cancellation
- S$10,000
- Loss/Damage of Baggage
- S$5,000
- Total Premium
Total Premium
S$29.0725% Off - S$21.80
[GIVEAWAY | MoneySmart Exclusive]
• Enjoy 25% off your policy premium.
Get over S$65 worth of rewards:
• IncludesS$30 Revolut cash reward,S$30Trip.com Hotel Coupon and Eskimo Global 1GB eSIM (worth S$9.50) with every policy purchased. T&Cs apply.
S$3,200 worth of gifts to be scored on top of existing rewards:
• Samsonite Apinex 69/25 Luggage (worth S$600) when you are the 88th person to submit the MoneySmart Claim Form each week. T&Cs apply.
• S$100 Revolut cash rewardwhen you are the8th and 88th personto sign up for a Revolut Account each week.T&Cs apply.
Valid until 18 Sep 2024
MoneySmart Exclusive
Add-on Covid-19 coverage
MoneySmart Exclusive
Add-on Covid-19 coverage
- Med. Coverage (Overseas)
- S$500,000
- Travel Cancelation
- S$5,000
- Loss/Damage of Baggage
- S$2,000
- Total Premium
Total Premium
S$3440% Off - S$20.40
[GIVEAWAY | FLASH SALE | MoneySmart Exclusive]
• Enjoy 40% off your Single Trip policy premium and 80% off Covid-19 add-on for Annual Plans. T&Cs apply. Valid till 18 Sep 2024.
• Get S$30 Revolut cash rewardwith every policy purchased.T&Csapply.
PLUS, score S$100 Revolut cash reward in our giveaway on top of existing rewards when you are the 8th and 88th person to sign up for a Revolut Account each week. T&Cs apply.
Valid until 30 Sep 2024
MoneySmart Exclusive
Win $888 weekly | Best value plan
MoneySmart Exclusive
Win $888 weekly | Best value plan
- Med. Coverage (Overseas)
- S$150,000
- Trip Cancellation
- S$5,000
- Loss/Damage of Personal Baggage
- S$3,000
- Total Premium
Total Premium
S$30.3210% Off - S$27.29
[GIVEAWAY | Receive your cash as fast as 30 days*]
• Enjoy 10% off your policy premium
Get over S$90 worth of rewards:
• Includes S$30 Revolut cash reward, S$30 Trip.com Hotel Coupon and Eskimo Global 1GB eSIM (worth S$9.50) with every policy purchased.
• Plus, getup to S$25via PayNow with eligible premiums spent. T&Cs apply.
PLUS, score S$100 Revolut cash reward in our giveaway on top of existing rewards when you are the 8th and 88th person to sign up for a Revolut Account each week. T&Cs apply.
Valid until 30 Sep 2024
MoneySmart Exclusive
Win $888 weekly | Most Flexible Plan
MoneySmart Exclusive
Win $888 weekly | Most Flexible Plan
- Overseas Medical Expenses
- S$100,000
- Travel Cancelation / Postponement
- S$5,000
- Loss/Damage of Personal Baggage
- S$3,000
- Premium
- S$30
[GIVEAWAY | Receive your cash as fast as 30 days*]
Get over S$105 worth of rewards:
• IncludesS$30 Trip.com Hotel Coupon andEskimo Global 1GB eSIM (worth S$9.50) with every policy purchased.
• Plus, get up to S$40 via PayNow and S$30 Revolut cash reward with eligible premiums spent. T&Cs apply.
PLUS, score S$100 Revolut cash reward in our giveaway on top of existing rewards when you are the 8th and 88th person to sign up for a Revolut Account each week. T&Cs apply.
Valid until 30 Sep 2024
Frequently Asked Questions About Travel Insurance In Singapore For Foreigners
Can foreigners buy travel insurance in Singapore?
- Generally, yes, foreigners are eligible to buy travel insurance for themselves from most insurers as long as they are (a) residents of Singapore and (b) can show some sort of pass or permit. The exact criteria depends on insurer to insurer, but among the more foreigner-friendly insurers we looked at, Employment Passes, Work Permits, Dependant Passes, Student Passes and Long Term Visit Passes are usually accepted. Note that in most cases, your trip needs to start and end in Singapore as well.
Can I buy travel insurance from another country?
- If you are a foreigner who does not meet the criteria for buying travel insurance in Singapore, you may consider buying travel insurance from your home country. However, those insurers may not cover departures from outside your country as well. In this case, you can look into international insurers who offer worldwide coverage, such as The Wise Traveller (The Wise Traveller is a partner of MoneySmart Singapore).
Which travel insurance is best in Singapore?
- It is hard to say objectively which travel insurance is best in Singapore for foreigners or locals alike, since there is a huge variety of travelling styles, travel destinations and traveller priorities. The more price-sensitive travellers in Singapore tend to buy from insurers like Starr and Etiqa, while others would go for established brands like FWD and AIG. Each insurer also offers different claims experiences and varying coverage levels. If you are lost, use MoneySmart's travel insurance comparison tool to compare and find the best plan for your needs.
Who is best for travel insurance with pre-existing conditions?
- Currently there are 3 travel insurance providers that cover pre-existing conditions: Income, MSIG and Etiqa (Tiq). To get covered, you will need to opt for their dedicated pre-existing condition plans, which are separate from their regular travel insurance plans. They do cost more than regular plans, so it is worthwhile to do a comparison of their coverage before you buy.
What's the difference between travel insurance and international health insurance?
- The main difference is that international health insurance provides comprehensive coverage for ongoing healthcare needs while living and working abroad, or traveling abroad while travel insurance covers a traveller for a specific trip or duration of travel typically with limited medical coverage. To find out more, read our guide on international health insurance vs travel insurance article.
Related Links
Best Credit Cards for Foreigners / Expats in Singapore
Best Travel Insurance for Pre-existing Conditions
Travel Insurance vs International Health Insurance
