All maternity insurance plans in Singapore include a waiting period, which means there is no policy that provides immediate coverage for pregnancy. The shortest waiting times offered by international providers start at around 10 months, so planning ahead is essential for expats who wish to secure maternity benefits.

For women who are already pregnant, no insurance plan in Singapore will cover existing maternity expenses. However, expats planning to conceive within the next year can still choose policies with shorter moratoriums to reduce out-of-pocket costs when the time comes.

This Pacific Prime post is designed for women and soon-to-be mothers just like you! While expat maternity insurance in Singapore without a waiting period does not exist, that does not mean you are without options.

We will walk you through some of the health insurance plans with maternity benefits that have the shortest waiting periods as well as a number of other options you have in Singapore to cover your medical fees.

To get in touch with an expert in Singapore maternity insurance, fill out our contact form. You can also compare international health insurance plans with maternity benefits yourself online.

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Why Immediate Maternity Insurance Is Not Available in Singapore

There are no maternity insurance plans in Singapore that have no waiting period. It is impossible to get pregnancy coverage that starts immediately; instead, you will have to wait out the full 10 – 24 months before your maternity benefits begin and you can make claims for pregnancy expenses.

This is a hard reality to accept, especially if you have recently found out you are pregnant or are hoping to become pregnant very soon. Expats and foreigners living in Singapore are not fully out of options, however, and we will help explain those to you.

But first, what is a waiting period?

Understanding Waiting Periods in Singapore Maternity Insurance

A waiting period, or moratorium, is the length of time the insured is required to have an established health insurance plan before the pregnancy benefits can begin. For most Singapore policies, this is 10 – 24 months, though it can be as long as 3 years.

After the waiting period has lapsed, you can make claims for pregnancy charges. To prepare for this long wait time, it is crucial for women who hope to become pregnant to establish coverage well in advance of trying to become pregnant.

If you become pregnant before the waiting period is over, you will not have pregnancy coverage. The day after the period ends, however, you can qualify to make claims for new pregnancy services rendered.

You cannot request compensation for past services completed before the period ended, but you can request coverage for services moving forward during the rest of your pregnancy and delivery.

Shortest Waiting Periods for Maternity Insurance in Singapore

International health insurance plans with maternity benefits in Singapore that have the shortest moratoriums are offered by Bupa and Allianz Care. Bupa’s Gold plan and Global Elite plan each have 10-month waiting periods. Allianz Care’s Care Plus and Active Pro plan combo has a 10 or 18-month wait.

If you are not yet pregnant but hope to become pregnant within the next few weeks or months, you still can get pregnancy and childbirth insurance. U.S. expats in Singapore and all expats in Singapore can establish a maternity coverage plan with a wait time as short as 10 or 12 months.

If you begin your plan today, you may be able to finish your waiting period for some or all of your pregnancy and your labor and delivery.

Many maternity plans also include postpartum and newborn care coverage for an average of 30 days after the baby’s delivery, so you may qualify for those benefits if your coverage starts early enough to complete the waiting period in time.

The following chart shows the Singapore expat maternity insurance plans with the shortest waiting periods.

To learn more about any of these plans and to get quotes, you can contact our insurance experts today! There’s no time to wait!

Options for Expats Already Pregnant in Singapore

Expecting mothers in Singapore who are already pregnant may not be able to get any health insurance benefits if they begin a plan after getting pregnant. However, they can choose to give birth in a public or private hospital since they will need to pay the hospital costs on their own.

In addition to carefully selecting the hospital where you will give birth, there are other financial options to help you get your bills paid. We will discuss each in the next few sections.

Average Cost of Childbirth in Singapore Hospitals

It is not uncommon for Singapore mothers to choose to not get insurance, but instead to pay their medical expenses out of pocket. If this is the situation you are in, it may help to learn the average costs for Singapore deliveries. Costs are cheaper in public hospitals and more expensive in private ones.

Below are some charts with a range of prices for standard deliveries and c-section deliveries in various hospitals in Singapore.

These were last updated in 2022. These are intended only to give you an estimate of the likely cost.

It may help to read more about the costs associated with giving birth in Singapore.

Negotiating Hospital Bills in Singapore

This may not always work, but there’s no harm done in explaining your financial situation and politely asking if there are any discounts available or other options to reduce your bill. Hospital billing departments are used to negotiating their bills with patients, financial planners, and physicians.

Because of that, it doesn’t hurt to try!

Requesting Detailed Bills for Pregnancy Costs

This means you’ll receive a detailed list of every single item and charge that adds up to your total bill. This can allow you to check for errors (such as medications or services that were or were not provided), and it can help you see if there are any specific items you can try to negotiate down.

You can use this list to challenge any items you think were overcharged.

Managing Maternity Costs with Payment Plans

It is very common for hospitals and birthing centers to have payment plans that allow you to pay your bills in chunks over an extended period of time. This can significantly reduce the stress of the bill if you are able to make small, affordable contributions to it over time without breaking the bank.

Crowdfunding to Cover Maternity Expenses

You can always ask for help from your friends, family, and associates by setting up a GoFundMe program to pay your medical bills.

FAQs About Maternity Insurance in Singapore

How long is the waiting period for maternity plans in Singapore?

The average waiting period is 10-24 months for maternity insurance plans for expats and digital nomads living in Singapore. You will need to have your insurance plan established for the full waiting period before your maternity benefits will apply and you can begin making claims.

Can I get pregnancy insurance if I’m already pregnant in Singapore?

You can begin pregnancy insurance if you are already pregnant in Singapore, but your benefits will not begin for a minimum of 10 months from the date your coverage begins. This means you will not have maternity courage for this pregnancy, but you can for the next one.

After the waiting period is done, can I request claims for past services?

Expats in Singapore are not able to submit claims for any maternity services, treatment, or medications administered during the waiting period. After the waiting period is done, you are only able to submit claims for any services rendered after the moratorium has ended.

How much do prenatal services cost in Singapore?

Prenatal checkups and tests in all three trimesters on average cost $74 – $150 (100 – 200 SGD) in Singapore. Prenatal supplements on average cost $74 – $300 (100 – 400 SGD). Maternity blood tests cost $74 – $134 (100 – 180 SGD) and panorama screenings cost $745 – $1,120 (1,000 – 1,500 SGD).

What do maternity insurance plans cover in Singapore?

Typically, maternity insurance plans for expatriates in Singapore cover:

• Doctor consultations
• Pre and post-natal treatments & examinations
• Medically prescribed Caesarian section
• Normal delivery
• Complications of maternity and childbirth
• Hospital, birthing center, or home delivery costs
• Care of newborn 

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Conclusion

We’ve now talked about how there are no maternity insurance policies that lack a moratorium, but hopefully, you’ve gleaned some ideas of what options are still available to you. If you have more questions, please contact us, and if you want to explore quotes on your own, use our free online quote generator.

If you found value in this article, you’ll also want to read our posts Securing Insurance for Pregnancy in Singapore and Obtaining Maternity Insurance During Pregnancy in Singapore.

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Serena Fung

Head of Content at Pacific Prime

Serena Fung is the Head of Content at Pacific Prime, a global insurance brokerage and employee specialist serving over 1.5 million clients in 15 offices across the world. With 6+ years of experience writing about the subject, she aims to demystify the world of insurance for readers with the latest updates, guides and articles on the blog.

Serena earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of British Columbia, Canada. As such, she is an avid advocate of mental health and is fascinated by all things psychology (especially if it’s cognitive psychology!).

Her previous work experience includes teaching toddlers to read, writing for a travel/wellness online magazine, and then a business news blog. These combined experiences give her the skills and insights she needs to explain complex ideas in a succinct way. Being the daughter of an immigrant and a traveler herself, she is passionate about educating expats and digital nomads on travel and international health insurance.

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