Best Term Insurance Plans in Singapore: Your Comprehensive Guide for 2024

How Term Insurance Works in Singapore

  • Choose Your Coverage : You select a sum assured (the amount your beneficiaries will receive) and a term length (how long the policy lasts).

  • Pay Premiums : You make regular premium payments, typically monthly or annually.

  • Protection Period : The policy provides coverage for the specified term, usually ranging from 5 to 40 years, or up to a certain age (e.g., 65 or 99).

  • Claim Process : If you pass away during the policy term, your beneficiaries receive the sum assured as a tax-free lump sum.

  • Policy Expiry : If you outlive the policy term, the coverage ends, and no benefits are paid out.

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12 Best Term Life Insurance Policies in Singapore 2024

  • Great Term Plan

    • Provides coverage against death and terminal illness with the option to add total and permanent disability (TPD) and critical illness (CI) coverage.

    • Offers flexibility to convert the term plan and its riders to a life policy with cash value in the future, regardless of health status.

    • Allows for quick and easy online coverage of up to S$300,000 for death, terminal illness, and TPD in just 10 minutes.

    • Offers highly customizable coverage at affordable rates, starting from as low as S$0.86 per day.

    • Provides the option for lifetime coverage, ensuring long-term financial protection.

  • Singlife Elite Term

    • Singlife Elite Term offers a lump sum payout if you die or are diagnosed with a terminal illness, providing financial protection for your family.

    • The plan allows you to convert your term life insurance into a new endowment or whole life plan without further medical underwriting, giving you flexibility as your needs change.

    • You can choose your coverage duration, including options for 5 or 10 years, yearly intervals up to age 85, or coverage to age 99, allowing you to customize the plan to your needs.

    • The plan offers automatic renewal for 5-year or 10-year coverage terms, eliminating time-consuming renewal processes.

    • You have the option to increase your basic policy coverage without medical check-ups when you reach key life milestones, such as getting married or having a child.

  • Income Star Term Protect

    • Star Term Protect provides high coverage for death, terminal illness, and total permanent disability at affordable premiums.

    • The policy offers guaranteed renewal up to age 84, allowing you to extend coverage as needed.

    • You can enhance protection by adding optional riders for critical illness, hospital cash, and premium waivers.

    • The plan is available to applicants up to age 79, making it accessible at various life stages.

    • Star Term Protect allows you to tailor coverage amount and duration based on a personalized financial needs analysis.

  • AIA Secure Flexi Term

    • AIA Secure Flexi Term offers high coverage at affordable premiums, with rates as low as S$1.36 a day for S$1 million coverage.

    • The plan provides guaranteed premiums that stay the same throughout the policy period, allowing for easier financial planning.

    • It offers flexible protection options including renewable term coverage up to age 101 and level term coverage up to age 75.

    • The plan includes a unique Terminal Cancer Benefit that pays out the full coverage amount upon diagnosis of end-stage cancer.

    • There is flexibility to convert the plan to an endowment, investment-linked, or whole life policy before age 70 without further medical underwriting.

  • PRUActive Term

    • PRUActive Term offers flexible coverage that increases annually to match growing financial commitments without requiring medical re-examination.

    • The plan allows customizable premium payment terms from 5 to 82 years, giving policyholders control over their payment schedule.

    • Coverage can be adjusted for Death and Total and Permanent Disability with flexible policy terms from 10 to 82 years.

    • The plan provides an option to increase the death benefit sum assured up to 2 times the original amount after 12 months.

    • Various critical illness riders can be added to enhance protection, including early and intermediate stage coverage.

  • Income TermLife Solitaire

    • TermLife Solitaire provides high coverage of $500,000 or more for death or terminal illness to safeguard your legacy.

    • The policy offers guaranteed renewal up to age 100, ensuring continued protection as you age.

    • It allows you to protect your business by insuring key personnel to mitigate financial impact if something happens to them.

    • The plan includes a complimentary one-time medical concierge service for applications with a minimum sum assured of $3 million.

    • You can enhance coverage with optional riders like Hospital CashAid to provide additional financial protection during hospitalization.

  • Singlife Simple Term

    • Singlife Simple Term offers affordable premiums starting from just S$0.37 per day for S$500,000 coverage.

    • The plan provides a lump-sum payout in the event of death, Terminal Illness, or Total and Permanent Disability.

    • It offers flexible coverage options ranging from S$150,000 to S$500,000 to suit individual needs.

    • The application process is easy, with an online option available and minimal health questions required.

    • Continuous protection is ensured through yearly renewal up to age 86, with no need to worry about coverage gaps.

  • GE GREAT Term

    • GREAT Term provides affordable lifetime coverage for death, terminal illness, and total permanent disability from as low as S$0.86 per day.

    • The plan offers flexibility to add optional riders covering up to 121 critical illness conditions for enhanced protection.

    • It allows conversion to a life policy offering cash value in the future, regardless of health status, to meet changing needs.

    • Coverage of up to S$300,000 can be secured quickly online in just 10 minutes by answering two health questions.

    • The plan is highly customizable, allowing policyholders to tailor coverage to their specific needs and budget.

  • HSBC Term Protect Advantage

    • The plan offers flexible premium and policy terms, allowing customers to choose their coverage duration and payment period.

    • It provides a guaranteed surrender value when coverage is no longer needed, available for the limited pay option.

    • The policy includes a Guaranteed Insurability Option, enabling coverage increases at key life milestones without medical underwriting.

    • An unemployment support benefit allows premium payment deferral for up to 365 days if the policyholder becomes unemployed.

    • The plan features a convertibility benefit, allowing conversion to a whole life or endowment plan without medical underwriting before age 65.

  • AXA term protector

    • AXA Term Protector offers flexible payment terms and coverage options up to age 99, allowing customization to individual needs.

    • The plan provides big protection coverage against death or terminal illness from as little as 75 cents a day.

    • Optional riders are available for additional protection, including early critical illness, disability, and personal accident benefits.

    • An Indexation Option guards against inflation by automatically increasing coverage in line with Singapore's Consumer Price Index.

    • The policy can be converted to another insurance plan if needs change, providing long-term flexibility.

  • FWD Future First

    • The FWD Exclusive Recovery Programme provides up to S$15,000 worth of practical assistance, emotional support, professional services, and medical second opinion support to help families adapt after loss.

    • The policy offers financial support through a full sum insured payout for death or terminal illness diagnosis, with an advance of S$5,000 available for funeral expenses.

    • A 2-year premium-free term life cover of S$250,000 is provided for the surviving spouse under 60 years old.

    • The plan covers total and permanent disability through accelerated payout of the base plan sum insured.

    • Coverage is provided for 141 early, intermediate and late stage critical illnesses including future unknown illnesses through the FWD Total CI Rider.

  • ManuProtect Term (II)

    • ManuProtect Term (II) offers flexible policy terms with options for 5-10 year renewable terms or longer level terms up to age 85, providing customizable coverage durations.

    • The plan includes a Quit Smoking Incentive that allows smokers to enjoy non-smoker premium rates for the first 3 years, incentivizing and supporting smoking cessation.

    • It provides guaranteed renewability for 5 and 10-year term policies regardless of health changes, ensuring continued coverage as you age.

    • The plan offers a conversion privilege, allowing you to convert to other Manulife life insurance products before age 65 without medical underwriting.

    • Optional riders can be added for comprehensive protection, including Total and Permanent Disability, Critical Illness, and premium waiver benefits.

Key aspects of term insurance in Singapore:

  • Premiums are generally level (fixed) throughout the policy term.

  • Some policies offer a renewal option at the end of the term, usually at a higher premium.

  • Many insurers provide riders for additional coverage, such as critical illness or disability income.

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Benefits of Term Insurance in Singapore

High Coverage at Affordable Rates

Term insurance offers the highest coverage amount for the lowest premiums, making it an cost-effective option for most Singaporeans.

Flexibility

Policies can be tailored to cover specific periods when financial protection is most needed, such as until your children are financially independent.

Simplicity

Term insurance is straightforward and easy to understand, without complex investment components.

Complement to CPF Life

While CPF Life provides a basic retirement income, term insurance can cover larger financial obligations like outstanding mortgages or children's education costs.

Peace of Mind

Knowing your loved ones will be financially secure in your absence provides invaluable peace of mind.

Affordable Business Protection

For business owners, term insurance can be a cost-effective way to protect business loans or fund buy-sell agreements.

No Cash Value Accumulation

This keeps premiums low and allows you to invest the difference elsewhere potentially for higher returns.

Convertibility Option

Some policies offer the option to convert to whole life insurance without a medical examination, providing future flexibility.

Rider Benefits

Many term policies in Singapore offer riders for critical illness, total and permanent disability, or waiver of premium, allowing for comprehensive coverage.

Tax Efficiency

While premiums are not tax-deductible, the death benefit is generally paid out tax-free to beneficiaries in Singapore.

How to Choose the Best Term Insurance Plan in Singapore

Assess your financial obligations and future needs. Consider: outstanding debts (e.g., mortgage, loans), future expenses (e.g., children's education), replacement of income for dependents. Use our coverage calculator to estimate your needs.

Choose a term that covers your most critical financial years.

Choose a term that covers your most critical financial years. This could be: until your mortgage is paid off, until your children are financially independent, until your planned retirement age.

Compare premiums across insurers, but remember that the cheapest option isn't always the best. Consider: whether premiums are guaranteed or non-guaranteed, payment frequency options (monthly, quarterly, annually), any discount for larger sum assured or longer terms.

Research the insurer's: claims settlement ratio, financial strength ratings (e.g., S&P, Moody's), customer service reviews.

Look for valuable features such as: renewability option, convertibility to whole life insurance, terminal illness benefit.

Consider adding riders for comprehensive coverage: critical illness rider, total and permanent disability rider, waiver of premium rider.

Carefully read the policy exclusions to ensure you're aware of situations where the policy won't pay out.

Consider policies that allow you to adjust coverage or add riders in the future as your needs change.

Be aware of the medical underwriting process. Some policies offer simplified issue options with minimal health questions.

Singapore mandates a 14-day free look period. Ensure you understand how to cancel if needed within this timeframe.

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Types of Term Insurance Available in Singapore

  • Level Term Insurance

    • Sum assured remains constant throughout the policy term

    • Premiums typically stay the same

    • Ideal for consistent coverage needs

  • Decreasing Term Insurance

    • Sum assured decreases over time, usually in line with a reducing debt like a mortgage

    • Premiums are often lower than level term

    • Commonly used for mortgage protection

  • Renewable Term Insurance

    • Allows you to renew the policy at the end of the term without a medical examination

    • Premiums increase at each renewal based on your new age

    • Provides flexibility for changing needs

  • Increasing Term Insurance

    • Sum assured increases over time, often to keep pace with inflation

    • Premiums may increase accordingly

    • Helps maintain purchasing power of the benefit

  • Convertible Term Insurance

    • Option to convert to a permanent life insurance policy without medical underwriting

    • Useful if you think your needs might change in the future

  • Group Term Insurance

    • Offered by employers or associations

    • Often has lower premiums due to group rates

    • Coverage may be limited and ends if you leave the group

Term Insurance for Different Life Stages in Singapore

Young Adults (20s-early 30s)

Focus: Covering personal debts, protecting insurability. Recommendation: Start with a smaller, affordable policy. Consider: Convertible term policy for future flexibility.

Newly Married Couples

Focus: Protecting spouse, covering joint debts. Recommendation: Increase coverage, consider policies for both partners. Consider: Mortgage protection if buying a home.

Parents with Young Children

Focus: Protecting family's lifestyle, children's future. Recommendation: Substantial coverage to replace income until children are independent. Consider: Riders for critical illness and total permanent disability.

Established Professionals (40s-50s)

Focus: Protecting peak earning years, planning for retirement. Recommendation: Review and adjust coverage based on accumulated assets and remaining obligations. Consider: Decreasing term if debts are reducing.

Pre-Retirees (50s-60s)

Focus: Ensuring retirement plans, legacy planning. Recommendation: Assess if term insurance is still needed or if assets are sufficient. Consider: Convertible policies if permanent insurance is now desirable.

Retirees (65+)

Focus: Legacy planning, final expenses. Recommendation: Most may not need term insurance at this stage. Consider: Small policy for final expenses if not covered by savings.

Business Owners (Any Age)

Focus: Business continuity, loan protection, key person insurance. Recommendation: Separate personal and business coverage needs. Consider: Specialized business insurance policies.

Conclusion