Best Critical Illness & Cancer Insurance in Singapore 2023

Our analysts conducted a thorough premium and benefit analysis of dozens of critical illness insurance plans in Singapore, weighing each plan based on purchase eligibility, benefits offered and cost. If you are looking to protect yourself from unexpected medical bills, you can take a look at our top picks below. To make it easy, we separated the plans based on their type, the benefits offered and their cost.

  • Critical Illness Plans to Buy Online
  • FWD Big 3 Critical Illness: Standalone critical illness plan that provides coverage for cancer, stroke & heart attacks
  • HL Assurance Early Protect360: Standalone critical illness plan that provides up to S$300,000 of coverage for cancer, stroke & heart attacks
  • FWD Cancer Insurance: Best cancer plan you can buy directly online; maximum sum assured is S$200,000
  • MSIG CancerCare: Cheapest plan you can buy online if you're a millennial.
  • Great Eastern GREAT Family Care: Standalone Critical Illness plan that covers entire family; covers 53 critical illnesses and 25 juvenile conditions
  • Cheapest DPI Plan Add-ons
  • FWD Term Life DPI Critical Illness Rider: Premiums cost 50% below average for S$300,00 to S$400,000 of critical illness coverage
  • DIRECT – Singlife Critical lllness (Term Life / Whole Life): Competitively priced for younger consumers in the market for 5-year and 20-year DPI plans and older consumers looking for up-to-age-65 plans
  • Etiqa Whole Life DPI Critical Illness Rider: Competitively priced for consumers looking to add critical illness add-on to Whole Life DPI policies
  • Multi-Pay Critical Insurance Plans
  • Singlife Multipay Critical Illness: offers 5 lump sum payouts with up to 600% of sum assured
  • TokioMarine TM MultiCare: Total payout of up to 900% of sum assured, can claim twice for major cancers & advanced stage critical illness
  • ManuLife Ready CompleteCare: Total payout of up to 500% sum assured and can claim up to 6 times per policy for different conditions
  • Early Stage Critical Illness Insurance Plans
  • Singlife MyEarly Critical Illness: 100% lump sum payout for any covered critical illness at any stage.
  • AXA EarlyStage Criticare: 100% lump sum payout during early onset of illness and 150% of sum assured at terminal stage of illness
  • Tailored Critical Illness Plans
  • AXA Criticare for Her: Critical illness plan for female-related illnesses
  • AXA Criticare for Him: Critical illness plan for male-related illnesses
  • TokioMarine TM ProtectCancer: Critical illness plan covering early to late stage cancer

Is critical illness insurance necessary?

While critical illness isn't mandatory, it could be a necessary contingency plan to avoid paying thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket costs if you get diagnosed with a severe illness. If you are looking to purchase a CI plan, our guide will walk you through the best critical illness insurance plans that are currently on the market based on budget and coverage.

Reach out to our experts here for other insurance plans:

Critical Insurance Plans You Can Purchase Online

FWD, MSIG, HL Assurance and Great Eastern let you buy critical illness protection online without having to go through the traditional routes. FWD and MSIG also offer cancer coverage products and Great Eastern offers a family-focused multi-generational critical illness plan in Singapore.

FWD Big 3 Critical Illness Insurance

While some critical illness plans on the market focus on one illness to cover, such as cancer, there are plans that cover a multitude of illnesses. These plans can be a good option for people who want more robust coverage that covers all the bases of their health concerns.

Promotion:
A critical illness plan that covers the most common critical illnesses.
Amount InsuredAge 25Age 35Age 45Age 55
S$50,000S$110.47S$135.85S$190.39S$497.25
S$100,000S$150.67S$179.08S$273.39S$760.5
S$200,000S$200.85S$247.00S$390.52S$1,170.00
Annual premiums are for non-smoking males and are subject to change. Accurate as of 03/2022. Premiums shown are 1st year premiums with 35% discount applied

FWD's Big 3 Critical Illness Insurance can be a suitable peace of mind critical illness plan for people who want coverage for the 3 major illnesses affecting Singaporeans: Cancer, heart attacks and stroke. With 90% of critical illness claims arising from these 3 conditions, FWD's Big 3 plan provides no-frills coverage for the most likely health events. We found that FWD's premiums average to 50% less than other standalone critical illness plans on the market. For an additional fee, you can also choose a heart condition and neurological disorder add-on that provides coverage for a variety of illnesses and necessary procedures including heart disease, bacterial meningitis, pacemaker insertion and primary lateral sclerosis.

Big 3 will provide a one-time full payout for detection of any stage of cancer or in the event of a heart attack of a specified severity and stroke that results in a permanent neurological deficit. FWD also provides a market beating S$20,000 death benefit if you die while the policy is in force. Another useful feature is that because this is a standalone policy and not a policy attached to a life insurance product, you can choose to renew your plan annually. You can renew your policy up until you turn 85 and you only have to answer one health declaration to purchase the policy without any medical examination required.

Promotion:
A critical illness plan that covers the most common critical illnesses.
Amount InsuredAge 25Age 35Age 45Age 55
S$50,000S$127.46S$156.75S$219.68S$573.75
S$100,000S$173.85S$206.62S$315.45S$877.50
S$200,000S$231.75S$285.00S$450.60S$1,350.00
Annual premiums are for non-smoking males and are subject to change. Accurate as of 03/2022. Premiums shown are 1st year premiums with 25% discount applied

FWD's Big 3 Critical Illness Insurance can be a suitable peace of mind critical illness plan for people who want coverage for the 3 major illnesses affecting Singaporeans: Cancer, heart attacks and stroke. With 90% of critical illness claims arising from these 3 conditions, FWD's Big 3 plan provides no-frills coverage for the most likely health events. We found that FWD's premiums average to 50% less than other standalone critical illness plans on the market. For an additional fee, you can also choose a heart condition and neurological disorder add-on that provides coverage for a variety of illnesses and necessary procedures including heart disease, bacterial meningitis, pacemaker insertion and primary lateral sclerosis.

Big 3 will provide a one-time full payout for detection of any stage of cancer or in the event of a heart attack of a specified severity and stroke that results in a permanent neurological deficit. FWD also provides a market beating S$20,000 death benefit if you die while the policy is in force. Another useful feature is that because this is a standalone policy and not a policy attached to a life insurance product, you can choose to renew your plan annually. You can renew your policy up until you turn 85 and you only have to answer one health declaration to purchase the policy without any medical examination required.

HL Assurance Early Protect360

HL Assurance provides coverage for the 3 main illnesses that afflict Singaporeans: heart attacks, stroke and cancer. You can buy their plans online without needing to undergo a health check or having a discussion with a financial advisor.

Get up to S$200 cashback voucher and 10% discount with a free teleconsultation
A critical illness plan with high levels of coverage against stroke, critical illness and cancer.
Amount InsuredAge 25Age 35Age 45Age 55
S$50,000S$147.50S$205.78S$405.16S$898.47
S$100,000S$188.28S$304.83S$703.58S$1,690.22
S$200,000S$269.82S$502.92S$1,300.43S$3,273.70
S$300,000S$351.36S$701.02S$1,897.28S$4,857.18
Annual premiums are for non-smoking males and are subject to change. Accurate as of 03/2022.

HL Assurance's Early Protect360 is a standalone critical illness plan that you can buy online without going through the hassle of getting a medical checkup or having to speak to a representative. It offers up to S$300,000 worth of coverage for cancer, heart attack (of a specified severity) and stroke. It will provide a 30% accelerator payout for early diagnosis of these conditions (for instance, if you need to get a pacemaker installed or there is early detection of cancer) and a full payout if you are diagnosed at the severe illness stage. This is a 5-year renewable plan, which will renew until you turn 75. You can pay monthly, yearly or in a lump sum (for the full 5 years).

Generally, premiums for this plan range between 8%-197% more than compared to its closest competitor, FWD's Big 3 CI plans, for the same sum assured. However, HL Assurance offers critical illness coverage of up to S$300,000, compared to FWD's maximum payout of S$200,000. Furthermore, HL Assurance provides early diagnosis coverage for all 3 conditions, while FWD provides coverage for cancer only. These are important differences to consider when making a decision between which tailored critical illness plan you want to pursue. Lastly, we found that premiums for women cost between 25%-80% more than for men until you look at premiums for ages 55+ where they even out.

Get up to S$200 cashback voucher and 10% discount with a free teleconsultation
A critical illness plan with high levels of coverage against stroke, critical illness and cancer.
Amount InsuredAge 25Age 35Age 45Age 55
S$50,000S$147.50S$205.78S$405.16S$898.47
S$100,000S$188.28S$304.83S$703.58S$1,690.22
S$200,000S$269.82S$502.92S$1,300.43S$3,273.70
S$300,000S$351.36S$701.02S$1,897.28S$4,857.18
Annual premiums are for non-smoking males and are subject to change. Accurate as of 03/2022.

HL Assurance's Early Protect360 is a standalone critical illness plan that you can buy online without going through the hassle of getting a medical checkup or having to speak to a representative. It offers up to S$300,000 worth of coverage for cancer, heart attack (of a specified severity) and stroke. It will provide a 30% accelerator payout for early diagnosis of these conditions (for instance, if you need to get a pacemaker installed or there is early detection of cancer) and a full payout if you are diagnosed at the severe illness stage. This is a 5-year renewable plan, which will renew until you turn 75. You can pay monthly, yearly or in a lump sum (for the full 5 years).

Generally, premiums for this plan range between 8%-197% more than compared to its closest competitor, FWD's Big 3 CI plans, for the same sum assured. However, HL Assurance offers critical illness coverage of up to S$300,000, compared to FWD's maximum payout of S$200,000. Furthermore, HL Assurance provides early diagnosis coverage for all 3 conditions, while FWD provides coverage for cancer only. These are important differences to consider when making a decision between which tailored critical illness plan you want to pursue. Lastly, we found that premiums for women cost between 25%-80% more than for men until you look at premiums for ages 55+ where they even out.

FWD & MSIG Cancer Insurance Plans

A cancer-only critical illness plan can be a suitable option for individuals who put more weight on protecting themselves against cancer as opposed to other illnesses. FWD and MSIG offer competitively-priced cancer insurance plans that provide substantial payouts if you get diagnosed with cancer in Singapore.

Promotion:
A critical illness plan with comprehensive cancer coverage.
Amount Insured (Cancer)Age 25Age 35Age 45Age 55
S$50,000S$98S$118S$208S$488
S$100,000S$148S$178S$358S$838
S$200,000S$248S$288S$588S$1,348
Annual premiums are for non-smoking males and are subject to change. Accurate as of 03/2022

FWD's Cancer Insurance offers above-average coverage for an affordable price, making it a high value cancer-only critical illness option. First, its maximum cancer coverage amount of S$200,000 is above average compared to other cancer-only plans on the market. Furthermore, there is also a fixed S$5,000 death coverage.

Furthermore, you can purchase this plan online and receive the full 100% sum assured for any stage of cancer, which are both unique features. In terms of miscellaneous benefits, you will also receive complimentary medical advice from a second doctor, can file a claim online and purchase the policy without getting a medical examination.

Promotion:
A critical illness plan with comprehensive cancer coverage.
Amount Insured (Cancer)Age 25Age 35Age 45Age 55
S$50,000S$98S$118S$208S$488
S$100,000S$148S$178S$358S$838
S$200,000S$248S$288S$588S$1,348
Annual premiums are for non-smoking males and are subject to change. Accurate as of 01/2021

FWD's Cancer Insurance offers above-average coverage for an affordable price, making it a high value cancer-only critical illness option. First, its maximum cancer coverage amount of S$200,000 is above average compared to other cancer-only plans on the market. Furthermore, there is also a fixed S$5,000 death coverage.

Furthermore, you can purchase this plan online and receive the full 100% sum assured for any stage of cancer, which are both unique features. In terms of miscellaneous benefits, you will also receive complimentary medical advice from a second doctor, can file a claim online and purchase the policy without getting a medical examination.

PROMO: 20% off MSIG CancerCare Plus and ProtectionPlus plans
A critical illness plan for younger customers looking for affordable cancer insurance coverage.
Amount Insured (Cancer)Age 25Age 35Age 45Age 55
S$100,000S$54.00S$95.04S$328.32S$907.20
Annual premiums include promotions and are for non-smoking males and are subject to change. Accurate as of 01/2023.

MSIG's CancerCare Plus is a critical illness insurance plan that provides S$100,000 of cancer insurance coverage and an accelerated benefit of $50,000 for early stage cancer. This means that upon early-stage diagnosis, you'll get 50% of the sum assured and upon a major cancer diagnosis, you'll get the other 50%. It is most affordable for millennial customers, with premiums that range between 47-64% less than MSIG's competitors. It is easily accessible, since you can buy this plan online and with just 3 simple health declarations. You can purchase this plan if you're between the ages of 20 and 64, but it's automatically renewable until you turn 84.

While CancerCare Plus is affordable for most age groups, it does cost above average for older consumers (ages 50-64). Furthermore, the level of coverage may be underwhelming for people who are looking for high levels of coverage across all stages of cancer. Thus, this plan is best suited as a contingency plan for young, healthy individuals.

PROMO: 20% off MSIG CancerCare Plus and ProtectionPlus plans
A critical illness plan for younger customers looking for affordable cancer insurance coverage.
Amount Insured (Cancer)Age 25Age 35Age 45Age 55
S$100,000S$54.00S$95.04S$328.32S$907.20
Annual premiums include promotions and are for non-smoking males and are subject to change. Accurate as of 01/2023.

MSIG's CancerCare Plus is a critical illness insurance plan that provides S$100,000 of cancer insurance coverage and an accelerated benefit of $50,000 for early stage cancer. This means that upon early-stage diagnosis, you'll get 50% of the sum assured and upon a major cancer diagnosis, you'll get the other 50%. It is most affordable for millennial customers, with premiums that range between 47-64% less than MSIG's competitors. It is easily accessible, since you can buy this plan online and with just 3 simple health declarations. You can purchase this plan if you're between the ages of 20 and 64, but it's automatically renewable until you turn 84.

While CancerCare Plus is affordable for most age groups, it does cost above average for older consumers (ages 50-64). Furthermore, the level of coverage may be underwhelming for people who are looking for high levels of coverage across all stages of cancer. Thus, this plan is best suited as a contingency plan for young, healthy individuals.

Great Eastern GREAT Family Care: Multi-Generational Critical Illness Insurance

This plan covers 53 critical illnesses; 25 juvenile conditions; death, terminal illness and total and permanent disability.
Amount InsuredAge 25Age 35Age 45Age 55
S$50,000S$502S$862S$1,278S$1,535
S$100,000S$727S$1,299S$2,038S$2,539
S$200,000S$1,352S$2,494S$3,971S$4,974
Premiums are for non-smoking males including the Parent Protect rider and are subject to change. Accurate as of 01/2021

Great Eastern's GREAT Family Care is a unique standalone critical illness plan that provides protection for the whole family in Singapore. You will receive coverage against 53 critical illnesses, death, total and permanent disability and Terminal Illness until age 85. Your children will also receive the same coverage, including 25 additional juvenile conditions, for free until they turn 18. Furthermore, you can add a rider that will provide coverage for your parents with no need for a medical assessment. They will receive coverage until they turn 100 against major cancers, Alzheimer's disease/Severe Dementia and Parkinson's. The maximum payout is 25% of your sum assured for your children (maximum S$50,000 per child) and 15% of the sum assured or S$15,000 (whichever is greater) for your parents.

Covers 53 critical illnesses; 25 juvenile conditions; death, terminal illness and total and permanent disability.
Amount InsuredAge 25Age 35Age 45Age 55
S$50,000S$502S$862S$1,278S$1,535
S$100,000S$727S$1,299S$2,038S$2,539
S$200,000S$1,352S$2,494S$3,971S$4,974
Premiums are for non-smoking males including the Parent Protect rider and are subject to change. Accurate as of 01/2021

Great Eastern's GREAT Family Care is a unique standalone critical illness plan that provides protection for the whole family in Singapore. You will receive coverage against 53 critical illnesses, death, total and permanent disability and Terminal Illness until age 85. Your children will also receive the same coverage, including 25 additional juvenile conditions, for free until they turn 18. Furthermore, you can add a rider that will provide coverage for your parents with no need for a medical assessment. They will receive coverage until they turn 100 against major cancers, Alzheimer's disease/Severe Dementia and Parkinson's. The maximum payout is 25% of your sum assured for your children (maximum S$50,000 per child) and 15% of the sum assured or S$15,000 (whichever is greater) for your parents.

Etiqa 3 Plus Critical Illness Plan

This plan covers exclusively for cancer (all stages), heart attack and stroke
Premiums & CoverageS$30,000 PlanS$100,000 PlanS$200,000 PlanS$300,000 Plan
25 Year-Old Male (Non-smoker)S$66.69S$153.30S$306.60S$459.90
25 Year-Old Male (Smoker)S$94.39S$217.00S$434.00S$651.00
35 Year-Old Male (Non-smoker)S$77.95S$179.20S$358.40S$537.60
35 Year-Old Male (Smoker)S$112.06S$257.60S$515.20S$772.80
45 Year-Old Male (Non-smoker)S$124.24S$285.60S$571.20S$856.80
45 Year-Old Male (Smoker)S$232.64S$534.80S$1,069.60S$1,640.40
55 Year-Old Male (Non-smoker)S$359.92S$827.40S$1,654.80S$2,482.20
55 Year-Old Male (Smoker)S$664.42S$1,527.40S$3,054.80S$4,582.20
Death Benefit
S$20,000
Stroke, Heart attack or Cancer Payout
100% of sum insured cash payout upon diagnosis of Cancer (all stages), Stroke with Permanent Neurological Deficit, or Heart Attack of Specified Severity + Special Conditions Coverage (one time only)
Note: Premiums shown are 1st year annual premiums with on-going promotions applied. For more up-to-date personalized quotes, please refer here

Etiqa 3 Plus Critical Illness Insurance is a critical illness plan that covers 3 major critical illnesses: cancer (all stages), heart attacks and strokes. Given that it only covers these 3 critical illness, its premiums are 50-66% cheaper than average compared to other standalone CI plans for most age groups. Their unique selling point of Etiqa 3 Plus Critical Illness Plan lies in two areas: Complimentary Child cover and Special Conditions Benefit.

The Complimentary Child Cover provides a death benefit of S$20,000 each for up to 4 children, between 14 days to 16 years old, of the insured. In addition, the Special Conditions Benefit provides the insured with an additional 20% sum payout against Diabetic Complications and Severe Rheumatoid Arthritis (SRA), capped at S$25,000 per special condition.

This plan covers exclusively for cancer, heart attack and stroke
Premiums & CoverageS$30,000 PlanS$100,000 PlanS$200,000 PlanS$300,000 Plan
25 Year-Old Male (Non-smoker)S$66.69S$153.30S$306.60S$459.90
25 Year-Old Male (Smoker)S$94.39S$217.00S$434.00S$651.00
35 Year-Old Male (Non-smoker)S$77.95S$179.20S$358.40S$537.60
35 Year-Old Male (Smoker)S$112.06S$257.60S$515.20S$772.80
45 Year-Old Male (Non-smoker)S$124.24S$285.60S$571.20S$856.80
45 Year-Old Male (Smoker)S$232.64S$534.80S$1,069.60S$1,640.40
55 Year-Old Male (Non-smoker)S$359.92S$827.40S$1,654.80S$2,482.20
55 Year-Old Male (Smoker)S$664.42S$1,527.40S$3,054.80S$4,582.20
Death Benefit
S$20,000
Stroke, Heart attack or Cancer Payout
100% of sum insured cash payout upon diagnosis of Cancer (all stages), Stroke with Permanent Neurological Deficit, or Heart Attack of Specified Severity + Special Conditions Coverage (one time only)
Note: Premiums shown are 1st year annual premiums with on-going promotions applied. For more up-to-date personalized quotes, please refer here

Etiqa 3 Plus Critical Illness Insurance is a critical illness plan that covers 3 major critical illnesses: cancer, heart attacks and strokes. Given that it only covers these 3 critical illness, its premiums are 50-66% cheaper than average compared to other standalone CI plans for most age groups. Their unique selling point of Etiqa 3 Plus Critical Illness Plan lies in two areas: Complimentary Child cover and Special Conditions Benefit.

The Complimentary Child Cover provides a death benefit of S$20,000 each for up to 4 children, between 14 days to 16 years old, of the insured. In addition, the Special Conditions Benefit provides the insured with an additional 20% sum payout against Diabetic Complications and Severe Rheumatoid Arthritis (SRA), capped at S$25,000 per special condition.

Multi-Pay Critical Illness Insurance Plans

Unlike most critical insurance plans, multi-claim critical insurance plans allow you to claim multiple times for different critical illnesses. These plans can be beneficial for those who are expecting to have a condition that may lead to other critical illnesses. Furthermore, multi-claim plans may also provide miscellaneous benefits such as bonus payouts for Special Conditions (i.e. diabetes complications, mastectomies), death benefits and Juvenile Conditions coverage.

Plan:
Plan Name:Singlife Multipay Critical IllnessTM MultiCareReady CompleteCare (CoverMeAgain)
Max Age:9970, 75 or 85N/A
Total Claims:566
Coverage:Early, Intermediate, AdvancedEarly, Intermediate, AdvancedEarly, Intermediate, Advanced
Features:Premium waiver, S$5,000 death benefit, Recurring illness payout, 300% total coverageUp to 900% payout of sum assured, Covers 10 Special Conditions & 10 Juvenile ConditionsFree biennial health check, 500% total coverage, Free child coverage, Additional payout for 18 extra conditions, Return of premiums upon death
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Singlife Multipay Critical Illness is a multi-pay plan that provides up to 5 lump sum payouts with up to 600% of the sum assured. You will also get an additional payout of up to 20% of your sum assured upon diagnosis of 24 Special Conditions. Reach out to our advisors at PolicyPal if you want to learn more or are interested in purchasing any of these plans. It is one of the cheaper multi-pay critical illness plans on the market.

Two other multi-pay plans are TokioMarine's TM MultiCare and ManuLife Ready CompleteCare with the "cover again" add-on. TokioMarine provides a total payout of up to 900% of the sum assured and lets you claim twice for advanced stage critical illness, twice for major cancers and twice for early or intermediate stage critical illnesses. ManuLife Ready CompleteCare offers a payout of up to 500% of the sum assured for 36 critical illnesses and lets you claim up to 6 times per policy as long as each of the conditions are different. There is also a lump sum benefit of S$25,000 when diagnosed with one of the 18 Special Conditions.


  • Plan Name: Singlife Multipay Critical Illness
  • Max. Age: 99
  • Total Claims: 5
  • Coverage: Early, Intermediate, Advanced
  • Features: Premium waiver, S$5,000 death benefit, Recurring illness payout, 300% total coverage

  • Plan Name: TM MultiCare
  • Max. Age: 70, 75 or 85
  • Total Claims: 6
  • Coverage:Early, Intermediate, Advanced
  • Features: Up to 900% payout of sum assured, Covers 10 Special Conditions & 10 Juvenile Conditions

  • Plan Name: Ready CompleteCare (CoverMeAgain)
  • Total Claims: 6
  • Coverage: Early, Intermediate, Advanced
  • Features: Free biennial health check, 500% total coverage, Free child coverage, Additional payout for 18 extra conditions, Return of premiums upon death
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Singlife Multipay Critical Illness is a multi-pay plan that provides up to 5 lump sum payouts with up to 600% of the sum assured. You will also get an additional payout of up to 20% of your sum assured upon diagnosis of 24 Special Conditions. Reach out to our advisors at PolicyPal if you want to learn more or are interested in purchasing any of these plans. It is one of the cheaper multi-pay critical illness plans on the market.

Two other multi-pay plans are TokioMarine's TM MultiCare and ManuLife Ready CompleteCare with the "cover again" add-on. TokioMarine provides a total payout of up to 900% of the sum assured and lets you claim twice for advanced stage critical illness, twice for major cancers and twice for early or intermediate stage critical illnesses. ManuLife Ready CompleteCare offers a payout of up to 500% of the sum assured for 36 critical illnesses and lets you claim up to 6 times per policy as long as each of the conditions are different. There is also a lump sum benefit of S$25,000 when diagnosed with one of the 18 Special Conditions.

Prudential PRUTriple Protect

A multi-pay option with high payout.

Prudential's PRUtriple Protect plan is another multi-pay critical illness option, offering one of the highest potential payouts on the market. You can claim up to 300% (maximum of S$9 million) of your sum assured and you'll have protection against death and total and permanent disability as well. Get a quote by speaking to one of our advisors at PolicyPal.

A multi-pay option with high payout.

Prudential's PRUtriple Protect plan is another multi-pay option, offering one of the highest potential payouts on the market. You can claim up to 300% (maximum of S$9 million) of your sum assured and you'll have protection against death and total and permanent disability as well. Get a quote by speaking to one of our advisors at PolicyPal.

Early Stage Critical Illness Insurance Plans

Early stage critical illness insurance plans offer full payouts for early and intermediate stage critical illnesses. This is in contrast to regular critical illness plans that only offer a full payout during the advanced stage of the illness.

Plan:
Plan Name:MyEarly Critical IllnessEarlyStage Criticare
Max. Age:9975
Sum Assured:Up to S$250,000Up to S$200,000
Coverage:All stages of CIAll stages of CI
Features:Free child cover, Waiver of premiums, Death benefit, Special benefit for 18 other diseases, Choice of currencyWaiver of premiums, 150% payout for terminal stage illness, Post-CI check-up benefit
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Singlife with Aviva's MyEarly Critical Illness Plan will provide a 100% lump sum payout in for any of the covered critical illnesses at any of their stages. It will also cover you until age 99 and lets you pay in the currency of your choice, including USD, GBP and AUD. Due to its simplicity, it is one of the cheapest critical illness plans on the market, costing around 50% less than its main competitor, TM EarlyCover.

Another example of a critical illness plan that covers early stage conditions is AXA's EarlyStage Criticare. With this plan, you will receive a 100% lump sum payout during the early onset of your critical illness and up to 150% of the sum assured at the terminal stage of your illness. It also offers a premium waiver for the duration of your policy after your first successful claim. If you'd like to learn more about these plans, reach out to our advisors at PolicyPal.


  • Plan Name: MyEarly Critical Illness
  • Max Age: 99
  • Sum Assured: Up to S$250,000
  • Coverage: All stages of CI
  • Features: Free child cover, Waiver of premiums, Death benefit, Special benefit for 18 other diseases, Choice of currency

  • Plan Name: EarlyStage Criticare
  • Max Age: 75
  • Sum Assured: Up to S$200,000
  • Coverage: All stages of CI
  • Features: Waiver of premiums, 150% payout for terminal stage illness, Post-CI check-up benefit
ValueChampion x PolicyPal Promotion: Get up to 20% off your life insurance premiums

Singlife with Aviva's MyEarly Critical Illness Plan will provide a 100% lump sum payout in for any of the covered critical illnesses at any of their stages. It will also cover you until age 99 and lets you pay in the currency of your choice, including USD, GBP and AUD. Due to its simplicity, it is one of the cheapest critical illness plans on the market, costing around 50% less than its main competitor, TM EarlyCover.

Another example of a critical illness plan that covers early stage conditions is AXA's EarlyStage Criticare. With this plan, you will receive a 100% lump sum payout during the early onset of your critical illness and up to 150% of the sum assured at the terminal stage of your illness. It also offers a premium waiver for the duration of your policy after your first successful claim. If you'd like to learn more about these plans, reach out to our advisors at PolicyPal.

Tailored Critical Illness Plans

There are some critical illness plans that target either a specific demographic or a specific illness. These serve to provide protection for consumers who are concerned about a particular illness and would rather pay only for the coverage they need.

Plans:
Plan Name:TM ProtectCancerAXA CritiCare for Her/Him
Max. Age:8565
Sum Assured:Up to S$150,000Up to S$150,000
Coverage:Early and advanced stage cancerGender-specific critical illnesses
Features:Death benefit, 50% early detection benefit, Guaranteed renewableGuaranteed renewable, Premium waiver, Multiple claims, Free child cover, Biennial health checkup, Reconstructive surgery, Support benefit
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A good example of a tailored critical illness policy is TokioMarine's Protect Cancer Plan, which offers insurance protection for early and advanced stage cancers. Its coverage is for adults between the ages of 30 and 65 and you will get a 50% payout upon diagnosis of early-stage cancer and a full payout up to S$150,000 upon diagnosis advanced stage cancer.

Another exmaple is AXA's Criticare for Her/Him plans. These plans offer tailored coverage of gender-specific critical illnesses such as cervical cancer or prostate cancer. They also provide miscellaneous benefits such as a premium waiver after the first payout, free child cover and biennial health checkups. Are you interested in these plans or want to learn more? Consult with our advisors at PolicyPal to find the best plan for you.


  • Plan Name: TM ProtectCancer
  • Max. Age: 85
  • Sum Assured: Up to S$150,000
  • Coverage: Early and advanced stage cancer
  • Features: Death benefit, 50% early detection benefit, guaranteed renewable

  • Plan Name: AXA CritiCare for Her/Him
  • Max. Age: 65
  • Sum Assured: Up to S$150,000
  • Coverage: Gender Specific Critical Illnesses
  • Features: Surgery, Reconstructive surgery, Support benefit, Guaranteed renewable, waiver of premium, multiple claims, free child cover, biennial health checkup
ValueChampion x PolicyPal Promotion: Get up to 20% off your life insurance premiums

A good example of a tailored critical illness policy is TokioMarine's Protect Cancer Plan, which offers protection for early and advanced stage cancers. Its coverage is for adults between the ages of 30 and 65 and you will get a 50% payout upon diagnosis of early-stage cancer and a full payout up to S$150,000 upon diagnosis advanced stage cancer.

Another exmaple is AXA's Criticare for Her/Him plans. These plans offer tailored coverage of gender-specific critical illnesses such as cervical cancer or prostate cancer. They also provide miscellaneous benefits such as a premium waiver after the first payout, free child cover and biennial health checkups. Are you interested in these plans or want to learn more? Consult with our advisors at PolicyPal to find the best plan for you.

Cheapest DPI Life Insurance Critical Illness Riders

Critical illness insurance is a type of insurance that offers a lump sum payment if you are diagnosed with any of the illnesses covered in your critical illness plan. You can spend this lump sum on anything ranging from paying gaps in your health insurance to everyday life expenses. There are two main types of critical illness insurance that you will encounter: standalone plans and add-ons. Standalone plans can be purchased without a life insurance policy whereas add-on plans will require you to purchase a base life insurance plan first. Currently, the Life Insurance Association (LIA) lists 37 critical illnesses, with standardised definitions across all critical illness insurance plans. All Direct Purchase Life Insurance (DPI) plans offer critical insurance riders that provide coverage for at least 30 of the 37 critical illnesses.

This graph shows the average cost of adding a critical illness rider to a direct purchase life insurance plan

FWD Term Life DPI Critical Illness Rider

Pairing this CI rider with FWD's Term Life plan may be up to 50% cheaper than other similar packages for people looking for S$300-400k of coverage
Life Sum AssuredCI CoveragePlan TenureAge 25Age 35Age 45
S$50,000S$50,0005-YearsS$4.16S$6.88S$17.11
20-YearsS$6.36S$12.19S$28.28
Age 65S$11.14S$16.26S$27.05
S$200,000S$200,0005-YearsS$13.33S$23.15S$59.99
20-YearsS$17.72S$40.87S$104.19
Age 65S$37.19S$58.59S$101.91
S$400,000S$400,0005-YearsS$23.86S$42.10S$111.91
20-YearsS$31.92S$75.42S$192.94
Age 65S$67.36S$107.34S$188.38
Monthly premiums are subject to change, are for Non-Smoking Males and include the Critical Illness rider

FWD's term life DPI plan is affordable enough that its rates are still competitive even when you add the critical illness rider. For instance, consumers looking for DPI plans with S$300,000-S$400,000 of death and terminal illness coverage will see base plan and rider premiums around 50% cheaper than the industry. Furthermore, FWD is also competitive for 20-year DPI plans, with its premiums around 25-35% cheaper compared to other 20-year plans on the market. Its critical illness rider provides coverage for 30 out of the 37 critical illnesses. However, once you do make a claim on your critical illness rider, sum insured for death and terminal illness will be reduced according to the amount of your claim.

Pairing this CI rider with FWD's Term Life plan may be up to 50% cheaper than other similar packages for people looking for S$300-400k of coverage
Life Sum AssuredCI CoveragePlan TenureAge 25Age 35Age 45
S$50,000S$50,0005-YearsS$4.16S$6.88S$17.11
20-YearsS$6.36S$12.19S$28.28
Age 65S$11.14S$16.26S$27.05
S$200,000S$200,0005-YearsS$13.33S$23.15S$59.99
20-YearsS$17.72S$40.87S$104.19
Age 65S$37.19S$58.59S$101.91
S$400,000S$400,0005-YearsS$23.86S$42.10S$111.91
20-YearsS$31.92S$75.42S$192.94
Age 65S$67.36S$107.34S$188.38
Premiums are subject to change, are for Non-Smoking Males and include the Critical Illness rider

FWD's term life DPI plan is affordable enough that its rates are still competitive even when you add the critical illness rider. For instance, consumers looking for DPI plans with S$300,000-S$400,000 of death and terminal illness coverage will see base plan and rider premiums around 50% cheaper than the industry. Furthermore, FWD is also competitive for 20-year DPI plans, with its premiums around 25-35% cheaper compared to other 20-year plans on the market. Its critical illness rider provides coverage for 30 out of the 37 critical illnesses. However, once you do make a claim on your critical illness rider, sum insured for death and terminal illness will be reduced according to the amount of your claim.

Singlife with Aviva Term Life DPI Critical Illness Rider

Pairing this rider with Singlife with Aviva's Term Life plan can result in an attractively priced package that's 15% below average for younger consumers.
Life Sum AssuredCI CoveragePlan TenureAge 25Age 35Age 45
S$50,000S$50,0005-YearsS$3.85S$6.30S$15.60
20-YearsS$5.15S$11.80N/A
Age 65S$9.45S$16.65S$29.85
S$200,000S$200,0005-YearsS$13.70S$23.10S$58.25
20-YearsS$18.65S$43.50N/A
Age 65S$34.35S$61.25S$110.65
S$400,000S$400,0005-YearsS$26.30S$44.90S$113.90
20-YearsS$36.10S$84.75N/A
Age 65S$66.55S$119.10S$215.80
Premiums are subject to change, are for Non-Smoking Males and include Critical Illness coverage

Aviva's critical illness rider is very competitively priced for younger consumers looking for 5-year and 20-year DPI plans. For instance, Aviva's 5-year term life DPI base life insurance plan plus the critical illness rider can cost up to 15% less than the same combination from other insurance companies. Aviva offers coverage for 30 of the 37 critical illnesses. Similar to other DPI critical illness add-ons, it will decrease the total death benefit by the amount claimed of the critical illness rider. To learn more about adding a critical illness rider to your life insurance, please speak to our advisors at PolicyPal by clicking the "Get a Quote" button above.

Consider this if Pairing this rider with Aviva's Term Life plan can result in an attractively priced package that's 15% below average for younger consumers.
Life Sum AssuredCI CoveragePlan TenureAge 25Age 35Age 45
S$50,000S$50,0005-YearsS$3.85S$6.30S$15.60
20-YearsS$5.15S$11.80N/A
Age 65S$9.45S$16.65S$29.85
S$200,000S$200,0005-YearsS$13.70S$23.10S$58.25
20-YearsS$18.65S$43.50N/A
Age 65S$34.35S$61.25S$110.65
S$400,000S$400,0005-YearsS$26.30S$44.90S$113.90
20-YearsS$36.10S$84.75N/A
Age 65S$66.55S$119.10S$215.80
Premiums are subject to change, are for Non-Smoking Males and include Critical Illness coverage

Aviva's critical illness rider is very competitively priced for younger consumers looking for 5-year and 20-year DPI plans. For instance, Aviva's 5-year term life DPI base life insurance plan plus the critical illness rider can cost up to 15% less than the same combination from other insurance companies. Aviva offers coverage for 30 of the 37 critical illnesses. Similar to other DPI critical illness add-ons, it will decrease the total death benefit by the amount claimed of the critical illness rider. To learn more about adding a critical illness rider to your life insurance, please speak to our advisors at PolicyPal by clicking the "Get a Quote" button above.

SingLife DIRECT – Singlife Critical lllness (Term Life / Whole Life)

Pairing this critical illness rider with SingLife with Aviva's term life plan will result in competitively priced packages for individuals over 45 years of age.
Life Sum AssuredCI CoveragePlan TenureAge 25Age 35Age 45
S$50,000S$50,0005-YearsS$4.78S$7.35S$16.89
20-YearsS$5.04S$11.42N/A
Age 65S$8.56S$16.67S$29.24
S$200,000S$200,0005-YearsS$17.22S$27.34S$64.93
20-YearsS$18.25S$43.40N/A
Age 65S$32.21S$64.16S$113.80
S$400,000S$400,0005-YearsS$32.27S$52.00S$125.52
20-YearsS$34.23S$83.40N/A
Age 65S$61.81S$124.31S$221.58
Monthly premiums are subject to change, are for Non-Smoking Males and include Critical Illness coverage.

SingLife's Term Life DPI and Critical Illness rider combination are competitive for older consumers, especially for up-to-age 65 plans. For instance, SingLife's up-to-age 65 plans cost around 10% below average for consumers 45 and over compared to other DPI term life/critical rider packages. SingLife's critical illness rider covers 30 critical illness conditions and terminal illnesses. SingLife is an accelerated payment policy, meaning that once you file a claim under the critical illness rider, your base plan's death and terminal illness will decrease by the claimed amount. To learn more about adding a critical illness rider to your life insurance, please speak to our advisors at PolicyPal by clicking the "Get a Quote" button above.

Pairing this critical illness rider with SingLife's term life plan will result in competitively priced packages for individuals over 45 years of age.
Life Sum AssuredCI CoveragePlan TenureAge 25Age 35Age 45
S$50,000S$50,0005-YearsS$4.78S$7.35S$16.89
20-YearsS$5.04S$11.42N/A
Age 65S$8.56S$16.67S$29.24
S$200,000S$200,0005-YearsS$17.22S$27.34S$64.93
20-YearsS$18.25S$43.40N/A
Age 65S$32.21S$64.16S$113.80
S$400,000S$400,0005-YearsS$32.27S$52.00S$125.52
20-YearsS$34.23S$83.40N/A
Age 65S$61.81S$124.31S$221.58
Monthly premiums are subject to change, are for Non-Smoking Males and include Critical Illness coverage.

SingLife's Term Life DPI and Critical Illness rider combination are competitive for older consumers, especially for up-to-age 65 plans. For instance, SingLife's up-to-age 65 plans cost around 10% below average for consumers 45 and over compared to other DPI term life/critical rider packages. SingLife's critical illness rider covers 30 critical illness conditions and terminal illnesses. SingLife is an accelerated payment policy, meaning that once you file a claim under the critical illness rider, your base plan's death and terminal illness will decrease by the claimed amount. To learn more about adding a critical illness rider to your life insurance, please speak to our advisors at PolicyPal by clicking the "Get a Quote" button above.

Etiqa Whole Life DPI Critical Illness Rider

Adding this rider to Etiqa's DPI Whole Life policy will result in total premiums that are 15-20% below average for similar packages
Amount InsuredAmount of CI CoveragePlan TenureAge 25Age 35Age 45
S$50,000S$50,000Age 70S$64.23S$91.31S$143.73
Age 85S$61.28S$84.62S$125.31
S$100,000S$100,000Age 70S$128.47S$182.63S$287.46
Age 85S$122.58169.24S$250.61
S$150,000S$150,000Age 70S$192.69S$273.94S$431.19
Age 85S$183.86S$253.85S$375.92
S$200,000S$200,000Age 70S$256.92S$365.26S$574.93
Age 85S$245.15S$338.47S$501.22
Monthly premiums are subject to change, are for Non-Smoking Males and include Critical Illness coverage

Etiqa's critical illness rider is competitively priced compared to other whole life DPI and critical illness plan packages. For instance, the total cost of its up to age 70 whole life DPI and critical illness rider package is up to 15-20% cheaper than the industry average. Etiqa's critical illness rider covers 30 of the 37 critical illnesses. Similar to other DPI critical illness riders, it will reduce the sum insured on your base DPI policy by the amount claimed on your critical illness rider.

Adding this rider to Etiqa's DPI Whole Life policy will result in total premiums that are 15-20% below average for similar packages
Amount InsuredAmount of CI CoveragePlan TenureAge 25Age 35Age 45
S$50,000S$50,000Age 70S$64.23S$91.31S$143.73
Age 85S$61.28S$84.62S$125.31
S$100,000S$100,000Age 70S$128.47S$182.63S$287.46
Age 85S$122.58169.24S$250.61
S$150,000S$150,000Age 70S$192.69S$273.94S$431.19
Age 85S$183.86S$253.85S$375.92
S$200,000S$200,000Age 70S$256.92S$365.26S$574.93
Age 85S$245.15S$338.47S$501.22
Monthly premiums are subject to change, are for Non-Smoking Males and include Critical Illness coverage

Etiqa's critical illness rider is competitively priced compared to other whole life DPI and critical illness plan packages. For instance, the total cost of its up to age 70 whole life DPI and critical illness rider package is up to 15-20% cheaper than the industry average. Etiqa's critical illness rider covers 30 of the 37 critical illnesses. Similar to other DPI critical illness riders, it will reduce the sum insured on your base DPI policy by the amount claimed on your critical illness rider.

What Is Critical Illness Insurance?

Critical illness insurance is a type of health insurance that provides a lump-sum payout in the case you are diagnosed with a critical illness or undergo surgery that is covered by your plan. There are many types of critical illness insurance plans that can cover multiple illnesses at a time or focus on protection for one type of illness (like cancer).

What Does Critical Illness Insurance Cover?

Each provider has a different list of eligible critical illnesses, as well as optional riders to extend your range of coverage. Most critical illness plans cover "the big 3" illnesses: cancer, heart attack or stroke. In addition to these common critical illnesses, you can find coverage for the following, as well:

  • Cancer
  • Heart Attack
  • Stroke
  • Coronary Artery By-pass Surgery
  • Parkinson's Disease
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Alzheimer's Disease
  • Severe Dementia
  • Kidney Failure
  • Bacterial Meningitis
  • Major Burns
  • Loss of Speech
  • Blindness
  • Deafness
  • Viral Encephalitis
  • HIV Due To Blood Transfusion
  • Occupationally Acquired HIV
  • Lung Disease
  • Liver Failure
  • Major Depressive Disorders

Is It Worth Buying Critical Illness Insurance?

While critical illness isn't mandatory, it could be a necessary contingency plan to avoid paying thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket costs if you get diagnosed with a severe illness. This does not only apply to older people, as many young people get diagnosed with critical illnesses, especially early stage illnesses.

Additionally, the best critical illness insurance plan can help with more than medical costs accrued from an illness in Singapore. While a general health insurance plan may cover expenses from cancer treatment, it won't provide you with a lump-sum payout. In that sense, a CI plan acts as added financial protection for you and your family, especially in the case that you are unable to work due to your diagnosis.

How to Find the Best Critical Illness Plan

The best critical illness policy for you depends wholly on your individual needs. For instance, the add-on option that is offered with your life insurance policy may be enough if you want to be protected against major illnesses but may not require specific coverage. However, you should note that when it comes to DPI policies, your critical illness payout will reduce your total death & TPD benefit by that amount. In this case, you should make sure you have a sufficient amount of death coverage left over in the event you need to make a critical illness claim in Singapore.

Alternatively, you can also opt for gender or disease specific plans if you are worried about a particular illness. These plans are usually labeled as female, male or cancer illness plans and can be a good option if you have a higher risk of these diseases. On the other hand, multi-pay policies may be a good option for those looking to spend a little more but get the ability to claim multiple times throughout their policy. This is an especially helpful benefit for those who want long-term cancer insurance protection since the risk of getting other cancers or other diseases caused by cancer treatment (e.g. heart problems after chemotherapy or radiation treatment) increases after developing cancer.

Lastly, early-stage critical illness plans may benefit consumers who prioritise prevention. These plans cover all stages of critical illnesses, in contrast to the average CI plan that only covers late stage illnesses. These critical illness insurance plans are one of the best options for individuals who are cash-strapped since early treatment is generally more affordable than late-stage treatment.

Disclaimer

Regardless of the policy you are thinking of getting, analysing all of your life insurance options and speaking to a licensed financial advisor is key to making sure you are getting the right plan. We do not claim to endorse, promote or recommend any product on this page. All products listed here are examples of different types of critical illness insurance and their benefits and are meant for educational purposes only.

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Anastassia Evlanova

Anastassia is a Senior Research Analyst at ValueChampion Singapore, evaluating insurance products for consumers based on quantitative and qualitative financial analysis. She holds degrees in Economics and International Business Management and her prior working experience includes work in the capital markets sector. Her analyses surrounding insurance, healthcare, international affairs and personal finance has been featured on AsiaOne, Business Insider, DW, Vice, Her World, Asia Insurance Review, the Australian Institute of International Affairs and more.

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