FWD Personal Accident Insurance: Is It Enough?
FWD Personal Accident Insurance: Is It Enough?
ValueChampion Rating 
Pros
- Below average cost for most plans
- Affordable premiums for manual workers
- Market-beating home modification and child support benefit coverage
Cons
- 100% cap for total and permanent disability (compared to others with 150-300% coverage)
- Only offers cash benefits for more expensive plans
Because FWD's Personal Accident Insurance is competitively priced while offering a variety of benefits, it can be a great option for value-seeking consumers. In fact, it can be especially appealing for consumers working in manual occupations, as FWD's lower coverage plans are some of the most affordable in the market for risky occupations. Furthermore, its wide breadth of above-average coverage for things such as home modifications, physiotherapy and personal liability can appeal to everyone from sole breadwinners to seniors.
Table of Contents
| Summary of FWD Personal Accident Insurance Plans |
|---|
| Below average cost for most plans, regardless of your job but S$1 million coverage plan costs above average for most occupations |
| Offers market-beating home modification and child support benefit coverage |
| Can purchase the plan online |
| Covers medical expenses for the maximum number of infectious diseases including Coronavirus (COVID-19) and dengue |
| Provides COVID-19 coverage in just 15 days after your policy starts, compared to the usual waiting period of 90 days & provides coverage for vaccine side effects that land you in the hospital (until end of 2021) |
| Promotions:
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FWD Personal Accident Insurance Plan Highlights
FWD Personal Accident Insurance could be an attractive option for consumers looking for an affordable personal accident plan that also provides comprehensive benefits. FWD offers 5 different plans to choose from. These range from its basic plan of S$100,000 of accidental death and total and permanent disability coverage to its top tier plan with S$1 million dollars of accidental death and total and permanent disability coverage. With the exception of FWD's S$1 million dollar plan, we found most of FWD's plans to be very competitively priced. In fact, most of its premiums cost between 30%-60% below industry average.
FWD's coverage is also robust and it offers plenty of benefits to cover all the bases of dealing with an accident. For instance, beyond the standard accidental death, burns and disability coverage, it also offers market beating home modification, infectious disease (including COVID-19), ambulance fee and child support coverage. The S$500,000 and S$1 million coverage plans also include a weekly income benefit (payment while you take time off work to recover from a disability) and a daily hospital cash benefit (cash payment for each day you are hospitalised, quarantined or admitted to an ICU). Overall, these benefits can make FWD's Personal Accident insurance plans appealing to a wide range of demographics, including those who value customisation.
Despite all of FWD's strengths, we did notice that its PA plans fall slightly short compared to other insurers when it comes to total and permanent disability benefits. While some insurers offer to pay out 150%-300% of the sum assured for total and permanent disability, FWD keeps it capped at 100% and only offers additional disability coverage for an added price. Furthermore, as mentioned previously, it only offers coverage cash benefits for its higher coverage plans. Since these add-ons cost around S$80-S$110, this can price out consumers who value these benefits but can't afford FWD's S$500k or S$1 million plans.
FWD Personal Accident Insurance & Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Fwd's personal accident insurance covers Coronavirus as early as 15 days after policy inception. You will receive up to S$7,500 of inpatient and outpatient care in Singapore, a daily hospital income of S$250 or S$500 if you are quarantined or admitted to an ICU for 3 days or more. By adding the optional rider, your infectious disease medical coverage will increase to S$15,000 for overseas treatment. If you need to use a taxi to get around after a hospital stay, FWD will pay you up to S$100 every day for two weeks if you've been hospitalised in Singapore for 5 or more days. Lastly, you will also have emergency phone charges coverage of up to S$300 if you are overseas and need to make emergency calls to Singapore.
FWD also provides coverage for hospitalisations related to vaccination side-effects. This means if you end up getting side effects that land you in the hospital within 30 days of receiving your shot, you'll receive up to the limit stated for your medical expenses for inpatient & outpatient benefit. While side effects are generally mild and not a cause for concern, this can be a useful benefit if you are nervous about allergic reactions or any other conditions that may make you susceptible to adverse effects.
FWD Personal Accident Insurance 100k Plan
FWD's basic-tier plan can be a good option for budget-constrained consumers looking for a personal accident plan that offers more than just basic accidental death and disability coverage. It is very competitively priced with premiums that are 25-35% cheaper than average for most consumers. It is an especially great budget option for workers in hazardous occupations, as its premiums are 40% cheaper than average for these individuals.
Furthermore, out of its competitors, FWD's S$100,000 plan offers the most benefits, including a taxi allowance, ambulance fee coverage, physiotherapy expense coverage and personal liability coverage (coverage for legal fees if your accident involves a third party). It also offers a S$100,000 child support benefit—the highest on the market for basic plans. All of these benefits are in addition to the standard accidental death and disability coverage, 24-hour worldwide assistance and unlimited emergency evacuation.
| Premiums & Benefits | Plan 1 | Basic Plan Avg. |
|---|---|---|
| White Collar Worker Premiums | S$120 | S$138 |
| Heavy Manual/Unskilled Worker Premiums | S$240 | S$346 |
| Accidental Death | S$100,000 | S$86,364 |
| Total & Permanent Disability | S$100,000 | S$95,455 |
| Medical Expenses for Accidental Injury | S$2,000 | S$2,143 |
| Mobility Aids | S$500 | S$1,800 |
| Home Modifications | S$10,000 | S$4,000 |
FWD Personal Accident Insurance 200k & 300k Plans
FWD's S$200,000 and S$300,000 sum assured plans can be suitable options for consumers who are looking for budget mid-tier plans. This is because their premiums are approximately 40% cheaper than the market average. Similar to FWD's S$100,000 coverage plan, these plans are not the absolute cheapest options, but they do offer more coverage than their competitors. For instance, despite mobility prosthetics and medical coverages being below average, you will receive above average coverage for ambulance fee reimbursement, home modifications, personal liability, funeral grant and child support benefits. Furthermore, you'll get all these benefits without paying extra—a fairly notable benefit considering many insurers charge extra for these benefits.
| Premiums & Benefits | 200k Plan | 300k Plan |
|---|---|---|
| White Collar Worker Premiums | S$227 | S$360 |
| Heavy Manual/Unskilled Worker Premium | S$453 | S$719.99 |
| Accidental Death | S$200,000 | S$300,000 |
| Total & Permanent Disability | S$200,000 | S$300,000 |
| Medical Expenses for Accidental Injury | S$4,000 | S$6,000 |
| Mobility Aids | S$1,000 | S$2,000 |
| Home Modifications | S$15,000 | S$20,000 |
FWD Personal Accident Insurance 500k & 1000k Plans
FWD's top-tier S$500,000 and S$1 million dollar coverage plans may be valuable options for consumers in risky occupations who are looking for a competitively priced high coverage PA plans. This is because unlike other individuals who will find premiums for these plans to cost either average or above average, consumers in manual occupations will find that their premiums are up to 30% cheaper than average.
However, the coverage provided by these plans is consistently above peer average. For instance, in addition to the standard accidental death and disability coverage, you will receive above average coverage amounts for categories such as physiotherapy, medical expenses, home modifications, funeral grant and child support coverage. These two plans also include a 2 year weekly income benefit (if you have to take time off work after a disability) and a daily hospital cash benefit without making you pay extra. This makes it a great option for families with one breadwinner who would like to be ensure they'll be able to pay the bills in the event of an emergency.
| Premiums & Benefits | 500k Plan | 1000k Plan |
|---|---|---|
| White Collar Worker Premiums | S$733 | S$1,333 |
| Heavy Manual/Unskilled Worker Premium | S$1,467 | S$2,667 |
| Accidental Death | S$500,000 | S$100,000,00 |
| Total & Permanent Disability | S$500,000 | S$100,000,00 |
| Medical Expenses for Accidental Injury | S$10,000 | S$15,000 |
| Mobility aids | S$3,000 | S$5,000 |
| Home Modification | S$30,000 | S$50,000 |
| Weekly Cash (up to 104 weeks) | S$300 | S$500 |
FWD Personal Accident Optional Add-Ons
FWD offers several optional benefits you can purchase to top-off coverage for your personal accident plan. If you are purchasing the plans with S$100,000-S$300,000 of accidental death and disability coverage you can purchase a daily hospital income coverage and the weekly income benefit. For all plans, you can purchase riders to cover damaged electronic devices (cell phones, tablets, laptops), medical expenses incurred overseas and additional disability coverage. There are two different disability riders: the additional permanent disability rider allows you to add more disability protection and the enhanced permanent & total disability rider disability rider increases your coverage in the event you'll be unable to re-enter your prior job.
In general, we found the personal electronics rider to be the cheapest and the weekly income and enhanced total and permanent disability riders to be the most expensive. Thus, while getting the personal electronics rider may be worth getting (especially because today's tech is quite expensive), you will have to consider whether the additional disability coverage is something that will be worth the extra cost.
Summary of Optional Riders
| Benefits | 100k Plan | 200k Plan | 300k Plan | 500k Plan | 1000k Plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Hospital Income | S$50 | S$100 | S$200 | Inc. In Base Plan | Inc. In Base Plan |
| Weekly Income Benefit | S$50 | S$100 | S$200 | Inc. In Base Plan | Inc. In Base Plan |
| Damage to Electronic Personal Device Cover | S$500 | S$1,000 | S$1,500 | S$2,000 | S$3,000 |
| Overseas Medical Expense Coverage | S$4,000 | S$8,000 | S$12,000 | S$20,000 | S$30,000 |
| Additional Permanent Total & Partial Disability | S$50,000 | S$100,000 | S$150,000 | S$250,000 | S$500,000 |
| Enhanced Permanent & Total Disability | S$100,000 | S$200,000 | S$300,000 | S$500,000 | S$1,000,000 |
Policy Exclusions
FWD's Personal Accident insurance does not cover accidents caused by being under the influence of drugs or alcohol, negligence/recklessness and illegal activity. Furthermore, accidents caused by suicide, intentional self harm, pre-existing medical conditions and participation in professional sports are not covered as well. Lastly, despite being able to purchase the plan, those working in hazardous work positions such as a police officers, firefighters, air/ship crewmembers, military/naval personnel or oil-riggers cannot claim for work-related accidents.
Claims & Contact Information
To file a personal accident claim with FWD, you should call their emergency assistance number (listed below) or file a claim through their claims portal. You must let FWD know of any eligible events within 30 days of the accident occurring and submit the appropriate documentation including medical reports, original invoices and police reports. Failure to do so may result in a denied claim.
| Contact Information | |
|---|---|
| Customer Service Hotline | +65 6820 8888 |
| Emergency Assistance Hotline | +65 6322 2072 |
| [email protected] | |
| PA Claims Info | Claims Guide |
| Claim Submission | Online Form |
| Branch Address | FWD Singapore Pte Ltd, 6 Temasek Boulevard, #18-01 Suntec Tower Four, Singapore 038986 |
FWD Personal Accident Cost & Features
Despite offering a plethora of valuable benefits, FWD's personal accident plans remain competitively priced and can entice everyone from office workers to construction workers. However, you should make sure to compare as many plans as you can before settling on a policy to ensure you are getting the best plan for you. Below, you'll find a table summarising FWD's Personal Accident insurance premiums and coverages. If you'd like to compare it to other plans on the market, you can read our guide to the best personal accident plans in Singapore.
| Coverage & Premiums | 100k Plan | 200k Plan | 300k Plan | 500k Plan | 1000k Plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White Collar/Office Worker Premium | S$120 | S$227 | S$360 | S$733 | S$1,333 |
| Sales/Light Manual Worker Premium | S$150 | S$284 | S$451 | S$918 | S$1,670 |
| Skilled & Semi-skilled Manual Worker Premium | S$222 | S$420 | S$667 | S$1,359 | S$2,471 |
| Heavy Manual/Unskilled Worker Premium | S$240 | S$453 | S$720 | S$1,467 | S$2,667 |
| Accidental Death Coverage | S$100,000 | S$200,000 | S$300,000 | S$500,000 | S$1,000,000 |
| Total Disability Coverage | S$100,000 | S$200,000 | S$300,000 | S$500,000 | S$1,000,000 |
| Medical Expenses | S$2,000 | S$4,000 | S$6,000 | S$10,000 | S$15,000 |
| Mobility Prosthetics/Aids | S$500 | S$1,000 | S$2,000 | S$3,000 | S$5,000 |
| Home Modification | S$10,000 | S$15,000 | S$20,000 | S$30,000 | S$50,000 |
| Physiotherapy | S$1,000 | S$1,500 | S$2,000 | S$3,000 | S$5,000 |
| Weekly Income (104 weeks) | N/A | N/A | N/A | S$300 | S$500 |
| Daily Hospital Cash (365 days) | N/A | N/A | N/A | S$300 | S$500 |
| Ambulance Fee | S$500 | S$500 | S$500 | S$500 | S$500 |
| Daily Taxi Allowance (2 weeks) | S$20/day | S$30/day | S$40/day | S$60/day | S$100/day |
| Child Support Benefit | S$100,000 | S$200,000 | S$300,000 | S$500,000 | S$1,000,000 |
| Personal Liability | S$100,000 | S$200,000 | S$300,000 | S$400,000 | S$500,000 |
| Funeral Grant | S$5,000 | S$5,000 | S$5,000 | S$5,000 | S$5,000 |
| *Premiums rounded to nearest dollar | |||||
Protected up to specified limits by SDIC. This is only product information provided. You may wish to seek advice from a qualified adviser before buying the product. If you choose not to seek advice from a qualified adviser, you should consider whether the product is suitable for you. Buying an insurance product that is not suitable for you may impact your ability to finance your future financial needs. If you decide that the policy is not suitable after purchasing the policy, you may terminate the policy in accordance with the free-look provision, if any, and the insurer may recover from you any expense incurred by the insurer in underwriting the policy.