Insurance and bond companion guide

Maid Insurance and Security Bond Singapore: What Employers Need Before Arrival

Separate medical insurance, personal accident insurance, and security bond before relying on any package label.

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Quick answer

Medical insurance, personal accident insurance, and security bond are separate

For a new MDW arrival, MOM says the employer must buy medical insurance and personal accident insurance before the helper arrives [mom-insurance].

MOM also says the employer must buy a $5,000 security bond for each helper, except Malaysian helpers, and cannot ask the helper to pay for it [mom-bond].

Item	What it is	MOM-backed checkpoint
Medical insurance	Coverage for inpatient care and day surgery during the helper's stay.	At least $60,000 annual claim limit; sub-limits must meet the same minimum [mom-insurance].
Personal accident insurance	Lump-sum protection for accidental death or permanent disability.	At least $60,000 sum assured, payable to the helper or beneficiaries [mom-insurance].
Security bond	A banker's or insurer's guarantee to MOM if Work Permit or bond conditions are breached.	$5,000 for non-Malaysian helpers; must be effective when the helper arrives [mom-bond].

Official sources

Use MOM to check each component

This page uses MOM as the source for MI, PAI, security bond, timing, employer-cost, and before-arrival dependency statements. Recheck MOM before buying, submitting, or advising on a case.

Insurance requirements

MOM sets MI and PAI minimums, enhanced MI timing, and the employer-cost rule [mom-insurance].

Security bond

MOM sets the bond amount, Malaysian exception, helper-cost prohibition, filing lead time, effective-date rule, and forfeiture/discharge context [mom-bond].

Arrival preparation

MOM places security bond and insurance in the before-arrival Work Permit preparation route [mom-apply].

Split the bundle

Three separate checks sit behind one common phrase

Employers often say maid insurance, but MOM's source trail separates the components.

MI

Medical insurance is about inpatient care and day surgery, with the MOM annual claim limit [mom-insurance].

PAI

Personal accident insurance is about accidental death or permanent disability compensation [mom-insurance].

Bond

Security bond is a pledge to the government, not medical or accident coverage [mom-bond].

Before-arrival sequence

What to arrange before the helper travels

The practical risk is not only buying something. It is getting the timing and effective date right.

Sequence	Employer check	Why it matters
1	Buy MI and PAI before arrival [mom-insurance].	MOM frames this as part of the employer's medical obligation to the helper.
2	Buy the security bond for a non-Malaysian helper [mom-bond].	MOM says the bond is required except for Malaysian helpers.
3	Tell the bank or insurer to send bond details to MOM, allowing up to 3 working days [mom-bond].	The bond details have to reach MOM before the arrival path is safe.
4	Make sure the bond takes effect when the helper arrives [mom-bond].	If it is not effective on arrival, MOM says the helper may be refused entry.
5	Print the bond acknowledgement letter and send a copy to the helper [mom-bond].	This belongs in the before-arrival preparation chain.

Responsibility split

Costs and records should not be pushed onto the helper

The public page should help employers understand the boundary before any private record moves.

Question	Public-safe answer	Source
Can the helper pay for insurance?	MOM says the employer cannot pass on the insurance purchase cost to the helper.	[mom-insurance]
Can the helper pay for the security bond?	MOM says the employer cannot ask the helper to pay for the bond.	[mom-bond]
Can the bond be bought as part of a package?	MOM says the employer can buy security bond, medical insurance, and personal accident insurance as a package or separately.	[mom-bond]
Does a package prove the case is ready?	No. The effective date, bond details, MI, PAI, and renewal context still need checking.	[mom-insurance][mom-bond][mom-renewal]

Arrival risk

The highest-friction mistake is a bond that is not effective on arrival

MOM says if the security bond is not in effect when the helper arrives in Singapore, the immigration officer will not allow her to enter, and MOM cannot change the bond effective date to allow entry [mom-bond].

Do not arrange arrival before checking the bond effective date.

Allow time for the bank or insurer to send bond details.

Keep IPA, passport, policy, payment, and bond records out of public contact.

Guided pathways

Choose the next guide by the timing question

Use the broad insurance hub for the full topic, or use renewal insurance if the Work Permit already exists.

Hub

Maid insurance

The wider MI, PAI, security bond, renewal, and FAQ guide.

Renewal

Renewal insurance

Use when the existing Work Permit is nearing renewal.

Permit

Work Permit

Use when eligibility, application, issuance, levy, or notifications are the main question.

Support

Insurance or bond support

Ask a document-light first question before records move.

Employer questions

FAQ

Short answers, source-linked where needed.

Is the security bond the same as insurance?

No. MOM describes the security bond as a banker's or insurer's guarantee to the government if Work Permit or security bond conditions are breached. It is separate from MI and PAI [mom-bond].

Do Malaysian helpers need the security bond?

MOM says the $5,000 security bond is required for each helper except Malaysian helpers [mom-bond].

How much MI is required?

MOM says the MI must have coverage for inpatient care and day surgery with an annual claim limit of at least $60,000 per year [mom-insurance].

How much PAI is required?

MOM says PAI must have a sum assured of at least $60,000 per year and cover sudden, unforeseen and unexpected incidents resulting in permanent disability or death [mom-insurance].

How early should the bond be arranged?

MOM says the bank or insurer can take up to 3 working days to send bond details, and the bond must take effect when the helper arrives [mom-bond].

Can Anson Mae Manpower receive policy files through the public site?

No. The public route is for a broad first question only. Policy, payment, identity, IPA, passport, Work Permit, and medical records should wait for the right follow-up.

Claim boundary

What this guide does not claim

Some claims need separate evidence and approval.

This page does not recommend insurers, rank products, quote premiums, or claim a package is sufficient for a specific case.
This page does not guarantee entry, Work Permit approval, renewal outcome, bond discharge, or forfeiture avoidance.
Case-specific policy, bond, payment, identity, IPA, passport, Work Permit, and medical records stay outside public contact.

Official source links

Last checked: 2026-06-16. Open the official source before relying on time-sensitive details.

Authority Official sources

Checked 2026-06-16

Link mode Direct source

MOM.gov.sg [mom-insurance]

MOM: Insurance requirements for MDWs

MI, PAI, minimum coverage, enhanced MI, and employer-cost rule.

Open MOM source Checked 2026-06-16. Source key: [mom-insurance].

MOM.gov.sg [mom-bond]

MOM: Security bond requirements for MDWs

Security bond amount, Malaysian exception, timing, effective date, acknowledgement letter, and helper-cost rule.

Open MOM source Checked 2026-06-16. Source key: [mom-bond].

MOM.gov.sg [mom-apply]

MOM: Apply for a Work Permit for MDW

Before-arrival Work Permit preparation sequence for bond and insurance.

Open MOM source Checked 2026-06-16. Source key: [mom-apply].

MOM.gov.sg [mom-renewal]

MOM: Renew a Work Permit for MDW

Renewal dependency for insurance and security bond.

Open MOM source Checked 2026-06-16. Source key: [mom-renewal].

Privacy boundary

Read first. Send documents later.

Use guides to understand the route. Keep private records for the right follow-up.

No public document uploads.
No helper CV, passport, permit, medical, payment, salary, insurance, or identity files in first contact.

Connected guide layer

Main guide map

Move by decision point across hiring, insurance, agency discovery, verification, and renewal.

Open guide directory

01 Hiring Hire a maid

Choose the hiring path before paperwork gets heavy.

Open guide 02 Eldercare Eldercare helper

Understand the AIC eldercare support landscape before asking for help.

Open guide 03 Work Permit Work Permit

Understand the Work Permit path before application or paperwork begins.

Open guide 04 Insurance Maid insurance

Understand insurance and bond basics before buying or renewing.

Open guide 05 Bond Insurance + bond

Separate MI, PAI, and security bond before buying a package.

Current guide 06 Renewal insurance Renewal insurance

Check MI, PAI, bond, and package validity before renewal.

Open guide 07 Agency Maid agency

Verify first, then choose who to speak with.

Open guide 08 Agency Licensed agency

Use MOM records before trusting agency licence or personnel claims.

Open guide 09 Verify Verify a maid agency

Check official records before trusting claims.

Open guide 10 Renewal Renew Work Permit

Check renewal readiness before the deadline pressure builds.

Open guide

Next action

Ask about insurance or bond without sending records first

Share the broad timing question and whether this is a new arrival or renewal. Keep private policy, payment, identity, IPA, and permit records for the right follow-up.

Start insurance or bond enquiry