Your Guide to ElderShield Plan

What is an ElderShield Plan?

ElderShield is a severe disability insurance scheme providing basic financial coverage to individuals requiring long-term care. ElderShield provides a fixed monthly payout to cover expenses up to a maximum of 72 months.

An individual is deemed to be severely disabled when unable to perform any three of the following six defined activities of Daily Living (ADL):

• Washing – The ability to wash in the bath or shower (including getting into and out of the bath or shower) or wash by other means.
• Dressing – The ability to put on, take off, secure and unfasten all garments and, as appropriate, any braces, artificial limbs or other surgical or medical appliances.
• Feeding – The ability to feed oneself food after it has been prepared and made available.
• Toileting – The ability to use the lavatory or manage bowel and bladder function through the use of protective undergarments or surgical appliances if appropriate.
• Mobility – The ability to move indoors from room to room on level surfaces.
• Transferring – The ability to move from a bed to an upright chair or wheelchair, and vice versa.

Upon reaching Age 40, all CPF members with a Medisave Account is automatically enrolled into the ElderShield program unless he/ she opt out of the scheme. All ElderShield application are randomly assigned to one of the three approved private insurers: Aviva Limited, Great Eastern Life Assurance Company Limited, and NTUC Income Insurance Co-operative Limited.

The payout for ElderShield:

• ElderShield300 – Maximum of 60 months with monthly cash payout of S$300
• ElderShield400 – Maximum of 72 months with monthly cash payout of S$400

The premiums can be paid using your Medisave savings. If you do not have enough Medisave savings, you can use the Medisave savings of your spouse, parents, children and grandchildren. You can also pay using cash, cheque or arrange for a GIRO payment to your insurer. Click below to visit MOH website to know your ElderShield Premium and length of payment.

Go to: ElderShield Premium Table (MOH)

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Why should I upgrade my ElderShield?

ElderShield Upgrade allows the insured to extend the period of monthly payout from 5 years, 7 years to lifetime coverage. Insurers may also offer Dependent Care benefits providing additional monthly income provided that the insured has a child aged 21 and below at the first claim. While ElderShield and most ElderShield upgrades require a minimum of 3 out of 6 ADL before a claim can be valid, some ElderShield upgrades allow claim when 2 of 6 ADL cannot be performed. This feature is only available from some insurer.

How can I pay for the ElderShield upgrade?

ElderShield upgrades can be paid using Medisave with a cap of up to $600 per insured from any of the 3 CPF approved insurer. Your ElderShield and ElderShield upgrade may be from a different insurer as the ElderShield is randomly assigned to one of the three CPF approved insurers. Depending on the plan itself, premiums can be paid for 10 years, 20 years, up to age 65, up to age 85 or for a lifetime.

The available ElderShield upgrades are as follows:

• Aviva – MyCare (Claim valid with 3 of 6 ADL)
• Aviva – MyCare Plus (Claim valid with 2 of 6 ADL)
• Great Eastern – ElderShield ValuePlus (Claim valid with 3 of 6 ADL)
• Great Eastern – ElderShield Comprehensive (Partial claim valid with 2 of 6 ADL)
• NTUC Income – PrimeShield (Claim valid with 3 of 6 ADL)

Go to: Aviva – MyCare, MyCare Plus

Go to: Great Eastern – ElderShield ValuePlus, ElderShield Comprehensive

Go to: NTUC Income – PrimeShield

Which ElderShield/ ElderShield Upgrade is most suitable for me?

Speak to a financial adviser or contact InterestGuru.sg for more details.

Read about: 3 things to consider before taking up a new financial product

At InterestGuru, we are committed to providing you with the most competitive policies according to your individual needs and requirements.

Drop us a message should you require additional information and we will get back to you on your questions as soon as possible.