While the Singapore healthcare system is ranked as the 6th best in the world by the WHO, expats are not automatically eligible for public health coverage and must therefore subscribe to private health insurance.
In order to be eligible for Singapore’s public healthcare scheme expats must first become permanent residents, which requires you to have been living and working in the city-state for 6 months, followed by a processing duration of around 3 months. This creates a nine-month period where private insurance is imperative unless you are willing to pay for any health costs out of your own pocket.
The insurance industry has reacted to this demand, and there are many options for expat insurance in Singapore. For further information on the subject, read our article here.