Waiting Periods, Exclusions, and Pre-Existing Conditions Explained

This means: if you are diagnosed with a critical illness within 90 days of your policy commencement, your claim will be rejected. The insurer assumes you may have had symptoms before you purchased the policy.

Common waiting periods in Singapore:

• Standard conditions: 90 days
• Some cancers: 12 months
• Psychiatric conditions: 12 months (or excluded entirely)
• Organ transplant-related conditions: may vary

Note that waiting periods typically restart if you let a policy lapse and reinstate it, or switch to a new policy. This is one reason policy continuity matters.

Exclusions: what your policy does not cover

Exclusions are conditions, events, or circumstances your policy will not pay for. All policies have exclusions. The key is knowing yours.

Standard exclusions typically include:

• Self-inflicted injuries
• War and terrorism
• Illegal acts
• Certain extreme sports (check your specific policy)

Underwriting exclusions are personal to you. Based on your medical history and declarations at application, your insurer may have excluded specific conditions. These will be listed in your policy schedule or a separate endorsement letter.

Never assume an exclusion does not apply to you. Read the endorsements attached to your policy document carefully.

Pre-existing conditions: the declaration you must get right

When applying for insurance in Singapore, you are required to disclose any pre-existing medical conditions. Non-disclosure — even if unintentional — can give the insurer grounds to void your policy or reject claims.

A pre-existing condition is generally any condition you were aware of, or had symptoms of, before your policy start date. This includes conditions you were diagnosed with, treated for, or even just investigated for.

If you have pre-existing conditions, insurers typically respond in one of three ways:

1. Accept with exclusion — they cover everything except that condition and related conditions
2. Accept with loading — they charge you a higher premium to cover the risk
3. Decline — they will not insure you for that plan

Important: If your insurer accepts your application after you have made full disclosure, they cannot later reject a claim simply because of that condition (unless it falls under an explicit exclusion). Your disclosure record is your protection.