CareShield Life 2026: Payouts, Premiums, Claims and ElderShield
CareShield Life is Singapore's national long-term care insurance. If you cannot do at least 3 of 6 daily activities on your own, it pays you cash every month for life. For claims approved in 2026, the payout is $689 a month.
By Kenneth Hing, Financial Adviser Representative, SG Alliance Pte Ltd (MAS Rep. No. HYH300584638). Published . Last updated , with facts checked against MOH, CPF and AIC.
CareShield Life in 30 seconds
The main points, checked on 27 October 2026.
Who is covered
Singapore Citizens and PRs born in 1980 or later are covered automatically from age 30. It is compulsory. People born in 1979 or earlier can choose to join.
When it pays
When an MOH-accredited assessor finds you cannot do at least 3 of 6 daily activities (such as washing, dressing and eating) on your own.
How much it pays
$689 a month for claims in 2026, for life while you stay severely disabled. The amount grows 4% a year to $806 in 2030.
What it costs
Yearly premiums until age 67, fully payable by MediSave. From 2026 to 2030, premiums rise about $38 a year on average after government support.
3 things to do now
- Check your cover: log in to the CPF website, then go to my cpf, Healthcare, Long-term care insurance.
- Find your gap: a nursing home starts from about $3,900 a month before subsidies. See the example.
- Decide on a top-up: supplements cost less when you start younger and healthier. Compare the 3 insurers.
Who is covered by CareShield Life?
CareShield Life started on 1 October 2020. Your birth year decides whether you are in it automatically. Foreigners on an Employment Pass, S Pass or Work Permit are not covered.
| Born in | Cover | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 or later | Automatic and compulsory | Covered from age 30, even if you already have an illness or disability. You cannot opt out. |
| 1979 or earlier | Optional | You can choose to join. From 1 January 2026, you can join only if you have no existing disability. If you join at 59 or older, you pay premiums for 10 years. |
| 1979 or earlier, did not join | ElderShield (if you had it) | ElderShield pays $300 or $400 a month for up to 5 or 6 years. See the comparison. |
When can you claim? The 3 of 6 ADL rule
You can claim when you cannot do at least 3 of these 6 Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) without full help from another person. Stroke, dementia and bad falls are common causes.
Bathing, and getting in and out of the shower
Putting on and taking off clothes
Eating food once it is ready
Using the toilet and keeping clean
Moving from room to room indoors
Moving from bed to chair and back
How likely is this?
MOH says 1 in 2 Singaporeans who are healthy at 65 may become severely disabled in their lifetime. The typical time spent severely disabled is about 4 years, and about 3 in 10 people stay that way for 10 years or more.
How much does CareShield Life pay in 2026?
For claims approved in 2026, CareShield Life pays $689 a month. After the CareShield Life 2025 Review, payouts grow 4% a year from 2026 to 2030, up from 2% before. Once your claim is approved, your monthly amount is fixed for as long as you stay severely disabled.
| Year your claim is approved | Monthly payout |
|---|---|
| 2020 (launch) | $600 |
| 2025 | $662 |
| 2026 | $689 |
| 2027 | about $717 |
| 2028 | about $745 |
| 2029 | about $775 |
| 2030 | $806 |
2020, 2025, 2026 and 2030 figures are from MOH. 2027 to 2029 are our own estimates at 4% a year.
Your payout keeps growing until you claim or turn 67
MOH's example: a woman born in 1990 who claims at age 67 would get about $2,324 a month under the new rates. If you were born in 1979 or earlier and joined from ElderShield, your payout can be lower (for example, $612 a month). Check your own amount on the CPF website.
CareShield Life vs ElderShield
Both schemes use the same 3 of 6 ADL rule. The big difference: CareShield Life pays for life, while ElderShield stops after 5 or 6 years.
| Feature | CareShield Life | ElderShield |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly payout | $689 for 2026 claims, growing 4% a year to 2030 | $300 (ElderShield300) or $400 (ElderShield400), fixed |
| How long it pays | For life, while severely disabled | Up to 5 years ($300 plan) or 6 years ($400 plan) |
| Most you can get | No limit | $18,000 or $28,800 |
| Premiums paid until | Age 67 | Age 65 |
| Premium level | Higher, with subsidies | Lower |
| New members | Yes | No |
Joining CareShield Life may suit you if
- You want payouts for life, not just 5 or 6 years
- You have no family or savings to fall back on
- You qualify for premium subsidies
Things to check first
- From 2026, you must have no existing disability to join
- Premiums are higher and run to 67, not 65
- Your ElderShield supplement stays if you keep paying it
How to make a CareShield Life claim
You need a severe disability assessment, then an online application with Singpass. Family members can apply for someone who has lost mental capacity, with extra documents.
Book an assessment
Choose an MOH-accredited severe disability assessor. Nursing home residents can ask the home to submit the form.
Get assessed
The fee for your first assessment for a CareShield Life claim is waived. Later assessments cost $100 at the clinic or $250 for a home visit. You pay first, and get it back if you are found severely disabled.
Apply online
Submit your claim with Singpass on AIC's eFASS portal.
Get your payouts
AIC may take up to 4 weeks and will tell you by mail. Payouts go to your bank account from the following month.
Living overseas, or getting better?
Singapore Citizens can claim and receive payouts while living abroad. If you cannot come back for the assessment, an overseas doctor can fill in the Overseas Severe Disability Assessment Form (email [email protected]). If you recover, payouts stop, and you can apply again if your condition gets worse. From 2026, the same assessment is also used to check if you qualify for the Home Caregiving Grant.
Is $689 a month enough? The real cost of care
For a nursing home, usually not. AIC says nursing home care starts from about $3,900 a month before subsidies. From 1 July 2026, Singapore Citizens can get up to 75% off (up to 80% if born in 1969 or earlier), and PRs up to 50%. The subsidy depends on your household income per person, and it is zero above $4,800.
Example: one nursing home bill, one family
That is about $50,900 over 4 years, or about $127,300 over 10 years. With no subsidy (household income above $4,800 per person), the gap is about $3,011 a month. This is an example only. Real fees and subsidies differ.
Other help you can add
- MediSave Care: withdraw up to $200 a month from MediSave if you are severely disabled.
- Home Caregiving Grant: $200 to $600 a month from April 2026 for care at home, if household income is $4,800 or less per person.
- Home and community care subsidies: up to 95% for day care, home nursing and therapy, from July 2026.
- Helper levy concession: $60 a month instead of $300 when your helper cares for an eligible person with disability.
- Seniors' Mobility and Enabling Fund: subsidies for wheelchairs, devices and care items.
Care at home usually costs less than a nursing home. But if you want a private nursing home, have little savings, or do not want your children to pay, the gap above is real. I can work out your own gap for free.
Check my gap on WhatsAppCareShield Life supplements in 2026: who sells what
A supplement is an optional private plan that pays extra cash on top of CareShield Life. Some pay earlier, when you cannot do just 1 or 2 activities. Only 3 insurers sell them: Singlife, Great Eastern and Income. You must already have CareShield Life or ElderShield, and you can pay up to $600 a year from MediSave. The rest is paid in cash.
| Benefit |
Singlife Recommended
|
Great Eastern | Income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plan name | Singlife CareShield Standard / Plus | GREAT CareShield (Supreme plan) | Care Secure Pro |
| Extra per month | $200 to $5,000 | $300 to $5,000 | Up to $5,000 |
| Full payout for life from | Std: 3 ADLs Plus: 2 ADLs |
2 ADLs | 2 ADLs |
| Early payout (before full payout) |
Add-on Benefit, up to 12 months: Std: 2 ADLs Plus: 1 ADL |
1 ADL: 50% of benefit, for life | 1 ADL: 60% of benefit, up to 60 months (if before age 75) |
| Lump sum at claim | 3x monthly benefit | 3x monthly benefit, from 1 ADL (max $15,000) | 3x at 2 ADLs, 6x at 3 ADLs |
| Dependant benefit | 20% for 36 months | 30% for 48 months | 25% for 36 months |
| Caregiver benefit | 60% for 12 months | 60% for 12 months | 60% for 12 months |
| Death benefit while claiming | 3x monthly benefit | None | 3x monthly benefit |
| Other benefits | Rehabilitation benefit Raise cover at life events without health checks Payout can grow 2% or 3% a year |
None | None |
| Premium waiver | From 1 ADL | While on claim | From 1 ADL |
| Waiting period | None | 90 days | 90 days |
| Entry age | 30 to 64 | 30 to 64 | 30 to 69 |
| Pay premiums until | Age 99, or a shorter term (to 69, or 20 years if you join at 49 or older) | Age 95, or to 67 (or 20 years if you join at 48 or older) | Age 99, or to 67 |
| Sample yearly premium (age 30, $600 a month, longest term) |
Std: $268 (M), $328 (F) Plus: $316 (M), $389 (F) |
$292 (M), $390 (F) | $287 (M), $356 (F) |
| MediSave | Up to $600 a year | Up to $600 a year | Up to $600 a year |
Why Singlife is marked "Recommended"
It is the only one with no waiting period, a rehabilitation benefit, an option to raise cover at life events without health checks, and a payout that can grow each year. You can also buy it online and see your premium before you pay. To be fair: Great Eastern and Income pay part of the benefit from 1 ADL for longer, Great Eastern pays the biggest dependant benefit, and Income lets you join up to age 69. This is a general view, not advice for your own needs.
Source: MOH comparison of CareShield Life supplements (September 2025), Singlife brochure (December 2025) and insurer websites. ADL means an Activity of Daily Living. Sample premiums are from MOH, include GST, are not guaranteed and can change. Great Eastern's older GREAT CareShield Enhanced and Advantage plans closed to new buyers in October 2021. Income replaced Care Secure with Care Secure Pro on 9 September 2025. Always read the product summary before you buy.
A supplement may suit you if
- You want a private nursing home or full-time care
- You want money earlier, at 1 or 2 ADLs
- Your savings are small, or you do not want to rely on your children
You may not need one if
- You have large savings set aside for care
- You plan to be cared for at home with family
- You already have a long-term care or disability plan
Why timing matters: premiums are set by your age when you buy, so they are lower when you start younger. You also need to pass the insurer's health questions, which gets harder with age. Other ways to build cover include a standalone long-term care plan, a critical illness plan, or a whole life plan with a long-term care rider.
Thinking about Singlife CareShield?
Adds $200 to $5,000 a month on top of CareShield Life. Pay up to $600 a year from MediSave.
See real prices by age first, or buy online and see your premium before you pay.
Buying online through this link is a direct purchase without financial advice. If you want advice on which plan suits you, ask Kenneth on WhatsApp first.
What changed in 2026
On 27 August 2025, the Government accepted all the recommendations of the CareShield Life 2025 Review. The changes start from January 2026 and apply until 2030, when the scheme will be reviewed again.
- Payouts grow faster: 4% a year from 2026 to 2030, up from 2%. The 2030 payout is $806 instead of $731.
- Premiums rise too: without support, premiums would rise by $126 on average in 2026. With support, the average rise is about $38 a year, and never more than $75 in a year.
- $570 million in extra premium support over 5 years.
- Stricter joining rules (1 January 2026): people born in 1979 or earlier can join only if they have no existing disability.
- One assessment, more help: your CareShield Life assessment also checks if you qualify for schemes like the Home Caregiving Grant.
- Home Caregiving Grant (April 2026): up to $600 a month, up from $400.
- Care subsidies (July 2026): up to 15 percentage points higher, and open to households earning up to $4,800 per person (up from $3,600).
CareShield Life FAQ
Is CareShield Life mandatory?
Yes, for Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents born in 1980 or later. They are covered automatically from age 30 (or from 1 October 2020, whichever is later) and cannot opt out. People born in 1979 or earlier can choose whether to join.
How much is the CareShield Life payout in 2026?
For claims approved in 2026, CareShield Life pays $689 a month for life, as long as you stay severely disabled. After the 2025 Review, payouts grow 4% a year from 2026 to 2030, reaching $806 a month in 2030. Your payout is fixed once your claim is approved.
How much are CareShield Life premiums and can I use MediSave?
Premiums depend on the age you joined, your gender and your subsidies. In 2020, a 30-year-old paid $206 (male) or $253 (female) a year before subsidies. From 2026 to 2030, premiums rise by about $38 a year on average after government support, and by no more than $75 in any year. Premiums can be paid fully with MediSave, and you pay until age 67.
What is the difference between CareShield Life and ElderShield?
CareShield Life pays for life while you are severely disabled, and its payout grows each year until you claim or turn 67. ElderShield pays a fixed $300 or $400 a month for up to 5 or 6 years only. Both use the same rule: you must be unable to do at least 3 of 6 Activities of Daily Living.
Can I still switch from ElderShield to CareShield Life in 2026?
Yes, if you were born in 1979 or earlier you can still choose to join. But from 1 January 2026, only people without an existing disability can join. Before that, people with mild or moderate disability could still join under relaxed rules. Any ElderShield supplement you have stays in force as long as you keep paying for it.
How do I make a CareShield Life claim?
Book a severe disability assessment with an MOH-accredited assessor. The fee for your first assessment for a CareShield Life claim is waived. Then apply online with Singpass on the AIC eFASS portal. AIC may take up to four weeks to decide, and payouts go to your bank account from the following month.
Can I get CareShield Life payouts if I live overseas?
Yes. Singapore Citizens can claim and receive CareShield Life payouts while living abroad. AIC prefers the assessment to be done in Singapore, but if you cannot return, an overseas doctor can complete the Overseas Severe Disability Assessment Form.
Do I need a CareShield Life supplement, and who sells them?
Not everyone needs one. A supplement adds up to $5,000 a month on top of CareShield Life and some plans start paying when you cannot do just 1 or 2 daily activities. Three insurers sell them: Singlife (CareShield Standard and Plus), Great Eastern (GREAT CareShield) and Income (Care Secure Pro). You can pay up to $600 a year from MediSave.
Are foreigners on an Employment Pass covered by CareShield Life?
No. CareShield Life covers only Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents. Employment Pass, S Pass and Work Permit holders are not covered and cannot buy a CareShield Life supplement, because a supplement needs a CareShield Life or ElderShield policy.
Sources
All facts on this page were checked against these official sources on 27 October 2026. Rules and amounts can change, so please confirm with CPF, AIC, MOH or the insurer.
- MOH: Government accepts CareShield Life Council's recommendations (27 Aug 2025)
- MOH: CareShield Life 2025 Review
- CPF Board: CareShield Life and premium checker
- AIC: CareShield Life claims, assessment fees and overseas assessment
- CPF Board: How do I make a CareShield Life claim?
- MOH: CareShield Life and ElderShield supplements
- MOH: Subsidies for residential long-term care (from 1 Jul 2026)
- AIC: Home Caregiving Grant
- AIC: Nursing home costs
- MOH on Ask.gov: chance and length of severe disability
- MOH: Singapore Citizens can get CareShield Life payouts abroad
- Insurers: Singlife CareShield brochure, Great Eastern GREAT CareShield, Income Care Secure
About the author
Kenneth Hing
Kenneth is a Senior Wealth Manager and Financial Adviser Representative with SG Alliance Pte Ltd (MAS Representative Number HYH300584638). He helps Singapore families, working professionals and cross-border clients plan for long-term care, retirement and protection.
Check his licence on the MAS Register of Representatives. About Kenneth · LinkedIn
This page is general information only. It does not consider your specific investment objectives, financial situation or particular needs. Figures come from the MOH, CPF Board, AIC and insurer sources listed above and can change. Please speak to a qualified adviser before you buy, switch or cancel any insurance plan. Published . Last updated .