CareShield Life Premium Calculator (2026)

CareShield Life is Singapore’s mandatory severe-disability insurance scheme. It replaced ElderShield from October 2020 and provides a higher monthly payout for life — S$689/mo in 2026, escalating 4%/yr to 2030 and 2%/yr thereafter — versus ElderShield 300’s $300/mo for 60 months or ElderShield 400’s $400/mo for 72 months. Singapore Citizens and PRs born in 1980 or later are auto-enrolled at age 30 and cannot opt out. Those born 1979 or earlier had a one-time opt-in window with auto-enrolment from ElderShield 400 on 1 December 2021.

At joining age 30, the published 2026 premium is S$206/yr for men and S$254/yr for women, payable in full from MediSave. Older joiners pay higher annual premiums because there are fewer years to spread the cost over (premiums end at age 67). From 2026 to 2030 premiums escalate by 4% per year (moderated by a $570m government top-up to about $38 average annual increase), then 2% per year. Means-tested subsidies cut the payable premium for households earning under S$4,800 PCHI per month, with a maximum subsidy of 50% (or higher with cohort top-ups).

From 1 January 2026 the subsidy threshold rose from S$3,600 to S$4,800 monthly per-capita household income (PCHI). The maximum subsidy of 50% is for PCHI of S$1,500 or below, then tapers down to roughly 40%, 30%, 25%, and 20% at higher tiers. Pioneer Generation seniors get an additional 30 percentage points; Merdeka Generation gets 15 pp; Young Senior cohorts get 5 pp. Above S$4,800 PCHI there is no subsidy.

If you are assessed by an MOH-accredited assessor as unable to perform 3 of 6 Activities of Daily Living, CareShield Life pays a monthly cash payout for life. In 2026 the base payout is S$689/mo. The amount escalates 4% per year from 2026 to 2030 (so a claim in 2030 starts at ~S$806/mo) then 2% per year. The escalation locks at the year of claim — so the earlier you claim the lower your starting payout, but it still continues for life.

Supplements (e.g. AIA Power CareShield, GE GREAT CareShield, Singlife CareShield Standard/Plus) wrap around the base CareShield Life policy to lower the ADL trigger from 3-of-6 to 1-of-6, increase the monthly payout, add a one-off lump sum, and/or extend coverage. Supplement premiums are payable from cash plus up to S$600/yr from MediSave under the Additional Withdrawal Limit. Whether to buy depends on your asset base — if your liquid wealth could not absorb a 5–10 year severe-disability scenario at S$689/mo (which falls far short of typical care costs), the supplement is worth pricing.

CareShield Life is strictly an Activities of Daily Living (ADL) scheme — payment is triggered by physical inability (washing, dressing, feeding, toileting, mobility, transferring) certified by an MOH-accredited assessor, not by a specific medical diagnosis. Stroke, dementia and severe arthritis are common triggers because they impair multiple ADLs. Cancer, heart disease and other illnesses pay out only if they impair 3+ ADLs persistently — usually only in late stages. For diagnosis-based cover use a critical illness policy on top of CareShield Life.

Yes. Family members (spouse, children, parents) can pay each other’s CareShield Life premiums from their MediSave. This is especially useful for households where one spouse has been out of the workforce and has a lower MediSave balance. The payment counts as a normal MediSave withdrawal — no tax relief is given on the contribution, but there is also no penalty.