Health & hospital
Integrated Shield Plan (IP)
A private upgrade that sits on top of MediShield Life so you can be treated in Class A or private-hospital wards.
What it protects
The shock it absorbs.
The gap between what MediShield Life pays (pegged to subsidised public wards) and the much higher cost of treatment in Class A public wards or private hospitals. Most IPs reimburse hospital bills on an 'as charged' basis up to high annual limits, often S$1 million or more.
It protects your choice of where and by whom you are treated, including private specialists and shorter waiting times, without facing the full bill yourself.
How it works
In Singapore, in practice.
An IP is one combined policy: the MediShield Life base layer plus a private 'additional' layer sold by one of seven approved insurers. You can hold only one IP at a time, and switching insurers means terminating the existing plan first; there is no overlap period. MediShield Life sits underneath every IP and does not count toward this one-plan limit.
Plans come in tiers by ward entitlement (private hospital, Class A, or Class B1). Higher tiers cost more but reimburse against higher-cost settings. After you meet the annual deductible (for example S$3,500 for private and Class A plans, lower for B1/B2/C), the plan pays the bill subject to a 10% co-insurance share.
The MediShield Life portion of the premium is fully MediSave-payable, and MediSave can also be used for the private portion up to age-based Additional Withdrawal Limits; any balance is paid in cash. Premiums rise with age and are not guaranteed, so they typically increase over your lifetime.
Run the numbers
See it in your own figures.
See the premium and your out-of-pocket share at your age, across every ward and insurer we compare.
Compare the plans
Each insurer's flagship plan.
The top private-hospital plan from each insurer we compare, with its overall policy-year limit. The higher figure applies when you are treated by the insurer's panel or preferred providers.
| Plan | Insurer | Covers | Policy year limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| HSBC Life Shield Plan A | HSBC Life | Private hospitals, as charged | S$1,000,000, up to S$2,500,000 with panel |
| GREAT SupremeHealth P PRIME | Great Eastern | Private hospitals, as charged | S$1,500,000, up to S$2,500,000 with panel |
| HealthShield Gold Max A | AIA | Private hospitals, as charged | S$1,000,000, up to S$2,000,000 with panel |
| PRUShield Premier | Prudential | Private hospitals, as charged | S$1,200,000, up to S$2,000,000 with panel |
| Singlife Shield Plan 1 | Singlife | Private hospitals, as charged | S$1,000,000, up to S$2,000,000 with panel |
| Enhanced IncomeShield Preferred | Income Insurance | Private hospitals, as charged | S$1,500,000 |
| Raffles Shield Private | Raffles Health | Private hospitals, as charged | S$600,000, up to S$1,500,000 with panel |
Plan names and policy-year limits are from the official Comparison of Private Hospital Integrated Shield Plans (MOH/LIA, updated 1 June 2026). Figures are indicative; your own plan and premium depend on underwriting.
Where it sits
Its place in your protection stack.
Protection is built in layers. This is the role Integrated Shield Plan (IP) plays, and the layers above and below it.
Whole life, personal accident, and general cover, added as priorities allow.
Term life sized to your dependants and outstanding debts.
Critical illness and income protection for your working years.
Integrated Shield Plans and riders for private or as-charged hospital cover.
What every Singaporean has by default: MediShield Life and CareShield Life.
The trade-offs
What it does well, and what to watch.
Good for
- Private or Class A hospital choice
- As-charged reimbursement of large bills
- High annual claim limits
- Partial MediSave funding
Watch outs
- Premiums climb steeply with age and are not guaranteed; the cash portion can become significant in later years.
- You can hold only one IP at a time; switching means underwriting again and may exclude conditions developed since.
- Pre-existing conditions may be excluded or loaded on the private layer (unlike the MediShield Life base).
- An IP alone still leaves you with the deductible and 10% co-insurance unless you add a rider.
- Always-as-charged claims usually require staying within the insurer's panel or getting pre-authorisation.
Who it's for
When this matters most.
- Mass-affluent professionals who want access to private hospitals or Class A wards and shorter waits.
- Younger, healthy adults who can lock in cover early before any conditions arise and while premiums are lowest.
- Anyone unwilling to accept the public-subsidised-ward gap left by MediShield Life alone.
In the market
What this looks like.
Real Singapore examples, shown to make the type concrete. These are illustrative, not endorsements.
How it connects
Cover that works with this.
MediShield Life
The national basic health insurance that covers every Singaporean and PR for life, including pre-existing conditions.
Full breakdown Health & hospitalIP Co-Payment Rider
An add-on to an Integrated Shield Plan that shrinks the deductible and co-insurance you pay out of pocket on a hospital claim.
Full breakdown Health & hospitalMediSave
Your compulsory CPF medical savings account that pays for premiums and approved healthcare so you do not draw on cash.
Full breakdown Health & hospitalHospital Cash / Income Benefit
A plan that pays you a fixed daily cash amount for each night spent in hospital, on top of any other coverage.
Full breakdownSources
Where the facts come from.
- Only one Integrated Shield Plan may be held at a time; switching requires terminating the existing plan first, and MediShield Life is exempt from this limit.ConSol/Core/CountryConfig/SingaporeConfig.swift (ISPRegulatory.maxISPsPerPerson, ispSwitchRequiresTermination, medishieldLifeExemptFromISPLimit)
- IP minimum deductibles by ward class (Private/Class A S$3,500; B1 S$2,500; B2 S$2,000; C S$1,500) and 10% co-insurance.ConSol/Core/CountryConfig/SingaporeConfig.swift (ISPRegulatory.minimumDeductible); ConSol/Resources/hospitalisation-2026-06.json (deductibleByWard, coInsurancePercent)
- The seven approved IP insurers and their real plan families (AIA HealthShield Gold Max, GREAT SupremeHealth, PRUShield, Enhanced IncomeShield, Singlife Shield, HSBC Life Shield, Raffles Shield).ConSol/Resources/hospitalisation-2026-06.json (plans array)
- MediSave can fund the MediShield Life portion fully and the private portion up to age-based Additional Withdrawal Limits.ConSol/Core/CountryConfig/SingaporeConfig.swift (ISPRegulatory.medisaveAWL, medishieldLifeFullyMedisavePayable)
See where Integrated Shield Plan (IP) fits your own plan.
This is educational, not advice. When you want a detailed look at whether this cover fits your situation, a licensed adviser will map it to your income, CPF, and goals.