What is CareShield Life? Coverage, Payouts and Who Is Covered

CareShield Life is Singapore's national long-term care insurance scheme. It pays a monthly cash amount, for life, to people who become severely disabled and cannot do enough activities of daily living on their own. It started on 1 October 2020 and is administered through the CPF Board. This guide uses information from CPF Board as checked in October 2026.

Who is covered

All Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents are eligible.

• Born in 1980 or later: covered automatically from age 30 (or from 1 October 2020, whichever is later), regardless of pre-existing conditions. No health assessment is needed.
• Born in 1979 or earlier: can join optionally. Those born between 1970 and 1979 who were insured under ElderShield 400 and not severely disabled were moved into CareShield Life from 1 December 2021.
• New Citizens and PRs: foreigners who became Citizens or PRs from 1 October 2020 must join, with conditions that depend on when their residency started. CPF Board notes that for those who gained residency from 1 January 2026, participation is mandatory if they have no disability, rather than no severe disability as before.

CareShield Life replaces ElderShield for new entrants. Supplementary plans from private insurers can add to either scheme's coverage.

How a claim qualifies

You qualify when a Ministry of Health accredited assessor finds that you cannot perform at least 3 of 6 activities of daily living (ADLs):

• Washing
• Dressing
• Feeding
• Toileting
• Walking or moving around indoors on level surfaces
• Transferring (for example, from bed to chair)

Payouts continue for as long as you remain unable to do 3 or more.

How much it pays

Payouts are monthly cash amounts for life. They rise each year until age 67 or until a successful claim, whichever comes first, so claiming later means a higher monthly amount. As an example from CPF Board, a person born in 1980 who makes a successful claim in 2026, at age 46, receives $689 a month for life. CPF Board publishes a full payout table for 2020 to 2030 on its CareShield Life page.

Premiums and support

Premiums are paid during your working years, starting at age 30 or when you join. Coverage continues for life once premiums are fully paid, which is at age 67 or 10 years after joining, whichever is later. Premiums can be paid from MediSave.

Support available, according to CPF Board:

• Means-tested premium subsidies of up to 30% for lower and middle-income households.
• Participation incentives of up to $4,000 over 10 years for Citizens born in 1979 or earlier who were covered by 31 December 2024.
• Additional Premium Support if premiums remain unaffordable after subsidies and family support. You keep your coverage even if you cannot pay.

Sources

• CPF Board, CareShield Life: cpf.gov.sg/careshieldlife

This is general information, not financial or insurance advice. Check the CPF Board website for your own payout table and premiums.