Term insurance products provide pure protection. They are the simplest life insurance products and usually the most affordable.

What is term insurance?

Term insurance is life insurance that provides insurance coverage only for a fixed period of time. An example of term insurance is the Dependants' Protection Scheme.

Buy term insurance if you only need protection coverage for a fixed period of time. For example, if you want to be covered until your youngest child completes university or is financially self-reliant.

How it works

Here is a snapshot of the features and benefits:

* The premium for a term product may be higher than the bundled product if it provides a higher death benefit, longer coverage term and premium term.

Things to note

• Choose the coverage term carefully. You and/or your dependants will not be protected after the term expires.
• If you choose to reinstate the policy after it expires, you may be subject to underwriting. Consider buying term insurance for a longer period of protection when you are younger because the premiums can increase substantially as you get older.
• You may not be able to get term insurance past a certain age.

Common types of term insurance

Here are two common examples of term insurance:

Dependants' Protection Scheme

Dependants' Protection Scheme (DPS) is an optional term insurance plan that covers CPF members for a maximum sum of $46,000.

DPS provides CPF members and their families with some money to tide them over the first few years after the death of the insured member or confirmation of permanent disability. Coverage is worldwide.

Unless you opt out, the annual premium for DPS is automatically deducted from your CPF account. The scheme is extended to CPF members when they make their first contribution to CPF.

Group insurance schemes

A group insurance plan provides coverage to members of a group. Members tend to be employees of a company or members of an organisation. They usually receive insurance at a reduced cost because the insurer’s risk is spread across a group of policyholders.

MINDEF/MHA Group insurance is a type of group insurance for all full-time and operationally-ready National Servicemen, regular servicemen, and volunteers (SAF Volunteer Corps, NS Volunteers, SPF Voluntary Special Constabulary and Civil Defence Auxiliary Unit).