Only 1 in 5 confident with their critical illness coverage: poll

Fewer than 1 in 3 said they have enough savings to last a whole year of recovery.

Fewer than one in three Singaporeans, or 29%, have enough savings for prolonged critical illness recovery—and even those with a plan are not confident that they have enough coverage, according to a poll by Prudential Singapore.

In a survey of 1,000 Singapore adults in June to July, 67% expect recovery from severe-stage critical illness to take more than a year, but only 29% said that their savings could cover household expenses for that long if they had no income.

Having a critical illness plan does not equate to financial security, the poll found. Whilst over half or 59% own a plan, only 20% are confident that they have adequate coverage to sustain them through recovery.

More than three in five or 64% of respondents estimate that they’ll need over $156,340 (S$200,000) to cope with the financial impact of a severe-stage critical illness.

Nearly one in two or 46% of respondents said that medical expenses are their primary concerns, whilst 34% are worried about the loss of income, and 31% about burdening their family.

Respondents expect critical illness to affect their long-term financial security, with over one in two or 53% expecting to draw on their emergency funds if they run out of funds during recovery.

About two in five or 40% expect to use their retirement savings, and one in three or 33% will sell investments.

Almost one in four or 24% will return to work earlier than planned, the poll found.

These highlight the challenges of the health gap years, according to Prudential—the period when individuals may be unable to work while recovering from a critical illness, which include cancer, heart attack, or stroke.

Prudential Singapore’s poll found that nearly nine in 10 or 88% of respondents said that a lump-sum payout would be important in managing caregiving expenses and income loss during recovery.

“Closing the protection gap would require consumers to assess if their coverage is enough to support them and their families throughout the health gap years,” said Manu Tandon, chief health & protection officer, Prudential Singapore.

Customers should also understand the breadth of coverage and types of illnesses covered under your plan is important as there are different types of plans available, Tandon said.

(US$1 = S$1.28; as of 29 September 2026)