Dependants' Protection Scheme (DPS)

DPS is automatically extended to CPF members who are Singapore citizens or Permanent Residents, between age 21 and 60, when they make their first CPF working contribution.

To allow you to enjoy the DPS protection immediately, the CPF Board has deducted the annual premium from your CPF Ordinary or Special Account. However, you are required to declare your health conditions by completing the Health Declaration form that was enclosed in your DPS Welcome Package. Claims will not be admitted if you were suffering from serious illnesses before your policy commenced.

You will still be covered under DPS as DPS provides worldwide coverage.

We will notify you of the need to top-up via a top-up notice to stay insured if there are insufficient funds in your CPF account. Please ensure that you update us with your up-to-date mailing address to receive your DPS notifications.

DPS is an affordable term-life insurance scheme that provides insured members and their families with some money should the insured members pass away, suffer from Terminal Illness or Total Permanent Disability. DPS is an optional scheme which covers CPF members who are Singapore Citizens or Permanent Residents for a maximum sum assured of $46,000. The coverage is worldwide and insured members will be insured up to the end of the policy year during which they turn 60 years old.

The Home Protection Scheme (HPS) is a mortgage-reducing insurance, which insures CPF members and their families against losing their HDB flats in the event of death, Terminal Illness or Total Permanent Disability.

With effect from 01 May 2016, DPS benefits are enhanced to provide wider coverage for incapacity. Below table shows the benefit comparison.

Notes: Policyholders who are covered under DPS subject to special terms or exclusions before 01 May 2016, will have the same terms or exclusions imposed on them for any claim for total and permanent disability.

You can only claim under terminal illness or total permanent disability if your terminal illness or total permanent loss of physical function started on or after 01 May 2016.

If your cover is subject to exclusions before 01 May 2016, the same exclusions will apply to a claim under Total Permanent Disability.

Claim benefits are not payable if any of the following events occur within the first policy year:

1. you committed self-inflicted injury or suicide;
2. you committed a criminal offence punishable by death;
3. claim arose out of your own intentional criminal act.

Claim benefits are also not payable if:

1. you suffer from serious illness, Terminal Illness or Total Permanent Disability before the commencement of the cover;
2. you have provided false or misleading information; or
3. your claim arose from wars or any warlike operations or participation in any riot.

If your cover is subject to exclusions before 01 May 2016, the same exclusions will apply to a claim under Total Permanent Disability.

Bonus sum assured is a one-off benefit given to you due to your loyalty in staying insured under DPS before privatisation. This bonus sum assured amount is dependent on the duration that you have been in the scheme. You do not need to pay premium for this bonus sum assured.

The bonus sum assured is an additional benefit that is payable only in the event of a claim. It cannot be encashed or withdrawn after the termination of the policy.

Yes, you are eligible provided that you have been insured under DPS on or before 16 Sep 2005. It is not affected by the switching of insurers.

Yes, you will be entitled to the bonus sum assured provided that you are insured under DPS on or before 16 Sep 2005 and your reinstatement request is successful.

You can reinstate your policy within 120 days from your policy lapse date.
Complete the reinstatement form and submit it at any Income branches.

You can also send it by post to:
Dependants’ Protection Scheme Unit
Life & Health Operations
Income Centre
75 Bras Basah Road
Singapore 189557

You will have to declare all your health information and your reinstatement will be subject to underwriting.

You will no longer be able to reinstate your DPS policy. Instead, you will need to take up a new DPS policy. To do so, you will need to complete a DPS proposal form and declare all your health information. Your application will be subject to underwriting.

Complete the DPS proposal form and declare all your health information at any Income branch.

You can also send it by post to:
Dependants’ Protection Scheme Unit
Life & Health Operations
Income Centre
75 Bras Basah Road
Singapore 189557

As DPS premiums increase with age, paying for DPS premiums will greatly reduce any savings that you may have in your CPF account for your retirement.

Also, the need for DPS coverage reduces when you are 60 years old as most dependants would be economically independent by then.

Premiums are deducted annually from your CPF Ordinary Account and / or Special Account. Deduction will be made from your Special Account only when there are insufficient funds in your Ordinary Account.

If there are insufficient funds in both accounts to pay the total premium required, you will receive a top-up notice informing you of the top-up amount required. You can pay the difference either by cash or cheque or by authorising us for another deduction attempt from your CPF account. Otherwise, you can choose to remain insured for a lower sum assured. This is provided your policy is renewed with at least a minimum sum assured of $5,000.

No, you will need to use your own CPF savings to pay for your premium.

No, you will need to pay your premium through your CPF account. If there are insufficient funds in your CPF account for the full premium deduction, you will receive a notice to make payment for your policy. This payment can then be made by cash or cheque.

DPS coverage will stop when you are 60 years old on the renewal date. You will not get any money back after your policy is terminated. This is because DPS is not structured to have any savings or investment components. It is aimed at providing you with the maximum financial protection at the lowest premium possible.

Yes, you can apply directly to your preferred insurer. Your preferred insurer will send you an application form to complete.

While you are waiting for a reply from your preferred insurer, we encourage you to remain insured under your current policy to continue to enjoy the full benefits of the policy. If your application is rejected or offered to you with sub-standard terms, you will still be covered by your original insurer.

If your application is successful, your new insurer will liaise with your current insurer to terminate your original policy.

If your application is rejected by the preferred insurer, your existing policy with us will still remain in force. This is provided that you have not opted out of your policy with us.

For your convenience, renewal is done automatically every year, unless any of the following events occur (whichever is the earliest):
• At the end of the policy year during which you turn 60 years old;
• Upon successful claim of Total Permanent Disability or Terminal Illness benefit;
• Upon death;
• Upon the loss of your Singapore Citizenship or Permanent Resident status;
• Non-payment of renewal premiums within the stipulated 60 days grace period;
• If you opt out of the DPS; or
• If you have instructed the insurer not to renew or to cancel your cover.

A notification letter will be sent to you at least 1 month before your renewal date. No further notification will be sent to you upon renewal unless your CPF account does not have enough savings for full premium deduction. Your yearly CPF statement of account will show the premium paid from your CPF account.

Note: You should report any changes in correspondence address to us so that you can be notified of any changes in the status of your DPS cover.

We will only issue you a new Certificate of Insurance if there is a change in the original sum assured from your previous renewal year.

You have up to 60 days from your DPS policy renewal date to apply for a top-up. If you miss this deadline, your top-up application will be subject to medical underwriting.

Yes, a health declaration is required if you are topping up your sum assured after 60 days from your DPS policy renewal date. Your top-up request will be subject to medical underwriting and the increased sum assured will be extended to you if you are assessed to be in good health.

You should note that Income will not consider your claims if you were found giving false or misleading statements, or have withheld relevant information in your health declaration.

You will need to complete the top-up form and send it together with your cheque to:

Dependants’ Protection Scheme Unit
Life & Health Operations
Income Centre
75 Bras Basah Road
Singapore 189557

You should note that if your top-up form is submitted within 60 days from your DPS policy renewal date, you can leave out the Medical Underwriting Questions in Section B of the top-up form. Otherwise, you will need to complete the top-up form including the Medical Underwriting Questions in Section B.
Please issue your cheque in favour of “NTUC Income” and indicate the following details on the back of your cheque.
• Name
• NRIC number
• Contact number
• Policy number

Alternatively, you can visit any of Income branches to submit your top-up form and pay the top-up amount in cash, cheque or NETS.

You will be insured for a reduced sum assured if there is no top-up payment made. This is provided your policy has been renewed for a minimum basic sum assured of $5,000.

If your policy has not been renewed for a minimum basic sum assured of $5,000 and no payment is made within 60 days from your DPS policy renewal date, your policy will lapse.

It could be because your funds in the CPF Ordinary and / or Special Account were transferred to your Retirement Account when you reached 55 years old. In such a case, you will need to top-up the difference in cash. Please complete the top-up form and send it with your cheque payment by post to:

Dependants’ Protection Scheme Unit
Life & Health Operations
Income Centre
75 Bras Basah Road
Singapore 189557

Please issue your cheque in favour of “NTUC Income” and indicate the following details on the back of your cheque.

• Name
• NRIC number
• Contact number
• Policy number

No, you will need to pay the top-up payment in full by a single mode of transaction.

No, you will need to make the top-up payment in full.

If you request to terminate your DPS policy within the free-look period, you will receive a full refund of premiums paid. However, if you terminate your DPS policy after the free-look period, a pro-rated part of the premium based on the remaining days of cover will be returned to you.

If you have been automatically covered under DPS, your free-look period is 2 months from your policy commencement date. If you have applied for cover under DPS, your free-look period is 14 days from your policy commencement date.

To terminate your DPS policy, you will need to complete the opt out form and submit it at Income branch or by post to:

Dependants' Protection Scheme Unit 

Life & Health Operations

Income Centre

75 Bras Basah Road

Singapore 189557

If the premiums are paid by cash or cheque, the premium refund will be by cheque.

If the premiums are deducted from your CPF account, the premium refund will be remitted back to your CPF account.