The rules this checker applies
There is no judgement in it. The Work Injury Compensation Act sets out who must be insured, and the checker just applies that test to the numbers you enter. Here is the whole of it, so you can work it through by hand if you prefer:
| Who | Insurance under WICA | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Employees doing manual work | Compulsory | No salary threshold applies to manual work — a manual worker on any wage must be insured |
| Non-manual employees earning S$2,600/month or less | Compulsory | The salary threshold for non-manual roles |
| Non-manual employees earning above S$2,600/month | Optional | Not required — but they can still claim WICA compensation from you, and uninsured that comes out of the company |
| Work Permit and S Pass holders | Separate requirement | Foreign Worker Medical Insurance of at least S$60,000 a year each, in addition to any WICA cover |
| Independent contractors, domestic workers, uniformed personnel | — | Outside WICA entirely. Contractors should carry their own cover |
What counts as manual work
This is where most mistakes happen, and they are expensive ones. Manual work is not about job title or seniority — it is about what the person physically does. Kitchen and service staff, warehouse and logistics workers, cleaners, technicians, delivery and other drivers, site and construction workers are all manual, whatever they earn.
What the checker does not tell you
- What it will cost. Premiums depend on occupation risk, payroll, insurer and claims history. We publish indicative ranges, but a range is not a quote and we will not pretend otherwise.
- Whether your current policy is adequate. Only someone licensed, looking at your actual schedule, can answer that.
- Platform workers. Delivery riders and private-hire drivers have received WICA-equivalent protection through their platform operators since 1 January 2025 — a different arrangement from the employer obligation above.
- Everything else your business might need. WICA covers your employees. It does nothing for a customer injured on your premises, damage to your premises, or a professional mistake. See the full list of covers.
Where these rules come from
The obligation and the S$2,600 threshold come from the Work Injury Compensation Act and the Ministry of Manpower’s guidance on it. The penalty figures are the statutory maximums. The S$60,000 medical insurance minimum for Work Permit and S Pass holders is MOM’s enhanced requirement. Compensation limits were raised for accidents on or after 1 November 2025 — the current figures are on the WICA page. We check these against primary sources and date every change; see our editorial standards.
Use it, share it, embed it
If you advise Singapore businesses — as an accountant, a corporate secretary, an HR consultant — you are welcome to link to this page and send it to clients. There is no sign-up wall and there never will be. If it would be more useful to you in some other form, tell us and we will look at it.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need WICA insurance for part-time staff?
Yes, on the same test as anyone else. WICA applies to any employee under a contract of service regardless of hours or citizenship. If a part-timer does manual work, or earns S$2,600 a month or less, you must insure them.
My staff all sit at desks and earn well above S$2,600. Can I skip it?
You are not legally required to insure them. But they can still claim WICA compensation from you if they are injured at work, and without a policy the company pays that award itself — which for a serious injury runs to six figures. Most employers insure everyone; the premium on low-risk office staff is modest.
Does my group medical or personal accident policy count?
No. Group medical, group personal accident and similar policies do not satisfy the WICA requirement however generous they are. WICA cover must be a work injury compensation policy from an insurer designated for it in Singapore.
Does Foreign Worker Medical Insurance replace WICA cover?
No — they are separate obligations and you may well need both for the same person. FWMI is medical insurance of at least S$60,000 a year for Work Permit and S Pass holders. WICA insurance covers work injury compensation. A Work Permit holder doing manual work needs both.
Is this checker legal advice?
No. It applies the published statutory test to the numbers you enter, and it is general information only. Red Reef Pte Ltd is not an insurer, broker or adviser and holds no licence to advise on or arrange insurance. For your specific position, confirm with MOM or a licensed intermediary — we can put you in touch with one.
Primary sources
Every statutory figure on this page comes from the responsible authority. These are the pages we used, so you can check our working — see how we write this.
- Ministry of Manpower — Work injury compensation MOM's overview of the Work Injury Compensation Act — who is covered and what an employer must do.
- Ministry of Manpower — Work injury compensation insurance Which employees an employer is legally required to insure, and who pays.
- Ministry of Manpower — Types of compensation and current limits Medical expenses, medical leave wages and lump-sum limits. Limits were revised on 1 November 2025.
- Ministry of Manpower — Medical insurance requirements for migrant workers The minimum medical cover required for each Work Permit and S Pass holder.
- Singapore Statutes Online — Work Injury Compensation Act 2019 The Act itself, including the Schedules that set the compensation limits.
- Monetary Authority of Singapore — Financial Institutions Directory Check that any insurer, broker or agent you deal with is licensed in Singapore.
Requirements change. If a figure here differs from the authority's own page, the authority is right — tell us and we will correct it.