Insurance for cleaning and security companies in Singapore
What a cleaning or security business in Singapore must insure
Work injury compensation insurance is compulsory for every employee doing manual work, regardless of salary. It is also compulsory for non-manual employees earning S$2,600 a month or less, excluding overtime, bonus, AWS, incentives and allowances. Supervisors and office staff above that threshold are optional to insure, but valid claims must still be paid.
Failing to insure a required employee carries a fine of up to S$10,000, jail of up to 12 months, or both. Since 1 January 2021, policies must come from an MOM-designated insurer on MOM's compulsory terms.
Both sectors are also licensed, and licence conditions shape the business.
- Cleaning. Cleaning companies hold a Cleaning Business Licence administered by the National Environment Agency. They must meet the Progressive Wage Model wage and training requirements to obtain or renew it. From 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027, the basic monthly wage for a general or indoor cleaner at office and commercial sites is S$2,080.
- Security. Security agencies and security officers must be licensed under the Private Security Industry Act 2007.
Wage floors matter for insurance because the declared wage roll drives the work injury compensation premium. A wage roll that has not been updated for Progressive Wage Model increases understates the risk.
Covers most cleaning and security businesses carry
| Cover | Why | Compulsory? |
|---|---|---|
| Work injury compensation | Statutory compensation for injured workers | Yes, for every manual worker |
| Public liability | Injury to the public or damage to client property | No, but required by most service contracts |
| Fidelity guarantee | Theft or fraud by employees, including at client sites | No, but often required by clients |
| Motor | Vans and patrol vehicles | Yes, third-party bodily injury on roads |
| Property and equipment | Floor scrubbers, machines, uniforms, control-room equipment | No |
| Professional indemnity | Security consultancy or system design advice | No |
| Group personal accident | Accidents outside work for staff | No |
Public liability is the cover clients check first. It pays for injury to a third party or damage to client property caused by the business's work. A wet floor that causes a fall, or a chemical that damages marble, sits here.
The work injury compensation product page sets out how headcount and wages are declared.
Risks specific to cleaning and security
Both trades work on premises they do not control. That shapes every claim.
- Slips, falls and chemical injuries. Cleaners carry high frequency of minor injuries. Each one can trigger medical leave wages under WICA.
- Work at height. Facade and high-level cleaning raises the severity of falls.
- Third-party injury. Members of the public slip on wet floors or trip over equipment.
- Damage to client property. Wrong chemicals on stone, water on electrical rooms, or a dropped key that forces re-keying.
- Staff dishonesty. Cleaners and guards have access to offices, homes and stores after hours.
- Assault and confrontation. Security officers face injury from intruders or members of the public.
WICA amounts rose for accidents from 1 November 2025. Medical expenses are now covered up to S$53,000 or 1 year. Permanent incapacity compensation ranges from S$116,000 to S$346,000, multiplied by the percentage of incapacity. Death compensation ranges from S$91,000 to S$269,000. For a workforce in the hundreds, these limits set the size of the exposure.
What moves the premium
Insurers rate cleaning and security on people, places and record. The direction of each factor is shown below.
| Factor | Direction |
|---|---|
| Headcount and declared wage roll | Higher roll raises the WICA premium |
| Share of work at height or facade cleaning | Higher share raises the rate |
| Sites served (offices, hospitals, industrial, residential) | Industrial and healthcare sites raise rates |
| Armed or cash-related guarding | Raises liability and fidelity rates |
| Staff vetting and turnover | Documented vetting supports fidelity terms |
| Training records and safety programme | Documented programmes support better terms |
| Claims history over 3 to 5 years | Frequent small claims raise rates and excesses |
| Public liability limit required by contracts | Higher limits raise the premium |
Contract terms also move price. A client requiring joint names or a waiver of subrogation asks the insurer to give up recovery rights, which some insurers charge for.
What the broker needs from you
A full submission avoids underinsurance and disputes at claim time. Prepare the following:
- Company profile, UEN and the NEA or police licence numbers.
- Headcount split by cleaners, security officers, supervisors and office staff.
- Annual wage roll for each group, updated for current Progressive Wage Model rates.
- Number of Work Permit, S Pass and local employees.
- List of client sites by type, and any facade or height work.
- Insurance requirements from the 5 largest service contracts.
- Staff vetting and induction procedures.
- Vehicle list for the motor policy.
- Equipment list with replacement values.
- Claims history for the past 5 years on every policy.
Contract requirements usually set the public liability limit and fidelity limit. Send them to the broker before the quotation, not after.
Frequently asked questions
What public liability limit do building owners require of cleaning contractors?
There is no statutory figure. The limit comes from each service contract, and building owners and managing agents set their own minimums. Collect the requirements from all current contracts and buy a limit that meets the highest one.
Does WICA cover part-time cleaners on hourly pay?
Cleaners are manual workers, and WICA insurance is compulsory for every employee doing manual work regardless of salary. Part-time employees are employees, so they must be declared and insured. Include their wages in the declared wage roll.
Is theft by a security officer covered?
Not by public liability, which excludes dishonest acts. Fidelity guarantee insurance covers loss from theft or fraud by employees. Check whether the policy extends to client property and whether it requires proof of the specific employee responsible.
Who insures when staff are deployed to a client site?
The employer insures its own staff under WICA, wherever they are deployed. The employer's public liability covers damage or injury its staff cause at the site. The client insures its own building and contents under its property policy.
Sources
- Ministry of Manpower: work injury compensation insurance
- Ministry of Manpower: types of compensation
- Ministry of Manpower: Progressive Wage Model for the cleaning sector
- Singapore Statutes Online: Private Security Industry Act 2007
- Singapore Statutes Online: Motor Vehicles (Third-Party Risks and Compensation) Act 1960
General information only, not advice on any particular policy. Cover depends on the policy wording and the insurer's terms.