No. S 390
Insurance Act
(Chapter 142)
Insurance (Nomination of Beneficiaries) Regulations 2009
In exercise of the powers conferred by sections 49P, 61(9)(c) and 64(1) of the Insurance Act, the Monetary Authority of Singapore hereby makes the following Regulations:
Citation and commencement
1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Insurance (Nomination of Beneficiaries) Regulations 2009 and shall come into operation on 1st September 2009.
Definitions
2.—(1)  In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires, “relevant policy” and “will” have the same meanings as in section 49K of the Act.
(2)  In these Regulations, a document shall be taken to be lodged with a person when it is received by the person.
Forms
3.—(1)  The forms to be used for the purposes of these Regulations are those set out in the Schedule.
(2)  Every form used for the purposes of these Regulations —
(a)shall be completed in the English language and in accordance with such directions as may be specified in the form;
(b)subject to regulations 5A(3) and 5B(5), if the form pertains to —
(i)the making of a nomination under section 49L(2) of the Act in respect of a relevant policy;
(ii)the appointment, or the revocation of the appointment, under section 49L(12) of the Act of any trustee of the policy moneys payable under a relevant policy;
(iii)the making of a nomination under section 49M(2) of the Act in respect of a relevant policy; or
(iv)the revocation under section 49M(4) of the Act of a nomination under section 49M(2) of the Act in respect of a relevant policy,
shall be signed by the policy owner in the presence of 2 witnesses (each being an individual who has attained the age of 21 years and is not a nominee or the spouse of a nominee, and each of whom shall also sign the form); and
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(c)subject to regulation 5B(3), if the form pertains to the revocation under section 49L(7) of the Act of a nomination under section 49L(2) of the Act in respect of a relevant policy, shall be signed, in the presence of 2 witnesses (each being an individual who has attained the age of 21 years and is not a nominee or the spouse of a nominee, and each of whom shall also sign the form), by the policy owner and by —
(i)any trustee of the policy moneys payable under the relevant policy (not being the policy owner); or
(ii)each nominee who has attained the age of 18 years and a parent or legal guardian (not being the policy owner) of each nominee who is below the age of 18 years,
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and all references in these Regulations to completing a form, or to a duly completed form, shall be construed accordingly.
(3)  A licensed insurer may refuse to accept a form if it is not completed in accordance with these Regulations.
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Trust nomination
4.—(1)  For the purposes of section 49L(2) of the Act, a policy owner of a relevant policy shall make a nomination under section 49L(2) of the Act, and indicate each nominee’s portion of the policy moneys, by completing Form 1 and lodging it with the licensed insurer that issued the relevant policy.
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(2)  For the purposes of section 49L(7) of the Act, a policy owner of a relevant policy shall revoke a nomination under section 49L(2) of the Act by completing Form 2 and lodging it with the licensed insurer that issued the relevant policy.
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(3)  For the purposes of section 49L(12) of the Act, a policy owner of a relevant policy shall appoint one or more trustees of the policy moneys, or revoke the appointment of any trustee so appointed, by completing Form 3 and lodging it with the licensed insurer that issued the relevant policy.
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(4)  For the purposes of section 49L(15) of the Act, a relevant policy shall vest in the trustee or trustees of the policy moneys appointed under section 49L(12)(a) or (b) of the Act, or pursuant to a provision under section 49L(12)(d)(i) of the Act, when the licensed insurer that issued the relevant policy has been given notice of the appointment by the lodgment with the licensed insurer of the duly completed Form 3 pursuant to which the trustee or trustees were so appointed.
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(5)  For the purposes of section 49L(15) of the Act, a relevant policy shall vest in the trustee or trustees of the policy moneys appointed under section 49L(13) of the Act when the licensed insurer that issued the relevant policy has been given notice of the appointment by the lodgment with the licensed insurer of a certified copy of the order of the High Court pursuant to which the trustee or trustees were so appointed.
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Disapplication of section 49L of Act
4A.—(1)  For the purposes of section 49L(1)(c) of the Act, the following types of relevant policies are relevant policies to which section 49L (trust nomination) of the Act shall not apply:
(a)any relevant policy taken up under the ElderShield Supplement Scheme;
(aa)any relevant policy that is a CareShield Life supplementary disability insurance policy;
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(b)any relevant policy that is a medisave‑approved plan;
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(c)any relevant policy purchased using funds from a person’s SRS account under the Supplementary Retirement Scheme.
(2)  In paragraph (1) —
“CareShield Life supplementary disability insurance policy” has the meaning given by regulation 2 of the CareShield Life and Long-Term Care (Supplement Scheme) Regulations 2020 (G.N. No. S 850/2020);
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“ElderShield Supplement Scheme” has the same meaning as in regulation 2 of the Central Provident Fund (Withdrawals for ElderShield Scheme) Regulations (Cap. 36, Rg 29);
[Deleted by S 632/2015 wef 01/11/2015]
“medisave‑approved plan” has the same meaning as in regulation 2(1) of the MediShield Life Scheme (Private Medical Insurance Scheme) Regulations 2015 (G.N. No. S 623/2015);
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“SRS account” has the same meaning as in section 2(1) of the Income Tax Act (Cap. 134);
“Supplementary Retirement Scheme” means the Supplementary Retirement Scheme established by regulation 3 of the Income Tax (Supplementary Retirement Scheme) Regulations 2003 (G.N. No. S 30/2003).
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Revocable nomination
5.—(1)  For the purposes of section 49M(2) of the Act, a policy owner of a relevant policy shall make a nomination under section 49M(2) of the Act, and indicate each nominee’s portion of the death benefits under the relevant policy, by completing Form 4 and lodging it with the licensed insurer that issued the relevant policy.
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(2)  For the purposes of section 49M(4) of the Act, a policy owner of a relevant policy shall revoke a nomination under section 49M(2) of the Act by completing Form 5 and lodging it with the licensed insurer that issued the relevant policy.
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(3)  For the purposes of section 49M(7)(b) of the Act, a will referred to therein shall specify the following particulars of the relevant policy:
(a)the name of the licensed insurer that issued the relevant policy;
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(b)the policy number;
(c)the name of each beneficiary to whom any portion (including the whole) of the death benefits under the relevant policy is bequeathed;
(d)where a beneficiary referred to in sub-paragraph (c) is an individual, the following particulars of the beneficiary:
(i)his Singapore National Registration Identity Card (NRIC) number or Singapore birth certificate number (if he is a citizen or permanent resident of Singapore), or his foreign passport number and the jurisdiction which issued his foreign passport (if he is not a citizen or permanent resident of Singapore);
(ii)his address; and
(iii)his date of birth;
(e)where a beneficiary referred to in sub-paragraph (c) is not an individual, the following particulars of the beneficiary:
(i)the Singapore unique entity number of the beneficiary or, if the beneficiary does not have such a number, any other official registration number which identifies and is unique to the entity; and
(ii)the address of the beneficiary; and
(f)the portion of the death benefits under the relevant policy which is bequeathed to each beneficiary.
(4)  Where a nomination made by the policy owner of a relevant policy under section 49M(2) of the Act is deemed to be revoked under section 49M(7)(a) of the Act, the policy owner shall give the licensed insurer that issued the relevant policy notice of the revocation of the nomination by lodging with the licensed insurer —
(a)a duly completed Form 6 pertaining to the revocation; or
(b)a letter informing the licensed insurer of the assignment or encumbering of, or the dealing with, the relevant policy or any interest under the relevant policy, and enclosing a certified copy of any document evidencing the assignment, encumbering or dealing.
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(5)  Where a nomination made by the policy owner of a relevant policy under section 49M(2) of the Act is deemed to be revoked under section 49M(7)(b) of the Act, the policy owner shall give the licensed insurer that issued the relevant policy notice of the revocation of the nomination by lodging with the licensed insurer —
(a)a duly completed Form 6 pertaining to the revocation; or
(b)a certified copy of a will referred to in section 49M(7)(b) of the Act pertaining to the relevant policy.
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Nomination on behalf of policy owner lacking capacity
5A.—(1)  This regulation applies where a policy owner of a relevant policy lacks capacity within the meaning of section 4 of the Mental Capacity Act (Cap. 177A), and the court makes an order under section 20(2)(a) of the Mental Capacity Act in relation to the making, on the policy owner’s behalf, of a nomination under section 49L(2) or 49M(2) of the Act.
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(2)  The order must authorise a person (referred to in this regulation as the authorised person) to sign the nomination on the policy owner’s behalf.
(3)  Every form pertaining to the making of a nomination under section 49L(2) or 49M(2) of the Act on the policy owner’s behalf in pursuance of the order shall —
(a)state that it is signed by the policy owner acting by the authorised person;
(b)be signed by the authorised person with the names of the policy owner and the authorised person;
(c)be signed by the authorised person in the presence of 2 witnesses (each being an individual who has attained the age of 21 years and is not a nominee or the spouse of a nominee, and each of whom shall also sign the form); and
(d)be sealed with the official seal of the court.
(4)  For the purposes of section 49L(2) of the Act, a nomination under section 49L(2) of the Act shall be made, and each nominee’s portion of the policy moneys shall be indicated, on the policy owner’s behalf in pursuance of the order by —
(a)the completion of Form 1 in accordance with paragraph (3); and
(b)the lodgment of that Form with the licensed insurer that issued the relevant policy.
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(5)  For the purposes of section 49M(2) of the Act, a nomination under section 49M(2) of the Act shall be made, and each nominee’s portion of the death benefits under the relevant policy shall be indicated, on the policy owner’s behalf in pursuance of the order by —
(a)the completion of Form 4 in accordance with paragraph (3); and
(b)the lodgment of that Form with the licensed insurer that issued the relevant policy.
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(6)  A nomination under section 49L(2) or 49M(2) of the Act which is made on the policy owner’s behalf in accordance with this regulation has the same effect for all purposes as if —
(a)the policy owner had the capacity to make the nomination; and
(b)the nomination had been made by the policy owner in accordance with Part IIIC of the Act and these Regulations.
[S 130/2010 wef 01/03/2010]
Revocation of nomination on behalf of policy owner lacking capacity
5B.—(1)  This regulation applies where a policy owner of a relevant policy lacks capacity within the meaning of section 4 of the Mental Capacity Act, and the court makes an order under section 20(2)(a) of the Mental Capacity Act in relation to the revoking, on the policy owner’s behalf, under section 49L(7) or 49M(4) of the Act, of any nomination under section 49L(2) or 49M(2) of the Act, as the case may be, made by the policy owner (before he lacked capacity) or by the court on the policy owner’s behalf.
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(2)  The order must authorise a person (referred to in this regulation as the authorised person) to sign the form pertaining to the revocation of the nomination on the policy owner’s behalf.
(3)  Every form pertaining to the revocation under section 49L(7) of the Act of a nomination under section 49L(2) of the Act, on the policy owner’s behalf in pursuance of the order, shall —
(a)state that it is signed by the policy owner acting by the authorised person;
(b)be signed by the authorised person with the names of the policy owner and the authorised person;
(c)be signed, in the presence of 2 witnesses (each being an individual who has attained the age of 21 years and is not a nominee or the spouse of a nominee, and each of whom shall also sign the form), by the authorised person and by —
(i)any trustee of the policy moneys payable under the relevant policy (not being the policy owner); or
(ii)each nominee who has attained the age of 18 years and a parent or legal guardian (not being the policy owner) of each nominee who is below the age of 18 years; and
(d)be sealed with the official seal of the court.
(4)  For the purposes of section 49L(7) of the Act, a nomination under section 49L(2) of the Act shall be revoked on the policy owner’s behalf in pursuance of the order by —
(a)the completion of Form 2 in accordance with paragraph (3); and
(b)the lodgment of that Form with the licensed insurer that issued the relevant policy.
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(5)  Every form pertaining to the revocation under section 49M(4) of the Act of a nomination under section 49M(2) of the Act, on the policy owner’s behalf in pursuance of the order, shall —
(a)state that it is signed by the policy owner acting by the authorised person;
(b)be signed by the authorised person with the names of the policy owner and the authorised person;
(c)be signed by the authorised person in the presence of 2 witnesses (each being an individual who has attained the age of 21 years and is not a nominee or the spouse of a nominee, and each of whom shall also sign the form); and
(d)be sealed with the official seal of the court.
(6)  For the purposes of section 49M(4) of the Act, a nomination under section 49M(2) of the Act shall be revoked on the policy owner’s behalf in pursuance of the order by —
(a)the completion of Form 5 in accordance with paragraph (5); and
(b)the lodgment of that Form with the licensed insurer that issued the relevant policy.
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(7)  Where a nomination under section 49L(2) or 49M(2) of the Act is revoked on the policy owner’s behalf in accordance with this regulation, the revocation has the same effect for all purposes as if —
(a)the policy owner had the capacity to revoke the nomination; and
(b)the nomination had been revoked by the policy owner in accordance with Part IIIC of the Act and these Regulations.
[S 130/2010 wef 01/03/2010]
Register of nominees
6.—(1)  For the purposes of section 49N(1) of the Act —
(a)a licensed insurer shall have received written notice of a nomination under section 49L(2) of the Act when the duly completed Form 1 pursuant to which the nomination was made is lodged with the licensed insurer; and
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(b)a licensed insurer shall have received written notice of a nomination under section 49M(2) of the Act when the duly completed Form 4 pursuant to which the nomination was made is lodged with the licensed insurer.
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(2)  For the purposes of section 49N(2) of the Act, a licensed insurer shall have received written notice of the revocation, under section 49L(7) of the Act, of a nomination under section 49L(2) of the Act when the duly completed Form 2 pertaining to the revocation is lodged with the licensed insurer.
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(3)  For the purposes of section 49N(3) of the Act —
(a)a licensed insurer shall have received written notice of the revocation, under section 49M(4) of the Act, of a nomination under section 49M(2) of the Act, when the duly completed Form 5 pertaining to the revocation is lodged with the licensed insurer;
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(b)a licensed insurer shall have received written notice of the revocation, under section 49M(5)(a) of the Act, of a nomination under section 49M(2) of the Act, when a letter informing the licensed insurer of the death of every nominee, and enclosing, in respect of each deceased nominee, a certified copy of the deceased nominee’s death certificate, is lodged with the licensed insurer;
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(c)a licensed insurer shall have received written notice of the revocation, under section 49M(7)(a) of the Act, of a nomination under section 49M(2) of the Act pertaining to a relevant policy, when —
(i)a duly completed Form 6 pertaining to the revocation is lodged with the licensed insurer; or
(ii)a letter informing the licensed insurer of the assignment or encumbering of, or the dealing with, the relevant policy or any interest under the relevant policy, and enclosing a certified copy of any document evidencing the assignment, encumbering or dealing, is lodged with the licensed insurer;
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(d)a licensed insurer shall have received written notice of the revocation, under section 49M(7)(b) of the Act, of a nomination under section 49M(2) of the Act pertaining to a relevant policy, when —
(i)a duly completed Form 6 pertaining to the revocation is lodged with the licensed insurer; or
(ii)a certified copy of a will referred to in section 49M(7)(b) of the Act pertaining to the relevant policy is lodged with the licensed insurer; and
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(e)a licensed insurer shall have received written notice of the revocation, under section 49M(7)(c) of the Act, of a nomination under section 49M(2) of the Act pertaining to a relevant policy, when a Form 1 or Form 4 pertaining to the relevant policy which was duly completed after the making of the nomination is lodged with the licensed insurer.
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Written notice of will
7.  For the purposes of section 61(9)(c) of the Act, a licensed insurer shall have received written notice of a will referred to in section 61(9) of the Act pertaining to a policy referred to in section 61(2) of the Act (including a will referred to in section 49M(7)(b) of the Act pertaining to a relevant policy) when a letter signed by the policy owner and enclosing a certified copy of the will is lodged with the licensed insurer.
[S 296/2015 wef 01/06/2015]
Made this 27th day of August 2009.
HENG SWEE KEAT
Managing Director,
Monetary Authority of Singapore.
[ID 010/2000/Pt13; AG/LEG/SL/142/2002/3 Vol. 1]
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