What is the CMFAS HI exam?
HI is the Health Insurance module in the Capital Markets and Financial Advisory Services (CMFAS) examinations, run by the Singapore College of Insurance (SCI). SCI says its aim is to make sure insurance intermediaries and company staff who advise on or sell health insurance understand Singapore's healthcare environment and the health insurance products on the market. Many new insurance and financial advisory representatives take it alongside RES5 and CM-LIP.
TestReady SG is an independent practice platform and is not connected to SCI, IBF, MAS, MOH or the CPF Board. Our questions are original practice questions written from MAS Notice 120, the Insurance Act regulations and official MOH and CPF Board information, not past exam questions.
Exam format
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Questions | 50 multiple-choice questions |
| Time | 1 hour 15 minutes |
| Pass mark | 70%, so at least 35 correct |
| Marking | One mark per correct answer, nothing deducted for wrong or blank answers |
| Mode | Closed-book computer screen exam in English, held on weekdays |
| Result | A result slip, not a certificate |
Because wrong answers cost nothing, never leave a question blank. With 75 minutes for 50 questions you have 90 seconds a question, which is enough time to read case studies carefully. SCI places no limit on how many times you can sit the exam.
What the syllabus covers
SCI lists 15 chapters for HI. We group them into seven practice sections:
- Health insurance basics and types of cover: the healthcare environment in Singapore, the S+3Ms financing framework (subsidies, MediSave, MediShield Life and MediFund), managed healthcare and how health insurance is priced.
- MediShield Life, Integrated Shield Plans and CareShield Life: deductibles, co-insurance and claim limits, exclusions, premium subsidies and rebates, the two parts of an Integrated Shield Plan, MediSave withdrawal limits, riders, CareShield Life, ElderShield, Supplements and MediSave Care.
- Medical expense, disability income and long-term care insurance: as-charged and inner-limit plans, deferment and benefit periods, definitions of disability, and the six activities of daily living.
- Critical illness and hospital cash: lump sum versus reimbursement benefits, accelerated and standalone cover, survival and waiting periods.
- Underwriting, claims and policy provisions: loadings and exclusions, disclosure of material facts, free-look, renewability, grace periods, and how MediShield Life and Shield plan claims are made.
- MAS Notice 120: the disclosure and advisory process for accident and health products, including know your client, needs analysis, documentation, telemarketing rules, switching and the standard disclosures for Shield plans.
- Financial needs analysis and case studies: applying all of the above to real-life client situations, with simple calculations.
How to prepare
- Learn the scheme numbers that are easy to mix up. For example: the MediShield Life claim limit is $200,000 per policy year with no lifetime limit, the MediSave Additional Withdrawal Limits for Shield plans are $300, $600 and $900 by age next birthday, and CareShield Life pays when you cannot perform 3 of the 6 activities of daily living.
- Know the difference between paying bills and paying cash. Many questions turn on whether a product reimburses actual costs, pays a regular income, or pays a lump sum when something happens.
- Read MAS Notice 120 closely. It sets out what you must disclose, what you must ask, and what you must document before a client signs. Expect several questions on it.
- Practise calculations. Deductible and co-insurance sums, cash top-ups for Shield plan premiums and MediSave Care withdrawals come up in case studies.
- Use the official study materials. SCI provides the HI eBook. Use our questions to test yourself, not as a replacement for the study text.
Scheme figures change from time to time. Our questions follow MAS Notice 120 (last revised with effect from 1 June 2022) and MOH and CPF Board information as published on 6 October 2026, including the MediShield Life benefits for treatment from 1 June 2026 and the CareShield Life changes from 1 January 2026. Check SCI's page and the latest eBook version before your exam.
Three worked examples
One question from different sections of the full pack, with the answer and explanation.
Which statement best describes medical expense insurance?
- It pays a monthly benefit while the insured cannot work
- It reimburses actual medical costs incurred, up to the policy limits
- It pays a fixed lump sum on diagnosis of a listed serious illness or condition
- It pays a fixed cash amount for each activity of daily living the insured loses
Under MediShield Life, what is the maximum claim limit per policy year?
- $150,000, with a lifetime limit of $1 million
- $200,000, with no lifetime limit
- $300,000, with a lifetime limit of $2 million
- $100,000, with no lifetime limit
In a medical expense policy, "co-insurance" means:
- the maximum amount the insurer will pay in a year
- a fixed amount paid by the insured before any claim is paid
- a second policy bought from another insurer
- a percentage of the claimable amount that the insured has to bear