GREAT Wealth Multiplier 3 (Single Premium) — how it compares

GREAT Wealth Multiplier 3 (Single Premium) — A Closer Look

GREAT Wealth Multiplier 3 is a participating endowment plan from Great Eastern Life that blends long-term savings with life protection. This single-premium version allows you to make one lump-sum payment upfront, and the policy matures when the life assured reaches age 120 next birthday. It provides a guaranteed maturity benefit plus non-guaranteed bonuses, and includes death, total and permanent disability (TPD), and terminal illness coverage. As a participating plan, its non-guaranteed returns depend on the performance of Great Eastern's participating fund.

How it compares

Measured on a common basis (age 35, male, non-smoker, $50,000 single premium), the GREAT Wealth Multiplier 3 sits among several similar single-premium endowment plans. Its guaranteed surrender value at year 20 is $55,000, which is higher than Income's Gro Saver Flex Pro ($54,100) but lower than Prudential's PRUWealth Plus ($57,641). Singlife's Smart Saver Plus has a shorter coverage term (11–15 years) and no comparable year-20 figure.

On investment performance, the plan's participating fund returned 2.39% net over 5 years and 3.68% over 10 years. This 10-year figure trails both Income (4.04%) and Prudential (3.95%), though it beats Singlife's 4.07% only on the 5-year view (2.39% vs 1.24%). Its total expense ratio of 1.54% over 5 years is moderate — cheaper than Prudential (2.27%) and Singlife (2.59%), but higher than Income (0.94%).

For a $20,000 single premium, the plan illustrates a guaranteed maturity value of $42,200, with a projected upside to $229,461 at the higher 4.25% illustration rate. Projected yields range from 2.67% to 3.71% per annum. Early surrender is costly: at year 10, the guaranteed surrender value is just $20,000 (equal to premium paid), rising to $22,000 by year 20 and $26,800 by year 30.

Pros

• Strong guaranteed floor: Year-20 guaranteed surrender value is competitive among peers.
• Long-term protection: Death, TPD, and terminal illness cover last until age 120, with death benefit at 105% of premium or surrender value plus bonuses, whichever is higher.
• No underwriting required and SRS premium payments are allowed.
• Flexible premium options: Regular payment terms of 5, 10, or 15 years are also available.

Cons

• High early-surrender cost: Surrendering before year 10 may return less than premiums paid.
• Modest fund returns: The participating fund's 10-year net return (3.68%) trails several peers.
• No cash coupons: Unlike some endowments, this plan does not pay regular income.
• CPFIS not allowed: You cannot use CPF Investment Scheme funds.

Who it may suit

This plan may suit investors seeking a single-premium endowment with a long horizon (20+ years), who value the guaranteed maturity benefit and lifetime protection over higher potential returns. It is less suitable for those needing liquidity in the first decade or expecting to outpace peers on investment performance. Given the savings-vs-protection balance, it leans more toward wealth accumulation than pure insurance cover.

This is general information based on CompareFIRST.sg data, not financial advice. Premiums and features can change; please verify with the insurer or a MAS-licensed financial adviser before making any decision.