Healthcare in the UAE

Healthcare is mostly provided privately for expats in the UAE. You or your employer will need to get you a Private Healthcare Insurance Coverage.

Each Emirate has different requirements when it comes to getting private Healthcare.

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Healthcare in each EmirateFind & Compare Plans Insurance for BusinessesGet Help

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to have Medical Insurance in the UAE?
Do I have to pay to go to the Hospital or Clinic?

How Healthcare works in each Emirate

Each Emirate has different requirements when it comes to Healthcare for expats.
In Dubai
‍✅ By law, companies in Dubai are required to provide private health insurance for all their expat employees. This does not include dependents, so the employee is responsible for covering their Healthcare needs if not provided by the employer. Your employer will need to provide you with all the details about your insurance and how to activate it.
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In Abu Dhabi
✅ In Abu Dhabi, it is mandatory that your company provides health insurance for you and your dependents. Dependents include one spouse and up to three children under the age of 18. Health insurance coverage for a fourth child is the responsibility of the employee.Your employer will need to provide you with all the details about your insurance and how to activate it.
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In Northern Emirates
✅ In the northern emirates of Ajman, Ras Al-Khaimah, Sharjah, Fujairah, and Umm Al-Quwain, it is not mandatory for employers to provide health insurance to the employees. You’ll be responsible for getting your own Healthcare coverage.
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👉 Where to purchase Insurance

There are instances in which you don’t have an employer to get you Medical Insurance (i.e. if you’re a Business Owner or a Freelancer), or maybe you just want to upgrade your plan. So what are the best options to search for a new plan?
PolicyBazaar
A Marketplace for Insurance Providers. They are the second biggest insurance website in the UAE with over 20,000 reviews.
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Insurancemarket
The biggest Marketplace for Insurance Providers in the UAE. Also has over 20,000 reviews.
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Individual providers
There are hundreds of individual Insurance providers in the UAE. Most will cater to companies, but a lot of them will also offer personal plans. Speak to one of our advisors if you'd like help.

🔍 Things to look out for in your Insurance Plan

With so many options out there in the market, it’s easy to think they are virtually all the same - But don’t be fooled! They can be very different. Your coverage and the level of service you get can greatly vary with each insurance plan.

There’s a number of things you need to pay close attention to when reviewing an Insurance Plan & Policy:
Coverage Limits
Every Insurance plan will have Medical Coverage limits. For example, one of the cheapest plans can cost AED 1000 per year, with a limit of AED 150k in coverage. While this may seem like a lot, a surgery can cost more than that, so it’s important to be aware.
Approved Partners
Most Insurance plans in the UAE will operate under a Co-Pay policy. This means every time you avail Medical Care, you will have to pay a % of your total bill, while your insurance provider pays the rest. Your part of the bill normally ranges between 10% and 30%.
Approved Partners
Your Insurance plan will include a list of “approved partners” who accept your policy. This includes which medical clinics and hospitals you can get seen at. If you visit a clinic that’s not covered by your Insurance, you’ll need to pay for 100% of the cost.
Policy Limitations
Most plans will have limitations. For example a “Full Dental coverage plan” may exclude things like whitening and aesthetic procedures. Make sure to check the fine print in your policy.
Gender differences
Most Insurance plans will either charge women more, or have limitations for pregnancy related medical situations. Always highlight your gender before purchasing a Policy.

Getting an Insurance Plan as a Business Owner

If you are a Business Owner or a Freelancer, chances are, nobody will be getting an Insurance on your behalf, because you don’t fall under the traditional “Employee” category. However, you are still legally required to get Medical Insurance. So how do you actually do it?
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How to get Medical Insurance
From the moment you are issued an Emirates ID, you must get a Medical Insurance plan for yourself (and in the case you sponsor someone - An employee or a family member - you’ll need to get them insurance coverage too).

Here are the steps to secure a compliant Insurance policy:
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1) Upgrade to learn more

2) Are you inspecting the code? Good try, upgrade to find out ;)

3) Upgrade to learn more

4) Are you inspecting the code? Good try, upgrade to find out ;)

5) Upgrade to learn more
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Documents required to get an Insurance Policy for yourself (and your team or family)
Upgrade to find out!
How to get Medical Insurance
From the moment you are issued an Emirates ID, you must get a Medical Insurance plan for yourself (and in the case you sponsor someone - An employee or a family member - you’ll need to get them insurance coverage too).

Here are the steps to secure a compliant Insurance policy:
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1) Define your yearly budget per person. The cheapest insurance in the UAE is about AED 1000 per year, but that gives you minimal coverage. If you want a more comprehensive coverage, be prepared to pay 3X to 5X that value.
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2) Collect all Documents and information from the people you’re getting insurance from - In the next Section, there is a list of everything you will need for this step.

3) Reach out to a marketplace of Insurance providers, and leave them your number and email. They will reach out by calling you, or dropping you a whatsapp message.

4) They will ask you about your preferences and present you with different Insurance options. It is then up to you to make a choice on your preferred policy.

5) Submit all your documentation and make the payment via their website as agreed with the Agent that is supporting you.

6) Receive your official insurance policy via email a few days later, and have it activated so you can start using it.
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Documents required to get an Insurance Policy for yourself (and your team or family)
When you request to purchase an Insurance Policy as a Business Owner you will be asked to provide the following Documents:
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- Passport (of every person being enrolled in the Insurance Plan)
- E-visas
- EID Applications (If you already have your Emirates ID at this point, provide it instead)
- Trade License (Of your Business or Activity if you’re a Freelancer)
- Height and weight (of each person being enrolled in the insurance plan)

In addition, you will be asked for basic personal information such as your Name, Contact information and address.

Need more help? Speak to an Advisor today!