Dubai Health Insurance: A Guide to Your Insurance Coverage in the UAE

Dubai Health Insurance: A Guide to Your Insurance Coverage in the UAE

Healthcare in Dubai ranks among the most efficient systems in the world. This is due to the fact that all healthcare facilities are not only easily accessible to everyone, but also equipped with the latest technology. In addition, Dubai has an estimated 181 doctors per 100,000 inhabitants, which has contributed to the rise of medical tourism in the emirate.

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In addition, there is a statutory obligation to hold health insurance. Therefore, if you are planning to move to Dubai or another emirate of the UAE, you will sooner or later have to address the topic of health insurance. To give you a few points of reference, this blog post summarises the most important things you need to know about health insurance in Dubai.

Table of Contents

Minimum requirements for health insurance coverage in Dubai
Health insurance for low earners or the unemployed
Public health insurance in Dubai
Private health insurance in Dubai
Mandatory health insurance for tourists
Pharmacies
Conclusion
FAQ
Why should you take out international health insurance for Dubai?

Key Facts at a Glance

• In Dubai, there is a statutory obligation to hold health insurance.
• There are essentially two types of insurance: public and private health insurance.
• For UAE nationals, all medical services are free of charge or heavily subsidised.
• However, even if you are not a UAE national, you have access to many healthcare facilities, although you must pay for them out of your own pocket. As an employee, however, these costs are covered for you, since your employer is responsible for ensuring that you receive free access to the UAE's medical facilities.
• For low earners, there is also a basic insurance plan that covers essential medical services.

General Information on the UAE Healthcare System

Dubai's health insurance law stipulates that every resident must hold valid insurance coverage if they meet or exceed the minimum requirements set by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA).

The requirements for obtaining health insurance, as well as the healthcare facilities themselves, may vary within the UAE. However, regardless of which emirate of the UAE you reside in, you can rely on first-class healthcare.

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The UAE has a comprehensive, state-funded healthcare system that offers you optimal care in both the private and public sectors. However, medical services are only free of charge or subsidised for UAE nationals.

All persons who are not resident in the UAE, on the other hand, must pay to access this high standard of care. If you are an employee, however, your employer must ensure that you have access to healthcare. In this regard, your employer may also not make any deductions from your salary, so that you can enjoy good medical care.

Minimum Requirements for Health Insurance Coverage in Dubai

In Dubai, there are certain minimum requirements for health insurance that every employer and sponsor must meet for their employees. This means that in every case, whether you are employed or self-employed, the following treatments must be covered by your insurance:

• Diagnostic tests
• Medication
• Outpatient treatment
• Inpatient treatment
• Maternity benefits (for women)

These treatments can be summarised under what is known as basic insurance and are also referred to as the Essential Benefits Plan (EBP).

Health Insurance for Low Earners or the Unemployed

As mentioned earlier, there is an Essential Benefits Plan, also known as basic insurance. The EBP is primarily intended for UAE residents who earn less than 4,000 AED per month, which is why their dependants also benefit from the coverage.

The EBP plan has a fixed price of 550 to 650 AED per year and covers the services mentioned above. However, the basic insurance also comes with some fundamental restrictions, such as:

• An annual maximum of 150,000 AED
• Chronic illnesses and pre-existing conditions are only taken into account after 6 months
• For inpatient healthcare services, a surcharge of 20% is charged, up to a maximum of 500 AED per visit
• The maximum amount for medication or prescriptions is capped at 1,500 AED

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Apart from that, in Dubai you can further distinguish between two other types of insurance: statutory (public) health insurance and private international health insurance.

Public Health Insurance in Dubai

Which treatments public health insurance covers in the UAE varies from emirate to emirate. In any case, however, preventive services for children and pregnant women, as well as emergencies, are covered. In addition, public insurance policies generally also include the following services:

• General examinations
• Physiotherapy services
• Diagnostic examinations
• Laboratory services
• Treatment by general practitioners and specialists
• Radiological diagnostics
• Prescribed medicines
• Other medications

Good to know: Public insurance coverage does not include vision correction through laser or surgical procedures, hearing and vision aids, or dental treatment. However, there are exceptions in which health insurance coverage also extends to surgical procedures, follow-up examinations during pregnancy, and physiotherapy.

Private Health Insurance in Dubai

Even though there is public health insurance in Dubai and the rest of the UAE, many Emirati nationals and immigrants nevertheless opt for private insurance. And for good reason. Private health insurance policies are far more comprehensive than their public counterpart and therefore come with several decisive advantages:

1. Access to many providers: If you opt for private health insurance, you automatically gain access to a top network of renowned healthcare providers. These include, for example, medical facilities specialising in a particular field, chronic disease care, mental health care, and even evacuation services.
2. Flexible design options for insurance plans: Numerous international insurers offer you flexible plans that can be tailored to your individual needs. For example, you can choose from various levels of coverage and additional benefits, thereby ensuring that you receive all the necessary services you require.
3. Global coverage: One of the greatest advantages of private international health insurance is that, compared to local insurance plans, it is valid worldwide. This can be particularly useful to you if you travel frequently.
4. Seamless transfer of insurance: With private health insurance, changing your place of residence is not a problem, as your insurance coverage is generally transferred without any interruption or new waiting periods.

Good to know: You can find a list of all approved and registered health insurance providers at the relevant insurance authority.

Mandatory Health Insurance for Tourists

If you do not live in Dubai but are planning an extended stay in Dubai as a tourist, you are exempt from the mandatory health insurance requirement just mentioned. Nevertheless, we recommend that you take out travel health insurance that at least covers medical emergencies. In the event of an illness or serious injury, the costs of treatment in Dubai can quickly escalate.

Travel health insurance prevents precisely these unwanted costs and protects you for the duration of your stay in the UAE.

Pharmacies 

For you as a tourist and immigrant, pharmacies are also of interest regardless of your health insurance. If you ever feel unwell but do not necessarily require medical assistance, many pharmacies in the UAE are available to you 24 hours a day. There is, for example, a wide range of over-the-counter as well as prescription medications available to provide relief. However, antidepressants as well as sleeping pills and sedatives are heavily regulated.

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Good to know: Medication in the United Arab Emirates is often very expensive. It is therefore advisable to keep your receipts so that you can submit them to your health insurance provider.

Conclusion

The healthcare system in Dubai is not only remarkably efficient but also technologically state of the art, which makes it a hotspot for medical tourism. The mandatory health insurance also guarantees that you receive adequate protection at all times, and as a UAE national you even benefit from free or heavily subsidised healthcare services. In fact, however, you benefit even more from private health insurance, as it offers, among other things, worldwide coverage and flexible insurance plans that are, moreover, tailored to your individual needs. If, on the other hand, you have chosen Dubai as your next holiday destination, taking out health insurance is not mandatory, but it is advisable.

FAQ

Why should you take out international health insurance for Dubai?

If you receive treatment in Dubai, the German statutory health insurance fund does not cover any costs, as there is no social security agreement between Germany and the UAE. Therefore, you have to pay for a doctor's visit or a hospital stay yourself. The same applies to repatriation to Germany. In addition, medical care costs in Dubai and the rest of the UAE's emirates are generally not exactly affordable. This is also the reason why international insurance pays off in any case.

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