Health Insurance for Dependents in the UAE

Selecting the right health insurance policy for your dependents to need careful consideration and proper knowledge of the rules in the different Emirates of UAE. While you have your dependents residing with you, it is necessary to ensure on-time access and affordability to quality health care facilities. DHA (Dubai Health Authority) has mandated medical insurance coverage for all residents to get complete access to medical care in Emirate cities.

Here are some considerations you should keep in mind to avail cost-effective health insurance for your family in the UAE:

Dubai

– Dubai follows strict regulations for health insurance for employees. Basically, the sponsoring company must provide medical insurance for all its employees. However, medical insurance for dependents is the sole responsibility of the visa sponsor.

– The basic insurance plan is Essential Benefits Plan (EBP) in Dubai. As the name, this is the basic plan that is affordable to employees and their dependents so that expats can have minimum insurance coverage of AED 150,000 as per the law set by the UAE government.

Abu Dhabi

– In the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, the sponsoring company are legally required to provide medical insurance to its employees along with their dependents upto their third child under 18 years. The insurance for other dependents such as fourth child, parents or house help should be covered by the employee directly.

– The basic health insurance policy is available through the National Health Insurance Company. Employers under this policy are required to pay 50% of the plan’s premium amount for their employees’ dependents. This insurance covers the spouse and 3 children only (under 18 years). The UAE law states that the maximum health insurance cover is AED 250,000 annually for expats living in Abu Dhabi.

Other Emirates

– For other regions in the UAE, employers are not legally obliged to provide medical insurance for either their employees’ or their employee’s dependents’.

Domestic workers as dependents

– The head of the house, who is the visa sponsor by law must fund  Health insurance for maid, cook, house cleaner, gardener or driver in UAE.

– In the UAE, the cost of basic medical insurance plans for domestic workers can begin at around AED 650.

Parents as dependents

– Health insurance for parents or senior citizens over the age of 65 are more expensive.

– As the aged are more likely to have one or more lingering  issues, the insurance premiums can start from AED 4000.

Consider add-on benefits for insurance plans.

– The basic health insurance in UAE offers certain benefits up to a certain limit. This will not cover Dental, optical or even vaccination services. Choosing add-on coverage could be more cost-effective than paying hefty bills for emergency cases.

– It is your responsibility to search the list of exclusion’s checks whether the plan suffices your requirements. This helps you to minimize the risk of rejection of your claims.

Compare different policies from various insurers to select the right plan for your family.

For more information on the health insurance options and the extent of coverage you can avail, it’s worth to get in touch with our insurance advisors. Get crystal clear clarity especially on the types of coverage, co-payment options and claim submission process.