Arranging a health insurance plan in the UAE for your dependents might be challenging, as it involves a different set of people, such as providing an insurance coverage for your new-born baby, your parents, or a maid.
Additionally, the insurance policies across UAE work differently for each emirate. Whether you need to apply for insurance by yourself or it is accomplished by your employer, below are the factors to consider on choosing the right health insurance in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and across UAE for your dependents.
How do the health insurance policies differ in each emirate?
In Abu Dhabi, employers are mandated to offer health insurance for their employees and for their dependents as well. Most health insurance plans only cover until the third child, thus, the responsibility to insure a fourth child or any subsequent children is entirely on the employee’s (or the parent’s) hands.
In Dubai, employers are also mandatory to pay for their employee’s medical covers. The Dubai law states that all dependents, which include domestic workers, must be covered for at least basic health insurance – but this must be done by the visa sponsor and not their employer.
As for the northern emirates which are Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, and Umm Al Quwain, employers are not mandated by the law to cover medical insurance for their employees, let alone to their dependents. However, employers can choose to provide insurance coverage if they’re willing to.
Do my family need to be on the same plan as mine?
No, it is not necessary, as you and your family end up on different plans, for instance, if you have a fourth child in Abu Dhabi. Most health insurance plans in Dubai are compliant to Dubai Health Authority (DHA) that can also be offered to spouses.
However, some employers do require the same insurance plan for the whole family as there might be a higher risk of claim-related loss.
Is pregnancy automatically covered?
In both insurance plans in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, it is required for married women to have maternity coverage on their insurance plan. For visa holders in Dubai, normal delivery is covered up to Dh7,000 while Dh10,000 for a cesarean section.
If a woman is already pregnant before applying for medical insurance, the insurance company in Abu Dhabi or Dubai would ask for a higher premium with the price rising from Dh5,000 to Dh20,000.
Is a new-born baby medically covered?
The new-born baby is covered for 30 days from birth. During this time, the parents should apply for health insurance within the 30 covered days, to ensure that the child is insured from day 31.
To quicken the process, most health insurance companies in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and across the UAE can accept a copy of the Emirates ID application form rather than the actual identity card, which can also work when insuring other dependents.
How do I choose an insurance plan?
The DHA website lists all registered insurance providers in the UAE. If you want to know more about the company, it’s also no longer possible to do so just by searching for former client’s reviews, feedback, and most especially professional experience with the providers.
It’s recommended that you check into hospitals and ask which insurers provide direct billing, so you will not have to pay and claim back. International plans are considered better as you are covered worldwide, and the claims process is faster.
Should I just pick a basic plan?
Healthcare is important, and a health insurance will financially help you even if you go just for an annual medical check-up. Choosing a basic plan is getting something of a cost without value. As you must settle the cost anyway, you may as well secure for a quality group medical insurance company in Abu Dhabi or across the UAE.