Templates › Gulf countries › Health and wellness
Health Insurance (تأمين صحي)
Get compliant health insurance in the Gulf for yourself, your family or a domestic worker: check who must pay, compare plans, buy and activate the policy, and link it to your residence. Rules, regulators and minimum cover differ by emirate and country.
- Gulf countries
- ~9 days
- 8 steps
- 5 documents
Curated by Raaya · Last reviewed Oct 2026
Steps
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Check which rules apply to you
1 dayHealth insurance is a condition for issuing or renewing UAE residence, but who must buy it depends on where your visa is issued and who you are. In Dubai the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) regulates the scheme: employers insure employees, and sponsors insure their dependants and domestic workers. Abu Dhabi has its own scheme under the Department of Health (DoH). Since 1 January 2025 private-sector employers across the UAE must provide health insurance before an employee's or domestic worker's residence is issued or renewed, and MoHRE introduced a basic package for this.
Other Gulf countries: Saudi Arabia requires cooperative health insurance for expatriates, supervised by the Council of Health Insurance and linked to the Iqama. Qatar has a mandatory scheme for expatriates and visitors under the Ministry of Public Health. Kuwait collects a health insurance fee with residence. Oman (via the Financial Services Authority) and Bahrain (via the NHRA) are phasing in mandatory employer schemes.
Tip: If your employer insures you, ask HR whether your family can be added to the group policy; it is often cheaper.
- Online
- dha.gov.ae
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Gather the documents insurers ask for
1 dayInsurers need to identify each person and link the policy to the residence file. Have ready a passport copy and Emirates ID (or entry permit and visa file number for new arrivals), a photo, and for employees a salary certificate or contract, because in Dubai the minimum plan you qualify for can depend on salary band.
Applicants with existing conditions or older applicants may be asked to complete a medical declaration form. Under the MoHRE basic package, people over 64 must complete a medical disclosure and attach recent medical reports.
Other Gulf countries: insurers in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman ask for the Iqama, QID, CPR, Civil ID or resident card number in place of the Emirates ID.
Tip: Never hide a pre-existing condition on the declaration; a misstatement can let the insurer refuse claims later.
Valid passport copyEmirates ID cardUAE residence visa or entry permit copySalary certificate or pay slipMedical declaration and recent reports -
Compare plans on cover, network and cost
2 daysDo not compare on premium alone. Check the network of hospitals and clinics near your home and work, whether you need a referral to see a specialist, the co-payment per visit and on medicines, the annual limit, maternity and dental cover, and the waiting period for pre-existing conditions. Make sure the plan meets the minimum benefits required in your emirate; non-compliant plans are not accepted for residence.
MoHRE's basic package for private-sector employees and domestic workers is priced at AED 320 per year, with a 20 percent co-payment on inpatient care capped per visit and per year. Comprehensive plans cost considerably more.
Other Gulf countries: plans in Saudi Arabia must include the Council of Health Insurance unified policy benefits; Qatar plans must meet MOPH basic cover; elsewhere check with the regulator.
Tip: Ask for the policy's table of benefits in writing before paying.
- Plan meets the minimum required benefits for your emirate
- Preferred hospitals and clinics are in network
- Co-payment per visit and on medicines
- Annual limit and area of cover
- Maternity, dental and optical cover if needed
- Waiting period for pre-existing conditions
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Speak to a licensed insurer or broker
1 dayContact a licensed insurer or broker to get quotes for each person. Brokers must be licensed by the UAE insurance regulator (the Central Bank of the UAE supervises insurers and brokers). Share the document set and your plan requirements, and ask for written quotes with the table of benefits.
If you are insuring a domestic worker or a dependant, the sponsor buys the policy in their own name as policyholder.
Other Gulf countries: Saudi Arabia lists qualified insurers on the Council of Health Insurance site; Qatar's MOPH publishes registered insurers; Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman have their own regulator lists.
Tip: Ask whether the policy will be uploaded to the immigration system automatically, or whether you must provide the certificate yourself.
- Where
- Licensed insurer or insurance broker · Bring passport, Emirates ID or visa file number, and salary certificate. Ask for written quotes and the table of benefits.
Valid passport copySalary certificate or pay slip -
Pay the premium
1 dayPay the premium for each insured person. Policies are usually annual; some basic packages tied to a residence run for the residence period. Get a receipt and the policy certificate for each person.
For employees in the UAE, the employer pays; for dependants and domestic workers, the sponsor pays. In Dubai, employers may not deduct the cost of mandatory employee cover from salary.
Other Gulf countries: in Saudi Arabia and Qatar the employer pays for employees and the sponsor for dependants; in Kuwait the health fee is paid with the residence fees; check local rules in Bahrain and Oman.
Tip: Pay by card or bank transfer rather than cash so you have proof if the policy is not issued.
- Fee
- AED 320 · MoHRE basic health insurance package per year (private-sector employees and domestic workers); other plans cost more
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Activate the policy and link it to residence
1 dayOnce paid, the insurer issues the policy and a digital insurance card, usually in its app. In the UAE the policy is linked to the person's Emirates ID or visa file so the residence application or renewal can go ahead. Check that the name, Emirates ID number and dates are correct.
If the residence application is rejected for missing insurance, ask the insurer to resend the policy data to the immigration system.
Other Gulf countries: Saudi policies are linked to the Iqama and visible to the employer through Muqeem; Qatar policies are linked to the QID; Kuwait's fee is recorded in the residence file.
Tip: Save the digital card on your phone and print one copy for emergencies.
- Online
- dha.gov.ae
Emirates ID card -
Learn how to use your cover
1 dayBefore you need care, find out how the plan works in practice: which clinic to visit first, how to get approval for scans and admissions, and how emergency care is handled. Keep the insurer's 24-hour helpline and app login with you.
Keep receipts and medical reports if you pay first; reimbursement claims usually have a deadline.
Other Gulf countries: the same applies across the Gulf; public hospitals may charge expatriates without valid insurance, so carry your insurance card everywhere.
Tip: Pick a nearby in-network clinic as your first point of contact and save its number.
- Save insurance card and helpline in your phone
- Note your nearest in-network clinic and pharmacy
- Understand pre-approval for scans and admissions
- Know the reimbursement claim deadline
- Add dependants to the insurer app
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Set a reminder to renew before expiry
1 dayA lapsed policy can block residence renewal and leave you paying for care yourself. In Dubai, sponsors can be fined for not keeping mandatory insurance in place. Renew before the expiry date and confirm the new policy is linked to the residence file.
Review the cover at renewal: needs change with a new child, a chronic condition or a move to another emirate.
Other Gulf countries: Saudi Iqama renewal checks for valid insurance; Qatar residence renewal requires valid insurance; Kuwait collects the health fee at residence renewal.
Tip: Ask for renewal quotes a month early so you have time to compare.
Documents you'll need
| Valid passport copy | Identifies each insured person; required for every new policy. |
|---|---|
| Emirates ID card | Used to link the policy to the residence file. New arrivals use the entry permit or visa file number until the ID is issued. |
| UAE residence visa or entry permit copy | Shows the visa file the policy must be linked to, and the emirate of issue that decides which rules apply. |
| Salary certificate or pay slip | In Dubai the minimum plan can depend on salary band; insurers may ask for proof of salary. |
| Medical declaration and recent reports | Required by some insurers and for applicants over 64 under the MoHRE basic package. Get recent reports from your doctor. |
Official sources
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General guidance, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Rules change; confirm with the official source before you act.