New Dubai health insurance Law

The new Dubai health insurance law has been formulated which will be implemented from the beginning of year 2014 in several phases which will be completed by 2016. This will bring every Dubai resident under the health insurance protection for residents offering the basic health coverage.


Dr Haidar Al Yousuf, Director of Funding at the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) has said that the entire population of the Dubai emirate will come under the scope of the new health insurance law including nationals and expatriates. The health insurance scheme for visitors will be reviewed later. When the new rules will come into effect, the living in Dubai will require a mandatory health insurance scheme.

The insurance scheme will replace the DHA health card and with the implementation of this law there will be no health card for residents living in Dubai. All DHA facilities like clinics and hospitals will become part of the insurance network. The DHA health card will be replaced by the insurance card. Companies have to provide a basic health coverage plan with an annual premium between Dh500-Dh700 and a max. insurance cover per person per annum will be Dirhams.150,000 for residents living in Dubai.

The basic coverage under the scheme includes:

• GP visits.
• Referral to specialists.
• Surgical procedures.
• Tests and investigations.
• Maternity and emergencies.

As per the law companies cannot charge the employees with the insurance premium and DHA has strict punitive laws in force to take action if an employee files a complaint.