AnkyroCountriesDubai and the UAE
Health insurance in Dubai.
In Dubai, no insurance means no visa. Your employer covers you, but not always your family. Here are the rules, and what the basic plan leaves out.
The rules
What Dubai asks of you.
Checked against official sources on 23 October 2026. Rules change, so the broker confirms them again before you apply.
- Mandatory for every resident
Every Dubai resident, expats and their families included, must have health insurance. Your residence visa is not issued or renewed without it.
Source: isahd.ae - Employer pays for you, not your family
Dubai employers must pay your full premium. They are not required to cover your spouse and children, so the visa sponsor must insure each one.
Source: isahd.ae - Abu Dhabi: employer covers family
In Abu Dhabi, employers must also insure 1 spouse and up to 3 children under 18 on Abu Dhabi visas.
Source: doh.gov.ae - Other emirates since 2025
Since 1 January 2025, private sector and domestic workers in Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah must be insured by their employer.
Source: mohre.gov.ae - Insurer must be DHA-permitted
Dubai policies must come from insurers permitted by the Dubai Health Authority. A foreign plan without that licence will not count for the visa.
Source: isahd.ae - Remote work visa
Dubai’s 1-year virtual work permit asks for health insurance, plus proof of at least USD 3,500 a month from an employer abroad.
Source: gdrfad.gov.ae - The basic plan has tight limits
The Essential Benefits Plan is the legal minimum: AED 150,000 a year, 20% co-pay on visits, medicines capped at AED 2,500 a year, routine care inside Dubai only.
Source: isahd.ae - Fine: AED 500 a month
A sponsor or employer who doesn’t insure someone pays AED 500 per person for each month of delay.
Source: isahd.ae
Expats can use public hospitals, but pay through insurance or out of pocket. Residents can buy a yearly health card (AED 500) for federal MOHAP clinics and hospitals.
Source: mohap.gov.aeLocal or international
We compare both. You keep the one that fits.
Your visa needs a policy from an insurer permitted by the Dubai Health Authority, so a local plan is often the simplest route. The basic plan pays for routine care in Dubai only, so add an international plan if you need cover on trips.
- Local plans
Plans sold in Dubai. Often cheaper, sometimes required for your visa. Filed by a broker licensed in Dubai.
- International plans
Plans that cover you in Dubai and beyond, and stay with you if you move again. Filed by our international broker partner.
What it costs
Published prices in Dubai.
List prices from insurers and official schemes. Your quote depends on your age, health and the cover you pick.
- Basic plan: AED 550 to 750 a year
The Dubai Health Authority sets this price band for the Essential Benefits Plan, per person per year, plus VAT. It applies from 1 January 2025.
Source: isahd.ae - Higher earners and fuller plans: above AED 750
If you are not in the lower salary band, or want more than the basic plan, the regulator says insurers must price the policy above AED 750 a year.
Source: isahd.ae - Patient support fees: AED 37 a year
AED 19 for the Basmah programme and AED 18 for hepatitis C treatment are added on top of every premium. Insurers can’t absorb them.
Source: isahd.ae
What to look for
Choosing a plan in Dubai.
Ankyro checks each of these on every plan, so you don’t have to read the fine print.
- DHA or DoH approval
Check the insurer is permitted by the DHA (Dubai) or DoH (Abu Dhabi), so the policy is accepted for your visa.
- Where you are covered
The basic plan covers routine care inside Dubai only. If you travel or go home often, look for UAE-wide or worldwide cover.
- Co-pays and medicine limits
Basic plans charge 20% per visit and cap medicines at AED 2,500 a year. Check this if you have a long-term condition.
- Maternity and newborns
Basic delivery cover is capped at AED 10,000. A newborn is covered on the mother’s policy for 30 days only, then needs its own.
Step by step
Getting covered in Dubai.
- 01Your sponsor buys a DHA-permitted policy. Your employer must buy yours and pay the full premium. For a spouse or child on your visa, you are the sponsor, so you buy it.
- 02The insurer puts you on the Member Register. The sponsor sends each person’s passport and personal details to the insurer. The insurer adds them to the DHA Member Register.
- 03Apply for the residence visa. Before it issues or renews a visa, the GDRFA checks the Member Register. If the person isn’t on it, the application is rejected.
- 04Insure a newborn by day 30. A baby shares the mother’s cover for its first 30 days. From day 30 it must be on its own plan, as a dependant or alone.
- 05Renew the policy before the visa. A visa renewal is checked against the register the same way, so keep the policy dates in line with the visa dates.
Common mistakes
3 we see all the time.
- 01Assuming your Dubai employer covers your spouse and children. It only has to cover you.
- 02Buying a plan from an insurer with no DHA licence. It can be rejected at visa time.
- 03Forgetting to insure a newborn by day 30. After that, the fine is AED 500 a month.
Real published prices, and the 6 things that move yours.
Just visiting?For a holiday or a short trip, travel insurance is enough. See what Dubai asks of visitors, and what care costs.
Questions
People also ask.
Is health insurance mandatory in Dubai?+
Yes. Every Dubai resident, including expats and their families, must be insured. Your visa will not be issued or renewed without it.
Does my employer have to pay for my family’s insurance in Dubai?+
No. In Dubai the employer pays only for you. In Abu Dhabi the employer must also cover 1 spouse and up to 3 children under 18.
How much is basic health insurance in Dubai?+
The basic plan is priced between AED 550 and 750 a year plus VAT. Fuller plans cost more and depend on age and benefits.
Are pre-existing conditions covered in Dubai?+
Under Dubai’s rules, cover cannot be refused for a pre-existing condition. A wait of up to 6 months is allowed on your first UAE policy only.
Other countries
Going somewhere else?
Most UK visas don’t ask for private insurance. You pay a yearly surcharge instead, and it opens the NHS. Here is what the surcharge buys, and what you still pay for.
02AustraliaMost visitors can’t use Medicare, and many visas carry condition 8501. Here is what each visa asks for, who gets Medicare, and what to check.
04PhilippinesThe retiree visa asks for a medical certificate, not a policy. The new nomad visa does ask for cover. Here is what each visa needs, and how PhilHealth works for foreigners.
05NetherlandsIf you live or work in the Netherlands, Dutch basic insurance is the law. A few people are exempt. Here is who must sign up, by when, and what it costs in 2026.
06CanadaEach province runs its own health plan, and some make you wait. The super visa has strict insurance rules. Here is how Ontario and BC differ, and what the super visa needs.
07Saudi ArabiaIn Saudi Arabia, no insurance means no iqama. Your employer pays for you and your family, and visitors need a policy too. Here is who pays, and what each policy covers.
08JapanIf you live in Japan, joining public insurance is the law. A private plan can only sit on top. Digital nomads are the exception.
09GermanyEveryone in Germany must be insured, and a residence permit needs cover equal to the public system. Here is how to choose, and what gets rejected.
10SingaporeThe national plan is for citizens and PRs. Hospital bills for foreigners are high, and families are often left out. Here is what to check.
11ThailandRetirement visas have hard minimums, the DTV has none, and public care is not free for foreigners. Here are the rules, and what to check.
12SpainSpain has the strictest visa insurance rules in Europe: a Spanish-authorised insurer, no co-pays, no waiting periods. Here is what passes.
13MalaysiaPublic hospitals charge foreigners full price, and work schemes only cover injuries at work. Here is what each pass asks for, and what to check.
14QatarMost visitors need a QAR 50 a month policy before Qatar issues a visa. The law covers expats too, but that part is still rolling out. Here are the rules.
15FranceThe public system is open to residents, but not on day 1 if you don’t work, and it only pays part of each bill. Here is how to cover the gaps.
16PortugalThe visa asks for travel medical cover. The public system opens once you are a resident. In between, and after, here is what to check.
17MexicoNo visa asks for it, so many expats skip it. Then a private hospital asks for payment first. Here is how cover really works in Mexico.
18ItalyWorkers join the public system for free. Retirees and nomads need private cover for the visa, then pay at least €2,000 a year to join. Here are the rules.
19South KoreaStay more than 6 months and you must join the national plan. Before that, and for your share of each bill, you need your own cover.
20VietnamOnly long local contracts come with public cover, and most expats use private hospitals anyway. Here is what the rules say, and what to check.
21Bali and IndonesiaMost Indonesian visas don’t ask for insurance. But hospitals ask for payment first, and serious cases fly to Singapore. Here is what to check.
22GreeceThe consulate takes travel cover for the visa. The residence permit then asks for full health cover. If you don’t work for a Greek employer, that means a private plan.
23ColombiaNomads and retirees need a private policy with exact wording. Residents who work must join the public EPS system. Here are the rules.
24Costa RicaResidents must pay into the Caja, whatever private plan they have. Nomads need their own cover for the visa. Here is how it fits together.
25USAThe US has no public plan you can simply join. Some visas set minimum cover. Others leave it to you. Here is what a J-1 needs, who can use the Marketplace, and what plans cost.
26SwitzerlandBasic health insurance is compulsory for everyone who lives in Switzerland. You have 3 months to sign up. Here is how it works, and what to check.
27IrelandNon-EEA students must hold private medical insurance. Everyone else gets public care once they count as living in Ireland for 1 year. Here is what to check.
28Dominican RepublicThe residence visas for retirees and rentistas ask for a medical certificate, not an insurance policy. Public care is limited. Private care is good but costly.
29New ZealandStudent visas require insurance. A work visa of 2 years or more may open public health care. ACC covers accident injuries. Here is what to check.
30IsraelIn Israel, the public system is for residents. If your life is centred there, you join a health fund (kupat holim). If not, you need private cover.
31Hong KongPublic hospitals in Hong Kong are cheap for eligible persons. Many foreigners are not on that list. Here is who is, what the rest pay, and what to check in a plan.
32ChinaIf you work in China on an employment permit, your employer must enrol you in social insurance. That includes basic medical cover. Here is how it works, and what to check on top.
33ArgentinaEmergency care is open to everyone. For other care at national hospitals, foreigners without permanent residence must show insurance or pay first. The rules are new, so check them.
34IndiaWe found no official rule that ties health insurance to an Indian work visa. We also could not confirm a public scheme for foreign residents. So the plan is yours to choose. Here is what to check.
35TurkeyA residence permit application needs valid health insurance for the whole permit. Most new expats buy a private policy. The public SGK system opens later, after 1 year of residence.
36BrazilThe digital nomad visa needs health insurance valid in Brazil. The public system is open to migrants by law. Many expats add a private plan for speed.
37PanamaThe Pensionado visa asks for a health certificate, not an insurance policy. The public system is tied to the Caja. Private care is the main option for most expats.
38South AfricaStudy and exchange visas ask for proof of cover from a registered medical scheme. Public clinics offer free primary care. Here is what to check.
39KenyaKenya’s public fund is run by the Social Health Authority (SHA). A foreigner who lives in Kenya for more than 12 months pays into it. Shorter stays need travel health insurance instead.
40TaiwanTaiwan has one national health insurance. Foreigners with a residence certificate can join. If you have a job, you join through your employer. If not, there is a wait.