AnkyroTravel insuranceDubai and the UAE
Travel insurance for Dubai.
Dubai’s law says visitors must be insured, and the 5-year tourist visa asks for proof. Care is good but private, and an unpaid bill can stop you leaving.
The rules
What Dubai asks of visitors.
Checked against official sources on 23 October 2026. Entry rules change, so check again before you fly.
- Visitors are named in the law
Dubai’s Health Insurance Law No. 11 of 2013 lists visitors among the people who must have health insurance.
Source: isahd.ae - 5-year tourist visa: a UAE policy
The multiple-entry tourist visa asks for a health policy valid in the UAE for 180 days, plus USD 4,000 in the bank over the last 6 months.
Source: u.ae - 90 days per visit
On the 5-year visa you can stay 90 days each visit, and extend by 90 more. Your policy should cover the full stay.
Source: u.ae - Visa on arrival: up to 90 days
Many nationalities, British visitors included, get a free visa on arrival for 90 days in any 180. The UK entry advice lists no insurance check.
Source: gov.uk - Some medicines need approval
Codeine and some psychiatric medicines are controlled in the UAE. You need approval from the Ministry of Health before you bring them.
Source: travel.gc.ca
What care costs
If something goes wrong, this is the bill.
What a visitor pays without insurance. Prices vary by hospital and change every year.
- You can be turned away
Some hospitals may refuse to treat you without travel insurance or the means to pay.
Source: gov.uk - An unpaid bill can stop you leaving
If you can’t pay a medical bill, you may be stopped from leaving the UAE.
Source: gov.uk - Private care is expensive
Private clinics and hospitals are well equipped, often with English-speaking staff, but services may be expensive.
Source: travel.gc.ca
What to look for
Choosing travel cover for Dubai and the UAE.
Ankyro checks each of these on every plan, so you don’t have to read the fine print.
- Valid in the UAE for 180 days
For the 5-year tourist visa, the policy must say it covers the UAE and run for at least 180 days.
- Direct billing
Check the insurer can pay Dubai hospitals directly, so you don’t need a large card limit.
- Desert and water sports
Dune bashing, quad bikes and jet skis are often excluded. Read the activity list.
- Medical evacuation
Check the plan can fly you home in a serious case, without a low cap.
Before you land
Sort these before you fly.
- Emergency: 998
Dial 998 for an ambulance, 999 for the police and 997 for fire.
- Mobile data
Set up an eSIM or buy a local SIM at the airport, so you can reach your insurer.
- Pack medicines right
Keep them in their original boxes, in your carry-on, with paper and digital copies of the prescription.
Common mistakes
3 we see all the time.
- 01Bringing codeine or strong painkillers without approval. They can be taken, and you can be fined or jailed.
- 02Buying a policy for a 5-year tourist visa that doesn’t say it is valid in the UAE.
- 03Travelling with no cover. Hospitals can turn you away, and an unpaid bill can stop you at the airport.
Travel insurance stops when the trip ends, and most visas for living in Dubai don’t accept it. See what Dubai asks of residents.
Questions
People also ask.
Is travel insurance mandatory for Dubai?+
Dubai’s law lists visitors among those who must be insured. The 5-year tourist visa asks for a UAE policy. The visa on arrival has no insurance check listed.
What insurance do I need for the UAE 5-year tourist visa?+
A health policy valid in the UAE for 180 days. You also need USD 4,000 in the bank over the last 6 months.
What is the emergency number in Dubai?+
Dial 998 for an ambulance, 999 for the police and 997 for fire.
Can I take my medicine to Dubai?+
Most, yes. But codeine and some psychiatric medicines need approval from the UAE Ministry of Health before you fly.
Other trips
Going somewhere else?
Visiting Singapore? Care is excellent and expensive. Living here and going abroad? MediShield Life does not pay overseas. Here is what to check.
02Schengen visaA Schengen visa needs travel medical cover of at least 30,000 euros, valid in every Schengen country, with repatriation. Here is what passes, and what doesn’t.
03MalaysiaVisiting Malaysia? Public hospitals charge foreigners full price. Living here and going abroad? Your cover at home stays at home. Here is what to check.
04ThailandThailand doesn’t ask tourists for insurance. But hospitals want a payment guarantee before they treat you, and private care is not cheap. Here is what to know.
05JapanJapan doesn’t ask tourists for insurance yet. But visitors pay the full bill, and unpaid bills can get you refused entry next time. Here is what to know.
06USA visitorsThe US doesn’t ask visitors for insurance. But a few days in hospital can cost more than a car. Here is what care costs, and what a visitor plan must cover.
07Bali and IndonesiaIndonesia doesn’t ask tourists for insurance yet. But a broken leg in Bali can cost over 160 million rupiah, and serious cases can need a flight out. Here is what to know.
09VietnamVietnam doesn’t ask tourists for insurance. But private hospitals cost a lot, and a motorbike crash can stop you leaving the country. Here is what to know.
10SpainPublic care in Spain is free with an EHIC or GHIC. Private clinics, dental care and the flight home are not. Here is what the card leaves to you in Spain.
11MexicoMexico doesn’t ask tourists for insurance. Private hospitals in big cities are good, but most want payment first, and Medicare won’t pay.
12FranceCare in France is not free, even with an EHIC or GHIC. You pay upfront, claim back part, and the flight home is never covered. Here is what to check.
13ItalyThe EHIC and GHIC work in Italy’s public system, but you still pay fees, most medicines and any private doctor. Here is the Italian bill the card leaves you.
14GermanyWith an EHIC or GHIC, most care in Germany costs little. Private extras, mountain rescue and the flight home are on you. Here is what to check.
15PortugalPublic care in Portugal is mostly free with an EHIC or GHIC. Private clinics, medicines and the flight home are not. Here is what to check before you fly to Portugal.
16Costa RicaCosta Rica doesn’t ask tourists for insurance. Only first emergency care is free, private clinics want payment first, and extensions have their own rules.
17ColombiaMost tourists need no visa and no policy for Colombia. If you do need a visa, insurance is part of it. Private clinics want payment first.
18South KoreaKorea doesn’t ask tourists for insurance, and the national scheme is not for short trips. Hospitals expect you to pay on the spot, then claim.
19Australia working holidayThe 417 and 462 visas don’t make you buy health insurance. But you pay every medical bill yourself, unless your passport gets you limited Medicare. Here is who is covered and what to buy.
20New Zealand working holidayMost working holiday visas for New Zealand require medical and hospital insurance for your whole stay, and you can be asked for proof when you land. Here is who is exempt and what to buy.