When people contemplate traveling to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for a visit or to live, they often worry about health insurance options. Under certain circumstances, an individual may be required to secure medical insurance before arriving in the UAE. However, those who secure this coverage may ensure that the needs of their family members and themselves will be covered during their stay.

The United Arab Emirates has a number of health care facilities and each one is uniquely specialized to provide quality healthcare services for the expatriates. However, each one of these health care facilities have a shortcoming in the case of patients who are visiting their loved ones in the UAE. This is because these patients do not know how to get medical insurance for visitor visa in Uae. We will base our discussion today on – How To Get Medical Insurance For Visitor Visa In Uae. But, other resources which you can find on our website include some frequently asked questions such as: visit visa medical insurance uae price and can i get health insurance with a tourist visa in uae

How To Get Medical Insurance For Visitor Visa In Uae

Visitor Passes – The UAE medical insurance program for visitors to the UAE. All non-citizen residents are required to book and obtain a visitor pass under the medical insurance program, prior to arrival.

Visitor Visa UAE:- A Familiar Phenomenon – There are numerous people who do not have the privilege of having their own source of income. Hence, they look for other ways to support themselves financially. One such way is to get a visitor visa at UAE.

People who are traveling to UAE for the first time often have big question marks circling in their minds about what to do and what not to do and how to manage the legal formalities. One should carry visitor visa from the UAE embassy of his country before entering into that country and if one does not hold valid visa then he will be deported.

It is always advisable to purchase travel insurance when you travel to a foreign country, even if it’s not mandatory. Especially in a country such as the UAE, where the cost of healthcare can be high. Hospitals may sometimes refuse to offer medical treatment if you do not have health insurance or if you are not able to prove that you can afford the medical expenses.

Do I Need Dubai Travel Insurance?

Getting travel insurance for Dubai is mandatory only if you need a visa to enter the United Arab Emirates (of which Dubai is a part of). You won’t be able to apply for a visa unless you show proof of having obtained travel insurance. But if you don’t need a visa to enter the UAE – or if you can get a Visa on Arrival – then you are exempt from this requirement.

You can get a free quote and purchase a travel health insurance plan that meets the mandatory requirements for visitors to Dubai at Insubuy.

Where Can I Get Travel Health Insurance for Dubai (UAE)?

You can get travel health insurance for Dubai and the UAE via a travel insurance company in your country or through comparison marketplaces like Insubuy. At Insubuy you can also compare different insurance policies, and settle on one that suits your needs the best.

When buying a travel insurance policy, keep the following in mind:

• Buy it early. Travel insurance should be one of the first things you get once you book a trip. Especially if your deposits are non-refundable and you are traveling to a country such as the UAE, where accommodation can be quite costly. If you need to cancel, then you will receive some if not all your money back.
• Research and compare different policies online.
• Read the entire policy, including the fine print, very carefully. Although it can be tiresome and boring, knowing exactly how much coverage you have will save you from unexpected costs if you do need to make a claim.

What Should Travel Medical Insurance for Dubai Include?

When you buy travel medical insurance for Dubai, make sure you find a policy which covers at least these basics:

• Medical emergencies. Find a policy that offers cover for emergency medical care, such as the ambulance and ER, surgical procedures, doctor’s visit, hospitalization, and the cost of medicine.
• Trip disruption. Since a trip to the UAE is very likely expensive, then you should get coverage for any non-refundable reservations or deposits that you have made. If something does occur that can lead to cancellation, you want to make sure that at least part of your expenses can be recovered.
• Coverage for loss of personal belonging.
• Coverage for emergency evacuation or repatriation of mortal remains. In case you need to be evacuated to your home country.

Compare the available travel health insurance plans for Dubai here.

What Additional Coverage Should I Get?

In addition, you can choose to get additional coverage for things like:

• Expensive items/technology, which are usually not included in standard policies. Even if you have baggage insurance, most companies will exclude expensive items, such as laptops, cameras, jewellery, or designer clothes.
• If there is an event of terrorism during your trip, you can get cover for any medical expenses or other losses related to it.
• Personal/legal liability, in case any of your actions during the trip cause bodily injury to someone or damage someone’s property. The insurance policy will cover a portion of the medical bills.
• Adventurous activities or sports.

Will My UAE Travel Medical Insurance Cover All My Activities?

That depends on what you will be doing. Travel insurance, as a default, usually excludes activities that can be considered high-risk. And there are a lot of high-risk adventurous activities you can do in Dubai or elsewhere in the UAE that might not be covered. For example, a standard travel health insurance policy may not offer coverage for activities such as skydiving, dune bashing, scuba diving, car racing, (indoor) skiing, etc.

If you intend to engage in such activities, then you should ask your insurance providers whether it is possible to purchase additional coverage for them. A policy that offers coverage for high-risk activities will cost more, and there are still some activities that will not be covered.

Your UAE insurance will not cover you if you:

• Get into an accident/become injured while engaging in a high-risk activity that is not included in your policy
• Get into an accident/become injured while you are drunk
• Get into an accident/become injured due to your own recklessness
• Have a doctor’s check-up for pre-existing medical conditions.
• Lose or damage your belongings due to your own recklessness (e.g. if you leave them out of sight)
• Miss your flight or need to cancel for a reason that is not included in your policy.

Is Dubai Travel Insurance Expensive?

The cost of travel insurance for the UAE depends on a few factors:

• The duration of your trip.
• How much coverage you want.
• When you buy it.
• Your age.
• How many people are included in your plan.

Generally speaking, you can expect to pay somewhere between 4% to 10% of your trip for your travel insurance. Learn more about the prices of Dubai travel health insurance plans at Insubuy.

Is Healthcare Expensive in the UAE for Tourists?

The UAE is known for having a great healthcare system, so if you fall ill or get into an accident there, you will be well taken care of. However, except for UAE citizens, healthcare is not free. In fact, medical costs are quite high if you do not have some form of health insurance.

So, if you are debating whether to get travel health insurance, remember that the extra cost of the insurance policy is only a fraction of what you may have to pay in case you need medical assistance.

Are There Any Risks to Visiting Dubai?

Crime-wise, the UAE s a relatively safe place to visit. There are low crime rates and tourists are rarely affected by either violent or petty crime, such as pickpocketing.

What Laws Should I Be Aware of Before Visiting Dubai?

However, it is worth noting that the laws and social rules in the UAE are much stricter than in Western countries. Even if you do not have to be wary of crime, you must take care to not break the law and face trouble with authorities.

Things that people in Western cultures consider normal can be frowned upon in the UAE and even illegal. This includes dressing “immodestly”, swearing in public (even online) or making rude gestures, eating in public transport (or eating anywhere in public during Ramadan), public displays of affection (especially unmarried or same-sex couples), criticizing the government, fundraising, taking pictures of other people without their permission, or pictures of road accidents, military buildings, palaces, or courts, etc.

Breaking these laws can result in a hefty fine at best or even arrest and jail time. So, make sure you read up on the UAE laws before you travel and follow them.

UAE’s national insurer rolls out exclusive packages for Golden Visa holders

Starting at AED2,393, the national insurance company offers three different plans to address the needs of all kinds of Golden Visa-holder applicants

Starting from an annual premium of AED2,393 ($651), UAE Golden Visa holders will be able to purchase exclusive health insurance policies from National Health Insurance Company (Daman).

According to the company website, three different packages are being offered. Apart from Core Silver (premium starting AED2,393), the other packages are Enhanced Gold (starting AED4,985/$1,357) and the Premier package, which provides a worldwide coverage limit of AED20 million, and premium starts AED39,857 ($10,852) per year.

The coverage limit for Core Silver is up to AED300,000, while that for Enhanced Gold is AED2.5 million.

The packages have a territorial limit, but Premier is worldwide, including USA and Canada, while Enhanced Gold is excluding the two countries. The Premier package also gives the policyholder 100 percent coverage inside and outside the network. The outside network coverage in the case of Silver Core is 50 percent.  

Hamad Al Mehyas, CEO, Daman said: “As a national insurer, it is imperative that we continue to support the Dubai market with an ever-evolving range of plans in line with demand and market conditions.”

The Golden Visa Insurance is available for Golden Visa applicants and their dependents who do not have an existing health insurance coverage. The plans are for one year and need to be renewed on a yearly basis.

The insurance plan can be purchased at Daman branches or online through the website. Alternately, the applicant can leave his details at the 24/7 call centres of Daman and company sales representatives will get in touch.

More than 65,000 Golden Visa have been issued to businessmen, professionals, students and investors in Dubai.

Meanwhile, Daman also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Ewaa, the Abu Dhabi Centre for Sheltering and Humanitarian Care, to enhance cooperation in the protection of human rights and to provide healthcare for beneficiaries staying at Ewaa’s shelters.

The MoU, which is part of Daman’s social responsibility initiatives, will strengthen the efforts of the two organisations to support the wellbeing of the community, particularly those who need prompt aid and healthcare, like victims of human trafficking and domestic violence.

Daman will provide free full healthcare coverage to victims under the care of Ewaa.

Al Mehyas added: “This MoU reflects our efforts towards providing quality healthcare coverage at the highest standards for our members across the country. We are proud with our relationship with Ewaa, which began in 2014, and the work we we have done together to support the most vulnerable in our society.”