DHA clarifies insurance requirements for residents

Dubai Health Authority has clarified the health insurance requirements for residents of the UAE.

While citizens can access a government-sponsored insurance program, non-residents must have their sponsors pay for it.

Medical insurance coverage is mandatory – especially for all residents of the UAE, Emiratis, and expatriates.

In Dubai, DHA has imposed a minimum coverage for all employers and residents who sponsor their families and domestic workers.

"The extent of coverage for employers and their dependents is determined by the employee's salary, status, etc.," the UAE government clarified.

There may be slight differences in implementation from one emirate to another.

In Abu Dhabi, employers and sponsors must provide coverage for their employees and their families (one spouse and three children under 18), according to the government site.

DHA encourages employers to provide medical insurance to employees' spouses or dependents.

However, if an employer does not provide this coverage to the family members of its staff, the sponsor has to arrange the cover for them, the authority said separately on the insurance on its website.

These dependents may include spouses, children, parents, as well as housekeepers, nannies, and drivers.