UAE Health Insurance Requirements: Complete Employer Guide

Health insurance is mandatory across all UAE emirates for private sector employees under the Federal Decree-Law on Health Insurance. Employers must provide and pay for employee health insurance coverage.

This guide covers employer obligations, coverage requirements, penalties, and emirate-specific rules according to MOHRE, DHA, and DoH Abu Dhabi regulations.

Aspect	Details
Legal Basis	Federal Decree-Law on Health Insurance
Applies To	All private sector employers, all emirates
Basic Plan Cost	AED 320/year
Annual Coverage Limit	AED 150,000
Penalty	AED 500/month per uninsured employee

Nationwide Mandate

Health insurance is mandatory across all UAE emirates for private sector employees.

Coverage History by Emirate

Emirate	Mandatory Since
Abu Dhabi	2006
Dubai	2014
Sharjah, Ajman, UAQ, RAK, Fujairah	2025

Current Status

All emirates: Now included under unified national scheme
Standardized basic coverage requirements
Insurance required for visa issuance and renewal

Who Must Be Covered

Mandatory Coverage

Category	Coverage Required
All private sector employees	Yes
Domestic workers (maids, drivers, nannies)	Yes
Dependents	Optional (same pricing available)

Employer Obligations

Obligation	Details
Provide insurance	Employer must purchase policy
Bear costs	Cannot pass costs to employees
Maintain coverage	Continuous coverage required
Pre-condition for visa	Required for visa issuance/renewal

Important: Employers cannot deduct insurance costs from employee salary. Penalty: AED 10,000 per case plus mandatory refund.

Basic Health Insurance Package

Coverage Details

Benefit	Coverage Amount
Total annual limit	AED 150,000
Emergency care	Included
Surgeries	Included
Diagnostics	Included
Maternity care	Included
Pre-existing conditions	No waiting period

Plan Cost

Item	Amount
Annual premium	AED 320
Validity	2 years
Second year refund	If visa cancelled early

Enhanced Plans

Employers may offer enhanced coverage beyond basic:

Higher coverage limits
Additional benefits
Lower co-pays
Wider network

Penalties for Non-Compliance

Financial Penalties

Violation	Penalty
Uninsured employee	AED 500/month per employee
Uninsured dependent	AED 500/month per person
Not subscribing to scheme	AED 300/month
Deducting from employee salary	AED 10,000 per case + refund
Serious/prolonged violations	Up to AED 150,000

Operational Consequences

Consequence	Details
Visa freeze	Cannot issue/renew work permits
Work permit blocks	MOHRE/GDRFA/ICP systems block
Business license issues	May affect license renewal
Legal action	For persistent violations

Coverage by Worker Category

Full-Time Employees

Requirement	Details
Coverage type	Comprehensive health insurance
Minimum	Basic plan (AED 150,000)
Cost bearer	Employer (100%)

Part-Time Employees

Requirement	Details
Coverage	Required
Type	May differ based on hours
Responsibility	Primary employer or as agreed

Domestic Workers

Requirement	Details
Coverage	Mandatory
Cost bearer	Sponsor/employer
Minimum	Basic health plan

Dependents

Requirement	Details
Coverage	Optional
Access	Same pricing as employee plan
Cost bearer	Employee or employer (varies)

Emirate-Specific Requirements

Abu Dhabi

Aspect	Requirement
Authority	Department of Health (DoH)
Scheme	Thiqa (Emiratis), Daman (private)
History	Mandatory since 2006
Additional	Higher minimum coverage may apply

Dubai

Aspect	Requirement
Authority	Dubai Health Authority (DHA)
Scheme	Essential Benefits Plan (EBP)
History	Mandatory since 2014
Categories	Different plans by salary level

Dubai Salary-Based Categories

Monthly Salary	Plan Type
Below AED 4,000	Essential Benefits Plan
AED 4,000+	Enhanced plans available

Other Emirates

Aspect	Requirement
Authority	Ministry of Health and Prevention
Scheme	Unified national scheme
Standard	Basic plan minimum

Free Zone Considerations

Free zone companies must also comply with health insurance requirements.

Free Zone Requirements

Free Zone	Insurance Requirement
DIFC	Required (zone-specific rules may apply)
ADGM	Required
JAFZA	Required
DMCC	Required
Other zones	Required

Zone-Specific Variations

Some free zones may have:

Additional coverage requirements
Specific approved providers
Higher minimum coverage
Zone authority oversight

Integration with Visa Process

New Employee Visa

Step	Insurance Requirement
Entry permit	May proceed
Medical test	Complete
Emirates ID	May proceed
Visa stamping	Insurance required
Work permit	Insurance verified

Visa Renewal

Requirement	Details
Valid insurance	Must be active
Coverage period	Must cover visa validity
Verification	System checks automatically
Without insurance	Renewal blocked

Note: Insurance must be purchased from licensed, approved providers. Not all insurance companies are authorized for mandatory coverage.

Employer Compliance Checklist

Immediate Actions

Audit current employee insurance status
Identify uninsured employees
Obtain quotes from approved providers
Purchase policies for all employees
Ensure domestic workers are covered (if applicable)

Ongoing Requirements

Insure new employees before visa processing
Track policy renewal dates
Maintain insurance records
Update coverage for salary/position changes
Process claims efficiently

Record Keeping Requirements

Record	Retention Period
Insurance policies	Duration of employment + 2 years
Premium payments	5 years
Claims records	5 years
Employee coverage details	Duration + 2 years

What NOT to Do

Deduct insurance costs from employee salary
Reduce salary to offset insurance costs
Delay coverage for new employees
Let policies lapse
Use unauthorized providers