Dubai health insurance: the rules, the EBP and how to choose a plan
Dubai health insurance explained: who pays, the DHA Essential Benefits Plan, EBP prices from AED 643, fines, approved insurers and how clinics join networks.
Health insurance is mandatory for every resident, national and visitor in Dubai under Law No. 11 of 2013. Employers must pay for their employees' cover and cannot deduct it from salary. Sponsors pay for spouses, children and domestic workers. The minimum plan is the DHA Essential Benefits Plan (EBP), which employees earning AED 4,000 a month or less must get from one of 20 DHA "Participating Insurers", at index rates of AED 643 to 826 a year (including Basmah and VAT). Missing cover costs the employer or sponsor AED 500 per person for each month of delay.
Last checked: 18 October 2026
The law in one paragraph
Dubai Health Insurance Law No. 11 of 2013 makes health cover compulsory for UAE nationals living in Dubai, expatriate residents and visitors. It is enforced by the Dubai Health Insurance Corporation (DHIC), part of the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), through the ISAHD system. The rules were rolled out in phases from 2014 and the final deadline for all residents and dependants passed in 2016. Today, residence visas are not issued or renewed without a valid policy linked to the visa holder.
Dubai's law is separate from Abu Dhabi's (where Daman and Thiqa dominate, see our Daman guide) and from the federal scheme that now covers the Northern Emirates.
Who pays for what
| Person | Who must arrange and pay |
|---|---|
| Private sector employee | Employer. The premium cannot be deducted from salary. |
| Spouse and children of an employee | The employee (as sponsor), unless the employer chooses to cover them |
| Domestic workers | The sponsor (the household) |
| Investors, freelancers, self-sponsored residents | Themselves |
| Dubai citizens and Dubai government employees | Government Insurance Program (Enaya), contact centre 800 ENAYA |
| Visitors | The visitor or the visa sponsor (travel or visitor medical cover) |
| Newborns | Covered under the mother's policy for 30 days from birth, then must have their own policy |
These rules come from the ISAHD FAQ, the DHA employer information pack and the current EBP table of benefits.
The Essential Benefits Plan (EBP)
The EBP is the legal minimum. DHA updated its table of benefits in circular GC 03/2024, effective 1 January 2025. It applies as the floor for any health policy sold in Dubai, not just the cheap ones. Key benefits:
| Benefit | What you get | What you pay |
|---|---|---|
| Annual limit | AED 150,000 | - |
| Inpatient (non-urgent) | Tests, treatment and surgery with prior approval, shared room | 20%, capped at AED 500 per encounter and AED 1,000 a year |
| Outpatient visits | GP, then specialist by referral through DHA e-Referral; virtual consults included | 20% per visit; no co-pay for follow-up within 7 days |
| Lab and radiology | At your assigned facility; MRI, CT and endoscopy need prior approval | 20% |
| Medicines | Up to AED 2,500 a year, formulary drugs | 30% per prescription |
| Maternity | 8 antenatal visits, 3 scans; delivery up to AED 10,000 (normal or C-section) | 10% |
| Physiotherapy | 6 sessions a year with prior approval | 20% per session |
| Dental | Up to AED 500 (consultation, fillings, extraction, root canal, scaling) | 30% |
| Mental health | Outpatient counselling up to AED 800 | 30% |
| Dialysis / organ transplant | Up to AED 60,000 / AED 100,000 | 20% outpatient |
| Emergency | Anywhere in the UAE, including ambulance | - |
| Repatriation of remains | Up to AED 5,000 | - |
Pre-existing and chronic conditions must be covered. The only exception is a waiting period of up to 6 months on a person's first ever UAE policy. Emergencies are covered even during that period. Cosmetic treatment, obesity treatment, fertility treatment and orthodontics are excluded.
Under EBP you must see a GP first. A specialist visit without a GP referral is not paid by the insurer.
How much does health insurance cost in Dubai?
EBP: DHA sets an index rate band of AED 550 to 750 per member per year plus VAT and other charges. Each Participating Insurer files its own rate. DHA's current list shows rates from AED 643 to AED 826 a year, including the Basmah fee and VAT (DHA Participating Insurers list).
Enhanced plans (wider networks, direct specialist access, higher limits, better dental and maternity) are priced freely by insurers. Price depends on age, network, co-pay and medical history. Get at least three quotes for the same network tier before comparing prices.
DHA-permitted insurers (official lists)
Only companies holding a DHA Health Insurance Permit (HIP) can sell health insurance in Dubai. DHA publishes the lists on isahd.ae/Home/PermittedCompanies:
- Permitted insurers (HIP): 45 companies are listed, including Daman, Cigna, MetLife Alico and most UAE national insurers.
- Participating Insurers (PI): the 20 insurers allowed to sell the EBP to the AED 4,000-and-under salary band.
- Permitted TPAs (claims management companies) and permitted intermediaries (brokers), plus a list of suspended brokers.
The current Participating Insurers for EBP are: Cigna Insurance Middle East, MedGulf, Liva Insurance, Union Insurance, National General Insurance (NGI), Salama (Islamic Arab Insurance), Abu Dhabi National Takaful, Alliance Insurance, Al Buhaira National Insurance, Qatar Insurance Company, Watania Takaful Family, ADNIC, RAK Insurance, MetLife Alico, Sukoon Insurance, Al Sagr National Insurance, GIG Gulf, Orient Insurance, Dubai National Insurance (DNI) and Dubai Insurance Company.
Before you buy, check that the insurer or broker appears on the DHA list, and check the suspended intermediaries list. DHA has taken enforcement action against insurers in the past, and a policy from an unlisted company will not count for your visa.
Penalties
Fines are set by Executive Council Resolution No. 7 of 2016:
| Violation | Fine |
|---|---|
| Employer or sponsor fails to insure an employee or dependant | AED 500 per month of delay (part months round up) |
| Employer charges the employee all or part of the premium | AED 10,000 per person, plus refund |
| Employer fails to pay emergency costs for someone it should have insured | AED 1,000 |
| Employer fails to give the insurance card to the employee | AED 1,000 per incident |
| Member lets someone else use their card | AED 5,000 |
| Member does not report a lost card within 30 days | AED 500 |
Repeat violations within a year double the fine, up to AED 500,000. The bigger practical penalty: no valid policy, no visa issue or renewal.
How to choose a plan
- Start with the network. Ask which hospitals and clinics near your home and work are in network. A cheap plan whose network skips your area is not cheap.
- Check direct specialist access. EBP needs a GP referral. Enhanced plans often let you book a specialist directly.
- Compare co-pays, not just premiums. 20% on every visit adds up for a family with young children.
- Look at maternity waiting periods and limits if you are planning a pregnancy.
- Read the dental and optical sections. EBP dental is capped at AED 500.
- Check the chronic condition rules if you have diabetes, hypertension or asthma.
- Buy from a listed insurer or broker and keep the policy schedule. You will need it for every visa renewal.
For clinics: how to get on insurer networks in Dubai
Most patients in Dubai choose a clinic by checking whether it takes their card. Getting on networks is a business priority. The usual path:
- Hold an active DHA facility licence and connect to NABIDH, Dubai's health information exchange (see NABIDH, Malaffi and Riayati).
- Get your health insurance authorisation as a provider. Under Resolution 7 of 2016 the DHA fee is AED 1,500 for single-specialty clinics, pharmacies, labs and radiology centres, AED 5,000 for polyclinics and AED 10,000 for hospitals.
- Register on eClaimLink, the DHA platform for e-claims and prior approvals (see our eClaimLink and Shafafiya guide).
- Approach insurers and TPAs with your licence, services, price list and doctor profiles. Many insurers contract through a TPA, so approach both.
- Sign written contracts in Arabic and English. DHA circular GC 01-2024 requires provider-insurer contracts to meet the bylaw of Law No. 11 and a copy to be shared with DHIC.
- Test claims and keep coding clean. Rejections from wrong codes or missing approvals are the main cash-flow problem for new clinics.
Expect each insurer to take its own time to load you into its network. Start these conversations before you open.
Frequently asked questions
Is health insurance mandatory in Dubai?
Yes. Law No. 11 of 2013 requires health insurance for all Dubai residents, UAE nationals living in Dubai and visitors. A valid policy is needed to issue or renew a residence visa.
Does my employer have to pay for my family's insurance in Dubai?
No. Employers must insure employees. Spouses and children are the sponsor's responsibility unless the employer chooses to cover them.
What is the Essential Benefits Plan?
It is the minimum health plan set by DHA. It has an AED 150,000 annual limit, 20% co-pay on most services, GP referral for specialists, and is mandatory for employees earning AED 4,000 a month or less.
How much is the cheapest health insurance in Dubai?
The EBP. DHA's current Participating Insurer list shows index rates of AED 643 to 826 per person per year, including Basmah and VAT.
What is the fine for not having health insurance in Dubai?
AED 500 per person for each month of delay, charged to the employer or sponsor. Charging an employee for their own premium carries an AED 10,000 fine per person.
Where is the official list of DHA-approved insurance companies?
On isahd.ae under Permitted Companies. It lists permitted insurers, Participating Insurers for the EBP, permitted TPAs, permitted brokers and suspended brokers.
Clinic owners: once you are on the right networks, Access One can run Google Ads that target patients searching for clinics that accept their insurance.
Sources
- ISAHD (DHA): Frequently asked questions
- ISAHD (DHA): Permitted companies
- ISAHD (DHA): Participating Insurers and index rates
- ISAHD (DHA): Permitted insurers (HIP)
- DHA circular GC 03/2024: Updated EBP table of benefits
- Executive Council Resolution No. 7 of 2016: fees and fines
- DHA circular GC 01-2024: provider and insurer contracts
- ISAHD (DHA): Law and regulations
Published 18 Oct 2026 · Access One
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