UAE health insurance,
decoded.
The questions everyone has, answered without the jargon. Read here, or upload your policy and ask anything specific.
Daman vs SEHA vs DHA
Three names that get mixed up constantly.
5 min readReadDHA Essential Benefits Plan
Dubai law requires every resident to have health insurance that meets a minimum standard - the Essential Benefits Plan.
5 min readReadAbu Dhabi insurance rules
Abu Dhabi was the first emirate to make health insurance compulsory, and the Department of Health still sets the strictest minimums.
5 min readReadSharjah, Ajman, RAK rules
The Northern Emirates work differently to Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
4 min readRead
What insurance costs in the UAE
Premium ranges vary widely depending on age, plan tier, geographic scope, and whether you buy individually or through an employer.
5 min readReadCo-pay explained
The number on your card says '20% co-pay' and you're handed an AED 50 bill at a clinic that should cost AED 250.
4 min readReadDeductibles vs co-pays
The two terms get mixed up constantly.
4 min readReadAnnual limits explained
Every UAE policy quotes an annual limit - the maximum your insurer will pay out across the policy year.
5 min readReadWhy your premium went up
Annual premium hikes are common, but the reasons are not always obvious.
5 min readRead
How to file a claim
Most of the time you won't need to - direct billing handles it at the desk.
5 min readReadDirect billing vs reimbursement
Most in-network visits in the UAE are direct-billed - you swipe your card and walk out.
5 min readReadPre-authorisation in the UAE
Pre-auth is the most common reason claims get denied in the UAE.
4 min readReadNetwork tiers explained
Most UAE plans group hospitals into tiers, and your co-pay (or whether you're covered at all) depends on the tier you use.
4 min readRead
Maternity cover & waiting periods
Maternity is one of the most regulated and most variable parts of a UAE health policy.
6 min readReadDental cover
Dental is rarely included in base health insurance.
4 min readReadMental health cover
Mental health was historically excluded or thinly covered.
4 min readReadChronic conditions
Diabetes, hypertension, asthma - the most common chronic conditions get treated very differently across UAE policies.
5 min readRead
Your policy, decoded in 90 seconds.
These articles cover the general rules. Your actual policy has its own quirks. Upload it and ask anything - every answer comes with the exact paragraph of your document that proves it.
Upload your policy