Having health insurance is mandatory for all residents in the UAE. However, there are some exceptions that allow people to stay in the country without insurance for a limited period of time.
Tourist Visa
Tourists visiting the UAE on a short-term visa are not required to have health insurance. The tourist visa allows staying in the country for up to 90 days and can be extended for another 90 days. So tourists can stay in the UAE without insurance for up to 6 months.
Newborn Babies
Newborn babies are covered under their mother’s health insurance plan for the first 30 days after birth. After 30 days, the baby needs to be added to the parent’s insurance policy. If the baby is not added, fines will be applied but there is a grace period of up to 60 days to get insurance coverage.
Between Jobs
When switching jobs, residents get a grace period of 30 days to switch their health insurance from the old employer to the new employer. So there can be a gap of up to 30 days where the person may be uninsured between jobs.
New Residents
New residents arriving in the UAE are given a grace period of 30 days to get health insurance after obtaining their residence visa. So they can be in the country without coverage for 30 days.
Dependent Parents
Dependent parents sponsored by their children have 60 days after arriving in the UAE to get health insurance. This allows them to be uninsured for up to 2 months.
Fines for Being Uninsured
Although there are grace periods, residents are subject to fines if they go beyond the allowed time without health insurance. The fine is currently AED 500 per month for the first month uninsured, and AED 1000 per month after that. The fines are applicable to both residents and their sponsors.
Options for Tourists
Tourists who want to have health coverage during their trip can purchase visit or travel insurance plans. These provide basic medical coverage for the duration of their stay in the UAE. Some options include:
- VisitorCare
- MedNet UAE
- Medicare International
- Trawick International
Options for New Residents
New residents waiting for their residence visa can look into the following short-term insurance options:
- Enhanced Short Term Plans from Daman
- Flexi Plan from Orient Insurance
- VisitorCare Pre-Visa plan
These provide coverage for up to 60 or 90 days, buying new residents time to get long-term health insurance.
Conclusion
While health insurance is required, there are certain scenarios where people can stay temporarily in the UAE uninsured. Tourists can go up to 6 months on a tourist visa. New residents, newborns, and those between jobs get a 30 day grace period. Dependent parents get 60 days. But fines apply if these periods are exceeded so it is best to get insured as soon as possible.