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The Best Health Insurance In Dubai

As an expat or resident in Dubai seeking DHA-approved health insurance for your visa, you may consider top companies like Aetna, Cigna, William Russell, Allianz, April, Bupa, MSH, GIG Gulf (AXA), or Now Health. An insurance broker helps compare and tailor plans to meet your needs.

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Dubai has public and private hospitals, so understanding the healthcare system is key. These companies offer DHA-approved plans through Pacific Prime, ensuring comprehensive coverage. With a broker’s guidance, you can secure the best policy for your requirements as an expat or resident.

Best Medical Insurance Companies in Dubai

The best medical insurance companies in Dubai include Aetna, Cigna, William Russell, Allianz, April International, Bupa, MSH International, GIG Gulf (AXA), and Now Health. Each insurer has plans that meet the health insurance visa requirements for residents outlined by the Dubai Health Authority.

It’s important for expats to have adequate health insurance coverage and be aware that their employer-sponsored health insurance offers discounted medical services, not the free point-of-care medical services available to citizens

Dubai's Modern Buildings with Sky Background

It’s also unlikely that expat health insurance through an employer covers dependents like family members. Finding the best private international health insurance will be essential to ensuring coverage for dependents.

Find out more about each of the best insurance companies in this blog post. If you would like more specific information about Maternity Insurance in Dubai, click here.

Aetna International Insurance in Dubai

Aetna International offers customizable insurance policies with five different tiers of coverage available. Options are available to get the coverage you need for medical, dental, vision, and pharmacy benefits.

Aetna International prides itself on going beyond being just a “health insurance provider” to being a “health solutions company.” Some additional services offered by Aetna include form-filling assistance, claims and renewal support, and insurance liaison and negotiation.

You can compare quotes from Aetna with other insurance providers in Dubai here.

Cigna Insurance in Dubai

Cigna offers its Healthguard plans for residents in Dubai. Expats may choose between a Regional Healthguard Plan, an International Healthguard Plan, and an International Plus Healthguard Plan

Every Healthguard Plan through Cigna meets the legal requirements from the DHA for expats. This includes the minimum requirements for maternity coverage, mental health care, and other requirements.

Cigna’s customers in Dubai have a choice of four network tier options depending on their needs and budget. Add-ons through Cigna for additional coverage include Wellness, Vision Care, Dental Care, Return Home Cash Benefit, and Mother and Baby Care Module.

Cigna is set apart by its long history in the industry: Cigna has over 225 years of experience in insurance!

Compare Cigna’s plans and pricing for you and your family here.

William Russell Insurance in Dubai

William Russell offers globally portable plans so your insurance benefits can travel with you as an expat in Dubai. Two coverage tiers are available depending on your needs and budget. The Silver Plan offers affordable basic coverage, and the Gold Plan provides more comprehensive coverage.

William Russell stands out because this insurance provider doesn’t have shareholders or private equity investors. That means William Russell is able to offer exceptional customer service and personal touch for its customers.

Ready to compare plans and pricing from William Russell? You can do that here.

Allianz Insurance in Dubai

Allianz Insurance in Dubai presents expats with three levels of coverage to choose from through Orient Insurance: Dubai Select, Dubai Prime, and Dubai Elite. You can choose to be covered worldwide or worldwide excluding the United States.

View from Dubai Frame Captured by Drone

Dubai Select offers the most basic coverage with a benefit limit of USD $1,750,000, and Dubai Elite is the most comprehensive coverage option with an annual benefits limit of USD $10,500,000.

Allianz Care has regional offices in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Australia, and the Americas. That means you’ll have support in every part of the world with this outstanding insurance provider.

Get free, no-obligation quotes to compare Allianz plans in Dubai.

April International Insurance in Dubai

April International is a great option for expats in Dubai because of the company’s extensive direct billing network. The provider has policyholders in more than 180 countries. Plans include emergency evacuation, repatriation, and assistance.

April International’s fully customizable plans include four different coverage options:

  • Core
  • Essential
  • Extensive
  • Elite

Find out how April International plans and pricing compare in your situation for free here.

Bupa Insurance Plans in Dubai

Bupa Global is one of the most popular insurance companies for expats worldwide, including in the UAE and Dubai. In Dubai, Bupa offers regional benefits through Oman Insurance Company, also known as Sukoon.

Plans through Sukoon in Dubai and administered globally by Bupa include Select, Premier, and Elite coverage tiers. The Select plan is a budget-friendly option to satisfy DHA requirements, and the Elite level offers comprehensive coverage for maximum coverage and peace of mind.

Bupa has a global network of providers with direct billing options. The insurance company has more than 38 million customers in 190 countries.

To compare plans and pricing for Bupa plans to other insurance companies, enter your details here for a free personal health insurance quote.

MSH International Insurance in Dubai

MSH International boasts an easy claims process since you can file a claim with a photo from any medical facility. The company also provides policyholders with emergency assistance that includes transporting them to another country if medically necessary.

Plans offer different levels of coverage and are aptly named to reflect their coverage, with plans ranging from quartz to diamond. You can select the best coverage tier to fit your needs and budget.

MSH International is another insurance provider that strives to offer local support for customers. The provider has five regional head offices and 21 local offices around the world.

Compare plans and pricing in Dubai for MSH International for free here.

GIG Gulf (AXA) Insurance in Dubai

GIG Gulf acquired AXA Gulf, but the same plans from AXA Gulf are available through GIG Gulf in Dubai and the UAE. GIG Gulf offers five different plans to meet every customer’s needs and budget.

Front View of Burj Khalifa, World's Tallest Building

 

Plans through GIG Gulf, beginning with the most basic and proceeding to the most comprehensive, include

  1. Smart Health–Bronze for coverage in the UAE only up to AED 150,000, or approximately USD $41,000 annually.
  2. Smart Health–Silver provides coverage in the UAE and your indicated home country (must be India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the Philippines, or Nepal & Bhutan). The maximum annual benefit limit is AED 250,000 or about USD $68,000.
  3. Smart Health–Gold provides coverage in the UAE and your home country from the same list as the Smart Health–Silver plan at a higher annual maximum benefit of AED 500,000 or about USD $136,000.
  4. Smart Health–Regional provides coverage in the GCC region, including Dubai, the rest of the UAE, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and more. The maximum annual benefit is AED 2,500,000 or about USD $680,000.
  5. Smart Health– Global provides worldwide coverage that excludes the United States. The annual maximum benefit limit is AED 7,500,000 or about USD $2,000,000.

You can compare plans from GIG Gulf to other top-notch insurance providers in Dubai for free with this personalized quote generator.

NOW Health Insurance in Dubai

Now Health Insurance offers plans in Dubai with customizable deductibles, so you can select a higher deductible to save money on premiums or a lower deductible to save money on out-of-pocket medical expenses.

Now Health International Plans include:

  1. WorldCare Advance is a regional coverage plan with a benefit limit of USD $3,000,000 annually and options for dental coverage and worldwide coverage. This is the most basic coverage available through Now Health.
  2. WorldCare Excel offers worldwide (excluding the USA) coverage with an annual benefit limit of USD $4,000,000.
  3. WorldCare Apex provides worldwide (excluding the USA) coverage options with an annual benefit limit of USD $4,500,000 and more comprehensive medical coverage than the other WorldCare plans.

NOW Health offers up-to-date claims processes online or through its mobile app. Similarly, assistance is available through an online chat.

Compare NOW Health plans and pricing with other options in Dubai here for free.

Purchasing Policies through the Company vs. a Broker

Expats’ best option for securing private health insurance is through an insurance broker rather than directly through the insurance company. By using a broker, you’ll get free advice and support from the broker as well as the support offered through the health insurance company.

Brokers don’t charge clients for their services and support. Instead, their insurance partners compensate them for their time and effort in facilitating insurance sales, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be pressured into buying a specific company’s plan! 

Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai, UAE

Brokers work with multiple insurance companies so that you can get multiple quotes for free with minimal hassle. A broker’s expertise in the insurance industry will ensure that you get the best coverage for your situation, including your needs and budget.

The Best Insurance Broker in the UAE

The best insurance broker for expats in the UAE is Pacific Prime. Pacific Prime has an office in Dubai, so your broker is right there to offer guidance and ongoing support. Pacific Prime is a unique broker because it has a dedicated claims team to help you file claims with your insurance provider.

If you would like help selecting the best policy for yourself and/or your family, contact an insurance expert at Pacific Prime today and benefit from their international health insurance experience at no cost to you.

Frequently Asked Questions

What health insurance should I buy in Dubai?

The best health insurance plan for an expat depends on their needs, situation, and budget. Working with an insurance broker lets you compare plans and pricing for free from trusted insurance companies like Aetna, Cigna, Bupa, Allianz, NOW Health, and more.

Is healthcare in Dubai expensive?

Healthcare in Dubai for foreign nationals is generally expensive compared to other countries around the world. However, medical care in Dubai is generally less expensive and of a similar quality to care in the United States. Citizens of Dubai have access to free healthcare at public hospitals.

Can I purchase my own health insurance in Dubai?

Buying a private health insurance plan in Dubai from an insurer with direct billing agreements at your provider of choice will expand the number of clinics and hospitals you can afford. For residents of Dubai without citizenship, buying your own policy is required to obtain a visa.

Why is medical care so expensive in Dubai?

Medical care in Dubai is expensive for visitors because of the cutting-edge treatments and the quality and comfort of private hospitals. Dubai’s private healthcare quality attracts medical tourists from around the world. For citizens of Dubai, good medical care is free at public hospitals.

What is the fine for having no medical insurance in the UAE?

Expats, residents, and employers of Dubai who fail to comply with the Dubai Health Insurance Law may be fined no less than AED 500 (about USD $136) and no more than AED 150,000 (about USD $40,838). The amount violators are fined can be doubled if they commit the same violation within one year.

Conclusion

For the best value for money, use an insurance broker to secure a medical insurance policy with one of the best insurers in Dubai. You will want to consider plans from Aetna, Cigna, William Russell, Allianz, April International, Bupa, MSH, GIG Gulf, and NOW Health Insurance.

If you would like a more general idea of how much insurance costs in the UAE, continue reading here.

Contact us today to benefit from free expert advice and easy, no-obligation plan comparisons with free quotes.

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Content Writer at Pacific Prime
Veerabhatr is a content writer with over 6 years of experience with a particular penchant for storytelling and marketing, both in print and online. He now works with an experienced team of writers at Pacific Prime, aiming to shed light on the essence and benefits of insurance for companies and individuals by creating engaging, informative content across multiple platforms.

After obtaining his Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences, International Relations from Mahidol University International College, Veerabhatr has forged his career as a content writer in the travel, lifestyle, and real estate industries, writing in both English and Thai. He now continues to hone his skills as a writer at Pacific Prime, looking to engage and educate the audience by simplifying insurance.

Writer by day, and a DJ by night, Veerabhatr is a staunch music lover, and listens to all spectrums of genres available. He also loves to drink beer (moderately), eat all types of food, go to the beach, and learn about different cultures across the globe. He is also a die-hard fan of football and motorsports.
Veerabhatr Sriyananda