UAE Private Health Insurance Costs and Money-Saving Tips
Private medical insurance in the UAE typically costs between USD 816 and 1,089 per year for individuals, and USD 1,905 to 2,722 for families. These rates depend on factors like age, coverage options, and provider, and expats are legally required to have health insurance to live in the UAE.
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While Emirati citizens benefit from free public healthcare, expats must purchase private insurance. This article explores current UAE health insurance prices and offers practical tips to reduce your premiums while ensuring sufficient coverage.
Average UAE Private Medical Insurance Premiums
Individual private medical insurance premiums range from AED 3000-4000 (approximately USD $816-1,089) on average in the UAE, while private family medical insurance is AED 7,000-10,000 (approximately USD $1,905-$2,722) on average.
Emirate citizens have access to free public healthcare provided by the government, while expats lack free access to government-provided public healthcare.
Example Premiums from UAE Insurers
Insurers in the UAE will offer different prices depending on your age and coverage preferences. Some insurance providers offer more basic coverage options, and others may offer exclusively higher coverage plans. Keep reading to get a feel for average prices and coverage.
The lowest price for private medical insurance is USD $118 a month for a 25-year-old woman in Dubai through BUPA. A plan at this price covers inpatient care and emergency rooms up to $2,890,000 per year.
Coverage that includes inpatient, outpatient, dental, and emergency evacuation and repatriation starts at USD $126 per month for a 25-year-old woman in Dubai, with a coverage limit of $200,000 per year through April International.
How to Lower UAE Private Insurance Costs
You can save money on private international medical insurance by comparing prices from multiple insurance companies, increasing deductibles, and reducing your coverage area to only regions of the world that you travel to often.
For efficient insurance policy selection and coverage comparisons, we strongly recommend using an insurance broker.
How to Compare UAE Health Insurance Plans
To compare prices for medical insurance from multiple companies, it’s important to remember that a higher price may reflect a higher level of coverage. Look at the annual benefits limit in comparison to the monthly premiums to help determine why one policy costs more or less than another.
Some plans will also include benefits such as dental, optical, emergency evacuation and repatriation, and/or inpatient services. Decide which types of coverage you need so you can more effectively compare prices for premiums.
Coverage selections include:
- Inpatient: Inpatient costs include hospital stays and medical emergencies. Plan inclusions and exclusions vary depending on both the plan and insurer.
- Outpatient: Outpatient costs are medical costs for sick visits and other non-hospitalization medical expenses.
- Dental: Dental exams and cleaning coverage varies by plan
- Maternity: Covers routine maternity costs up to the plan’s maximum amount
- Emergency Evacuation: Covers the cost of transporting you to the nearest hospital in a a medical emergency
- Emergency Repatriation: Covers the expense of having you transported to your home country if your medical care team believes it is medically necessary
- Maternity: Covers routine maternity care, delivery, prenatal, and post-natal care up to the plan limits. Many maternity plans have a waiting period. Read this article for more information about maternity coverage and pricing in the UAE.
To help illustrate price differences, we will compare the premiums for a 25-year-old woman in Dubai through various BUPA insurance plans. Prices are for illustration purposes only. Actual premiums will depend on your profile.
- Minimal coverage for maternity and inpatient care only costs USD $118 monthly with an annual benefits limit of $2,890,000 per year through BUPA. Excluded coverage: Inpatient, Dental, and Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation
- Coverage for inpatient, maternity, and emergency evacuation and repatriation costs USD $154 monthly with an annual benefits limit of $2,890,000 per year through BUPA. Excluded coverage: Inpatient and Dental
- Coverage for inpatient, outpatient, maternity, and emergency evacuation and repatriation costs USD $171 per month with a benefits limit of $1,000,000 annually through April International. Excluded coverage: Dental
- Coverage for inpatient, outpatient, maternity, dental, and emergency evacuation and repatriation costs USD $233 per month with an annual benefits limit of $1,000,000 through April International.
| Monthly Premium (USD) | Cover Inclusions | Cover Exclusions |
| $118 | Inpatient, Maternity | Outpatient, Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation, Dental |
| $154 | Inpatient, Maternity, Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation | Outpatient and Dental |
| $171 | Inpatient, Maternity, Outpatient, Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation | Dental |
| $233 | Inpatient, Maternity, Outpatient, Dental, Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation | N/A |
Using Deductibles to Cut UAE Insurance Costs
One way to save money on your private medical insurance premiums may be to select a plan with a higher deductible or excess. This will only save you money overall if you don’t anticipate needing medical services frequently.
The deductible is the amount that you will pay out of pocket on your medical expenses before insurance coverage begins. Some plans may also have a copay, and selecting a higher copay means that you’ll have lower premiums but pay more out-of-pocket at the point of care.
Compare the effect that the deductible has on your premiums. These are the premiums for coverage for a 25-year-old woman in Dubai.
The plan includes coverage for inpatient, outpatient, maternity, dental, and emergency evacuation and repatriation with an annual benefits limit of USD $4,400,000 through BUPA.
- The monthly premium is USD $310 for a $20,000 deductible.
- The monthly premium is USD $321 for a $10,000 deductible.
- The monthly premium is USD $603 for a $1,600 deductible.
- The monthly premium is USD $718 for a $400 deductible.
- The monthly premium is $1,010 for a $0 deductible.
How Coverage Area Affects UAE Insurance Costs
Medical care costs vary throughout the world. The UAE is less expensive than the United States, despite having high-quality healthcare services. This means that a private medical insurance policy with coverage in the UAE will be less expensive than a similar policy with USA coverage.
When you look for policies, consider whether you need UAE regional coverage, worldwide excluding the USA, or worldwide including the USA. Consider purchasing a policy only for the country or region where you reside and securing travel insurance policies for short excursions to other world regions.
For example, compare the coverage and premiums for these scenarios:
- Coverage for inpatient, outpatient, dental, and emergency evacuation and repatriation with UAE-only cover starts at USD $126 monthly for a 25-year-old woman. The annual benefits limit is USD $200,000 through April International.
- Coverage for inpatient, outpatient, dental, and emergency evacuation and repatriation with worldwide coverage (excluding USA) starts at $233 monthly for a 25-year-old woman. The annual benefits limit is USD $1,000,000 through April International.
- Coverage for inpatient, outpatient, dental, and emergency evacuation and repatriation with worldwide coverage (including USA) starts at $354 monthly for a 25-year-old woman. The annual benefits limit is USD $1,000,000 through April International.
| Coverage Area | Monthly Premium (USD) |
| UAE Only | $126 |
| Worldwide, excluding USA | $233 |
| Worldwide, including USA | $354 |
Please note that these prices are for illustrative purposes only and actual prices will vary based on age, gender, and other profile information.
Why Use a Broker for UAE Health Insurance
When you use an insurance broker to find medical insurance in the UAE, you will be able to make selections to compare quotes from multiple companies at once. Insurance brokers represent the client, so your broker will work with you to help you find a satisfactory insurance policy.
The best part is that insurance brokers don’t charge their clients. Insurance companies rely on brokers to sell policies, so they pay commissions.
The insurance companies may offer special pricing for the broker’s clients to compete with other insurance companies that also work with the broker. This allows you to get not only free advice but also recommendations on the best deals available.
At any point during the process, you can reach out to the insurance broker with questions or concerns. Pacific Prime has a dedicated claims team to help their clients even after purchasing a policy, so you’ll have someone in your corner the whole time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is medical insurance so expensive in the UAE?
The UAE has some of the highest average insurance premiums in the world because of the high cost of medical services in the country. As policyholders use more medical services and inflation raises the prices of those services, the price for medical insurance also increases.
What is the best health insurance price in the UAE?
Health insurance plans start at USD $126 monthly for a 25-year-old-woman living in Dubai through April International. This provider offers some of the most competitive health insurance premiums in the UAE. Actual pricing depends on coverage selections, age, gender, and other personal details.
Is healthcare free in the UAE?
Healthcare in the UAE is free for Emirate citizens. Working visa holders are eligible for discounted medical services through their employer’s insurance plan. All other expats will be required to purchase private health insurance to cover medical costs.
Is private medical insurance worth it in the UAE?
Expats are required to have some type of medical insurance for their visa. Employers are not required to provide health insurance for expat workers’ dependents. Private medical insurance in the UAE makes healthcare in Dubai and Abu Dhabi’s private hospitals more affordable.
What happens if I don’t have medical insurance in Dubai?
Expats who do not have medical insurance in Dubai are considered a violation of the Dubai Medical Insurance Law and can be fined no less than AED 500 (approximately USD $136) and no more than AED 150,000 (approximately USD $40,838). Fines can double with repeated violations within a year.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it’s crucial for expats to secure health insurance in the UAE as nobody can predict sudden illnesses or injuries while overseas. It’s crucial to decide beyond the price range and consider your true healthcare needs.
When selecting health insurance, it’s also highly recommended that you enlist the help of a broker. That way, you can get free, impartial advice and plan recommendations thanks to the brokers’ knowledge of the health insurance market.
As a leading international health insurance broker, Pacific Prime has over 20 years of experience matching both expats and local citizens to a health insurance plan that matches both their budget and unique healthcare needs.
Whether you’re an expat in Dubai or a local citizen yourself, our team of specialists will be more than happy to help you out. And if you have any further questions, please get in touch with us.
Serena earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of British Columbia, Canada. As such, she is an avid advocate of mental health and is fascinated by all things psychology (especially if it’s cognitive psychology!).
Her previous work experience includes teaching toddlers to read, writing for a travel/wellness online magazine, and then a business news blog. These combined experiences give her the skills and insights she needs to explain complex ideas in a succinct way. Being the daughter of an immigrant and a traveler herself, she is passionate about educating expats and digital nomads on travel and international health insurance.
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What are the options for obtaining long-term care insurance in Dubai, and how do they cater to the needs of elderly expats?
Long-term care insurance options in Dubai for elderly expats are typically offered through private health insurers and tailored plans that include coverage for chronic illness management, nursing care, and assisted living support. Many plans allow flexibility in choosing inpatient and outpatient care, with some including benefits like home care services or emergency medical evacuation. For elderly expats, it’s essential to consider plans that address pre-existing conditions and offer high annual coverage limits to meet ongoing healthcare needs.
For personalized advice and plan comparisons, feel free to contact us via the Pacific Prime Contact Us page, and our advisors will guide you through finding the most suitable option.
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