Health & Protection in Kuwait

Your health and finances should be well secured when working abroad, and insurance is one of the keys to making sure that they are safe from any damages caused by unwanted situations. The insurance industry in Kuwait is currently experiencing a big boost and hosts some of the largest companies in the Middle East. You will be pleased that there are adequate choices in the market and you can also explore more portable prolicies provided by international companies. Here are some tips on how you can get one that’ll help you in living a secured expat life.

Getting Insurance

Expats relocating in Kuwait should contact their employers first or the HR department of their office to inquire if they are covered by any medical insurance; a type of benefit that is usually included in a foreign worker’s relocation programme. You can also get different types of life and non-life coverage from the international and local companies in Kuwait. A local company like Kuwait Insurance Company S.A.K, the largest and oldest home, motor, life, general and travel insurer in the country is a good local offering as compared to more international providers you will find on ExpatFinder.

One other important aspect that you need to check is the legitimacy of the provider that you have chosen. You have to check if it has accreditation from the insurance department of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry Kuwait. It is also the same government agency you can contact if your broker violates any of the agreements in your policy.

Importance of Insurance

Though there are no required vaccinations for expats entering Kuwait, the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) strongly advises that you get vaccinated against Hepatitis A (acquired thru contaminated food or water) and rabies especially if you are planning on spending a lot of time outdoors or in remote areas. Respiratory-related sicknesses are common in Kuwait because of the high level of dust and sand that are often aggravated by constant construction in the city. You should also be prepared for the extreme heat that can cause sunburn, heat exhaustion and sunstroke. Having mentioned those, expats should see to it that they have adequate health insurance that’ll cover their medical needs and aid them in protecting their health.

Local Insurance in Kuwait

Being a Muslim dominated city, Kuwait follows a Takaful Insurance system where policyholders give a specific amount to create a pool of resources that can be used for the benefit of other individual members. Kuwait is considered to have a highly competitive insurance sector that continues to progress with the help of major contributors such as national companies and life insurers. All of these international and local providers are under the supervision of the insurance department of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry whose aim is to regulate the insurance business in the city.

Car insurance is mandatory by law for all vehicles in Kuwait. The most basic and affordable type of plan is the third party liability insurance which will cover any injury, loss of life, property or vehicle damage that you have caused to the third party involved in the collision. However, TPL doesn’t include any damages to your car so you should also get the Comprehensive Insurance which will cover repairs or replacement to your vehicle whether you are at fault or not.

Local insurers are dominating a significant share of Kuwait’s insurance market. There are also international providers which can be a better choice for expats in the city since their plans are more inclined to meet the needs of foreign nationals abroad. Multinational companies offer both life and non-life products that have coverage anywhere you are; a type of benefit that is usually unavailable from national brokers.