Health & Protection in Abu Dhabi

Insurance is one of the most important things that anyone should have when moving abroad. Its starts with insuring your goods in your household goods move, and goes all the way to your third party liability cover (yes, the same as you probably had back home included in your home insurance). Aside from the peace of mind it brings, it also protects your finances from risks caused by accidents, emergencies and basic medical expenses. Don’t go off thinking everything is covered by your Abu Dhabi employer. Expats have many options when it comes to securing their health and properties. Here, you will learn how you can get and use insurance that’ll help you in living a well-protected life in the heart of the Emirates.

Getting Insurance

One glimpse of Abu Dhabi will tell anyone how expensive and highly industrialised the city is. Its tall buildings and ultra modernised infrastructures attract not just expats but also big names in the insurance industry. When choosing a provider, you have to make sure that it has accreditation from the UAE Insurance Authority who regulates all insurance companies in Abu Dhabi and across the country. It is also the same agency that you can contact if you have any issues or complaints against your insurer.

Aside from the basic health insurance from your employer, you can also insure your dependents or properties while in Abu Dhabi. One famous name among expats in the city is CIGNA Global which is an international provider of health insurance. There are also banks like the Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank who offers both life and non-life policies.

Importance of Insurance

According to Dr Charles Standford, Chief Executive Officer of Burjeel Hospital in Abu Dhabi, the city’s leading health threat is diabetes and lack of proper diet or exercise. Other risks in the city and across the Emirates are cancer, bone diseases and respiratory related illnesses. Dr Standford also stated that despite Abu Dhabi’s abundance of sunshine, most people lack vitamin D.

Health insurance is necessary once you move to Abu Dhabi since it can cover the fees for essential services such as routine check-ups, vaccinations, physical exams and diagnostic tests. These types of medical procedures can help you monitor your physical condition and decrease your chances of being ill. Depending on your policy, vitamins and vaccinations are also covered as long as there is a physician’s request.

Local Insurance in Abu Dhabi

UAE has more than 60 insurance companies where 34 are domicile, 17 are foreign, and ten are Islamic. Many of these are headquartered in Abu Dhabi which stands as the nation's centre of finance, business and commerce. The local insurance market is considered to be premature because many residents of the city do not fully understand the gravity of having insurance as the most efficient way of protecting their finances. However, Insurance Authority (IA) is expecting to see rapid growth since the state has made health insurance mandatory not just for locals but also for all expats.

Five years ago, Abu Dhabi introduced the compulsory health insurance for all its citizens and foreign workers. The law requires all employers to provider medical coverage to all their employees whether local or foreign. Everyone working, living and Abu Dhabi visa holders should have legal health insurance or else the employer or expat will be fined up to 20000 Dirhams or around €4900. Aside from the many local companies in, you can also get international insurance in Abu Dhabi which is also a reasonable since you are an expat. The primary purpose of getting plans from a multinational company is that they can cover your health and emergency needs even if you are outside city.