UAE Health Insurance Calculator
Calculate UAE mandatory health insurance premium by Emirate, tier (EBP / Enhanced / Premium), and family size. Covers Dubai ISAHD and Abu Dhabi DoH requirements.
Coverage Details
Estimated Annual Premium
Annual Premium (Family)
AED 8,695
Monthly: AED 725
Base Adult
AED 3,281
Dependents
AED 5,414
Employer Portion (EBP)
AED 0
Employee / Sponsor
AED 8,695
Regulator — Dubai Health Authority (DHA) — ISAHD 2014 scheme
Dubai mandates private health insurance for every resident (ISAHD Law No.11/2013, effective phased from 2014). Employers must provide at minimum Essential Benefits Plan (EBP) cover for employees earning up to AED 4,000/month at a capped annual premium (~AED 560-650). For higher-earning employees, employers typically upgrade to Enhanced plans. The SPONSOR (i.e., the visa holder) is personally responsible for covering spouses, children, and domestic helpers — cover must be in force at visa renewal. The DHA maintains the eClaimLink network; most carriers settle directly with DHA-licensed providers.
Plan Tier Details
Enhanced plan: mid-market tier with wider network access (most private hospitals including Mediclinic, NMC, Aster, Saudi-German, Al Zahra), higher annual cap (AED 500k-1M), direct-billing at most clinics, broader dental and optical, and stronger maternity cover. Suits professional expats and their families. Carriers: Daman (NextCare TPA), Sukoon (Oman Insurance), Orient, AXA Gulf, MetLife.
Health insurance is mandatory across the UAE
Dubai mandated cover for every resident under ISAHD 2014; Abu Dhabi has mandated cover since 2006 (HAAD / now DoH); and the Northern Emirates (Sharjah, Ajman, RAK, Fujairah, UAQ) are completing their phased roll-out through 2026 under the federal Emiratisation programme. Employers must pay the basic premium for employees earning up to roughly AED 4,000/month; sponsors (visa-holders) must cover spouses, children, and domestic helpers at visa renewal.
EBP vs Enhanced vs Premium tiers
ESSENTIAL BENEFITS PLAN (EBP): regulator-capped minimum tier covering basic inpatient + outpatient + emergency at a narrow DHA/DoH network — annual cap typically AED 150,000 and priced around AED 560-650/year for qualifying low-income workers (employer-paid). ENHANCED: mid-market with wider networks (Mediclinic, NMC, Aster, Saudi-German), AED 500k-1M annual cap, AED 2,500-5,500/adult/year. PREMIUM: worldwide access (American Hospital Dubai, King's College London, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi), AED 5M+ cap, AED 12k-25k/adult/year.
Dubai DHA vs Abu Dhabi DoH — what changes?
Dubai uses the eClaimLink network and ISAHD scheme; Abu Dhabi runs on Shafafiya and the DoH/Thiqa framework. Abu Dhabi requires employers to cover dependants for UAE nationals and some expat categories; in Dubai the sponsor (not the employer) is responsible for family cover. Major carriers in both markets: Daman (NextCare TPA, strong in AD), Sukoon (formerly Oman Insurance), Orient, AXA Gulf, MetLife, ADNIC.
The visa-renewal trap
Your Emirates ID and residency visa renewal requires valid health insurance — visa centres (Amer, Tasheel) will refuse processing without it. Most carriers offer a 30-day grace period at policy expiry, but gaps longer than that force re-underwriting (new pre-existing exclusions) and can create short-term visa delays. Set auto-renewal a month before expiry. Switching carriers is allowed but requires careful timing around visa dates.
Common questions about Health Insurance
Is health insurance mandatory in the UAE?+
Yes. Dubai has required health cover for all residents since ISAHD 2014; Abu Dhabi since 2006 (DoH, formerly HAAD). Sharjah and the Northern Emirates now require cover as part of Emiratisation rollout, phased from 2024-2026. Employers must provide cover for employees and typically sponsor it for the employee's dependants when salary exceeds the Essential Benefits Plan threshold (~AED 4,000/month).
What is the Essential Benefits Plan (EBP)?+
The minimum mandatory plan for low-income employees (earning under AED 4,000/mo) and their dependants. Annual premium cap ~AED 600-700, covering inpatient, outpatient, and basic maternity at designated network clinics and B-tier hospitals. Employer must pay 100% for employees; dependants may be funded by sponsor. EBP is thin cover — most mid-income expats upgrade to Enhanced tier privately.
EBP vs Enhanced vs Premium — what's covered?+
EBP: basic network, AED 150,000 annual cap, limited maternity, 20% co-pay on outpatient. Enhanced: wider hospital network (SEHA, Mediclinic, NMC, Aster), AED 500k-1M annual cap, maternity fully covered, mid co-pay. Premium: access to top private hospitals (AHD, AAC, Cleveland Clinic AD, Clemenceau, Saudi-German), AED 1-3M+ cap, direct billing globally, dental and vision included, no/low co-pay. Premium suits executives with families.
How much does UAE health insurance cost in 2026?+
Annual per-adult rates (Dubai): EBP ~AED 600 (employer-paid), Enhanced AED 3,500-6,000, Premium AED 12,000-25,000. Abu Dhabi runs ~10-15% higher due to stricter DoH requirements. Family of four on Enhanced typically AED 14,000-22,000/yr. Maternity waiting periods: 6-12 months. Premiums rise 8-15% per year with age banding.
Does my UAE health insurance cover me abroad?+
EBP: no overseas cover. Enhanced plans typically cover emergency treatment globally (capped AED 50,000-150,000) plus elective in home country or GCC. Premium plans offer full international cover ex-USA (or including USA at higher premium), direct billing with global networks like GlobeMed, Cigna Global, Allianz Care. Business travellers and dual-base families should budget for Premium tier.
What happens if my health insurance lapses at visa renewal?+
You cannot renew your residence visa without active health insurance in Dubai or Abu Dhabi — the online GDRFA/TAMM portals now validate coverage automatically. Most insurers offer 30-day grace periods; beyond that, penalties can reach AED 500/mo per uncovered person (Abu Dhabi), and visa processing is blocked. Never let coverage lapse before confirming renewal or replacement.
Can I use free government hospitals without insurance?+
Emiratis get free access to government hospitals (SEHA, DHA network). Expats can use government hospitals but pay private rates that are often higher than well-priced private hospitals — a normal outpatient visit at a SEHA hospital uninsured runs AED 400-800, inpatient AED 2,000-8,000 per day. For expats, private insurance is both mandatory and markedly cheaper than self-pay.