Telephone Numbers
Telephone Numbers
For detailed information +90 542 381 3868'Call.
Employee health insurance in Dubai is an employer obligation that, as of 2026, has become mandatory across all seven emirates. Below you will find all the details on coverage, current prices, penalties and choosing the right policy, based on official sources.
Table of Contents
In Dubai and across the entire United Arab Emirates (UAE), health insurance for employees is not a choice but a legal requirement. For many years mandatory only in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, health insurance became compulsory across all seven emirates through federal regulation effective 1 January 2026. This landmark change directly affects companies operating in the northern emirates such as Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah and Umm Al Quwain.
The core logic of the regulation is simple: every individual working in the private sector must be covered by valid health insurance, and covering this cost is the employer's responsibility. In Dubai this is overseen by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), in Abu Dhabi by the Department of Health (DoH), and at the federal level by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE). Financial supervision of the insurance sector is carried out by the Central Bank of the UAE.
Health insurance is no longer merely a health safeguard; it is also a precondition for the issuance and renewal of a residence visa. An employee without a valid policy cannot complete their Emirates ID and residence visa procedures. As a result, employers who neglect the insurance obligation face both administrative fines and serious disruptions to their staff's visa processes.
Key Highlights
Employee health insurance in Dubai is an employer obligation that became mandatory across all seven emirates in 2026. Below you will find full details on coverage, current prices, penalties and choosing the right policy, based on official sources.
Yes. As of 2026, health insurance is legally mandatory for private-sector employees across all seven emirates of the UAE, and the cost of the policy is the employer’s responsibility.
The minimum legal package (MOHRE Basic Plan) is around AED 320/year. The Dubai DHA Essential Benefits Plan (EBP) ranges between AED 550–650/year. Figures are indicative and subject to change.
By law, the employer pays the employee’s health insurance premium. Deducting the premium from the employee’s salary is against the regulations.
In Dubai, an administrative fine of about AED 500 per month applies for each uninsured employee. In addition, a residence visa cannot be issued or renewed without a valid policy.
Free zone employees must also be covered by health insurance. The obligation lies with the employer within the framework of the relevant free zone authority and emirate health regulations.
+90 542 381 3868
+971 58 5204103