Leaving Dubai? What Happens to Your Health Insurance in Dubai?
UAE law requires all citizens to have health insurance, may it be through an employer or by their individual insurance. But what happens to health insurance when you leave Dubai?
You may be wondering if you can take your insurance with you to your new destination or if you will have to purchase a new policy. It can be confusing to navigate the ins and outs of health insurance when you’re moving to a new place.
Let’s explore the different options for health insurance for those leaving Dubai, so you can make the best decision for yourself and your family.
What is insurance portability?
Insurance portability means that insured individuals are able to continue their coverage and benefits after leaving a country or employers who provide them with insurance.
Why should you consider insurance portability?
With insurance portability, you can take your health insurance plan with you and continue to receive coverage in the new country. This ensures that you don’t have to start all over again by getting a new health insurance plan in your new home.
In addition, insurance portability helps you save money. Transferring your existing health insurance plan means that you won’t have to pay additional fees for a new plan in the new country, and you can maintain the same level of coverage that you had in Dubai.
Not All Individual Health Insurance Plans Offer Portability.
It is important to note that not all individual health insurance plans offer portability when you leave the country.
It’s ultimately up to the insurer to decide whether or not you will have access to your previous benefits under the new plan. Regardless of the fact whether you look for portability with the same insurer or a completely different one.
It’s also important to remember that even if your insurer offers portability, not all of their plans may be eligible for transfer. This is why it’s important to check with your provider before making any decisions about your health insurance when leaving Dubai.
Does continuance of policy cost you more?
When moving to an expensive country, you may find that the cost of health insurance is higher than what you were paying in the UAE. Thus, in order to maintain your current coverage, you may need to pay more for your insurance premiums, copayments or deductibles.
What happens to health insurance by employers?
If you had employer-sponsored health insurance in Dubai, the policy may not be transferable to your home country. However, you may be able to take advantage of insurance portability. Generally, you have a 30-day grace period following the cancellation of a visa before you are legally obligated to leave the country.
However, if your employer offers group health insurance, you can apply for portability. In this case, you will have to pay for your own private health insurance plan to continue to receive the benefits you had with your previous employer.
Conclusion
If you are leaving the UAE, you should make sure that you understand the process you need to follow to apply for health insurance portability and any associated costs before making the move. Generally, you should apply for portability during the renewal period of the policy.
Additionally, if you have an employer-provided health insurance plan in Dubai, you should check with your employer to understand what will happen to your health insurance coverage upon your departure.
For more information on health insurance portability, please get in touch with New Age Insurance Brokers at +971 4 3573378 or write to us at info@newageib.com.
