Health insurance.

The legal framework

• Dubai's health insurance law requires every resident to hold a valid policy meeting the minimum standards set by the Dubai Health Authority.
• In Dubai, employers must provide cover for their employees; cover for dependants is the sponsor's responsibility.
• In Abu Dhabi the employer obligation extends to a spouse and a defined number of children as well.
• An employer may not deduct the cost of the cover it provides from the employee's salary.
• Being uninsured carries an administrative penalty, which usually exceeds the cost of the premium.

Public and private

UAE nationals are covered by government-backed programmes. Foreign residents access healthcare through private insurance. Public cover varies by emirate and generally includes emergencies, preventive services, immunisation, maternity and basic primary care. Laser vision correction, hearing and vision aids and dental examinations are typically outside it.

Questions to ask when choosing a policy

• What are the in-patient and out-patient limits?
• Is the hospital you actually use in the network?
• Is there a waiting period for pre-existing conditions?
• What is the maternity benefit and its waiting period?
• What is the co-payment rate and its cap?
• Is there any cover outside the UAE — important if you travel often.