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Health insurance in Dubai: who must pay for it, and the fines

In Dubai, the employer must insure its employees and the sponsor must insure the family members it sponsors, at no cost to them. Charging an employee for it carries a fine of AED 10,000, and late enrolment AED 500 a month.

By Abdelrahman Mohamed 3 min read
Illustration for the guide: Health insurance in Dubai: who must pay for it, and the fines
Health insurance in Dubai: who must pay for it, and the fines

Health insurance is compulsory in Dubai under Law No. 11 of 2013. A resident must be covered by at least the Basic Coverage set by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), and the law says who pays for it: the employer for its employees, and the sponsor for the people it sponsors who have no employer, such as a spouse and children. Neither may pass the cost on to the person insured.

Who must insure whom

Person Responsible for the insurance
Employee in Dubai The employer
Spouse, children or others on your residence visa, without their own employer The sponsor (usually you)
UAE nationals The Government, under DHA rules
Visitors An entity set by the DHA; the law covers visitors for emergency care

What the employer or sponsor must do

  1. Enrol the employee or sponsored person in a policy that gives at least the Basic Coverage.
  2. Pay for it, and not charge it to the person insured.
  3. Keep the insurance valid for the whole period of employment, residence or visit.
  4. Give the person a health insurance card.
  5. Show a health insurance policy when the residence (or visit) permit is issued or renewed.
  6. Pay for emergency treatment of anyone they were required to insure but did not.

An employer or sponsor may add supplementary coverage above the basic level, for the person and their family.

The fines

Violation Fine
Employer or sponsor fails to enrol employees or sponsored persons by the deadline in a scheme with at least the Basic Coverage AED 500 per month of delay (part of a month counts as a month)
Employer or sponsor charges the insured person all or part of the insurance cost AED 10,000 per person, plus refund of what was paid
Employer or sponsor does not pay for emergency treatment of an uninsured person they were required to insure AED 1,000
Employer or sponsor does not give the insurance card AED 1,000 per incident
Employer or sponsor does not provide the policy when the residence or visit permit is issued or renewed AED 1,000 per incident
Insured person does not report a lost or damaged card within 30 days AED 500
Insured person lets someone else use the card AED 5,000
Insured person tries to obtain benefits or money illegally AED 5,000, plus the cost of what was obtained

A fine is doubled if the same violation is repeated within a year, up to AED 500,000.

Your duties as the insured person

  • Tell whoever enrolled you straight away if your card is lost or damaged.
  • Do not let anyone else use your card.
  • Pay the co-insurance (your share of each bill) set in your policy.
  • Report to the DHA any fraud, misuse or negligence that affects you.

Emergencies outside your insurer’s network

The law requires the insurance company to pay for emergency treatment at a hospital or clinic outside its network until your life is no longer under threat. An emergency is a case needing immediate medical intervention to save a life or remove a threat to it.

If your employer or sponsor breaks these rules, for example by deducting the insurance cost from your salary, the law asks you to report it to the Dubai Health Authority. See all our guides in rights for UAE residents.

Checked against the texts of Dubai Law No. 11 of 2013 and Executive Council Resolution No. 7 of 2016 published by the Dubai Health Authority, on 5 October 2026. The Arabic texts prevail. General information, not legal advice. See our editorial policy.

Sources we checked

The official bodies where these figures and rules are kept up to date. Where an official page disagrees with us, the official page is right.

General information, not legal advice. Rules, fees and procedures can change; confirm your own case with the authority named on this page before you act. Our editorial policy

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