UAE identifies six health insurance violations by employers

Abu Dhabi: The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) has identified six cases of non-compliance with health insurance requirements for employees of private-sector establishments and domestic workers.

The first is an employer’s failure to enrol a worker in a health insurance policy or renew the policy.

Other cases include an employer’s refusal to cover the cost of healthcare services or emergency medical treatment for an insured worker, as well as requiring the worker to bear all or part of the cost of subscribing to or renewing the health insurance policy.

They also include providing a health insurance policy that does not meet the basic coverage requirements approved by the Ministry; cancelling the policy while the work permit remains valid, thereby compromising the continuity of the worker’s insurance coverage; and failing to ensure continuous health insurance coverage throughout the validity period of the work permit.

The Ministry said administrative fines will be imposed in cases of non-compliance with the specified health insurance requirements, in accordance with Cabinet Resolution No. 21 of 2020 concerning service fees and fines at the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, as amended.

Without prejudice to any other penalties or measures prescribed under applicable legislation, the Ministry may take all necessary legal and administrative action against an establishment that fails to comply with the required provisions and procedures. This may include suspending, rejecting or refusing to renew work permits.

MoHRE has also outlined the controls governing health insurance, stressing that a policy will not be considered compliant with the requirements for issuing or renewing a work permit unless four conditions are met.

The health insurance policy must comply with the basic requirements approved by the Ministry, which set the minimum level of required coverage. It must also be valid when the work permit is issued or renewed and remain valid throughout the permit’s two-year validity period, as well as for no less than the insurance coverage period stipulated in the basic policy.

In addition, the worker must not bear any of the costs, or any portion of the costs, related to subscribing to or renewing health insurance, without prejudice to any applicable co-payment for medical services under the policy.

The health insurance policy must also not be cancelled during the validity period of the work permit, except in accordance with the approved controls and provided that the continuity of the worker’s insurance coverage is not affected.

MoHRE is currently conducting a public consultation to gather proposals, views and feedback on health insurance for private-sector workers and domestic workers.

The consultation aims to identify the needs and expectations of employers and employees and assess the suitability of the proposed insurance benefits and coverage. This will contribute to developing an effective and sustainable health insurance system that addresses the needs of all stakeholders and supports the competitiveness of the UAE labour market.

The online survey will remain open until September 1. The Ministry said the contributions and feedback received will be carefully considered, adding that the findings will help support decision-making and further develop the system in a way that serves the shared interests of employers and workers.

The Ministry’s survey covers five key areas. The first asks participants to identify their main priorities when selecting health insurance for workers, including the cost of insurance, scope of coverage and benefits, network of healthcare providers, and speed of approvals and procedures.

For private companies and employers, the survey provides four categories based on the number of workers to be covered: fewer than 10 workers; 10 to 49 workers; 50 to 99 workers; and 100 workers or more.

The survey also asks about the categories of employees to be covered, including senior management, administrative and office staff, field workers and domestic workers. Respondents can also suggest other categories of workers that could be included.

Another question asks whether the nature of the establishment’s operations requires health coverage across multiple locations within the UAE. Respondents can choose from three options: yes, no or unsure.

The fifth and final question asks participants to identify the challenges that private-sector employers and domestic workers may face in relation to health insurance policies.

Health insurance for workers is considered a key pillar in enhancing job stability and ensuring business continuity, given its direct role in protecting workers’ health, improving productivity and providing a healthy and safe working environment.

Article 36 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations, as amended, requires establishments to comply with the provisions of Federal Law No. 13 of 2020 concerning public health, as well as all relevant decisions and legislation. The Executive Regulations set out provisions related to workers’ safety, protection and healthcare.

Pursuant to Ministerial Resolution No. 504 of 2026 concerning procedures for subscribing to health insurance for private-sector employees, procedures for health insurance enrolment have been developed and electronically linked to work permit issuance and renewal services.

This enables the system to electronically verify whether a worker has a valid health insurance policy, eliminating the need to submit the policy separately. The move is designed to simplify procedures, reduce requirements and speed up the completion of services for customers.

MoHRE, in coordination with the Insurance Pool, launched the health insurance system on January 1, 2025.

As part of the system, an insurance product was developed at a competitive annual premium of no more than Dh320 for workers up to the age of 64. It covers private-sector employees and domestic workers, as well as their families, and provides a wide range of healthcare benefits and services.