Health insurance to become mandatory in all Emirates

Farouq Faiyaad, Staff Reporter

The 8th edition of the Health Insurance Conference, organised by the Emirates Insurance Association, started with the participation of 150 officials and experts in the insurance and health sectors in the UAE and a number of Arab countries.

On the sidelines of the conference, the officials said that compulsory health insurance is nearing completion in all emirates of the country, as it is expected to start before the end of the first quarter of 2023.

The competent health authorities in the UAE, represented by the Ministry of Health and Prevention as well as the private sector, including operating insurance companies and accredited health centres, are looking forward to linking the unified health file "Riayati" with a federal digital platform approved by all service providers. This linkage is expected to be completed in the middle of 2023, the conference said.

The completion of compulsory health insurance in all emirates will enhance the total written premiums, which are expected to reach about Dhs50 billion in 2022, supported by the increase in the number of polices and insured people, considering that mandatory insurance is imposed on all sectors, Farid Lutfi, Secretary-General of the Emirates Insurance Association, said.

Meanwhile, Khalid Muhammad Al Badi, Chairman of the Emirates Insurance Association, said, “The invigoration and development of health care services and ease of access to individuals has become a more urgent necessity.”

He also pointed to the success achieved by the UAE in overcoming the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, which strengthened the capabilities of government departments and their aspirations towards new horizons to explore the future.

Earlier in November, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) signed an agreement with a group of nine local insurance companies, to launch the framework of the new Unemployment Insurance Scheme, in line with the Federal Decree Law No. 13 of 2022 and the relevant Cabinet Resolutions.

The new insurance scheme aims to provide protection for employees in the private sector and the UAE’s federal government by providing them with a cash compensation for a limited period not exceeding three months for each claim in the event of job termination for reasons beyond their control.

It also creates a safety net that supports employees in their career path and ensures their livelihood by relying on mechanisms that do not incur additional costs for employers. It provides a balance in the job market that allows achieving the UAE’s strategic goals and supporting the continuity and growth of economic activities.