Domestic workers are not exempt from getting the mandatory health insurance and their sponsors who fail to get it for them may face penalties by January 1.

The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) has given Dubai residents until the end of this year to get health insurance cover for their dependants and domestic workers under their sponsorship. This was after a three-year rollout of the new insurance rule and a six-month extension for sponsors to fully cover their employees and their dependants.

Violators face a fine of Dh500 per month and non-issuance or non-renewal of their residence visas.

DHA has approved 46 health insurance companies to provide health cover for Dubai residents. Out of these, nine are licensed to provide the Essential Benefit Package (EBP) to anyone who earns less than Dh4,000, including domestic workers such as maids, nannies, drivers, and cooks, among others.

“These nine companies cannot deny providing the EBP to anyone who falls in this category,” Dr Haider Al Yousuf, director of Health Funding at the DHA, said in an earlier statement.

The EBP is the minimum package a sponsor must provide for his or her employee or dependant. This costs between Dh565 and Dh650.

Dr Al Yousuf said the EBP provides patients will all their essential insurance needs but options are available for additional cover, depending on the insurance provider.

Among the licensed insurance companies are Axa Insurance, Oman Insurance Company, MetLife Alico, National Health Insurance Company (Daman), Ras Al Khaimah National Health Insurance Company (Daman), Orient Insurance Company, Takaful Emarat, Dar Al Takaful, and National General Insurance.

“The Essential Benefit Package (EBP) provided by the different insurance companies is roughly the same as they are designed based on the minimum requirement of DHA. So there’s a difference of roughly Dh50 to Dh75 in the premium depending on which company is offering the insurance, but the benefits they will get are roughly the same,” an insurance broker told Gulf News.

With a basic insurance cover or EBP, the insured is given a maximum coverage of up to Dh150,000 per policy, with a cash out of up to 20 per cent for every new visit to the clinic or hospital. For inpatient coverage, a maximum of Dh100 per night for hospital rooms is usually given.

Gulf News noted, however, that applicants need to read the fine print and the policy terms as some EBP insurance plans cover emergency cases when the insured is in other emirates outside Dubai, while others only covers emergency cases in Abu Dhabi. Others have a six-month waiting period for people with chronic and pre-existing conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes. Speed and ease of claims also vary depending on the insurer.

Gulam Mohammad Teli, Chief Officer - Health and Life at AXA Insurance Gulf, said providing insurance cover for domestic workers and dependents is aligned with the UAE Vision 2021 National Agenda to give access to good quality health care for all nationals and residents in Dubai.

“By insuring domestic workers, employers are not only ensuring that they are compliant with the requirements of the law, but also offer their domestic help the access to treatment they require covering all their basic healthcare needs,” he told Gulf News.

- with additional inputs from Karthik Nair, Intern at Gulf News

Basic requirements:

- Applicant’s passport copy

- ID Picture of applicant

- Salary certificate and a labour contract signed and stamped (for domestic workers)

- Visa copy of sponsor as well as insured member

- Emirates ID of sponsor as well as insured member

- Certificate of continuity, if any (for covering pre-existing and chronic diseases).

For more information, visit http://www.isahd.ae.

source : gulfnews