Following a recent report suggesting that some Dubai visa holders living in other emirates were not being covered by their insurance companies, all health insurance providers in the emirate have been directed to provide coverage in Sharjah and Northern Emirates.
The Dubai Health Authority’s (DHA) order takes effect immediately following feedback from policy holders, Gulf News quoted a DHA spokesperson as saying.
Previously, it was optional and therefore some companies did not offer insurance cover outside the Emirate of Dubai, the report said.
Dr. Haider Al Yousuf, Director of Health Funding at the DHA, reportedly said that the move is a positive one for the health insurance industry, the health sector and for policyholders.
“Many Dubai residence visa holders live in Sharjah and Northern Emirates. This mandate ensures they have coverage in the emirate they live in so that they can access health care when they need it at a location that is convenient to them,” he was quoted as saying.
Al Yousuf added it would be more cost-effective for insurance companies to provide coverage in Northern Emirates.
He also reportedly advised people that they should research their health insurance policy properly before opting to buy cover.
Al Yousuf stressed there are enough options available in the market and people can top-up their essential cover.
He said the first step to buying insurance is to understand the policy, its inclusions and exclusions.
“The DHA’s website www-ishad.ae has the list of 50 companies, of which nine companies provide the basic package. People should educate themselves about the policy they intend to buy. The market has a good range of options and people need to select what is most suitable for them. They can get comparative quotes before they buy their health insurance. They should research the hospitals and clinics under the network of a particular insurance company and buy cover only when they are convinced that the policy meets their needs,” he said.
Premiums for basic packages range from Dh550 to Dh700 and there are always options available to top-up this basic insurance cover. To lodge a complaint customers can go to the ishad website and use the ‘ipromes’ tab available at the site to register their grievances, said the news portal.
Residents have been advised to be aware of their rights under the insurance coverage they are paying for and lodge complaints to DHA as it has a robust redressal system in place, it said.
“We request residents to lodge complaints about health insurance through proper channels. The correct way is to log on to the ishad website and lodge a complaint through ‘ipromes’ tab. Customer protection is a top priority for us and we take every complaint or dispute lodged with us very seriously. In fact, 95 percent of the disputes are resolved within three to four working days,” Gulf News quoted Al Yousuf as saying.
