You need health insurance, but not necessarily an international policy. Dubai and Abu Dhabi require employers and sponsors to insure residents, and since 1 January 2025 employers in every emirate must insure private-sector staff before issuing or renewing residence permits. Remote workers must show valid insurance for their visa. International cover is an optional addition for wider protection.
It depends on
Employees are insured by their employer, while in Dubai sponsors must insure the dependants on their visa.
Dubai and Abu Dhabi have their own mandatory schemes, and the federal employer requirement extends cover to the Northern Emirates.
Local plans focus on care in the UAE, so people who travel often or want treatment in Germany may need international cover.
Who needs it
Almost everyone living in the UAE on a residence visa needs some health insurance. If you move from Germany for a job, your employer must arrange cover, but family members may need separate policies paid by you as their sponsor. Self-sponsored remote workers must submit valid insurance with their visa application. People who travel frequently, keep ties to Germany, or want higher limits than the basic package often add an international plan. Those leaving German statutory insurance should also consider how they would re-enter it if they return.
How it works
- 1
Identify your sponsor
Check whether an employer, a family member or you yourself sponsor the residence visa, as this decides who must buy the policy.
- 2
Check your emirate's rules
In Dubai employers insure staff and sponsors insure dependants; in Abu Dhabi employers and sponsors cover employees plus one spouse and three children under 18.
- 3
Review what the plan covers
The federal basic package costs AED 320 a year and excludes pregnancy, childbirth and dental care, so compare it with your needs.
- 4
Decide on international cover
If you want treatment outside the UAE, confirm with the insurer that the policy also meets the visa requirement of your emirate before you apply.
- 5
Keep insurance active at renewal
Insurance is a prerequisite for issuing or renewing private-sector residence permits, so a lapse can delay renewal.
before the residence permit renewal
What it costs
| Item | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Basic health insurance package (MOHRE) | AED 320 per year; co-payments of 20% inpatient (capped at AED 1,000 a year), 25% outpatient (capped at AED 100 per visit), 30% medication (capped at AED 1,500 a year)21 | Co-payments apply; pregnancy, childbirth and dental care are excluded. |
| Remote work visa base fee (Dubai) | 1 year, renewable; valid health insurance required; AED 200 plus 5% VAT3 | Valid health insurance must be submitted with the application. |
Key facts
| Fact | Value | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai: mandatory health insurance | Employers must insure employees; sponsors must insure their resident dependants | 1 | checked 15 October 2026 |
| Abu Dhabi: mandatory health insurance | Employers and sponsors must insure employees and their families (one spouse and three children under 18) | 1 | checked 15 October 2026 |
| UAE-wide employer health insurance duty (incl. Northern Emirates) | From 1 January 2025, employers must buy health insurance before issuing or renewing residence permits for private-sector employees and domestic workers | 12 | checked 15 October 2026 |
| UAE basic health insurance package (MOHRE): premium and main limits | AED 320 per year; co-payments of 20% inpatient (capped at AED 1,000 a year), 25% outpatient (capped at AED 100 per visit), 30% medication (capped at AED 1,500 a year) | 21 | checked 15 October 2026 |
| UAE remote work (virtual work) visa: minimum income | USD 3,500 per month | 34 | checked 15 October 2026 |
| UAE remote work visa (Dubai): validity, insurance and base fee | 1 year, renewable; valid health insurance required; AED 200 plus 5% VAT | 3 | checked 15 October 2026 |
Common mistakes
- Assuming any international policy is automatically accepted for a residence visa without confirming it meets the emirate's requirements.
- Expecting an employer's group plan to cover a spouse and children, when in Dubai the sponsor must insure dependants.
- Relying on the basic package for maternity or dental care, which it does not cover.
- Letting cover lapse shortly before a residence permit renewal.
- Cancelling German cover without checking how you could rejoin German health insurance if you return.
FAQ
Is health insurance mandatory in Sharjah and the Northern Emirates?
For private-sector employees and domestic workers, yes. Since 1 January 2025 employers across all emirates, including Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah, must buy a health insurance policy before issuing or renewing residence permits. Permits issued earlier come under the rule at renewal. Self-sponsored residents should check the current requirement with the issuing authority.
Do I need health insurance for the UAE remote work visa?
Yes. Dubai's immigration authority lists a valid health insurance document among the requirements, alongside proof of a monthly income of at least USD 3,500 from work for an employer or business outside the UAE. The visa is issued for one year and can be renewed, and the insurance should run for the whole period.
What does the AED 320 basic package cover?
It covers inpatient care with a 20% co-payment capped at AED 1,000 a year, outpatient visits with a 25% co-payment capped at AED 100 per visit, and medication with a 30% co-payment capped at AED 1,500 a year. Chronic and pre-existing conditions are covered without a waiting period, but pregnancy, childbirth and dental care are excluded.
Is international cover worth it on top of a UAE plan?
It depends on how you live. A UAE plan meets the visa requirement, but it is usually built around treatment inside the country. If you spend long periods in Germany or elsewhere, want access to specific hospitals, or need maternity or dental benefits, an international plan or a top-up can close those gaps. Compare limits and exclusions carefully.
Sources
- The UAE Government portal (u.ae), Getting a health insurance (opens in a new tab)Authority · checked 15 October 2026
- Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE), The Basic Health Insurance Scheme (opens in a new tab)Authority · checked 15 October 2026
- General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs Dubai (GDRFA), Visa Issuance (Virtual Work) (opens in a new tab)Authority · checked 15 October 2026
- The UAE Government portal (u.ae), Residence visa for working outside the UAE (opens in a new tab)Authority · checked 15 October 2026
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