Do You Need Travel Insurance When Visiting Dubai? [2024]

Are you planning a trip to Dubai? And are you wondering if you need travel insurance? You’re in the right place!

In this article, we talk about the rules about travel insurance to Dubai, the types of coverage available and how you can choose the best travel insurance coverage for you.

If you’re ready to learn more, read on!

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The Rules on Travel Insurance to Dubai

Travel insurance to Dubai is only mandatory if you need a visa to enter the UAE. Otherwise, you have the option to skip it.

According to UAE laws, all citizens of GCC member states don’t need a visa to enter Dubai. Some nationalities can also apply for a Visa on Arrival that gives them 30 days to stay in the UAE.

Both these types of travellers are not required to get travel insurance to enter Dubai.

However, if you’re staying in the city for an extended period or you’ll be working or staying in Dubai for good, you’re required to apply for a visa.

This also means that you need to get travel insurance since it’s a requirement for your visa application.

Must-know:

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, all visitors to Dubai were required to show proof of medical insurance coverage to help cover expenses in case they get COVID-19 during their trip to the city.

But while getting travel insurance is not mandatory for all travelers to Dubai, it’s still advisable because of these benefits:

You get to protect your finances.

Healthcare costs in Dubai are high. So, if you get sick while on vacation, you don’t need to worry about the expenses since it’s covered by your insurance.

You get to customize your protection.

With travel insurance, you can choose to get coverage for medical emergencies or unfortunate events such as lost baggage or documents.

You get to extend your trip if needed.

If you got sick or had an accident during your trip to Dubai and that requires you to stay longer to heal or recover, your insurance plan will work on your trip extension.

Types of Travel Insurance to Dubai

There are two main types of travel insurance: comprehensive and standard plans. Insurance companies also offer different insurance packages, so you have more options to choose from.

Comprehensive travel insurance protects you from the most common mishaps that could happen during your trip to Dubai. This usually includes medical coverage, trip-related coverage and baggage-related coverage.

On the other hand, you can opt for a standard travel insurance plan where you select just one or more of these coverages.

Types of Insurance Coverage

Depending on your travel insurance plan, you can take advantage of one or more of these coverages:

Medical Coverage

This covers any medical-related circumstances that will happen during your trip. Whether you get sick or incur injuries, your insurance company will take care of the expenses for you.

This coverage includes these benefits:


Hospital Expenses	If you get into a medical emergency that requires you to be admitted at any hospital in Dubai, your insurance will cover the expenses during your stay.
COVID-19 Cover	Most travel insurance companies also cover for the treatment of COVID-19 in case you get infected during your trip to Dubai.
Accident Cover	Any treatment related to the injuries you incurred due to an accident during your trip will be covered by your travel insurance.

If in any case, you’re admitted to a hospital that’s not covered by your insurance company, you can take advantage of a hospital cash allowance.

This means that your insurance company will give you a fixed daily cash allowance to cover for the expenses during your hosptialization.

Some travel insurance plans also offer hospital cash allowance on top of medical coverage to cover for any additional expenses that the patient might incur during his stay.

Trip-Related Coverage

This covers expenses related to unforeseen circumstances that resulted in the delay or cancellation of your trip.

Benefits include:


Personal Liability	This covers any expenses related to accidental personal liability that happens during your trip to Dubai.
Hotel Booking	In the instance that your flight gets delayed or cancelled, your insurance company will cover the cost of hotel bookings during your stay.
Delayed Departure	This covers for any financial losses due to the delay of your flight departure.
Trip Cancellation	If in any given circumstances, your trip gets cancelled, your insurance company will cover for the financial losses due to flight and hotel bookings.
Missed Departure	If you missed your departure due to valid reasons, the insurance plan will cover the amount that you spend on re-booking your flight.

Some insurance companies will even go as far as offering hijacking coverage.

Although this is quite rare, you know you’re protected against financial losses and damages caused by a hijacking event.

Baggage-Related Coverage

Anyone can be the victim of a lost or delayed luggage. This is why you can use baggage-related coverage as part of your travel insurance plan.

This coverage include benefits like:


Delayed Luggage	This covers expenses related to having your baggage delayed like changing your bookings or missing connecting flights.
Lost Luggage	If you lose your luggage, your insurance company will pay you for the loss that you incurred.
Personal Documents	In case you lose your passport or other personal documents while traveling, your insurance company will help you recover those documents andpay for the expenses related to the process.

Travel Insurance Add-Ons

If you want a more tailored travel insurance plan, you can also purchase these add-ons:


Pre-Existing Medical Condition	Since most insurance companies in Dubai don’t cover pre-existing medical conditions, you can purchase it as an add-on.
Lost Luxury Item	If you’re bringing luxury items such as bags and jewelry during your trip, you can get them insured through this add-on.
Dental Coverage	This add-on will take care of all your dental expenses during your trip to Dubai.
Gadget Coverage	In case you lose or damage your phone, laptop or camera during your trip, you can get compensation through this add-on.

The Validity of Your Travel Insurance

Your travel insurance coverage will be valid as long as you stay within the rules that you agreed on in the contract.

In most cases, you lose right to your benefits if you:

You get involved in accident while being intoxicated or because of your own recklessness
You get injured while doing a high-risk activity that’s not included in your insurance coverage
You lost your luggage or personal belongings because of your own recklessness
You missed or cancelled your flight because of a reason that’s not included in your insurance policy.
You already have a booked appointment for a doctor’s visit related to your pre-existing medical condition.

The cost of your travel insurance plan will also depend on the type of cover that you need, the duration of your trip and the agency where you get your insurance plan from.

But in most cases, travel insurance will take up 4 to 10% of your total travel expenses.

A basic travel insurance plan will start at $9 and go up as you get more coverage.

How to Choose the Best Travel Insurance to Dubai

If you still can’t decide what travel insurance to choose if you’re travelling to Dubai, here are a few tips to help you:

Know your needs first
The amount of coverage will dictate the price of your travel insurance plan. Standard plans are best for short trips, while comprehensive plans are better for extended stays.

Do your research
We suggest choosing at least two travel insurance companies and comparing their services.Don’t forget to read the fineprint by going through Terms and Conditions to decide which one gives the most value for your money.

Calculate your premium
Use an insurance calculator to get a rough estimate of how much you need to pay for your insurance plan. Doing this will let you know if an insurance company is offering a reasonable amount for the plan that you want or not.

Check your exclusions

Never assume that your policy covers everything if you want to avoid any unplanned expenses later on. Always check the limitations of your insurance plan.

Buy insurance early
It’s best to purchase travel insurance right after booking your trip.So, if you need to cancel or delay your trip due to unforeseen circumstances, you can get compensation for any financial losses if you have insurance early on.