ISAHD = Insurance System for Advancing Healthcare in Dubai, which works under (DHA) Dubai Health Authority.DHA’s Law No. 11 states that health insurance is necessary for each Dubai visa holder.
The Essential Benefits Plan (EBP) is the minimum level of health insurance coverage required under Dubai’s health insurance framework.
What Is the Essential Benefits Plan (EBP) in Dubai?
Every citizen, expatriate, and worker in the emirate must have standard health coverage.
For policies effective from 1 January 2025, DHA set the EBP index-rate band at AED 550–750 per member per year, plus VAT and applicable charges, with a permitted variation of AED 25 around the submitted index rate. Actual prices can therefore differ by participating insurer and policy.
Who Is Responsible for Dubai Health Insurance?
Employers are legally compelled to provide basic health insurance to all employees, and they cannot deduct the coverage amount from their employees' salary.
For spouses and dependents, the sponsor of the visa must pay for the health insurance if the company or the employer do not pay for the dependents' insurance.
You can buy insurance from ISAHD-permitted participating insurers. Else, you can compare the insurance.
What Does the Essential Benefits Plan (EBP) Cover?
Under the basic standard (known as the Essential Benefits Plan or EBP), ISAHD mandates that all basic insurance policies include:
- Emergency medical treatment and ambulance services
- Outpatient doctor visits, lab tests, and basic treatments
- Inpatient hospital stays and surgical procedures
- Essential prescription medications
- Basic preventive care, such as routine vaccinations and maternity care
Not sure if you need a basic EBP or an enhanced family plan?
While the Essential Benefits Plan covers basic emergency and medical needs for low-income earners, higher-tier plans offer wider clinic networks and lower co-pays. Compare instant quotes across Dubai’s top DHA-approved insurers side by side.
Dubai Health Insurance Rules: Visa Renewal, Sponsors & Fines
| Category | Legal Rule | Penalty / Impact |
| Visa Renewal | Active ISAHD insurance is required before GDRFA processes visa issuance or renewals. | Process Blocked: Visa applications stall automatically without active coverage. |
| Delay Fines | Lapsing on coverage after grace periods triggers automatic system fines. | AED 500/Month: Billed for every uninsured month per individual. |
| Sponsor Duty | Employers cover staff; individual sponsors cover dependents (spouse, children, maids, drivers). | Sponsor Liability: Fines attach directly to the sponsor's account. |
Need insurance uploaded immediately to clear your visa block?
Don't let AED 500 monthly fines accumulate. Get instant policy issuance online and automatically sync your health cover with the DHA portal for GDRFA visa processing.
Official ISAHD Resources and Dubai Health Insurance Regulations
General ISAHD
FAQ
ISAHD Frequently Asked Questions
Laws & Regulations
Permitted health insurers
DHA Health Insurance Permit Results
Participating insurers / EBP
EBP Table of Benefits
Visa enforcement
ISAHD visa application and renewal requirements
Complaints
ISAHD iPROMeS complaints platform
Federal insurance
MoHRE Basic Health Insurance Scheme
Conclusion
ISAHD is Dubai’s official system that makes health insurance mandatory for all residents and links coverage directly to visa approvals. Maintaining active insurance ensures seamless visa processing and protects sponsors and employers from incurring monthly AED 500 late fines.
FAQ
No, if your health insurance has expired, you cannot renew your Dubai residency visa. GDRFA is directly linked to the Dubai Health Authority(DHA), so the system will automatically block your file if the insurance has expired.
The employer is responsible for paying the health insurance premium for an employee. If an employer does not provide health insurance for an employee's spouse or dependents, the responsibility for obtaining their coverage rests with the sponsor.
Do not assume that you have a general 30-day grace period after your Dubai health insurance expires. ISAHD's visa-enforcement circular states that there is no grace period for compliance with the insurance requirement. Check your policy expiry date and arrange continuous coverage rather than relying on a grace period.
You can use the DHA iPromes portal to file a complaint against your insurer if they raise prices excessively, provided you have used a larger claim in the previous year under DHA regulations (including circular GC 1 of 2020).
No. Under Dubai Labor Law and DHA rules, Employers are 100% financially responsible for your health insurance. It is illegal in Dubai for a company to charge you for your insurance card, setup fees, or any late fines they caused.
Yes. If you hold a self-sponsored or Golden Visa and do not have an employer-provided policy, you can purchase an Essential Benefits Plan (EBP) or basic investor insurance package directly through authorized DHA insurers (often costing between AED 900 and AED 1,200 annually).
Note: Do not assume that each Golden Visa holder can have EBP.
EBP policy covers only emergency or acute conditions if you are outside Dubai. Essential Benefits Plan is sepcifically for Dubai based visa holders. If you have to migrate to any other state, it is always a good idea to buy such health policies specific to the Emirate you live in.
Yes, as of 1 January 2025, a federal Basic Health Insurance Scheme (around AED 320/year, run by MOHRE) extended mandatory coverage to private-sector employees and domestic workers across all seven emirates. ISAHD/EBP specifically is Dubai's own scheme; other emirates enforce their own version of the mandate.
It can silently block their next visa renewal. Dependent policies are the sponsor's responsibility to renew, not the employer's — set a personal reminder, since a significant share of dependent policies go unrenewed each year without the sponsor noticing.
The EBP is the minimum level of health insurance coverage required under Dubai's health insurance framework. A higher-tier or enhanced health insurance plan can provide benefits beyond the EBP minimum.
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