Picture for illustrative purposes only. ARCHIVE

Residents in Sharjah and the Northern Emirates are expected to pay cheaper health insurance premiums than those in Abu Dhabi and Dubai as the UAE rolls out a mandatory health insurance scheme for all employees starting January 2025. Industry experts say that residents with Northern Emirates visas are likely to benefit from cheaper premiums due to the region's relatively lower healthcare costs. The UAE will introduce a mandatory health insurance scheme for private sector workers and domestic helpers starting January 1, 2025, which aims to provide affordable healthcare for those without company-provided insurance. The goal is to keep premiums lower than in Dubai to avoid putting extra costs on businesses. Government departments are also looking at insurance plans in Abu Dhabi and Dubai to create a basic scheme that gives employers the option to add more benefits if necessary. While the specific rules regarding minimum benefits and plan types are not finalised yet, the government is expected to share more details in the coming months. This initiative is viewed as a positive step to help residents in the Northern Emirates, many of whom lack health coverage, get access to essential medical services. FLE/Expat Media
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