None of us wish to fall sick. But illnesses are a part of the reality. Sometimes, health issues escalate out of control, leading to physical and emotional toll as well as severe financial strain. 

This is where health insurance comes into the picture. By insuring against potential health emergencies, you can ensure a financial cushion to take care of various expenses like doctor’s consultation fees, hospitalization charges, pharmacy bills, lab tests, and so on. In this blog, our experts share with you the 5 key steps to buying the right health insurance in Dubai and paving the way for a worry-free, stress-free life.

Let’s begin!

What is Health Insurance?

Health insurance legally binds an insurance provider to pay (in part or full) for the healthcare expenses of an insured customer in the event of injury, sickness, or hospitalization. Health insurers usually partner with hospitals to provide facilities like cashless hospitalization and no-cash diagnostics.

Types of Health Insurance

Health insurance comes in various forms. For example, you may insure your health under an Individual Health Policy, or you may insure your entire family including yourself, your spouse, children, and dependent parents under a single, floater Family Insurance Policy. Your health may also be insured by your employer under a Group Health Insurance Policy that is used to protect all their employees.

We can also classify health insurance in Dubai based on the kind of benefits they offer. For example, Standard Health Insurance Policies provide basic protection, Comprehensive Health Insurance Policies secure the insured against a wider range of illnesses and health emergencies, while Health Insurance Boosters or Top-up Health Insurance Policies can serve as an add-on to existing medical insurance policies.

What Does Health Insurance in Dubai Include?

In the event of sickness and hospitalization, the basic protection provided under health insurance in Dubai includes the coverage of all medical bills, such as:

• costs of hospitalization
• doctor’s consultation fees
• diagnostic and lab test charges
• cost of medicines/pharmacy bills

Remember that health insurance policies only cover the portion of the sum assured that is approved during claims processing. Also, most policies only cover the diseases or medical emergencies that are specified in the policy documents. The treatment and other medical facilities need to be obtained from a hospital in the insurer’s network to avail of the insurance benefits.

Sometimes, medical insurance may also provide additional benefits such as:

• Pre- and post-hospitalization expenses
• Critical illness coverage
• Teleconsultation charges
• Second opinion expenses
• Domestic and air ambulance
• Organ donation expenses
• Protection against loss of income due to illness

How to Buy the Right Health Insurance in Dubai – 5 Key Steps

1 Identify and Map Health Risks

No one understands your health risks better than you do. Depending on your age, gender, lifestyle, genetic factors, occupational hazards, income level, and geographical health statistics, you can arrive at a reasonable conclusion about the kind of health risks you are exposed to.

Remember that when you are identifying and mapping health risks, you must consider both long-term and short-term aspects. For example, at the age of 30, you may not have a high risk of cardiac problems or diabetes, but the risk will soar as your age increases. Since health insurance policies are usually bought only once or twice, make sure that you use foresight and judgment in assessing your needs accurately.

2 Select the Right Type of Health Insurance

It is of paramount importance that you zero in on the right category of health insurance, even before you select the health insurance company in Dubai. Given your current scenario and future expectations, decide between an Individual Health Insurance Policy and a Family Health Insurance Policy will be better for you.

In discussion with an insurance agent or a health insurance broker, decide between options such as Standard Health Insurance Policies and Comprehensive Health Insurance Policies. If you already have pre-existing health conditions, make sure that the insurance type you have chosen covers that.

Furthermore, if you are already insured by your employer, make sure that you get a policy that has features and benefits that your employee insurance policy does not provide.

3 Research, Evaluate, and Compare

What should you look for before choosing a health insurance company in Dubai? Here are some key aspects to consider:

• Essential policy benefits provided by the insurer
• Add-on policy benefits provided by the insurer
• Insurer’s network of hospitals and pharmacies
• List of diseases/health emergencies covered in the plan
• Insurer’s efficiency in settling health insurance claims
• Waiting and survival period for critical ailments
• Any limitations such as co-payment clauses
• Extent of coverage of pre-existing conditions
• Possibility of extending coverage and getting tax benefits

4 Strike the Right Balance

Health insurance is a game of balance. As a customer, you will want the maximum coverage, the best terms, and the most beneficial add-on clauses. However, the more the coverage, the higher the premium. Similarly, the more terms and clauses you add/customize, the more your premium is likely to shoot up.

Hence, you must play a balancing act. Keep one eye on what you are getting and another eye on what you will have to pay. Remember that the affordability of your insurance premium matters in the long haul, so that you don’t have a financial shock when paying premiums.

Remember that non-payment of premiums can lead to policy suspension, lapse, or even premature termination. Steer clear of the pitfalls by making your insurance a fine balance between coverage, premium, and benefits.

5 Hire a Health Insurance Broker in Dubai

Let’s face it – understanding the technicalities of insurance, the fine print of policy documents, and the nuances of product comparisons is pretty challenging stuff. On top of that, there is the burden of driving hard negotiations with insurance companies in Dubai and securing the policy that is right for you at the best possible premium.

Doing all of this by yourself can easily lead to fatigue, confusion, and stress. Instead, consider the option of engaging a top insurance brokerage company in Dubai like Seguro Insurance. With our rich experience, unmatched expertise, compassionate approach, and deep customer empathy, we can help our clients stay in control of the roller-coaster ride of insurance.

If you are looking for professional and reliable assistance with your health insurance and other insurance needs, then hiring a reputed insurance brokerage company in Dubai is one of the best options to explore.

With the rise of lifestyle diseases and ever-increasing medical costs, out-of-pocket healthcare expenses are no longer a feasible option. Getting health insurance is your safest bet.

We at Seguro Insurance are a leading insurance brokerage company in Dubai. We have spent many years helping thousands of clients secure their present and future by getting their health insured.