Dubai residents rush to beat health cover deadline

 The looming December 31 deadline to buy health insurance for spouses, children and domestic staff has seen Dubai residents scramble to find policies.

Failure to do so will see sponsors of dependants usher in the New Year with stiff fines of Dh500 per month.

As well as the fine, no new visa will be granted and no existing one renewed without health insurance, according to Dubai Health Authority rules. Compulsory insurance cover only applies to Dubai residents.

The emirate’s health-care body said on Sunday 98 per cent of Dubai residents — more than four million — now have the required health insurance.

But the figure still leaves around 80,000 residents without cover.

No more extensions

The initial deadline for compulsory health cover — which applies to both dependants and employees — ended on June 30, but was extended for six months. There are no more extensions.

Bare-bones cover, known as the Essential Benefit Package (EBP), ranges from Dh565 to Dh650 — not much more than the cost of a single month’s fine. Of the 50 companies licensed by the DHA, nine offer the basic medical package.

When Gulf News phoned up all nine health insurers on Wednesday, just one firm, Aman Insurance, said it could offer cover ahead of the deadline.

A sales representative for AXA said that the turnaround time to process medical insurance policies was three working days.

“We are already overloaded with inquiries,” she said. “In one minute we receive 10 calls. “

“The customers are very late.”

Swamped

At Takaful Emarat, the phone line was cut off after several minutes of waiting. At Dar Al Takaful, a recorded voice said the operator was not available. At Orient Insurance, a recorded voice redirected callers to the firm’s website.

RAK Insurance’s number was not in operation at the time. A recorded voice for Daman informed callers that “currently experiencing high call volume [was] resulting in high waiting times”.

Operators for MetLife and National Insurance said that getting cover would require a visit to their office.

Even visiting the insurance offices and kiosks can be a lengthy process. “It’s too much of a rush in the malls, there, is only one person to serve us,” said Ravi, an Indian expat queuing in the AXA office in Bur Dubai.

“All the call centres are engaged all the time, it’s very difficult to reach them.”

After a fall in the bathroom, which broke his left wrist and right arm, the Indian expat said he only now had time to buy health cover for his wife.

He expects to pay around Dh3,000 for basic cover, plus an add-on package for maternity.

For others, travel and other tasks led to delays.

“I have to finish this before the penalties start,” said Ehab, who has spent much of the year in his homeland, Syria, where his wife gave birth.

“I’ve been waiting here 30 or 40, minutes,” he added, holding a paper token that shows him about 12 places behind in the queue.

An attempt on Tuesday ended in failure, as he did not have the required documents.

“I think I’ll be served after [another] 30 or 40 minutes.”

How much does basic cover cost?

For domestic workers: Dh565-650

For wives: Dh1,650-1,750

For children: Dh625 (Approximately

source : gulfnews