Live’s unpredictable and medical emergencies can happen in the blink of an eye. Dealing with medical issues can be costly, especially in countries like the UAE. However, health insurance can keep your medical costs low and ensure you also get the best care possible if something happens to you.
But choosing the right health insurance isn’t just as simple as it might sound. The UAE has a range of health insurance providers and each can offer something a little different. When it comes to finding the right health insurance in Dubai, comparing and evaluating your options becomes the key to success. But as you start comparing different health insurance policies, you might come across a lot of jargon that can make it hard to understand what is going on. If you want to ensure you make the most of your health insurance, it’s essential to focus on the most important parts of a health insurance policy.
What is the claim process?
One of the most important things about a health insurance policy is its claim process. You are paying premiums in order to have the ability to make a claim if you need medical assistance. Therefore, understanding how and when you can make that claim is important. You want to ensure the claim process is as easy as possible. When you are faced with a medical emergency, you don’t want to spend an eternity trying to make a claim. It’s important to compare the different health insurances in UAE to find one with a claim process you can understand and get on board with.
What’s the process with pre-existing conditions?
You need to also make sure to understand how the policy deals with pre-existing conditions. The majority of health insurance plans in the UAE have what is called ‘a waiting period’. This refers to a time during which you cannot make claims arising out of health diseases that are pre-existing. Once the period is over, you can make claims as usual. The period differs from one insurer to another but it is usually between two to five years.
What is the No Claim Bonus?
No Claim Bonus is a discount offered to those who don’t make a claim for a specific amount of time. Health insurance companies often offer different discounts if you haven’t made an insurance claim in an x number of years. Usually, the discount increases, as the claimless years increase. The No Claim Bonus does have a limit and certain other conditions you need to check before buying health insurance in Dubai.
What are the other benefits of health insurance?
The most obvious use of health insurance is to cover some of the cost of hospitalization and treatment due to an illness or injury. But health insurance can provide other additional benefits you should be aware of. The most common of these is the free medical check-up. Most insurances will help you have a regular check-up for some of the most common illnesses, especially as you get older. What these free check-ups cover can vary from insurance to insurance. Some include basic doctor visits, some blood work and cancer screenings, and rehabilitation after illness and injury. It’s important to be aware of these other benefits and to make sure you also use them once you buy health insurance.
What does the health insurance cover in terms of a family?
You can find different types of health insurance in Dubai. The cover can be an individual cover or provide coverage for the whole family. It’s important to consider what your needs are and which type of policy might be the best for you. Family insurance is often the best for those who are married and have kids. However, it can also be a good option even if you don’t have kids yet.
In fact, if you are planning to start a family soon, you do want to make sure your health insurance has the option to include maternity cover. Having a child in the UAE is getting increasingly expensive and having the right health insurance with good maternity cover can really lower the costs. Make sure you also understand ifs your health insurance has a waiting period attached to maternity cover. For example, some health insurance might provide maternity cover as part of your basic insurance but only after a waiting period is over.
What is the true cost of your health insurance?
The cost of health insurance is the main factor for most people when choosing between policies. However, you shouldn’t necessarily just opt for the cheapest option, as a lower premium might not mean your insurance actually ends up being the cheapest.
You need to factor in what your health insurance actual covers, how much it covers in monetary terms and what the premiums are. You might notice that premiums are not high but the policy also doesn’t cover certain tests, costs or injuries. In these instances, you might end up paying a lot more down the line than you would with a policy that has a wider cover but slightly higher premiums. It’s important to carefully consider what you really want and need from the policy, as well as what you can afford to pay now in terms of premiums. But you also need to consider what you can afford to pay yourself in case you get sick later.
When you start looking for health insurance in the UAE, the above things are important to keep in mind. Make sure you consider these main points and compare different health insurance options to find the best possible policy for you and your family.