MoHRE identifies six health insurance violations by employers; fines to follow

The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) has identified six cases of non-compliance with health insurance requirements for employees of private-sector establishments and domestic workers. Violations include an employer's failure to enrol a worker in a health insurance policy or renew it, refusal to cover healthcare or emergency medical treatment costs, requiring workers to bear subscription or renewal costs, providing policies that do not meet basic coverage requirements, cancelling policies while work permits remain valid, and failing to ensure continuous coverage throughout the permit validity period.

Administrative fines will be imposed for non-compliance in accordance with Cabinet Resolution No. 21 of 2020. Without prejudice to other penalties, MoHRE may take legal and administrative action against establishments that fail to comply, including suspending, rejecting or refusing to renew work permits.

MoHRE has outlined four conditions for compliant health insurance policies: the policy must meet basic requirements approved by the Ministry; remain valid when the work permit is issued or renewed and throughout its two-year validity period; the worker must not bear any costs related to subscribing or renewing insurance (except applicable co-payments); and the policy must not be cancelled during the work permit's validity period except in accordance with approved controls and without affecting continuity of coverage.

MoHRE is conducting a public consultation until September 1 to gather proposals on health insurance for private-sector workers and domestic workers. The ministry launched the health insurance system on January 1, 2025, offering competitive annual premiums of no more than Dh320 for workers up to age 64.