In November 2013 I posted an article advising that the Dubai authorities had announced that medical insurance would become mandatory over the next few years. We now have further details, but there is also one very important point that has been largely overlooked in press reports.
A few weeks ago I wrote an article about medical insurance for individuals and families, so this is the companion piece focusing on schemes arranged by companies for their employees.
It was announced recently that it will be a legal requirement for Dubai based employers to provide medical insurance for their employees. As yet we have no details of the requirements or when this will be implemented, but it seems that this time it will really happen. There is little point in speculating, but I would guess that it will not be too different to the situation in Abu Dhabi.
The provision of good medical insurance for the employee and their family is viewed as a significant benefit and so can assist with the recruitment and retention of quality staff, along with other employee benefits like life assurance, income protection and pension schemes. Whilst some employers see the provision of cover for their staff merely as an expense, it has been proven that employee see this as a very valuable benefit and appreciate good quality cover. In addition quality cover reduces absenteeism and promotes healthier living and staff loyalty. Continue reading