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Expatriates to require International Private Medical Insurance (14/6/2004)
Expatriates working in the Arab Gulf states can expect new rules which make taking out adequate international private healthcare (IPH) insurance compulsory.
In some situations these new rules are already in place. Saudi Arabia has ordered that companies employing more than 500 expatriate employees must now hold group insurance cover with a regulated provider. In September this figure will be modified to include companies employing just 100 ex-pat employees. And by September 2005 all expatriates will be required to have IPH in place.
The requirement for employers will be to ensure that their ex-pat staff are fully covered for routine medical care as well as pre-existing and chronic conditions. More usually this covers diabetes, asthma and post-organ transplant medication. Further expectations are that vaccinations will be covered together with all maternity, dental and optical care.
In the UAE states, notably Abu Dhabi and Dubai, the same rules will apply as in Saudi Arabia.
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