Dubai, Aug 13 : Immigration authorities here have unveiled three different types of health insurance policies for visitors to this Gulf metropolis.
The Department of Naturalization and Residency in Dubai (DNRD) has entered into an agreement with two insurance companies - Oman and Aman - for issuance of these policies, according to a DNRD statement issued here.
"The department received a number of proposals from several companies and appointed the companies that offered the most suitable offers and quality of services in order to streamline the procedures for all visitors and ensure a comfortable stay in the country," DNRD acting director Obaid Bin Suroor said in the statement.
A new visa regime came into effect in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) July 29 this year. Under the new regime, there are 16 categories of visas and health insurance has been made compulsory for all visa categories.
Visitors to Dubai who hold international insurance policies, however, need not apply for any local insurance policy, the DNRD had announced.
Bin Suroor said the agreement reached with the two insurance companies adopted three different types of health policies according to the visit periods.
According to the state-run Emirates News Agency (WAM), visitors on a short-term visa valid for 30 days will have to take a 40 dirham ($10.89) health cover policy and those coming on visas valid for 90 days will have to take a 90 dirham ($24.50) policy.
Those holding multiple-entry visas valid for 180 days will have to take a 185 dirham ($50.36) health cover.
He also explained that these policies will cover accidents and emergencies during the visitor's stay in the county and the treatment will be carried out through a network covered by insurance companies in the country.
Bin Suroor said that under these new policies, the beneficiary would receive treatment in a shared hospital room in case of emergencies.
The two insurance companies will cover 100 percent of services to be offered to the patient throughout the network of the health services providers in the UAE including hospital accommodation and the fees of diagnostics, surgery, anaesthesiology and aid for emergency situations leading to hospitalisation.
Costs of medicines and drugs needed for treatment inside the hospital and the treatment costs and the costs of rehabilitation treatments and teeth treatment for damages caused by accidents during the certification valid period in the UAE will also be covered under these policies.
The new agreement obligates the insurance company to return the body of the insured person to his or her country in case of death, paying certain costs incurred, the DNRD official said.
He added that the agreement, however, does not cover medical treatment outside the health services providers' network except in the case of emergency life threatening cases.
The new policies do not cover chronic illnesses and will include treatment of the serious complications of already existing chronic illnesses in the emergency room only.
These also do not cover situations of giving birth, pregnancy, and eye or teeth treatment.
--- IANS
Most
Visited Pages: