With the roll out of the health insurance law in Dubai, everyone will need to be covered. And while many will opt for the Essential Benefits Plan, it provides very limited coverage and is mostly a means to protect Dubai residents in case of medical emergencies (click here to read more). While going with a more comprehensive health insurance plan will cost more initially, it will pay for itself by lowering your medical costs. Having said that, it is important to avoid the following mistakes when choosing a policy:
Not doing your research
While bayzat makes it easy to compare health insurance in the UAE, you should always review the terms and conditions closely before making the purchase. Using our platform is a great way to identify the best plan for you, but upon doing so, go through the insurance company’s handbook to understand the limits of the coverage. Our experts are always here to help, and will even provide you with the necessary documents for your review. Even though we only suggest health insurance providers who have good standards of customer service, it never hurts to ask your friends about their experiences with their health insurance companies.
Lying about medical issues
There are a couple of reasons not to lie to the insurance company about your health issues. Firstly, virtually every health insurance policy has a waiting period whereby major issues are not covered until a few months have passed from the date you purchased the plan. In addition, insurers monitor your claims very closely. It is actually through your claims that they are most likely to find out you were lying about a condition, in which case they can immediately cancel your health insurance plan, and you will end up losing your money. One of the main reasons for purchasing medical insurance is to be covered in case of unforeseen emergencies, so you should not risk having any legitimate claims, or the entire policy itself, voided for being dishonest.
Buying too much health insurance
The maximum amount you are covered for directly impacts the price of your health insurance. The maximum annual coverage for health insurance plans in the UAE can be as little as AED 150,000 to over AED 10 million! The premium is significantly higher the more annual cover you choose, so overdoing it can be quite costly.
Some benefits might not be worth it if you do not plan on using them often; this is especially true for dental benefits that cover procedures such as teeth cleaning or orthodontics. In addition, emergency dental procedures are usually covered in a typical insurance policy even if you don’t purchase dental benefits. So if you do not plan on visiting the dentist more than once or twice in a year, it probably isn’t worth adding dental benefits to your plan.
Buying too little health insurance
Under-insuring yourself can be just as costly as over-insuring. This is especially true with the basic health insurance plan that has been introduced in Dubai. If you take the time to research health insurance plans in the UAE, you may find that you can get significantly better coverage for a few extra hundred Dirhams. Over a 12 month period, you can end up paying a lot of medical expenses out of your own pocket if you tried to save money by buying the cheapest health insurance available.
Related articles:
Maternity Benefits and Health Insurance in the UAE
Dubai Health Insurance Law: What You Need to Know
Understand How Hospital Accommodation is Covered in Your Health Insurance Plan
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