Explained: What Dubai's Basic Health Insurance (the Essential Benefits Plan) Covers
In summary
The Essential Benefits Plan (EBP) is the minimum standard for health insurance in Dubai. Under DHA circular PD 01/2021 it has an AED 150,000 annual limit, a 20% co-pay on outpatient visits, a 20% share on non-urgent tests and treatment capped at AED 500 per visit and AED 1,000 a year, medicines up to AED 1,500 a year with 30% co-pay, maternity cover with 10% co-pay, and emergency cover across the UAE. Most dental and optical care is excluded.
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Key takeaways
- The EBP is the minimum every Dubai health insurance policy must meet; many plans offer more.
- Annual limit: AED 150,000.
- Outpatient visits: 20% co-pay, none for a follow-up within 7 days.
- Non-urgent tests and treatment: 20%, capped at AED 500 per visit and AED 1,000 a year.
- Most dental and optical care is not covered.
- Always read your own table of benefits.
Health insurance is compulsory in Dubai, and every policy issued in the emirate must meet a minimum standard: the Essential Benefits Plan (EBP). Many employers provide more generous plans, but knowing the minimum helps you read your own cover.
The figures below come from the Dubai Health Authority's updated EBP table of benefits (circular PD 01/2021).
The headline numbers
- Annual limit: AED 150,000.
- GP and specialist visits: you pay 20% per visit. No co-pay applies to a follow-up visit within 7 days.
- Non-urgent tests, treatment and surgery: you pay 20%, capped at AED 500 per visit and AED 1,000 a year; above that, the insurer pays in full.
- Medicines: covered up to AED 1,500 a year, with a 30% co-pay per prescription.
Maternity and newborns
Antenatal care is covered with a 10% co-pay (8 visits and 3 ultrasound scans), and delivery is covered with a 10% co-pay up to AED 10,000. Newborns are covered for their first 30 days.
Emergencies
Emergency treatment is covered in every emirate, including ambulance transport by an authorised provider. The insurer must be informed within 24 hours of an admission.
What it usually leaves out
- Most dental and optical care, including orthodontics, dental prostheses and elective vision correction.
- Direct visits to specialists: you need a referral from a DHA-licensed GP.
Before you book
- Find your own table of benefits (from HR or your insurer's app).
- Check the clinic is in your plan's network.
- For tests or procedures, ask whether prior approval is needed.
For general information, based on the DHA's EBP table of benefits. It is not insurance or legal advice; your policy's own terms apply.
Frequently asked questions
Does my plan look exactly like this?
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Am I covered in an emergency outside Dubai?
Sources & references
Medically/editorially reviewed by The Wellbeing Voice Desk · 29 Oct 2026