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Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance is part of a global insurance group. In the UAE, it offers motor insurance as well as health, travel, marine, and business insurance. The company is known for its focus on clear claims steps, online reporting, and repairs done at approved workshops.
GIG Gulf is part of the wider Gulf Insurance Group, with operations across several Middle Eastern markets. It is a regional insurer with long-standing experience and a strong understanding of the local market. It emphasises accessibility, multilingual customer support, and tiered insurance offerings designed to match different driver profiles.
The table shows these main differences.
| Aspect | Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance | GIG Gulf |
|---|---|---|
| Full legal name | Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co. Ltd. | Gulf Insurance Group (GIG) – Gulf |
| Parent / group affiliation | Part of the Tokio Marine Group, a global insurance group | Part of the Gulf Insurance Group, operating across the Middle East |
| Regional presence | Operates in the UAE with local servicing and claims infrastructure | Operates across the UAE and multiple GCC and MENA markets |
| Years of operating experience | 48+ years of insurance experience | 70+ years of insurance experience |
| Customer interaction channels | Online portal, email, call centre, roadside assistance | Website, call centre, multilingual customer support, roadside assistance |
Some of the best and the cheapest car insurance quotes in Dubai are:
Third-party car insurance is the basic legal requirement for driving in Dubai and the UAE. While the main coverage is set by law, insurance companies can vary in their liability limits, extra features, and small but important add-ons.
| Coverage element | Tokio Marine – Third Party | GIG Gulf – Third Party |
|---|---|---|
| Legal requirement compliance | UAE Unified Motor Policy | UAE Unified Motor Policy |
| Third-party property damage limit | Up to AED 2 million | Up to AED 3.5 million (Up to AED 5 Million in Motor Prestige Plan) |
| Liability to family members | Covered, up to AED 200,000 per person | Covered (as per policy wording) |
| Damage to the insured vehicle | Not covered | Not covered |
| Personal accident cover – driver | Included | Not included (Optional) |
| Personal accident cover – passengers | Included | Not included (Optional) |
| No-claims discount | Available | Available |
| Roadside assistance | Included | Included |
| Geographic coverage | UAE | UAE |
What Does This Mean for Drivers?At a basic level, both third-party policies meet UAE legal requirements. They cover injuries and property damage caused to others. The main practical difference lies in property damage limits, where GIG Gulf’s third-party plan allows a higher stated cap. Tokio Marine’s third-party plan, meanwhile, includes certain protections — such as personal accident cover for occupants — that are not generally expected under a basic third-party policy. |
| Coverage item | Tokio Marine – Tokio Must (Comprehensive) | GIG Gulf – Motor Perfect (Comprehensive) | GIG Gulf – Motor Prestige (Comprehensive) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plan name | Tokio Must | Motor Perfect | Motor Prestige |
| Loss/damage to the insured vehicle | Covered (up to sum insured) | Covered (comprehensive tier) | Covered (comprehensive tier) |
| Fire & theft | Covered | Covered | Covered |
| Storm/flood/riot/strike (natural per UAE framework) | Covered (natural disaster cover as per CBUAE) | Covered | Covered |
| Emergency medical expenses | Up to AED 3,000 | Up to AED 3,500 | Up to AED 6,000 |
| Hire car / loss of use | Included (limits apply) | Included / optional | Included |
| Maximum rental duration | Up to 15 days | Up to 7 days | Up to 15 days |
| Daily rental cap | Up to AED 100 | Up to AED 1,500 (overall cap) | Included (as per plan) |
| Personal belongings | Up to AED 2,500 | Up to AED 4,000 | Up to AED 4,000 |
| Off-road cover | Included for 4WD only | Included | Included |
| Oman cover | Included (own damage only) | Included | Included |
| Agency repair | Not applicable | Optional up to 5 years | Included up to 5 years |
| Back-to-invoice / total loss protection | New car replacement shown (6 months) | Back to invoice for total loss: 6 months from 1st registration | Back to invoice for total loss: 24 months from 1st registration |
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How Do These Differences Affect Real-world Use? While both insurers offer comprehensive protection, the way benefits are packaged is different. Tokio Marine’s comprehensive policy includes several personal protections — such as personal accident cover and belongings cover — within the base plan. GIG Gulf, on the other hand, structures its comprehensive offering in tiers. Higher plans unlock higher liability limits, longer agency repair periods, and additional conveniences. |
After standard comprehensive coverage, add-ons let you make your policy more flexible and tailored to your needs.
| Add-on / Optional cover | Tokio Marine – Tokio Must (Comprehensive) | GIG Gulf – Motor Perfect (Comprehensive) | GIG Gulf – Motor Prestige (Comprehensive) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal accident – driver | Included | Optional | Optional |
| Personal accident – passengers | Included | Optional | Optional |
| Windscreen damage excess waiver | Included (waived once, as per plan table) | Included (waiver below AED 5,000) | Included (waiver below AED 5,000) |
| Off-road cover | Included for 4WD vehicles | Included | Included |
| Oman cover | Included (own-damage only) | Included | Included |
| Agency repair extension | Not applicable | Optional (up to 5 years) | Included (up to 5 years) |
Before choosing between Tokio Marine vs GIG Gulf car insurance in Dubai, it’s just as important to understand what is not covered as it is to review inclusions.
Here are the claim-related elements for each insurer —
| Claims element | Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance | GIG Gulf |
|---|---|---|
| Claims reporting phone number | 600 503030 (Motor Claims Call Centre) | 800 292 Claims handled via GIG Gulf claims service team |
| Roadside assistance number | 600 50 8181 (24/7) | 24-hour accident & breakdown recovery included |
| Claim acknowledgement | Acknowledgement Form issued once claim is registered | Claim registered after inspection initiation |
| Repair authorisation timeline | Issued within 3 working days after submission of all required documents | Issued after inspection — no fixed number of days stated |
| Extended authorisation (not-at-fault, major damage) | Up to 3 additional working days if third-party insurer confirmation is required | NA |
| Self-authorisation repair limit | Repairs allowed up to AED 1,000 without prior survey | Not stated |
| Repair estimate thresholds | Survey triggered when estimate exceeds AED 5,000 (non-agency) or AED 10,000 (agency) | Not stated |
| Total loss classification | Vehicle considered total loss if repair cost exceeds 50% of vehicle value | Total loss handled as per plan (Perfect vs Prestige) |
| Total loss settlement timeline | Offer letter issued within 7 working days | Back-to-invoice settlement applies (6 or 24 months depending on plan) |
| Reimbursement submission deadline | Invoices must be submitted within 14 days | N/A |
| Reimbursement settlement timeline | Payment processed within 15 working days after complete documents | N/A |
Now that we’ve compared both insurers across coverage, limits, add-ons, and claims handling, the obvious question is: which car insurance is right for you?
The truth is, both Tokio Marine car insurance and GIG Gulf car insurance offer solid protection, but they suit different drivers and needs. Your choice depends on what matters most to you when buying and using car insurance in Dubai.
Bottom Line: There is no single “best” option between Tokio Marine vs GIG Gulf car insurance in Dubai. The right choice depends on your car’s value, how you drive, and how involved you want to be during a claim — not just the brand name.
Not necessarily. Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance car insurance uses a bundled approach. Protections like personal accident cover and personal belongings cover are already included in the comprehensive plan instead of being offered as upgrades.
Because GIG Gulf car insurance is designed as a tiered product. Motor Perfect and Motor Prestige limits for third-party damage, medical expenses, agency repair duration, and total loss protection increase meaningfully at higher tiers.
Not necessarily. Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance car insurance follows a bundled approach, where several protections — such as personal accident cover and personal belongings cover—are already included in the comprehensive plan rather than offered as upgrades.
This depends on what you prioritise:
Both insurers cover natural disasters only as defined by UAE regulations and the policy wording. Claims that don’t meet those definitions or lack the right documents, like a police report if needed, may be rejected by either insurer.
Not always, but lower premium might often mean:
This is why comparing Tokio Marine vs GIG Gulf car insurance in Dubai purely on price can be misleading.