Health Insurance in Sharjah

In November 2o22, it was announced that health insurance is set to become mandatory in the northern Emirates including Sharjah, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman, and Umm Al Quwain. This upgrade in the health insurance system of these Emirates will take place by March 31st, 2023.

This news has drawn attention towards how health insurance works in these Emirates. This write-up will narrow down to Sharjah and shed light on health insurance in Sharjah. By reading this piece, you will get insights into the top insurance providers, the features and benefits of health insurance in Sharjah, inclusions and exclusions, and more.

Health Insurance in Sharjah: An Overview

In Sharjah, health insurance coverage for UAE nationals is regulated by the Sharjah Health Authority’s Department of Health Insurance. Originally, the Sharjah government offered health insurance coverage to government employees, their dependents, and senior citizens (above the age of 60 years). However, the regional government has extended the coverage to all the citizens of Sharjah from January 2020 onwards. 

With the new mandate coming in to make health insurance compulsory, it has become more important to understand how health insurance works in this Northern Emirate. A health insurance plan in Sharjah offers financial coverage to you in case of an illness and the required treatment. 

Best Health Insurance in Sharjah

The following table lists the top health insurance plans in Sharjah -

Types of Health Insurance in Sharjah

Here are the major types of health insurance plans in Sharjah -

• Individual Health Insurance Plan - Individual health insurance in Sharjah covers only the costs of hospitalisation (and only for one person). All the cashless and reimbursement services that cover the treatment costs are meant for a single policyholder.
• Group or Employee Health Insurance Plan - Such plans are usually purchased by employers to insure their employees. The most notable feature of such plans is that the inclusions and exclusions are under the employer’s control, and that they usually cover an employee only till they are associated with the company. 
• Family Health Insurance Plans - These plans offer coverage for the medical expenses of an entire family. They are often considered value-for-money policies as they are affordable and have a wider coverage scope.
• Senior Citizen Health Insurance Plan - This health insurance in Sharjah is specially designed for policyholders above the age of 60 years. These plans often have a higher premium amount, as the chances of getting sick are more in senior citizens. 

Private health insurance plans require a mandatory health check-up. While there are only a few senior citizens' plans from private policy providers, the Sharjah government does offer health insurance coverage to senior citizens. 

Features and Benefits of Health Insurance in Sharjah

Basic health insurance in Sharjah covers services like day-care hospitalisation with pre and post-hospitalisation benefits. Majority of the health insurance plans in Sharjah offer cashless hospitalisation and reimbursement facilities. 

Some other features and benefits of health insurance in Sharjah are -

• Cashless Treatment - Most health insurance providers in Sharjah provide an option of cashless medical treatment to the policyholders. Here, the insurance provider directly pays the treatment expenses (of the insured) to the hospital. 
  All the insured needs to do here is present the policy number at the time of admission to the network hospital. However, in case the medical expenses exceed the insured amount, the policyholder would be required to settle the exceeding amount from their pocket.
• Coverage for Pre and Post-Hospitalisation - Health insurance in Sharjah covers both pre- and post-hospitalisation expenses. However, it’s essential to note that this cover is available only for a set number of days mentioned in the policy document.
• Reimbursement - A policyholder can opt for cashless treatment only at the network hospitals in Sharjah. For covering the costs of treatment in non-network hospitals, they can avail of the reimbursement service with their insurance provider. 

In case of reimbursement, the cost of hospitalisation and treatment will be borne by the policyholder. Once the treatment concludes, they can submit the discharge summary and the hospital receipts to the insurance provider to avail of the reimbursement amount. 

Note: The reimbursement amount for health insurance in Sharjah cannot be more than the sum insured. 

• Complimentary Medical Check-up - Health insurance in Sharjah comes with a facility of free, regular medical check-ups for the insured. The frequency of check-ups can, however, differ from one insurance provider to another. 
• Room Rent - With health insurance in Sharjah, the policyholder can also cover the hospital room rent at the time of hospitalisation itself. The limit of the room rent amount covered by the plan is stated in the policy document. 

Inclusions for Health Insurance in Sharjah

Health insurance in Sharjah has a list of inclusions that helps in defining the extent of health insurance coverage provided by the provider. Some of the common inclusions present in most such plans are mentioned below -

• Pre and post-hospitalisation charges
• Cost of pharmacy
• Newborn and maternity cover (subject to a waiting period)
• Hospital room rent
• Pre-existing medical conditions (only declared conditions are covered; subject to a waiting period)
• In-patient treatment costs
• Daycare procedures
• Mandatory vaccinations and inoculations
• Ambulance fees
• Health check-ups
• Diagnostic tests
• Outpatient facilities like consultation fees

Sharjah Health Insurance Exclusions

Sharjah health insurance does not offer coverage for certain treatments and medical services. Some of these exclusions are -

• Undeclared Pre-existing Medical Conditions - The insured individual cannot file a claim for undeclared pre-existing medical conditions. This is because it is necessary to mention all the conditions in advance as per the guidelines. These conditions are further subjected to a waiting period after which they will be covered.
• Cosmetic surgeries 
• Treatments and operations that are not related to the health of the policyholder
• Treatments like liposuction and other obesity treatments
• Injuries and medical conditions resulting from illegal activities or self-harm 
• Pre-existing and chronic medical conditions and maternity cover before the waiting period 

Note - Most health insurance providers in Sharjah do not cover the expenses associated with dental and optical care. With the few providers that offer cover services, this benefit can be purchased as an add-on by paying an additional premium at the time of purchase. 

How to File a Claim for Health Insurance in Sharjah?

The claim procedure for health insurance in Sharjah would be determined by the hospital that the insured individuals select for their medical treatment. The insurance claim process comprises a certain sequence of actions if the hospital is a network hospital (hospitals/medical institutions with which the insurance provider has affiliations), which is different if the institution is a non-network hospital (one with which the insurance company has no affiliations).

Here are the two main ways of filing claims for health insurance in Sharjah - 

• Within the Network Hospital

The hospitals and clinics around the nation typically have close business relationships with the health insurance providers functioning throughout Sharjah. A policyholder can take advantage of the cashless claim settlement system when receiving treatment at any of these network hospitals. Here, the insurance provider will directly pay the hospital for the cost of the treatment without requiring any payment from the policyholder. 

Note - Only if the policyholder's treatment falls within the allowed insurance limit will the cashless claim stay in effect.

• Non-Network Hospitals 

In this case, the policyholder would have to pay for any medical treatment received outside of a network facility. Based on the original invoices and other document evidence supplied in accordance with the policy agreement, the insurance company will reimburse the policyholder for the claim amount they have already paid. The reimbursements are often governed by the insurance provider's established limitations and the policy's eligibility requirements.

How to Apply for Health Insurance in Sharjah?

You can easily secure health insurance in Sharjah on policybazaar.ae. It is a third-party aggregator that offers the best medical insurance plans from leading providers in the emirate. When you buy health insurance in Sharjah from Policybazaar UAE, you can get exclusive offers and discounts. 

To purchase health insurance, simply click on the ‘Health Insurance’ tab on our website and fill in the outbound lead form. You will be then directed to the insurance quotes page, where you can compare the plans and select the one that suits your requirements. 

When you purchase a health insurance plan from Policybazaar, you can avail of the following benefits –

• Compare and select the plans from an assortment of health insurance plans
• Easy and free access to your credit score
• 24-by-7 customer care service
• Free expert advice

To know more about health insurance in Sharjah, read the following FAQ section.

Frequently Asked Questions