How Long can you stay on your Parent's Health Insurance?

All children that are in the UAE being sponsored by their parents are supposed to be insured by the parents or their sponsors, as stated by the UAE law. But how long can you stay on your parents’ health insurance plan? What measures do you have to take when you are finally off the sponsored health insurance? And, what role does a sponsor play in all this? There is a lot to figure out before your children grow up and start working. Here is a compilation of all that you and your kids need to know about parents’ health insurance plans and options available after that.

What Does Sponsorship have to Do with Health Insurance?

Before you can dive into the details of health insurance plans and for how long can children stay on their parent’s health insurance, you need to understand the concept of sponsorship. Parents living in the UAE on resident visas and working act as sponsors for their children and elderly parents who have retired now. The sponsors are responsible for arranging proper health insurance plans for their dependents. So, as long as you are sponsoring your children, they can stay on your health insurance plan. The same goes for your parents who you are sponsoring.

Sponsor Laws for Children in the UAE

UAE has a pre-defined set of laws for sponsors, dependents, children when it comes to health insurance. A parent can sponsor their children up to the age of 18 years. If your children are still studying after the age of 18, you can be their sponsor up to the age of 21 years. This rule also applies to both sons and daughters. After your sons turn 21, they cannot be in the UAE on your sponsorship. You can only support your sons up to the age of 21 years, that too only if they are studying and have a valid proof of the same. In the case of daughters, parents can be sponsors either until the daughters start working or get married. After getting married, housewives come under the sponsorship of their husbands and working women can always be the sponsors themselves. Women who would like to be sponsors themselves are required to meet the minimum salary requirements set by the authorities as per their profession.

How Long Can You Stay on Your Parents’ Health Insurance?

As explained above, as long as the children are officially sponsored by their parents, they can stay on their health insurance plan or a plan paid for by them. Students can stay up to the age of 21 years, daughters can stay until they are either working or married. However, this would also depend on the type of insurance plan parents are using to insurance their dependents. If you have added your children to your group health insurance plan provided by your employer, your child will be automatically removed after they turn 18. You will have to buy a private health insurance plan after that if you are still sponsoring your child.

Can the Pre-Decided Deadline be Extended?

The basic deadline of 18 years is only extended in case of studying, As mentioned, you will have to provide sufficient proof to register your child as a student if you want to sponsor them until they are 21 years old. On top of it, the children will have to re-enter the UAE every 6 months since they will be on a student visa. A student visa is re-issued every 6 months.

What are the Options After Leaving Your Parent’s Sponsorship?

At 18 or 21, whenever children leave the sponsorship of their parents, they will have to assume the responsibility of finding a proper health insurance plan for themselves as working professionals. There are a few options that you would have when living and working in the UAE when it comes to health insurance coverage. Given below is a complete list of the same:

Group Insurance Plan from Your Employer

As a newly independent child working and out of your parents’ sponsorship, you are entitled to get an employer-provided health insurance plan. If you are living in Abu Dhabi or Dubai, your employer is bound to provide you with at least an essential benefits plan as healthcare insurance. Both Dubai and Abu Dhabi have mandated it for all the employers to offer their employees health insurance for as long as they are working with them. Abu Dhabi-based companies and employees are even required to provide health insurance for the dependents of their employees. So, if you are planning to get married soon, your spouse will be covered by your group insurance plan as well.

Private Health Insurance Plans

For the people who are no longer under the protection of their parent's health insurance plan and do not live in Abu Dhabi or Dubai, private healthcare insurance is the best choice. Companies based in any other emirate except for these two are not obligated by law to provide health insurance. While some may offer as a goodwill gesture or employee benefits, others will not. Here, think about getting your insurance plan from one of the available provides in the UAE. There are over sixty different health insurance companies functioning in the UAE, both national and international. Research, ask around and choose a plan that suits your current needs the best.

Student Health Insurance or Children’s Health Insurance

If you are a student in the UAE but do not live with your parents, you will have the option to get student special health insurance from one of the providers in your home country or the UAE. Check your options to see which one suits you the best.

Conclusion

Health insurance can be a tricky thing to figure out when the element of sponsorship is added. However, you must have your facts and laws straight to plan to time and efficiently. Having valid health insurance in the UAE at all times is mandatory for all residents. So, make sure that you know your options and how you will proceed depending on the later development of the situation.

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