Before you start

A valid residence visa — cover is a condition of issuance and renewal nationwide
An employer or your own free-zone company, since the obligation to provide cover sits with the employer
An Emirates ID, against which the policy is registered
A clear list of which local hospitals and clinics are inside the network

Step-by-step

1
Confirm which scheme applies to you
If your employer is licensed in Ras Al Khaimah, the federal MoHRE scheme is the relevant one. If you are employed by a Dubai-licensed company, you fall under the Dubai Health Authority mandate instead. Self-sponsored free-zone owners still need cover for themselves and every dependant.
OnlineWho: You, with your employer or your own company
2
Have the policy purchased
The obligation sits with the employer. Under the federal scheme the basic package starts from AED 320 a year through accredited insurers and designated channels, and it is a condition of issuing and renewing the residence visa.
Via employerWho: Your employer or your own companyFrom AED 320 a year for the basic package
3
Map the network against local hospitals before you need it
The basic package runs through a defined and fairly narrow network. In a small emirate that matters more than in Dubai — identify now which of RAK's hospitals and clinics are in-network, and where the nearest in-network facility is for the specialities your household actually uses.
OnlineWho: You
4
Budget the co-payments
The basic package carries a percentage co-payment on outpatient visits capped per visit, with no co-payment for a follow-up on the same condition within a short window, and a percentage co-payment on medication with an annual ceiling.
In personWho: You
5
Work out where you would go for anything serious
RAK has a hospital base serving the emirate and the surrounding north, but the largest tertiary centres in the country are in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, an hour or more away. For a family, understanding in advance which conditions would mean a transfer, and whether your policy covers treatment outside the emirate, is worth doing before an emergency.
OnlineWho: You

Documents you’ll need

Emirates ID and residence permit
The insurance card or policy number issued under the scheme
Employment or company details, since the policy is registered against the sponsor

Things most newcomers don’t know

The federal scheme exists because the northern emirates had no scheme of their own.

Dubai mandates insurance through the Dubai Health Authority and Abu Dhabi through its Department of Health, leaving a real coverage gap for lower-paid workers everywhere else. The MoHRE scheme effective 1 January 2025 fills it for Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah — and deliberately excludes Dubai and Abu Dhabi, which already had their own.

Source: MoHRE — the basic health insurance scheme

In a small emirate, the network list matters more than the premium.

A narrow in-network list is manageable in Dubai, where there are dozens of alternatives within twenty minutes. In Ras Al Khaimah the number of hospitals is small, so an out-of-network facility can be the only one nearby. Check the list against a map before you need it, not while you are deciding where to drive at two in the morning.

Source: MoHRE basic health insurance package network

The nearest tertiary hospital may be in another emirate.

RAK's hospitals cover the emirate well for ordinary care, but the country's largest specialist centres are in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, an hour or more down the road. For a household with a chronic condition or a planned pregnancy, whether your policy covers treatment outside the emirate is a more consequential question here than it would be in Dubai.

Source: UAE hospital distribution; policy territorial scope

Self-sponsoring through a free zone means you are also your own insurance provider.

The obligation to provide cover sits with the employer — and if your RAKEZ company is your employer, that is you. Each dependant you sponsor also needs their own valid policy or their visa cannot be issued or renewed. People price the licence and the visa and forget that the insurance line repeats for every member of the family, every year.

Source: u.ae — health insurance requirements for residence visas

Common mistakes to avoid

Assuming Dubai's health insurance rules apply because your employer is licensed there, or vice versa.
Treating the AED 320 basic package as comprehensive family cover.
Driving to the nearest hospital without knowing whether it is in your network.
Forgetting that every sponsored dependant needs their own valid policy for their visa.
Not checking whether your policy covers treatment in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, where the tertiary centres are.

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.

Make it your personal checklist

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