Private health insurance is compulsory for all foreigners residing in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The visa will generally not be issued without adequate health insurance coverage.
Once you are insured, you will generally be issued an insurance card soon. You must carry this card with you at all times.
Minimum coverage requirements
To comply with Saudi immigration regulations, your health insurance policy must include at least the following elements:
- Medical expenses derived from illness or injury.
- Preventive medical expenses (such as vaccinations).
- Hospital care, including delivery and surgeries.
- Dental care
- Return to your home country if you die in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Cooperative health insurance
Unless you have an international health insurance policy, Saudi policies are generally called "cooperative health insurance policies".
These policies are regulated by the government, in order to ensure adequate coverage of all on affordable terms. The cooperative insurance company should not deny your request, either directly or indirectly.
Unless your policy states otherwise, cooperative health insurance is intended to cover you only in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
cost
There is fierce competition for market shares among Saudi insurance companies. As a result, there is good value for money.
Depending on your generous coverage, cooperative health insurance premiums generally range from $ 1,200 to $ 1,800 a year.
Employer-provided health insurance
If you are sent to Saudi Arabia to work, your employer will generally provide you with private health insurance as part of your salary package.
Do you verify:
- If your employer will provide you with private health insurance
- If your insurance is cooperative or commercial
- If your wife and / or dependents are covered
- Whether the health insurance policy complies with Saudi immigration rules
- If the employer has a specific agreement with a specific hospital.
Fines can be imposed on companies that employ foreign workers without private health insurance.
Direct payment
If you have an insurance policy accredited by an insurance company, payment in advance is not always necessary. For this purpose, pre-registering your insurance details at your local hospital may be helpful.
However, some hospitals, clinics, or pharmacies may still request an advance payment. In such cases, you should ensure that you receive a receipt so that your insurance company will reimburse you later.
Hospitalization
Unless there is an emergency, hospitalization will generally take place in three steps:
- The hospital doctor checks the medical treatment you need.
- The hospital tells her insurance company.
- Your insurance company agrees to proceed with the treatment.
International coverage
You should verify your geographic coverage for your current insurance policy, if you have one.
If you have a foreign policy but it does not sell as an international insurance coverage designed specifically for expats, your policy is likely to not work in Saudi Arabia. In this case, you must tell your insurance company that you are moving to Saudi Arabia.
If you stay with a former foreign insurance company, you may need to switch to international coverage. You may be charged additional fees, but be aware that insurance in many countries also carries an additional charge.
It gives you good international coverage against:
- Medical costs in Saudi Arabia
- Medical costs in your country (or other related foreign country), and
- Medical evacuation costs (without adequate insurance, can be much higher than $ 10,000).
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