The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has made health insurance compulsory for expatriate workers in KSA. The law aims to ease the financial burden on the government, which offers free medical services to some 22 million people, including about 7 million foreigners.
Health care for expatriates living in the Kingdom will be provided on the basis of a co-operative insurance system, whereby the sponsor (usually an employer) of expatriates and their families will be fully responsible for their health care provision. . Employers will be required to cover pre existing and chronic conditions as well as maternity, dental and optical cover; as well as vaccinations.
A health insurance policy from an approved health insurer is now a requirement in the granting of Iqamas and work permit renewals.
The law has started to be implemented in phases. Companies with more than 500 expatriate workers are the first to be covered. These companies need to have medical insurance for its employees by June 2006.
In the next phase in 2007 it will be imposed on companies having 100 workers and more. In 2008 year coverage will extend to all workers including housemaids.
Medical insurance will eventually be made compulsory for all Saudi citizens too.
Health insurance companies now have to comply with strict licensing and qualification requirements. Bupa Middle East is included in the first batch of insurance companies undergoing advance licensing procedure.
Individual contractors and freelances working for large companies will probably be caught up in the need for insurance in 2006.
In theory, all expatriates with work permits get free state treatment. In the real world, reports suggest that expatriates, who cannot demonstrate they have insurance, get denied free treatment at an increasing number of state hospitals.
There are 19,000 UK expatriates in Saudi Arabia.
Related links
International health insurance : News update: January 2006
