Dubai Travel Insurance

​​How Can Travel Insurance Protect You in Dubai? 

​What Must Your Travel Insurance Cover for Dubai? 

​Do I need Travel Insurance for Dubai? 

​Cost of Travel Insurance for a Dubai Trip 

​Our Suggested AXA Travel Insurance Plan 

​COVID-19 Restrictions for Travelers in Dubai 

​Pre-Existing Conditions Coverage in Dubai 

​Conclusion 

​FAQs​ 
 

With ultra-tall skyscrapers, luxury shopping stops, desert sands spreading endlessly, and man-made Palm Islands, Dubai is the perfect haven to soak up contrasting experiences. Travelers can jet-ski, bash the vast dunes, discover falconry at its finest, and savor the lavish way of life- experiences nothing short of spectacular. However, you may face disruptions or cancellations that can cause inconvenience for you or your loved ones en route. Travel insurance is, therefore, advised for travelers to avert such probable unfortunate incidents. 
 

How Can Travel Insurance Protect You in Dubai? 

Travel protection can help ease the burdens associated with losing significant allocations or other inconveniences during your journey. However, it is also important to understand how the benefits of coverage may apply in a foreign land when emergency situations arise. Here is how travel insurance works to protect you in the event of emergencies requiring urgent assistance: 

When you make your first trip deposit, you must soon acquire travel insurance as well. However, you must discuss your travel requirements before purchasing to clearly understand the potential threats around certain activities or destinations.  

After determining your protection requirements, find a travel protection plan with the needed coverage. You may also opt for any other inclusions, if provided by the travel insurer, to add to the protection. To obtain an estimate, you may request a quote from insurers for offered plans and compare them based on limits and exclusions. Pay the premium for the coverage you’ve finalized and receive the policy document highlighting the benefits, limits, and exclusions. 

Once you receive your policy document, investigate the details before traveling to avoid eventual coverage gaps and ensure that you receive benefits for covered events in case of the unexpected. When a covered event occurs, fill out and submit a claim form with information relating to the covered event and other information. Documents such as medical receipts, receipts of repurchased items, or reports from airlines or local departments are essential to be submitted with the claim form to prove the event’s occurrence. 

When you present your claim, your travel insurance company will verify the incident involved and whether it is covered under your policy. Additionally, the company will check if you’re qualified for the benefits you’re claiming. Depending on the terms of your policy and the set limits, you may get the benefits you sought once approved. 
 

What Must Your Travel Insurance Cover for Dubai? 

Emergencies can crop up at any time, either before or during the trip, making you spend more than the budget you had in mind. Situations may also leave you stranded in the middle of an airport without your essential personal belongings. Hence, travel protection is a must-have in this extravagant destination where last-minute expenses can be quite heavy. International travel insurance for Dubai should, at least, include but not be limited to the following benefits: 

Medical Costs Coverage 

Health insurance within the United States does not necessarily apply when abroad, so travel medical insurance can be important in covering your trip abroad. Coverage for emergency medical treatment may ensure quality healthcare and help pay for costs related to hospitalization, treatment, and medications under the limits set by the policy. 

Travel Cancellation and Interruption Benefits 

Inclement weather and personal emergencies can cause you to cancel or shorten your trip, thereby depriving you of reaching your travel goals. Trip cancellation and interruption benefits can help recover pre-paid and non-refundable expenses for the trip up to certain limits. Coverage for trip cancellation helps to compensate for trip payments you paid in advance, such as flight bookings, hotel accommodations, or tour arrangements. Trip interruption benefits may help reimburse compensation for unused portions of the trip, such as pre-paid event tickets, hotel bookings, or flight reservations. These benefits help offset unexpected losses and recover major allocations for your trip. 

Benefits for Medical Evacuation and Repatriation 

Remote areas may have limited availability of healthcare at very short distances. If serious health conditions arise in these areas, necessitating immediate medical attention, coverage for evacuation and repatriation may help transport you to an adequate medical facility at the nearest location for necessary treatment. Additionally, if the need arises for more familiar medical aid in your home country, you may be repatriated with this coverage. In the unfortunate event of your death, the benefits may apply to return the mortal remains to your family, minimizing the procedural and fiscal burdens during difficult times. 

Coverage for Baggage and Personal Effects 

High-value items like jewelry, electronics, cash, luggage, and important travel documents may be needed on your trip to Dubai. There may be events like pickpocketing and theft of belongings, or you might lose them if left unattended. Baggage and personal effects coverage may help with replacements or reimbursements for lost or stolen items up to policy limits. Certain items may be excluded, and limits per article may also be applicable as per your policy. So, review your travel insurance document to know what to expect in the event of baggage loss or theft. 

Optional Cancellation for any Reason 

If you cancel your trip for a reason usually not covered under typical cancellation policies, AXA’s Platinum Plan features an optional benefit to cancel for any reason. This benefit may help recover trip expenditures up to policy limits when you’re unsure of your plans and need protection for your significant allocations. In the midst of travel and its uncertainties, this coverage offers added security and control over your plans. 

Do I need Travel Insurance for Dubai? 

While the UAE does not mandate travel protection for travelers, some visas, such as tourist visas, may require coverage with emergency medical benefits during their stay in Dubai as an entry requisite. Here is why travel insurance with essential coverage may be of utmost importance: 

Dubai’s deserts offer quad biking and dune bashing opportunities, while the Aquaventure waterpark offers a multitude of rides and slides for an exhilarating experience. But these may come with risks of sickness, bruises, or more serious conditions like fractures. While first aid provisions may care for minor injuries, more serious cases might need hospital visits for proper medical attention. Coverage for emergency medical expenses may help cover the costs of hospital admission and stays, treatment, and prescribed medications. 

Before traveling, an unfortunate family emergency may force you to cancel your trip at the eleventh hour. Without protection, the losses incurred around travel-related bookings and arrangements could be huge. Travel insurance with cancellation benefits may help reimburse the costs of pre-paid and non-refundable event tickets, accommodation bookings, or tour arrangements up to certain limits, reducing probable significant losses. 

Dubai has low crime rates, which can be attributed to the strict laws and regulations in place. While one may not be able to get away with a serious crime, petty crimes may still be a concern, especially in public settings. If unattended, your baggage or personal belongings may be prone to theft, forcing you to incur additional expenses without the support of travel insurance. With coverage for baggage and personal effects, you may be assisted with replacing lost or stolen items up to certain policy limits. 

Dubai is extensively monitored and may be considered safe for tourists, but the US State Department advises exercising increased caution due to the risk of terrorism. Border areas may be relatively unsafe due to ongoing political conflicts with neighboring countries. So, it is advisable to limit yourselves to the central region of Dubai. Even if you’re traveling with precaution, your security may become a concern in Dubai unexpectedly, requiring you to be relocated on short notice. Evacuation and repatriation benefits of your travel insurance policy may assist with transporting you to a safer location or back to your home country, if necessary. The benefits may also apply to regional instability due to political reasons or due to the occurrence of a natural calamity necessitating relocation. 

The above situations perfectly explain how things may suddenly take a turn for the worse, and travel insurance may offer support during challenging times. 
 

Cost of Travel Insurance for a Dubai Trip 

To get an estimate of travel insurance costs, you must understand the various factors impacting premiums. Travel protection premiums may vary depending on trip duration, the risk factor of chosen activities or destinations, your age, and any pre-existing disease. Out of these factors, two factors are very important in determining the premiums due to their significant impact: 

• Total Trip Cost: As you book your travel, there may be pre-paid trip allocations toward flights, hotels, tours, and activities. These pre-paid and non-refundable travel expenses add up to the total trip cost. Total trip costs increase with more travel-related bookings, also increasing the associated risks. So, more premiums may be charged for higher protection when buying travel insurance for longer stays. 

• Age: The age factor is also pivotal for determining travel insurance premiums. This is because, with increasing age, more associated health concerns or diseases may necessitate higher coverage. So, senior travelers may be charged more than younger ones for the same trip duration with a similar itinerary. 
   

Other factors like trip duration and risks of chosen activities are also taken into consideration when determining travel protection premiums. Longer stays with more complex itineraries may also attract higher premiums, while standard policies may simply exclude high-risk activities.  

Our Suggested AXA Travel Insurance Plan 

AXA Travel Insurance offers three plans catering to individual travel objectives and expenditure caps. These plans offer essential protection against untoward emergency expenses with reliable coverage limits. 

AXA Silver Plan may be appropriate for travelers seeking essential coverage against common travel mishaps, such as medical emergencies, baggage loss, and trip cancellations. This plan offers benefits of up to $25,000 for emergency expenses on medical grounds and up to $100,000 for medical evacuation. The plan also features trip cancellation and interruption benefits, each compensating up to 100% of the trip cost. Benefits of up to $200 are offered under the baggage delay coverage in the plan. 

AXA Gold Plan features essential coverage of the basic plan at higher coverage caps, as well as a few additional benefits. This plan features coverages for medical emergencies, non-medical evacuation, missed connections, trip interruptions, and more. Travelers may get benefits of up to $100,000 under the medical emergency expenses, while benefits of up to $50,000 may apply under the non-medical evacuation coverage. Additionally, this plan also features a rental car damage waiver with benefits of up to $35,000. Missed connection benefits of up to $1,000 may also be covered under AXA’s Gold plan. 

AXA Platinum Plan offers essential coverage at the highest limits across the three plans with a few additional benefits for added protection. This plan features benefits of up to $1,500 for missed connections and up to $250,000 for emergency medical expenses. Non-medical evacuation benefits of up to $100,000 may be availed with this plan. The plan may also cover sports rentals with benefits of up to $1,000, and up to 75% of the trip cost may be covered under the optional cancel for any reason coverage. 

Compare AXA’s Travel Insurance Plans to understand the limits and scope of coverage and if any optional add-ons could be availed. While the higher-tier plans have additional benefits, the basic silver plan offers essential protection for short stays with reliable coverage caps. Higher-tier plans may be the right choice for those traveling with family or with longer and more complex itineraries. 
 

COVID-19 Restrictions for Travelers in Dubai 

Currently, no entry restrictions related to COVID-19 are in place for US citizens traveling to Dubai. However, with changes in the global health situation, there may be revisions in the health and travel policies for the country. It is strongly suggested that the websites of the US Department of State, US Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, and the Government of UAE be checked before traveling. 
 

Pre-Existing Conditions Coverage in Dubai 

AXA offers coverage for pre-existing conditions through higher-tier travel protection plans, viz. Gold and Platinum. The coverage eligibility depends on clarifying ongoing medical issues, if any, before purchasing the travel protection policy. So, to qualify for coverage, you must disclose any pre-existing disease or other health concerns beforehand and purchase the policy within 14 days of making the first deposit toward your trip, for instance, a flight booking. 

When traveling with an ongoing health condition in Dubai, pack any prescribed necessary medications, along with the doctor’s note, in a carry-on. Keep these in their original packaging for an easy check-through at customs. 
 

Conclusion 

To sum up, travel insurance is an indispensable component of international travel to protect your journey from disruptions due to the unexpected. The essential coverage for your Dubai trip includes medical expenses, evacuation and repatriation, trip cancellation, and baggage and personal effects. AXA Travel insurance plans offer these benefits as well as other exclusive add-ons, allowing you to explore the contrasts in Dubai’s magnificence and culture. The right coverage for your travel protection depends on the planned activities, trip duration, and health concerns, if you have any. 
 

FAQs 

1. Is travel insurance mandatory for a Dubai tourist visa? 

In the UAE, Dubai and Abu Dhabi are the two emirates that mandate travel health insurance for tourist visas. Adequate travel protection is a legal requirement with essential coverage for medical expenses and evacuation. 

2. What do I do in an emergency in Dubai? 

In an emergency, dial 999 for Police and dial 998 for ambulance services. Inform your travel insurer of your situation; they may be able to contact your family back home with your written consent. Submit medical invoices and receipts with claims form when seeking travel insurance benefits. 

3. What if I cancel my Dubai trip due to a family emergency? 

If you have coverage for trip cancellation under travel insurance, you will be reimbursed for the non-refundable and pre-paid trip expenses provided you cancel for covered reasons. 

4. What should I do if I lose my passport in Dubai? 

Contact your embassy or consulate in Dubai for immediate assistance with finding your lost documents. Also, if your trip protection includes coverage for personal belongings, your travel insurance provider may reimburse the costs associated with lost travel documents.