Personal insurance cover must be provided

The Emirates Insurance Authority (EIA) has directed all insurance companies operating in the UAE to provide health insurance cover for individuals, according to Arabic daily Emarat Al Youm.

The decision of EIA has come in response to the requests of customers who have been refused personal insurance cover by some companies.

The authority confirmed in circular sent to all companies that “paragraph (6) of Article (3) of the instructions on the rules of practice to be followed by insurance companies operating in the UAE required insurance companies not to reject the request for insurance or refrain from renewing the insurance policy or discrimination between the insured”.

“Observing this circular is mandatory for all insurance companies operating in the market,” Fatima Mohammed Al Awadhi, Deputy Director-General of EIA told Emarat Al Youm.

“Companies cannot refuse to provide insurance cover, not only health insurance but all insurance services, because this contradicts with the decision of the Board of Directors of the Insurance (No. 3) for year, 2010, which contains instructions on the rules of practice,” she added.

“Customers can make a complaint to the department in the event of rejection by any company to provide insurance cover,” she disclosed adding the EIA is the sole authority to oversee the work of the insurance sector in the UAE.