The Government of India has advised its citizens traveling to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to obtain adequate medical insurance before starting their trip. This recommendation was published on Tuesday via social media by the Indian Consulate in Dubai.
The Consulate noted that due to sudden illnesses or emergencies, many Indians have faced very high hospital bills. The insurance must provide for cashless services and cover the costs of patient repatriation to India if necessary.
This advice is directed at all Indians traveling to the UAE for tourism or leisure. The Consulate in Dubai clearly stated that such individuals must purchase appropriate and suitable medical insurance before the start of the trip, and the insurance must be genuinely useful in a critical situation, not merely formally arranged.
As part of this warning, special attention is paid to the insurance conditions. The insurance must ensure the possibility of treatment without the patient paying out of pocket at the time of hospitalization. Furthermore, in case of an urgent medical situation, the costs of transporting the patient back to India, i.e., medical repatriation, must also be included in the policy.
The reason for this recommendation stems from numerous cases registered at the Indian Consulates in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and the Northern Emirates. In these instances, Indian citizens found themselves in a medical emergency, which resulted in huge bills. Often, these amounts were so large that the patient or their family could not cover them, which was attributed to insufficient insurance coverage, according to the mission.
This warning is not limited only to tourists. Indians residing in the UAE on work visas or as dependents are also recommended to check their medical insurance. They should ensure that the insurance covers all medical expenses incurred in the UAE and includes coverage for medical repatriation to India.