Moving to the UAE? What to Do With Your Insurance Back Home

Moving to the UAE (or elsewhere in the Gulf) for work is one of the most common life transitions among Kerala and Tamil Nadu families, and it raises two separate insurance questions: what cover you need in the UAE itself, and what happens to your existing Indian policies and your family back home.

Before you leave India

• Check whether your Indian health and term insurance policies remain valid once you're a non-resident — many do, but some have specific NRI terms or premium adjustments.
• Don't cancel your Indian term insurance assuming you'll get equivalent cover cheaply abroad — Indian term insurance is often significantly cheaper than equivalent cover bought in the UAE.
• Review health cover for parents staying back in India — this becomes more urgent once you're not physically present to help manage a medical emergency.
• Consider whether a travel insurance policy is needed for the move itself and initial settling-in period before UAE health insurance kicks in.

Once you're in the UAE

• UAE health insurance is typically mandatory and often employer-provided — confirm what it covers and whether it extends to family members you may sponsor later.
• If you plan to bring dependents to the UAE, check the minimum health insurance requirements for their visa.
• Continue paying Indian policy premiums via NRE/NRO banking arrangements to avoid a lapse — a lapsed Indian policy can be harder to reinstate from abroad.

Frequently asked questions