Family travel insurance from the UAE

Who counts as family on your policy?

Each insurer defines it differently, especially the age at which a child stops counting.

• Salama: you, your spouse and three children aged over 3 months and under 18.¹
• GIG Gulf: you, your spouse and any number of children. Children are dependants not in full-time work, aged 3 months to 16.²
• AIG: you, your spouse and any number of children. A child is over 3 months and under 18, or under 23 if a full-time student, and must be unmarried, not pregnant, without children and mainly dependent on you.³
• Liva: people who normally live with you in your home. Children are up to 18, not in full-time work and mainly dependent on you. Children under 18 are insured only when travelling with an adult.⁴
• Orient: two adults and up to 8 of their children, including foster children, aged 18 and under if in full-time education. Everyone must live at the same address. Single-parent families are covered under Travel Family. Travel Family Plus is Orient’s family plan.⁵
• Mastercard card cover: your spouse and up to 3 children. Children are over 6 months and under 18, or under 23 if full-time students. The cover adds the cardholder’s parents and a domestic helper.⁶

Allianz Partners and Daman do not set out family plan terms. Ask them directly.

AIG and Mastercard name stepchildren, Orient names foster children and Liva names legally adopted children. Read your own policy’s definition if your family includes any of these. No policy says whether a child who turns 18 during a trip stays insured.

Is the limit per person or shared by the family?

On some family plans it is one sum for everyone. Salama and GIG Gulf use the same rule: limits are per person on individual plans and per family on the Family Plan.¹² Orient says the Travel Family limit is the most it pays for all family members together. For medical and related benefits that is USD 150,000 in total.⁵ Sukoon’s Annual Family plan shows USD 60,000 for medical, shared across the family.⁷ Liva states its limits per person.⁴

Ask your insurer whether each limit is per person or per family before you choose a family plan.

Do your children get lower limits?

For some benefits.

• GIG Gulf: children pay 50% of the premium and get up to 50% of the stated limit in every section except Travel Schengen. Its age note sets 50% for children under 16.²
• AIG: on a family plan, a child gets 10% of the sum insured for personal accident, travel inconvenience, wallet and optional benefits, and medical cover up to USD 50,000. On an individual plan a child gets 100%, except personal accident at 10%.³
• Orient: on the Plus plans, children under 18 get 10% of the personal accident limit and 100% of other benefits.⁵
• Mastercard card cover: children, parents and the helper get 25% of each benefit, and at most USD 10,000 for travel accident and insured journey. The headline USD 500,000 medical limit does not apply to them.⁶
• Liva: cash cover is limited to 50% for anyone under 16, and accidental death and permanent total disability benefits are halved under 16.⁴

Does a Schengen visa need cover for each person?

Germany’s declaration for multiple-entry visa applicants asks for at least EUR 30,000 per person.⁸ Orient adds EUR 30,000 each for parents and up to 8 children, for travel to Schengen countries only.⁵ Sukoon says its Annual Family plan is not Schengen compliant.⁷ The rules are in the Schengen visa guide.

Who brings your child home if you are in hospital?

Four policies name a benefit for it.

• Liva’s Dependent Child Protection pays a close relative’s economy travel and accommodation to take your child home if you are in hospital or die. It can be used once a trip and must be approved.⁴
• Daman’s Escort of Minor Child provides a suitable person to look after a child under 18 who has no one else.⁹
• Allianz Partners’ Return of Dependents arranges transport for travelling companions under 18 if you die or are in hospital for more than 24 hours, and for an adult family member to go with them if needed. It applies only if no capable adult family member is travelling with you.¹⁰
• Mastercard’s Accompaniment of Minors pays a return economy ticket for an adult to accompany a child up to 15 years old, if you travel alone with the child and cannot continue.⁶

Which relatives count if you cancel or cut a trip short?

A wider group than your family plan. A relative who is not travelling can still be a reason to cancel or come home early. Mastercard’s definition of immediate family reaches in-laws, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.⁶ Allianz Partners’ family member includes people you live with and paid live-in caregivers.¹⁰ More is on the trip interruption page.

How should a small child fly?

The US Federal Aviation Administration recommends a government-approved child safety seat or device for a small child, not a lap.

Play: Child Safety Air Travel TipsNothing loads from YouTube until you click. Plays through youtube-nocookie.com.

The small print

• Insurers in the UAE. The Central Bank’s register for September 2026 lists 54 insurance companies.¹¹
• Orient’s limits. Limits apply to each person insured, or to the family on a family plan.⁵