Long-stay travel insurance from the UAE

How long can a single trip last?

Between 62 and 180 days, depending on the insurer.

• Orient: a trip booked to last longer than 92 days is not covered.¹
• Daman Alami: up to 92 consecutive days.²
• Salama: up to 92 consecutive days each trip.³
• Liva: until you return home, within 180 days.⁴
• Allianz Partners: cover ends on the 180th day of the trip, or later if your return is delayed for a reason the policy lists.⁵ Its product page describes the worldwide single-trip plan as up to 90 days.⁶
• GIG Gulf: the wording limits any trip to 62 consecutive days. The leaflet shows single-trip prices up to 92 days.⁷⁸ Ask GIG Gulf which figure applies to you.
• AIG: the wording states no day limit for a single trip. Cover ends when you return to your country of residence or at the end of the period of cover.⁹

Card cover has its own limit. The Mastercard MENA terms cover a round trip of up to 180 days or a one-way trip of up to 90 days.¹⁰

What if you plan to stay longer than the limit?

You may not be insured at all. Daman and Salama do not insure a person who intends to travel for more than 92 consecutive days.²³ Orient does not cover a trip booked to last longer than 92 days.¹ AIG ends annual cover when the 90-day limit is reached.⁹

Daman and Salama go by what you intend, Orient by what you booked, and AIG by the days counted. Check the limit against your whole planned stay before you buy.

Can you extend your policy once you are abroad?

AIG does not allow it, and Orient refuses in the cases it lists. AIG’s policy cannot be extended after it starts.⁹ Orient will not extend a single-trip policy that, with extensions, has been in force for more than 92 days, has already ended, or where you know a claim will be made.¹ Salama’s booklet says its insurance is not renewable.³ Allianz Partners also says its policy cannot be renewed.⁵

Does a one-way ticket change your cover?

Yes, with some insurers. Daman needs a return flight booked before you leave and excludes one-way and open tickets.² AIG’s COVID-19 endorsement ends cover on a one-way trip 168 hours after you arrive at your final destination.⁹ Mastercard card cover limits one-way trips to 90 days.¹⁰

Does an annual plan cover a long trip?

Not beyond its per-trip limit, which can be shorter than a single-trip policy’s. Liva’s single trip runs to 180 days and its annual plan stops at 62 days a trip.⁴ Allianz Partners’ single trip runs to 180 days and its annual plan to 90.⁵ Each insurer’s per-trip limit is on the annual multi-trip page.

Do age and residence rules still apply on a long stay?

Yes. Salama covers people aged 3 months to 80, with a table note of 65 or below, and 66 to 69 with approval, who are permanent residents of the country where the policy was issued.³ Daman excludes people who are not resident in the country where the policy is issued.² More is on the age limits page.

How long can you stay in the country you visit?

That is set by the country, not your policy. A policy limit does not change a government stay limit, and a stay limit does not change your policy.

The small print

• Allianz Partners’ two figures. The product page says 90 days and the wording says 180. Both are undated. The wording is the contract, and it does not say which plan the 180-day limit applies to.⁶⁵
• Expatriate and long-stay plans. Plans sold as long-stay or expatriate cover are not included in these figures.
• Contract terms. These day limits are terms in each insurer’s wording, not government rules.