Umrah and Hajj travel insurance from the UAE

Do you need travel insurance for Umrah?

A Saudi government source has not confirmed an insurance rule for pilgrims travelling from the UAE. Tawuniya, a Saudi insurer, says Umrah insurance is compulsory for foreign pilgrims coming from outside the Kingdom. It says the certificate is issued automatically during the visa process, and that the visa and policy are issued through agents approved by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.¹

Saudi visa notices do not mention insurance. The Saudi Press Agency reported a multiple-entry Umrah visa on 20 July 2026, and its notice does not mention insurance.² The Saudi eVisa portal does not mention it either.³

Ask your Nusuk provider or Umrah agent whether insurance comes with your visa, what it covers and for how long, or check with Saudi Arabia’s Council of Health Insurance or Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.

Which rules apply to you?

That depends on whether you are a UAE national, a UAE resident of another nationality, or going for Hajj.

MOFA’s Saudi page is written for UAE nationals only.⁴ Its line on insurance before entering Saudi territory is about vehicle insurance, not travel insurance.⁴

Ask MOFA or the UAE Hajj authority how UAE nationals and UAE residents get a Hajj permit, and what insurance applies.

What does the Umrah visa allow?

The multiple-entry Umrah visa reported on 20 July 2026 runs for 365 days from issue, with a total stay of up to 90 days. Each visit needs a service package from an approved Nusuk provider and an Umrah permit through Nusuk. The visa cannot be used from 1 Dhu Al-Qi’dah to 13 Dhu Al-Hijjah.²

The Saudi eVisa portal describes a one-year multiple-entry tourist visa of up to 90 days that covers Umrah, excluding Hajj.³

Visit Saudi’s FAQ lists two questions on this: whether you need medical insurance to apply for a tourist visa, and how a GCC resident obtains it.⁵ Read the answers there before you apply.

Does a Saudi e-visa include health insurance?

For British passport holders, the UK government says yes, up to SAR 100,000. This is UK advice, not written for UAE travellers and not confirmed as a Saudi rule.

FCDO says an e-visa includes health insurance up to SAR 100,000, and an ETA or electronic visa waiver does not. It advises considering extra travel insurance beyond that amount.⁶ It describes the e-visa as valid for 365 days, with multiple entries and 90 days in total, and an ETA as valid for 730 days and 180 days in total, for purposes including Umrah outside Hajj.⁶

FCDO does not say whether UAE residents can use an ETA or the visa waiver. Its page is undated, and no Saudi source confirms that SAR 100,000 is current.

What does Tawuniya’s Umrah cover pay?

Up to 200,000 for emergency medical treatment, inside Saudi Arabia, for 90 days from entry. The cover is for medical emergencies only, as set out in the policy wording. It lists baggage loss and not baggage delay. Tawuniya says it has run the programme since 2020.¹

Tawuniya’s page is an insurer’s statement, not Saudi law. Tourist, Umrah and Hajj cover are separate products, so the FCDO figure and Tawuniya’s figures are not comparable.

Which UAE insurers sell Hajj and Umrah cover?

Salama, ADNIC and Allianz Partners. None says whether its product meets any Saudi rule.

• Salama’s Hajj and Umrah Protection covers Saudi Arabia only, with three plans and its own helpline. Medical expenses are USD 10,000, 15,000 or 25,000, medical evacuation USD 15,000, lost baggage USD 250, 500 or 750, and repatriation of remains USD 5,000, 10,000 or 15,000. The table has no line for delay or cancellation.⁷
• ADNIC lists MussaferPlus Hajj and Umrah on its travel page. The page states no benefit limits.⁸
• Allianz Partners sells single-trip Travel Standard and Travel Premium plans to UAE residents up to age 85, for journeys of up to 90 days. Emergency medical cover is USD 250,000 or USD 500,000.⁹

If you rely on your usual UAE travel policy, check that Saudi Arabia is inside its area of cover and that it lists delay, cancellation and baggage cover for this trip.

Is insurance compulsory for Hajj?

Sources disagree. Nusuk Hajj says insurance is not automatically provided, and that pilgrims should ask their service provider about local medical services and consider comprehensive insurance.¹⁰ Tawuniya’s Hajj page says Hajj insurance is compulsory for foreign pilgrims, with a 75-day term and service since 2022.¹¹ Allianz Partners says insurance for Hajj is not mandatory.⁹ MOFA’s Hajj 1447 AH guide in English does not mention insurance.¹²

Ask the UAE Hajj authority or your Hajj operator what insurance your Hajj package includes.

The small print

• Nusuk’s health page. It also carries COVID-19 dose rules, so it may be out of date.¹⁰
• MOFA’s Hajj guide. MOFA hosts it, but it does not name the UAE. Its lines on citizens and residents point to Saudi platforms such as Absher and Muqeem.¹²
• A reported 2026 start date. The Times of India reported a new 90-day health insurance policy for overseas Hajj and Umrah pilgrims on 17 February 2026, citing unnamed reports.¹³ Tawuniya states service since 2020 and a 90-day term.¹ The Saudi Press Agency notice of 20 July 2026 does not mention insurance.² No official source confirms a 2026 start.