UAE Insurers Wrote Dh74.8 Billion of Premiums in 2025, With Health Cover Growing 16% After Mandatory Insurance Reached All Emirates

The United Arab Emirates insurance industry grew strongly in 2025, and health cover was one of the main reasons. According to the Central Bank of the UAE's annual statistical report, reported by Khaleej Times on August 25, 2026, insurers wrote gross written premiums of Dh74.8 billion in 2025, an increase of 14.9% on the year before. Health insurance premiums were about Dh30 billion, up 16.3%. The year also saw the start of mandatory basic health insurance across all emirates for private-sector employees and domestic workers. This article draws on the Khaleej Times report of the central bank's data and on a Gulf News report from January 2025 about the nationwide scheme. We have not reviewed the central bank's report itself. Amounts are in UAE dirhams, which are pegged to the US dollar at about 3.67, so Dh74.8 billion is roughly $20.4 billion, our own conversion.

Start with the total. Of the Dh74.8 billion, property and liability premiums were Dh36.4 billion, up 14.1%, health Dh30 billion, up 16.3%, and life and fund accumulation Dh8.4 billion, up 12.1%. The article also gives line-by-line figures: motor and transportation of about Dh10.08 billion and fire of Dh6.89 billion. There is one inconsistency, which the article does not resolve. The business-line data gives health premiums of Dh36.42 billion, which differs from the Dh30 billion figure in the summary. The article says this version combines national and foreign insurers, but it does not explain the gap. Readers who need an exact health figure should consult the central bank's report. We use Dh30 billion as the headline number because it is the one stated alongside the growth rate.

What changed in health insurance? The Khaleej Times report says mandatory basic health insurance for private-sector employees and domestic workers took effect across the emirates on January 1, 2025. Gulf News, writing in January 2025, explained the background: Abu Dhabi and Dubai already required cover, and the scheme was being extended to Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah and Umm Al Quwain. Employers are required to provide the cover, and employees are expected to access group plans through them. An industry source named Vazayil, quoted by Gulf News, estimated that 30% to 40% of the market in the northern emirates already offered such cover, so the mandate added many new policyholders but did not start from zero. Gulf News did not give the price of the basic plan, who pays the premium or how the rule is enforced, so we do not state them. Some market reports say the cover is tied to visa issuance and set at a fixed basic package price, but we could not verify that from the sources reviewed.

The central bank data shows the effect in the policy counts and claims. Health policies rose 26.1%. Total policies across all lines were 17.3 million in 2025, up from 17.2 million, which is almost flat, so the 26.1% rise in health policies is not mirrored in the overall count; the article does not explain why. Claims paid across the industry were Dh46.2 billion, up 11%, and health claims rose 15.1%. The gross loss ratio, claims relative to premiums, improved to 65.1% from 68.9%, and the health loss ratio eased to 75.3% from 77.4%. A lower loss ratio means insurers kept more of each dirham of premium, which suggests that premium growth outpaced claims growth, though a loss ratio is only one part of profitability.

Profitability and strength improved. Industry profit was Dh4 billion, up from Dh2.6 billion in 2024, and the report attributes this mainly to higher net investment income. Invested assets were Dh96.4 billion, up 13.5%, or 58.4% of total assets. The solvency capital requirement ratio, a measure of how much capital insurers hold relative to what regulators require, was 199%, up from 196%. A ratio above 100% means the industry has more capital than the minimum. The market had 58 insurers in 2025: 22 national traditional insurers, 10 national takaful (Islamic) insurers and 26 foreign branches. Licensed insurance-related professions numbered 515, up from 495.

How does this compare with market-research estimates? Some research firms publish forecasts for the UAE health insurance market. One, Mordor Intelligence, puts it at $10.11 billion in 2026 and $15.04 billion by 2031, a compound growth rate of 8.26%. Those figures come from a commercial analyst, are forecasts and use their own definitions, so they cannot be compared directly with the central bank's reported premiums. We mention them as an indication of the expected direction only, and we could not verify the analyst's other claims, including market shares by emirate or distribution channel.

What does it mean for employers and residents? Employers in all emirates must now provide basic cover for eligible staff, which raises costs, particularly for firms in the northern emirates that had not offered it. Gulf News noted that employers may face rising costs from inflation and an ageing workforce, and that cost control and oversight are needed for the system to remain sustainable. For residents, the main benefit is wider access to a basic level of cover. For insurers, the combination of higher volumes, lower loss ratios and strong investment income made 2025 a good year, but the health loss ratio of 75.3% shows that health remains the most claims-intensive of the lines mentioned. Readers should check the central bank's website for the full report. This article is a news summary and not insurance advice.