Dubai: Oman Insurance, one of the two companies selected by the Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department (DNRD) to provide health insurance to visitors to the UAE, opened its first counter at the department's head office on Sunday.

Insurance counters will also be set up at the DNRD's branches located in Abu Hail, Jebel Ali Free Zone, Dubai airport, Dnata on Shaikh Zayed Road, Umm Suqeim, Jebel Ali and Bin Souqat. Aman Insurance said it would open its counters today.

Three different types of health policies are available for visitors according to their visiting periods. Prices start form Dh40 for short-term visas valid for 30 days, Dh90 for visas valid for 90 days and Dh185 for multiple entry visas valid for 180 days. The policies will cover accidents and emergencies during a visitor's stay in the country. Residents who are applying for visit visas for their relatives said it was a hassle-free process to get insurance because policies are available over the counter at the DNRD offices.

"It is good that they have opened insurance counters within the DNRD. It would have been a great hassle for people to first to go to the insurance company and then apply for visas. It is wonderful that you can finish all the procedures within an hour from the DNRD office itself," said Mohammad Saiffur, a Dubai resident.

Ministerial decision number (322) for 2008 makes health insurance mandatory to obtain any type of visit visa to the UAE, effective from July 29. The DNRD has signed agreements with two insurance companies; Oman and Aman to issue health insurance policies for visitors to Dubai with a minimum coverage of Dh150,000 per person per visit.

The beneficiary will receive treatment in a shared hospital room in case of emergencies. The two companies will cover 100 per cent of services to be offered to the patient through a network covered by insurance companies in the country. The agreement also obligates the insurance company to return the body of the insured person to his country in case of death paying up to Dh7,000 of the costs incurred.

Health coverage policies issued by other companies will also be accepted by DNRD provided they meet the same criteria including the minimum limit of Dh150,000 and the types of services offered Meanwhile, visitors who are already covered under an international insurance policy need not get local insurance.

DNRD has signed agreements with two insurance companies; Oman and Aman to issue health insurance policies for visitors to Dubai with a minimum coverage of Dh150,000 per person per visit.