But while sponsors are happy to cover the cost of a visa, salary, flights and basic living expenses, they often overlook insurance – something that could cost them further down the line.

When someone first hires a maid, they will have to budget for a visa, annual flights to the maid’s country of origin, monthly salary, accommodation (if they do not have a maid’s room in their villa or apartment) and basic living expenses. But what many employers forget to do is to include insurance for their maid in the cost analysis. Insurance for a maid comes in many forms: There is health insurance, which is vital, as you want your home help to be in peak physical form so that she can carry out all the tasks necessary to keep the home running smoothly.

But it’s not only the maid’s health that is important – protecting your home and your finances in the event of the maid having an accident; theft from the home or third-party liability is also key.

For this, you need a policy that not only covers the maid accidentally injuring herself on your premises but also the risk of her accidentally destroying someone else’s property. An example of this is if she is out with your child, and the maid pushes a pram into a neighbor’s car, damaging it in the process.

Similarly a fire, accidentally started by a maid that then damages neighboring properties, could also be cause for concern. Compare all the home insurance policies available on the market and you will see that many offer cover for domestic helpers. This tends to be an optional extra but if you have a maid, it is wise to add it on. After all, when a maid first comes into your home, you often know very little about them and, sadly, there is also a risk they might steal from you.

On Chartis’ Home Contents Gold policy, for example, you can choose to insure your maid for up to AED 30,000 – this includes covering any costs associated with your maid getting injured in your home.

How about health insurance for your maid?

 It’s also very important to insure your maid’s health. After all, a maid who is sick will cost a lot if you are paying for every doctor’s appointment they attend.

The first thing to remember is that the rules differ between different emirates. While you need to take out a private policy in Dubai and the northern emirates, in Abu Dhabi, basic insurance is subsidised by the government – mainly because it is compulsory.

  • Looking at Abu Dhabi first, all employers must apply to the government’s scheme, Daman. To do this they need their maid’s work permit, copies of her visa and passport as well as copies of the employer’s visa and passport, a photograph of the maid, evidence of the employer’s personal health insurance policy and a document stating the maid’s salary.  Take all of this to your nearest Daman office and apply for the basic plan which starts around AED 600.
  • In Dubai, employers can rely on the government medical card, which entitles the maid to treatment at a government hospital. This costs a few hundred dirhams, however, there can be additional costs every time the maid visits a doctor and medicines are charged on top.

Which is why signing the maid up for her own health insurance policy might be a wise move. You can decide to have them on an individual health insurance policy and you compare all the health insurance policies on the market to find a basic plan that suits your maid’s needs. Ask her about any pre-existing medical conditions she may have so that you can be sure they are covered too if they arise again.

If you want more information about maid insurance or want to get a quote, just email us.

To apply, you will need copies of the maid’s passport and visa as well as copies of your own documents. The insurance fee will depend on the maid’s medical history and her age.