5 types of insurance you DEFINITELY need in Saudi Arabia
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Some types of insurance are required by law in Saudi Arabia, while others are just really smart to have. The good news? You’ve got plenty of options — so many that there are many insurance comparison websites to help you find the best deal, whether it’s for comprehensive or tpl car insurance, or other types of insurance.
Find out which types of insurance in Saudi Arabia are mandatory, and what extra coverage you’ll need to protect your lifestyle and family when you’re here!
1. health insurance
The Council for Cooperative Health Insurance (CCHI) in Saudi Arabia requires all private sector companies to provide health insurance coverage for their employees and dependents.
Some of Saudi’s biggest health insurance companies include: Bupa, Takaful Al Rajhi, and Tawuniya. Each job usually comes with its own insurance package — some more generous than others. But even the basic coverage typically includes:
- Doctor visits and primary care
- Emergency treatment
- Hospital stays
- Maternity benefits
Some employers allow you to upgrade your health insurance package (say from A+ to VIP), but the extra cost usually comes out of your salary.
🚨 Saudi visitors, there’s insurance with your visa
Your Saudi visit visa already includes basic health insurance — so you’re covered for emergencies during your trip
Anyone working in Saudi Arabia — nationals and expats — are automatically signed up for GOSI, the General Organization for Social Insurance. Each month, a small amount is taken from your salary; and in return, you’re covered if something unexpected happens on the job, you won’t be left figuring it out alone!
what you get from GOSI
- For Saudi nationals: retirement savings, disability support, and unemployment insurance (SANED).
- For expats: compensation for workplace injuries and accidents
3. car or motor insurance
Driving without car insurance in Saudi Arabia is a traffic violation, you’ll need it to avoid fines — and paying an arm and leg when you hit someone else car. You’ll also need insurance to register your car, renew istimara, or transfer ownership.
car insurance types in Saudi
- Third party insurance: pays only for the damage you cause to others.
- Comprehensive insurance: Covers your car repair too — even if the accident was your fault or for damage outside your control like rain damage.
one car, diffrent car insurance prices — use comparison sites to your advantage!
Because there’s 20+ companies offering car insurance in Saudi, always compare prices before you buy or renew. You can easily shop around & buy insurance online in seconds through any licensed comparison website in Saudi.
Entering Saudi with your car? Visitors car insurance is also required in Saudi Arabia!
If you’re entering Saudi Arabia by land with your car, buy Manafith car insurance online — that’s the Saudi border insurance name.
4. home insurance
Home Insurance is optional in Saudi Arabia, but it’s the best way to protect your home (and your wallet) from anything bad happening to it!
Think about it: you’re not always home during the day. Whether you’re at work, running errands, or traveling, anything can happen — a break-in, a pipe leak, or a fire. Home insurance helps cover you in those “just in case” moments.
What home insurance can cover
- Your personal belongings (like furniture, electronics, and valuables)
- Fire, flooding, and burglaries
- Some policies even include home maintenance — plumbing, electrical work, or broken windows
5. domestic helper insurance
Before you think about hiring domestic help in Saudi you need to know that you’ll be taking responsibility for their well-being — and you’ll also want to find a safe way to protect the money you spent on the hiring process. That’s what domestic helper insurance is for in Saudi Arabia
This kind of insurance helps in situations you never saw coming: a serious illness, an accident, or a worker who refuses to work or decides to leave.
What’s included in Saudi’s domestic helper insurance?
- Return tickets and repatriation
- Disability or death compensation
- Help with hiring a replacement
- Help with unpaid wages if needed
📅 FYI:
As of February 2024, it’s mandatory to get domestic helper insurance for new contracts through Musaned for the first 2 years. This is the new law for domestic helpers in Saudi Arabia.
Final thoughts
In short, emergencies are part of life. A car accident, a medical bill, or a broken pipe at home can mess up your whole budget. That’s why having insurance in Saudi Arabia (or elsewhere) matters!
The trick is to work out what you really need in terms of insurance and what you don’t, and then to hit the comparison sites and find the best insurance deal you can.
