Frequently Asked Questions

Employer insurance may only cover basic inpatient and day-patient treatments, as required for compliance and which also may vary from company to company. However, if needed, employees may enhance their healthcare by buying private individual or family health insurance from Cigna. Cigna offers comprehensive cover at specialized facilities, along with critical pre-hospitalization and post-hospitalization services. For more information, please visit our Individuals and Family health insurance sections.

Small businesses must consider factors such as industry-risk level, exposure to chemicals, level of stress at work, the nationality of the employees and whether they have access to healthcare in their countries (or not), and ease of service, to select the optimal group health insurance.

Yes, all companies in Dubai and Abu Dhabi must provide health insurance to their employees by law.

You need at least one more employee other than the owner to qualify to get group health insurance.

Employees are like the pillars of a company, so ensuring their well-being should be the primary focus of the employer. Healthier employees are more productive in the workplace, so providing quality healthcare solutions means improved performance and reduced absenteeism. Quality health plans are vital to attracting the right talent for business and also help retain employees.
Cigna provides flexible, comprehensive, and cost-effective coverage for all companies, however big or small they are. Our plans offer great value on health insurance for you and your employees.

Research has shown that employees who maintain good health habits are happier and more productive. When offered through the workplace, wellness programmes can increase employee loyalty and retention. In short, wellness is a win-win for all.

It does pay off to investigate a little when you are selecting a health insurance plan. You must consider the factors of cost, coverage, and benefit.
Coverage

• Check the pre-existing conditions coverage in the plan
• Ensure the plan offers an adequate network offering cashless treatment
• Check the maternity clause and waiting period
• Look for pre-hospitalization and post-hospitalization facilities

Convenience

• Ensure that digital facilities like online claims submissions are available
• Get an insurance plan with 24/7 customer service channels
• Make sure a dedicated client management team is available
• Check if there is support for employees’ mental wellbeing as well

Some of the additional wellness benefits that are offered by Cigna medical insurance plans in UAE are:

• Access to the Wellbeing Apps
• Access to Telehealth services
• Access to live and 500+ streaming classes through the LVL
• Online health and wellbeing assessments
• Onsite wellness seminars
• International Employee Assistance Program
• Case management
• Chronic condition management
• In-hospital nurse case management
• Decision support program
• Global and Local Capabilities
• Clinical Care Support

All plans come equipped with Cigna Envoy, our global servicing platform that allows employees to:

• Find a doctor
• Get reimbursed on your claims by taking a picture via the app
• Contact us

Employee Assistance Program is a feature through which employees can opt for telephonic or face-to-face counselling for a range of personal topics. These discussions are confidential, and they can be related to topics such as:

• Surviving the loss of a loved one
• Managing anxiety and depression
• Managing workplace pressure
• Couples’ support
• Maintaining work-life balance, and more

Cigna offers the following wellness programs that you can add in your plans:

Employee Assistance Program*

Cigna provides confidential, telephonic, or face-to-face counselling for your employees & their dependents for a range of personal topics such as finances, couple’s support, stress, anxiety, and depression.

* Optional, based on Employer’s choice

Routine Adult Physical Examinations*

Through this coverage option you can check-in on yourself and your family through a routine physical examination with a general or specialist physician

*Terms and Conditions Apply.

On-Site and Virtual Seminars

You can include this program to educate employees on a wide range of health topics - from managing diabetes and heart disease conditions to developing better sleep habits and managing stress.

Cigna Envoy is our digital self-service platform/app that members can use to easily manage their healthcare needs. From finding local healthcare specialists to submitting claims, Cigna Envoy provides you with all the information you need at your fingertips.

With Cigna Envoy, you can enjoy the following features:

1. Assess my Health (access to Wellbeing Tests)
2. Online Health Library of useful wellbeing articles
3. Smart Tools
4. Wellbeing programs focused on improving focus, reducing stress, and helping you improve your nutrition and quality of sleep

Each health insurance plan has different eligibility criteria for companies to apply for group health insurance. For SmartCare by Cigna, a company needs to have at least 10 lives for a quote, whereas for Globalcare Flexible, a company needs to have at least 2 lives. To know more, you can contact the Cigna Sales team.

The UAE is known for its quality healthcare facilities as they have some of the finest healthcare systems and infrastructure in the world. According to the law, all Emiratis and Dubai expats, along with their dependents, are required to have compulsory health insurance.

While not all the Emirates in the UAE have made it compulsory by law for companies to offer health insurance coverage to the employees, Dubai and Abu Dhabi have made it mandatory for companies to provide medical insurance to employees and their dependents. However, there may be certain clauses.
In the northern part of the UAE, it is not mandatory by law for the employers to provide medical insurance to the employees and/or their dependants. Also, the companies may decide to change the policies for medical insurance.

The General Secretariat of the Council of Cooperative Health Insurance (CCHI) has made it mandatory for private employers to provide employees with health insurance in Saudi Arabia. Health insurance plans offered to employees should also include coverage for all family members, including all wives, unmarried and non-working daughters, and all male children up to 25 years of age. Employers who wish to buy health insurance policies in Saudi Arabia can look at Cigna to arrange through our partner insurance KSA plan that offers comprehensive coverage options and benefits.

There are several health insurance companies in Saudi Arabia. However, if you want efficient health insurance in Saudi Arabia for your employees, you may want to check the coverage options offered and the price of the plans. Saudi Arabia health insurance companies will offer standard coverage options such as,

• Inpatient and daycare treatment
• Outpatient cover
• Maternity
• Medical consultation
• Prescriptions and diagnostic lab tests
• In-network hospital admission
• Surgeries

To get access to the best and cost-effective healthcare treatments and facilities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a health insurance plan is important. Moreover, everyone in Saudi Arabia needs to have mandatory health insurance. This includes employers and employees, spouses as well as family members of employees. Even expats in Saudi Arabia need to have medical insurance. Without proof of insurance, expats will not be able to receive their work or residency permit.

Typically, as an expat, your employer is likely to provide medical insurance for you and/or your family. However, employer-provided medical insurance in Saudi Arabia may provide only basic care. Some treatments and healthcare services may also work on a co-payment system. So, you may be liable to pay out of your pocket to avail certain treatments or care. It is best to check the Saudi health insurance policy to know what coverage your employer offers.

You can build a health insurance plan according to your employees’ needs in three easy steps, as mentioned below:
Step 1. Decide the Area of Cover
Step 2. Decide the Network
Step 3. Choose from a set list of benefits

Qatar has invested significantly and developed its medical infrastructure to offer one of the best healthcare facilities in the Middle East. Qatar offers a range of quality healthcare solutions ranging from cutting-edge technologies to hospitals specializing in women’s healthcare. Employees can access healthcare benefits through health insurance companies in Qatar. To get quality health insurance in Qatar, check out Cigna medical insurance plans.

The healthcare system in Bahrain is one of the most advanced in the Middle East region and offers state-of-the-art healthcare facilities to its citizens. Since 1960, the government of Bahrain has been providing comprehensive healthcare. Healthcare services can be accessed via efficient health insurance companies in Bahrain.

Effective January 1, 2019, Bahrain has mandated a health insurance law that provides insurance-based public and private medical coverage to nationals, residents, and expatriate workers. For Bahraini nationals, the Bahrain government bears the coverage cost of medical treatments. However, individuals who choose to use private health services will have to bear a percentage of the medical costs.

The public healthcare system in Kuwait functions via the Ministry of Health (MoH). As of 2011, citizens and expats can access affordable and the best healthcare facilities via health insurance companies in Kuwait. Kuwait also has several specialized medical facilities that cater to the healthcare needs for specific health problems of a person.

Healthcare services in Kuwait through the healthcare public sector are free for Kuwaiti and GCC nationals. However, health insurance is mandatory for all expatriates in Kuwait.

The Ministry of Health has also driven the initiative of establishing over 200+ healthcare units across Oman. There are also various medical clinics, hospitals, and pharmacies offering the best healthcare solutions that are accessible by both nationals and expatriates. For employees who are not covered with a health insurance plan by their employers and are looking for the health insurance in Oman, they can check out the wide range of medical health insurance plans offered by Cigna at affordable costs.

The Sultanate of Oman mandates that all residents are required to have at least a minimum level of medical insurance coverage with minimum benefits (pursuant to the prescribed provisions of Resolution No. 34 of 2019). To get quality health insurance for expats in Oman, you can check out Cigna.

The plans offer round-the-clock assistance and services to the members. It also provides,

• Doctor & Nurse led pre-approval team
• Clinical team to support Care Management, Decision Support & Provider Claims Review
• Travel/Visa Insurance Certificates
• Answers to benefit/claim- related queries
• Customer Service that offers end-to-end support 24/7
• One-card Solution in the GCC

Globalcare Flexible requires a minimum of 2 lives.

Both SmartCare by Cigna and Globalcare Flexible are for SMEs in the Middle East region. Smartcare by Cigna offers value on regional and international SME health insurance – including optional healthcare cover in employees’ home countries (excluding USA). It is serviced by Neuron, a leading TPA in the UAE.
Globalcare Flexible offers Cigna’s world-renowned healthcare plans for employees and provides cover anywhere from ‘within the GCC’ to around the world.

There are multiple options for maximum annual cover, co-insurance, and more that you can choose for your team. You can also make your SmartCare insurance plan more beneficial by picking add-ons such as vision, dental, and wellbeing coverage options, among others.

Cigna Globalcare medical insurance offers maternity services to its members. Some of the maternity benefits that members can avail are:

• Routine in-patient benefits
• Routine out-patient benefits
• Complications of pregnancy and childbirth
• Legal Abortion

Please note: Terms and conditions may apply for a few benefits

Business Select health insurance in Lebanon offers 4 areas of cover, as mentioned below:
Area 1: Worldwide (including Caribbean)
Area 2: Worldwide (excluding USA, Canada, and Caribbean)
Area 4: Middle East, North Africa, Indian Sub-Continent & Southeast Asia
Area 5: Lebanon only

You can build a Cigna Business Select health insurance plan according to you and your employees’ needs in three easy steps, as mentioned below:
Step 1. Decide the Area of Cover
Step 2. Decide the Network
Step 3. Choose from the Set List of Benefits

All plans come equipped with Cigna Envoy, our digital servicing platform that allows employers and their employees to:

• Find a provider
• Get reimbursed for claims by taking a picture via the app
• Contact us

Cigna Business Select medical insurance in Lebanon offers optional maternity services to its members. However, there may be a maximum coverage limit for some of the benefits. Some of the maternity benefits that members can avail are:

• Routine in-patient benefits
• Routine out-patient benefits
• Complications of pregnancy and childbirth
• Newborn Care

Factors such as the average age of the employees, the extent of coverage of the employee or their families, and add-ons like dental treatment, health checkups and more determine the cost of employee or group health insurance.

Yes, employers can keep track of the insurance usage of their employees as they have monitoring controls. Cigna Insurance provides a 360-degree view of all employee plans, usage and claims through our signature Cigna Envoy platform.

To know more about the benefits of Cigna Envoy, visit our Cigna Envoy page

Yes, Cigna Insurance allows complete monitoring of all employee plans, usage and claims. The Cigna Envoy site provides an easy to access monitoring platform to view and modify any element of the plan.

To know more about the benefits of Cigna Envoy, visit our Cigna Envoy page.

Yes, Cigna billing allows you the flexibility of paying on monthly, quarterly, or annual basis.

Our Clinical Care team is here to protect your employees and improve their health outcomes. Our Clinical Care team works with four missions in mind:

• Making the most of your healthcare spend
• Ensuring employees get the best possible care
• Overseeing treatment plans to prevent waste and abuse
• Driving better health outcomes

As a Cigna member, you just have to sign into your Cigna Envoy page. All your information will be displayed on your dashboard. To know more about the benefits of Cigna Envoy, visit our Cigna Envoy page.