Daman National Health Insurance
Abu Dhabi's National Health Insurance Company. Issues Basic and Enhanced plans for Abu Dhabi residence visas, plus Thiqa for nationals.
On this page
Launched
2006
Operator
Daman (NHIC)
Cost
From AED 600-1,200/year (Basic)
Languages
Arabic, English
Overview
Daman (damanhealth.ae) is the National Health Insurance Company of Abu Dhabi, the largest health insurer in the UAE and the administrator of the Thiqa programme for UAE nationals in Abu Dhabi. Daman issues the Basic insurance product mandated for low-income Abu Dhabi visa-holders, the Enhanced corporate plans required for higher-salary expats, and a wide range of individual and family plans sold through brokers and online direct. Daman's network is the broadest in the UAE: most SEHA hospitals, most major Abu Dhabi private hospitals (Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Burjeel, Mediclinic, NMC), and a wide outpatient network across all seven emirates.
Two policy categories matter for expats. Basic is the AED 600/year (approximate, confirm at quote) bottom-tier policy that satisfies the Abu Dhabi requirement that every visa-holder have valid insurance. Enhanced is the salaried-employee plan that most employers contribute to, with annual limits, dental and maternity riders, and out-of-network coverage. Daman's portal lets the policyholder view the policy, see the network, file claims, request pre-authorisation, and download e-cards. For nationals, the Thiqa programme has its own portal with broader benefits.
Three things matter operationally. First, the policy is held against the Emirates ID, so any pharmacy, clinic, or hospital scanning the ID instantly sees the coverage status. Second, pre-authorisation is required for any non-emergency inpatient procedure and many high-cost outpatient ones; failing to get pre-auth in time produces a denied claim. Third, the Abu Dhabi residence visa renewal cannot proceed without an active insurance policy registered against the Emirates ID; the system pulls the data live from the insurer. Confirm specific premium and coverage limits on damanhealth.ae before assuming any quote.
For Abu Dhabi residents Daman is the National Health Insurance Company that issues Basic and Enhanced plans, mandatory for residence visa renewal and accepted across Abu Dhabi public and private healthcare networks. The 2026 pattern: employer typically provides Enhanced as part of benefits package; self-sponsored residents and family members must purchase Basic at minimum (network covers public hospitals and select private clinics). Pair Daman with ICP (residence link), TAMM (Abu Dhabi services view), and UAE Pass. Country context at our UAE country guide.
What changed and matters operationally in 2026: the Dhamani-linked policy verification is real-time on TAMM and ICP, so a lapsed Daman policy silently blocks residence visa renewal; Basic plan covers public hospitals and select private clinics with co-pay structure; Enhanced plans (Premier, Premier Plus) offer broader private network access; family additions can be made through the Daman app or via the sponsor's employer HR. Insurance enrolment is mandatory for residence and the period of coverage must match the residence renewal window.
Services offered
Basic Plan for Abu Dhabi Visa
Low-cost plan satisfying the mandatory health insurance requirement for Abu Dhabi-issued residence visas. Network is restricted but covers essential care. Mandatory minimum for residence; covers public hospitals and select private clinics; co-pay applies.
Enhanced Corporate Plan
Plan typically offered through employers to higher-salaried expats. Broader network, higher annual limits, optional maternity and dental riders.
Thiqa Programme
Full-cover health insurance for UAE nationals registered in Abu Dhabi, administered by Daman on behalf of the Department of Health.
Pre-Authorisation
Submit the doctor's request for inpatient or high-cost outpatient procedures and receive an approval reference before the procedure happens.
Claims Submission
Submit out-of-network claims for reimbursement, attaching the invoice, the doctor's report, and any prescriptions. Reimbursement settles via bank transfer. Submit claims, track approval, view EOB through Daman app.
E-Card and Network Lookup
View the digital insurance card, look up clinics and hospitals in network, and confirm coverage before booking an appointment.
How to access Daman
- 1
Register on damanhealth.ae
Visit damanhealth.ae or open the Daman app. Choose Register and enter your Emirates ID number, member ID (printed on the policy welcome letter), and a UAE mobile in your name. Complete OTP verification.
- 2
Link policies to your account
On first login, the system pulls every policy held against your Emirates ID. Add family-member policies through the Add Dependant flow using their Emirates ID numbers.
- 3
View the digital card
Open the Cards section to see the digital insurance card. Save the image or download the PDF; most Abu Dhabi clinics now accept the digital card as primary proof of coverage.
- 4
Use pre-authorisation correctly
When the doctor recommends a planned procedure, the clinic or hospital sends a pre-auth request to Daman through their provider portal. Confirm with the provider that the request is in and approved before the procedure happens; an unauthorised procedure usually leads to a denied claim.
- 5
Submit out-of-network claims within the window
Out-of-network claims are submitted online through the portal with the invoice, doctor's report, prescription and proof of payment. Most plans require submission within 60 days of the service date; older claims are usually rejected.
Troubleshooting
The errors residents hit most often on Daman, and the fix that works.
Check the EID number on the policy matches current EID. If old EID, call Daman to update. Confirm policy end-date is past renewal date.
Confirm the hospital is in-network for your specific plan tier. Some Enhanced plans cover only specific private networks. Network search on Daman app is the authoritative reference.
Review the EOB for reason. Common causes: non-network provider, out-of-coverage service, missing pre-authorisation for inpatient. Resubmit with documentation.
Wait 24-48 hours for sync. If still missing, the addition may have failed at Daman's end; resubmit with HR support.
Request the specific reason; common causes are non-network surgeon, alternative treatment recommended, or insufficient medical justification. Resubmit with specialist letter.
If self-paid, renew via Daman app. If employer-paid, contact HR. The lapse blocks residence renewal until restored.
Update plan filter in network search - some hospitals are tier-restricted. If consistently missing, your specific Enhanced tier may not include that network.
Frequently asked questions
Not necessarily Daman specifically, but you do need a valid health insurance policy registered against your Emirates ID for any Abu Dhabi-issued residence visa. Daman is the largest provider and is commonly chosen because of its broad network, but any DOH-licensed insurer (AXA, Bupa, NextCare, Allianz, MetLife) works. Confirm coverage and registration status on the insurer's portal.
The Basic plan satisfies the minimum legal requirement. The annual premium is in the AED 600-1,000 range (confirm at quote, varies by age and health declarations). The network is restricted to lower-tier clinics and SEHA hospitals, and annual limits are conservative, but the plan is sufficient for visa compliance.
Thiqa is the programme for UAE nationals registered in Abu Dhabi, administered by Daman on behalf of the Department of Health. It offers full-cover health insurance with a very broad network including international referrals, with no annual limit, and no co-payment for most services. Basic is for expats and is much more constrained.
In-network: the clinic or hospital files directly with Daman, you pay any co-payment at the desk, and the claim settles automatically. Out-of-network: pay the full amount yourself, then submit the claim online through damanhealth.ae with the invoice, doctor's report, prescription and proof of payment. Reimbursement is typically processed within 15-30 days.
Usually yes if the policy includes family riders, which most Enhanced corporate plans do. Confirm by adding dependants on the portal during the policy year; some employers cover only the employee and require the family to be added separately at the employee's cost.
In-network providers have a contractual rate with Daman, so the cost is settled directly and the patient pays only any co-payment specified in the policy. Out-of-network means you pay the provider in full and seek reimbursement, typically at a lower percentage of the bill (commonly 80% or 50%) up to the annual limit.
Depends on the plan. Basic has limited maternity benefits. Enhanced plans usually include a maternity rider with sub-limits for delivery, pre-natal, and post-natal care, and a waiting period (often 9-12 months) from the policy start. Confirm the maternity benefit on the policy schedule.
Open damanhealth.ae > Find a Provider, filter by city and specialty, and the system returns the in-network providers. The Daman app has the same lookup. Network status can change, so confirm at the moment of booking, not at policy purchase.
Open Daman app > My Policy and confirm the Emirates ID number on the policy matches your current EID exactly. The policy should show as Active with end-date past your residence renewal date. ICP queries the Dhamani database in real-time at renewal; a mismatch or short policy silently blocks the renewal. If the policy is short, extend it (employer can usually do this within hours; self-sponsored residents purchase the extension via Daman directly). If the EID number is wrong (e.g., post-renewal the policy still references the old EID), call Daman to update - this is a common cause of silent ICP blocks at residence renewal time. Cross-check by viewing the policy on TAMM > Health > My Insurance which queries the same Dhamani database.
Basic (Thiqa for Emiratis; for residents the Basic equivalent under the mandatory scheme) covers Abu Dhabi public hospitals (SEHA network) and a limited list of private clinics. Co-pay typically 20-30% on outpatient visits, 0-20% on inpatient. Useful for residents who use SEHA hospitals primarily. Enhanced plans (Premier, Premier Plus, Health 360) offer access to a broader private hospital network (Cleveland Clinic, NMC, Mediclinic, Burjeel, etc.), lower co-pays, and often dental/maternity coverage. Premiums vary AED 1,500-15,000/year depending on tier, age, and dependents. For most working families with private healthcare expectations the Enhanced tier is the practical minimum; for residents comfortable with SEHA the Basic is sufficient. Employers in Abu Dhabi typically include at least Enhanced as standard benefits.
Guides from the blog
Walkthroughs that use Daman
Step-by-step guides for the most common transactions on this portal.
GCC
GCC Family Sponsorship Salary Requirements 2026: All 6 Countries, Honest Thresholds
Salaries to bring family to the GCC range from KWD 800 in Kuwait to QAR 10,000 in Qatar. Country-by-country verified thresholds, sponsor-parents rules, what counts as salary, worked examples, and the data conflict around Oman.
GCC
Certificate Attestation for the GCC (2026): Country-by-Country Playbook, Apostille vs Full Chain
Three GCC countries now accept apostille (Saudi, Bahrain, Oman); three still need the full notary-MEA-embassy-MOFA chain (UAE, Qatar, Kuwait). Real costs, realistic timelines, the rejection traps, and worked examples per country.
GCC
GCC Overstay Fines Compared (2026): All 6 Countries, Real Rates, Honest Gaps
UAE AED 50/day, Qatar 90-day grace then QAR 10/day, Oman OMR 10/day from day one. The full breakdown of overstay fines, grace periods, and how to check and pay across all six GCC countries, with worked examples and honest UNVERIFIED flags.
Stuck on a Daman transaction?
If the portal will not cooperate, our desk can take the filing from here. Free guidance call to start, fixed desk fee to engage.