At a glance
- Local name
- Health Insurance (Tameen Sehi) via CCHI
- Country
- Saudi Arabia
- Process steps
- 8
- Fee items
- 8
- Online portals
- 6
- FAQs
- 9
- Pitfalls covered
- 8
- Last verified
- 2026-06
What is Health Insurance (Tameen Sehi) via CCHI in KSA?
Saudi Arabia does not issue a separate 'health card' in the GCC sense - the legal proof of health-insurance coverage is a CCHI-registered private insurance policy linked to the Iqama. CCHI is the Council of Cooperative Health Insurance (cchi.gov.sa), the national regulator that licenses insurers, sets minimum benefits, and operates the central database that Muqeem reads at Iqama issuance and every renewal. There is no government-issued physical card in 2026 - the digital Iqama and the insurer's app together act as the proof of coverage at hospitals and clinics.
Cooperative health insurance is mandatory for every expat worker, every dependent, and most domestic workers; the employer is legally responsible for purchasing and maintaining the policy for workers and their dependents (some employers shift the dependent premium to the worker through a salary deduction agreed in the Qiwa contract). Saudi nationals are covered separately by the public system through the Ministry of Health and do not need CCHI policies. Premium Residency holders are required to maintain CCHI coverage like other residents.
Policies are tiered by CCHI into three bands: A (high - premium plan with maximum sums insured, lowest co-pays, broad network including most private hospitals); B (standard - mid-range sums insured, moderate co-pays, decent network); C (basic / minimum cooperative - the legal minimum for most workers, lowest sums insured, smallest network). Tier C is what most companies buy for blue-collar and entry-level workers; tier B is typical for skilled professionals; tier A is usually only at executive or senior-management levels. Maternity rider coverage is included in tier C and above; tier A often bundles broader maternity and IVF cover. Upgrading from C to B typically adds 30-60% to the premium.
Annual premiums vary by tier, age, dependent type, and policy class. A typical employee policy at tier C runs SAR 800-1,800/year; a dependent policy at tier C is SAR 1,000-2,500/year (dependents are often more expensive than the worker because their utilisation patterns are higher). Tier B can run SAR 2,500-5,000/year for a worker; tier A SAR 5,000-12,000+. Older dependents and infants both attract premium loadings. Common providers in 2026 include Tawuniya, NCCI, MedGulf, Saudi Re, Walaa, and a handful of smaller cooperative insurers.
The most consequential operational detail is the CCHI live-link to Muqeem. Every Iqama issuance and renewal cycle reads the CCHI database in real time and refuses to proceed if: the policy is not visible in CCHI (sometimes a 24-48 hour sync lag between purchase and visibility); the policy does not cover the full requested renewal window (if you ask for 2 years of Iqama but the policy is 1 year, Muqeem rejects the submission); the policy is at a lower tier than what the regulator requires for the worker's category; or the worker or dependent is not explicitly listed on the policy. Renewals fail at the CCHI step more often than at any other.
Pre-existing conditions, chronic disease coverage, dental, and optical are CCHI-defined within each tier with minimum benefit floors. Most tier C policies cover acute care, emergency, and chronic conditions diagnosed during the policy year up to set sums insured; dental and optical are limited or excluded. Tier B usually adds dental and optical with a sub-limit; tier A often bundles in-network outpatient unlimited and broader chronic and maternity. Always read the policy's schedule of benefits before assuming coverage - the CCHI minimum floor and the actual policy can differ on sub-limits.
What documents do I need for Health Insurance (Tameen Sehi) via CCHI?
Bring originals AND coloured photocopies of every item. Files are rejected at counter for a single missing page or unattested certificate.
Documents required
- ✓Iqama number (or temporary work-visa number for first-time issuance)
- ✓Passport copy
- ✓Active employment relationship through Qiwa contract for employer-paid policies
- ✓Dependent Iqamas (or pending dependent visa numbers) for family coverage
- ✓Sponsor's establishment CR number for employer-side policy issuance
- ✓Worker's profession from the Qiwa contract (some risk-rated professions attract premium loadings)
- ✓Bank app with SADAD or insurer's online payment for self-paid dependent policies
Eligibility
- →You are a non-Saudi resident (CCHI cooperative policies are for expats; Saudi nationals use the public health system)
- →You have a valid or pending Iqama tied to a sponsoring employer or to a self-sponsored Premium Residency
- →Your sponsoring establishment is in good standing with CCHI - not on the regulator's defaulter list
- →Your dependents are formally registered on your Iqama sponsorship before being added to the policy
- →Premium Residency holders maintain their own CCHI policy through any licensed insurer
How much does Health Insurance (Tameen Sehi) via CCHI cost in KSA in 2026?
Government fees current to 2026-06. All payments via the relevant portal wallet or SADAD-equivalent rail; service-centre cash counters typically charge a small extra typing fee.
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Employee policy (CCHI tier C, minimum cooperative) | 800-1,800 SAR | Per year per employee. Skilled and professional workers typically sit in this band. |
| Dependent policy (CCHI tier C) | 1,000-2,500 SAR | Per dependent per year. Older dependents and infants both attract premium loadings. |
| Upgrade to CCHI tier B | +30-60% premium | Adds dental and optical sub-limits and broader hospital network. |
| Upgrade to CCHI tier A | Varies premium | Executive plan; full private network, broader maternity, IVF coverage in some plans. Often SAR 5,000-12,000+ per year per worker. |
| Maternity rider | Included in tier C and above policy | Coverage scope varies: tier C minimum maternity benefits; tier A bundles broader maternity and sometimes IVF. |
| Domestic worker policy | 1,000-2,000 SAR | Per year per worker; mandatory for domestic-worker sponsorship under the LRI 2021 framework. |
| Late policy purchase fine (employer) | Up to 1,000 SAR | CCHI penalty against the employer for uninsured days; can compound if the breach is sustained. |
| Out-of-pocket co-payments at clinics | 20% typical | Typical co-pay structure - 20% at clinic visits up to a per-visit cap. Co-pay schedule depends on tier and insurer. |
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How do I apply for Health Insurance (Tameen Sehi) via CCHI step by step?
The end-to-end flow for Health Insurance (Tameen Sehi) via CCHI in KSA. Total wall-clock time: Individual policy purchase through an aggregator (Tameeni, etc.): 1-2 hours for the policy to be issued, then 24-48 hours for CCHI to show it as live. Employer group policy renewal: 1-3 weeks during the annual tender window. Claim reimbursement for out-of-network care: 7-21 working days from claim submission..
- 1
Confirm the worker's required CCHI tier
Read the Qiwa contract for the worker's profession and skill tier. CCHI sets minimum tier requirements based on category - some professions (senior management, certain medical roles) cannot be enrolled in tier C even if the employer wants to economise. HR should align the chosen plan with both the CCHI minimum and the worker's expectations.
⏱ Same day📍 online - 2
Pick a CCHI-licensed insurer
Major cooperative insurers in 2026 include Tawuniya, NCCI, MedGulf, Saudi Re, Walaa, Salama, and several smaller players. Compare on three axes: hospital network (does your preferred hospital appear in-network?), claims service rating, and premium quote. Some employers run group tenders annually; individual buyers can use aggregators like Tameeni for instant quotes.
⏱ 1-3 days for tender comparison📍 online - 3
Submit the policy purchase to the insurer
The employer (or self-paying dependent) submits the application with: worker / dependent Iqama, passport, profession, dependent details, and selected tier. The insurer issues a policy number, often within 1-2 hours for individual purchases through an aggregator. The policy schedule of benefits should be reviewed before confirming - read the chronic disease, maternity, and dental sub-limits carefully.
⏱ 1-2 hours for individual; 1-3 days for employer group📍 online - 4
Confirm CCHI registration is live
Within 24-48 hours of policy issuance, the insurer pushes the policy details to the CCHI national database. Confirm visibility through the insurer's app, the Tameeni Saudi portal, or by asking HR for the CCHI policy reference number. Until CCHI shows the policy as live, Muqeem cannot read it for Iqama issuance or renewal - this 24-48 hour lag is the most common cause of failed Iqama renewals.
⏱ 1-2 days📍 online - 5
Add dependents to the policy
Each dependent must be explicitly added with their Iqama (or pending visa number for new arrivals) and date of birth. Adding a dependent mid-policy is allowed; the premium is pro-rated and pushed to CCHI. Failing to add a dependent before triggering Muqeem dependent-Iqama issuance is the second most common failure mode - the screen rejects with no clear error.
⏱ Same day per dependent📍 online - 6
Use the policy at clinics and hospitals
At a clinic or hospital, present the Iqama (digital or physical) and the insurer's app. The hospital queries the insurer's pre-authorisation system in real time. For in-network providers, the co-pay is collected at registration; the rest is direct-billed to the insurer. For out-of-network providers, the patient pays in full and submits a claim through the insurer's app for reimbursement. Co-pays are typically 20% with per-visit caps depending on tier.
⏱ 10 minutes at registration📍 either - 7
Submit claims for out-of-network or pharmacy items
For pharmacy items and out-of-network care, save the original invoice and pharmacy receipt and submit a claim through the insurer's app: photo of the receipt, photo of the doctor's prescription, and the patient's Iqama. Reimbursement is paid to the bank account on file within 7-21 working days. Keep a digital copy of every claim - some insurers ask for additional evidence later.
⏱ 7-21 working days for reimbursement📍 online - 8
Renew the policy in line with Iqama renewal
The policy must be renewed in line with the Iqama renewal cycle and must cover the full Iqama validity window. If the Iqama is being renewed for 2 years, the CCHI policy must be valid for 2 years. Employer-paid policies usually auto-renew with the employer's group tender; self-paid dependent policies need to be renewed manually before the Iqama renewal click. Failing to renew CCHI before triggering Muqeem is the single biggest cause of failed Iqama renewals in 2026.
⏱ Same day for renewal purchase📍 online
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Which portal do I use for Health Insurance (Tameen Sehi) via CCHI in KSA?
These official portals handle Health Insurance (Tameen Sehi) via CCHI for KSA. Each page on Wathim has the login flow, common errors and sibling fallback when one is down.
Digital Iqama is the primary proof of CCHI coverage at hospitals; some hospitals also query CCHI directly through the Iqama number.
Portal guide →Reads the CCHI database at every Iqama issuance and renewal to confirm coverage matches the requested validity window.
Portal guide →Holds the worker's profession and skill tier which CCHI uses to determine the minimum policy tier required.
Portal guide →SSO used to view and verify CCHI cover under your iqama profile.
Portal guide →MoH unified patient app that confirms active medical cover and lets you book public-sector appointments.
Portal guide →Required for the 2% employer Occupational Hazards Insurance contribution that funds work-injury cover for expats.
Portal guide →💡 Typing centres are useful for first-time dependent policies when the new arrival has not yet activated their Absher account and cannot pay through SADAD, and for translating policy schedule-of-benefits documents into the language a worker can read before committing. Most CCHI policies are issued instantly through the insurer's app or an aggregator like Tameeni, so a typing centre is rarely the cheapest or fastest channel. Expect SAR 50-150 in service fees if you do use one.
How do I renew Health Insurance (Tameen Sehi) via CCHI and what are the penalties?
CCHI policies are renewed annually (or biennially) in step with the Iqama renewal cycle. The policy must always cover the full Iqama validity window at any given time - if the Iqama is renewed for 2 years, the CCHI policy must also be in force for 2 years, otherwise Muqeem rejects the Iqama renewal. Employer-paid policies are usually auto-renewed in the annual group tender; self-paid dependent policies require manual renewal before the next Iqama renewal click. Late renewal of the CCHI policy carries an employer fine up to SAR 1,000 for the uninsured days.
Fines & penalties
- ⚠Operating without a valid CCHI policy: Muqeem blocks Iqama issuance and renewal; CCHI imposes a fine on the employer for the uninsured days (up to SAR 1,000)
- ⚠Buying a policy at a tier below the worker's CCHI category: Muqeem rejects the Iqama with a 'plan not compliant' error
- ⚠Failing to add a dependent to the policy before dependent-Iqama issuance: Muqeem rejects with no specific error, forcing a back-trace
- ⚠Late claim submission past the insurer's window (typically 90 days from the date of service): claim is denied even if the underlying treatment was covered
- ⚠Using a forged or expired insurance card at a hospital: criminal liability for fraud and immediate cancellation of the policy by the insurer
- ⚠Letting the policy lapse for the period the worker was on annual leave outside Saudi Arabia: the gap shows in CCHI and the employer is fined for the uninsured days even though the worker was abroad
What goes wrong with Health Insurance (Tameen Sehi) via CCHI applications?
These failures repeat across every Health Insurance (Tameen Sehi) via CCHI case Wathim sees in KSA. Catch them before submitting to save a counter rejection.
- !Buying a 1-year CCHI policy while asking Muqeem for a 2-year Iqama renewal - the renewal fails with no specific error
- !Forgetting the 24-48 hour CCHI sync lag and triggering Iqama issuance the same day the policy is purchased - Muqeem cannot see the policy yet
- !Accepting an employer's tier C policy when the Qiwa profession requires tier B - Muqeem rejects the Iqama until the upgrade is bought
- !Not adding a new-arrival dependent to the policy before triggering dependent-Iqama issuance - one of the most common Muqeem rejections
- !Confusing the public Ministry of Health hospitals with the CCHI private network - CCHI cooperative policies cover private network providers, not the public MoH hospitals (which serve Saudi nationals)
- !Missing the 90-day claim submission window for out-of-network reimbursements - the insurer denies stale claims
- !Assuming maternity is covered at tier C - it usually is at a minimum level, but the sub-limits can be lower than expected; read the schedule of benefits
- !Letting CCHI policy lapse during a worker's annual leave - the employer is still fined for the uninsured days even though the worker was abroad
Frequently asked questions about Health Insurance (Tameen Sehi) via CCHI in KSA
There is no separate physical 'Saudi health card' in 2026 - the legal proof of health-insurance coverage is a CCHI-registered private insurance policy linked to your Iqama. Hospitals query CCHI in real time using the Iqama number and either accept direct-billing for in-network treatment or collect payment up-front for reimbursement. The digital Iqama in Absher plus the insurer's mobile app together act as your 'card'. The Council of Cooperative Health Insurance (CCHI, cchi.gov.sa) is the national regulator that licenses insurers and maintains the central database that Muqeem reads at Iqama issuance and renewal.
CCHI sets three tiers. Tier A (high) is premium - executive-level plans with the broadest hospital network, lowest co-pays, and bundled benefits like broader maternity and sometimes IVF. Tier B (standard) is mid-range with dental and optical sub-limits and a decent network. Tier C (basic) is the legal minimum cooperative plan for most workers, with the lowest sums insured and the smallest network. The tier required is set by CCHI based on the worker's category and the profession on the Qiwa contract - some senior or medical professions cannot be enrolled in tier C even if the employer wants to economise. Upgrading from C to B typically adds 30-60% to the premium.
Tier C employee policies typically run SAR 800-1,800 per year per worker; tier C dependent policies are SAR 1,000-2,500 per dependent per year (dependents are often more expensive because utilisation patterns are higher). Tier B doubles the cost roughly - SAR 2,500-5,000 per year per worker. Tier A executive plans can run SAR 5,000-12,000+ per year. Older dependents and infants attract premium loadings of 20-50%. Family-of-four annual policy budgets at tier C are usually SAR 4,000-8,000 all-in.
The employer is legally responsible for purchasing and maintaining CCHI coverage for the worker. For dependents, the employer is typically responsible for one wife and a set number of children under the contract; additional dependents (parents, older children) often shift to the worker through a salary-deducted arrangement agreed in the Qiwa contract. Premium Residency holders pay for their own CCHI policy directly. Domestic workers are covered by the employing household under the LRI 2021 framework. Failure of the employer to maintain coverage triggers a CCHI fine and blocks the Iqama renewal.
Eight times out of ten, the silent rejection is CCHI-related. The most common causes are: the policy was not visible in the CCHI database yet (24-48 hour sync lag between issuance and visibility); the policy only covers 1 year while you requested a 2-year Iqama renewal; the policy is at a lower tier than what the regulator requires for your category; or a dependent is not explicitly listed on the policy. To diagnose, ask HR for the CCHI policy reference number and confirm visibility in the insurer's app or the Tameeni portal before triggering Muqeem again. The other common causes are unpaid dependent fees and outstanding traffic fines.
At tier C (the legal minimum for most workers), dental and optical are typically limited to emergency-only or excluded entirely. Tier B usually adds dental and optical sub-limits (e.g., SAR 1,500-3,000 per year for dental, SAR 500-1,000 for optical). Tier A bundles broader benefits with higher sub-limits and broader in-network providers. Always read the policy's schedule of benefits before assuming coverage - even within a tier, individual insurers vary on what they include and which providers are in-network. If dental work is a priority, ask for the policy's dental schedule before signing.
Maternity coverage is included in tier C and above per the CCHI minimum benefit floor. Tier C usually covers standard ante-natal, normal and Caesarean delivery, and post-natal up to a sum insured, with limited coverage for high-risk pregnancy complications. Tier B adds broader complication and NICU coverage. Tier A often bundles broader maternity benefits and sometimes a limited IVF allowance per policy year. IVF is not in CCHI's standard tier-C minimum; if you are planning IVF, confirm the specific plan's coverage and sub-limits before purchasing. The policy must be in force before pregnancy is diagnosed in some plans, so reviewing the timing rules matters.
For out-of-network providers, the patient pays the full invoice up-front and submits a reimbursement claim through the insurer's app: photo of the invoice, photo of the doctor's prescription, the patient's Iqama, and the bank account for payment. The insurer reviews the claim against the policy's schedule of benefits and reimburses (up to the sum insured and sub-limits) to the bank account within 7-21 working days. The deadline to submit a claim is typically 90 days from the date of service - claims older than that are routinely denied. Keep a digital copy of every invoice and prescription; insurers sometimes ask for additional supporting evidence.
For private-sector expats, GOSI charges 2 percent of (basic salary plus housing allowance) capped at a SAR 45,000 monthly wage base, and it is paid by the employer only with no employee deduction. Our Saudi GOSI calculator returns the exact monthly and annual employer cost for any salary, and flags when the SAR 45,000 cap kicks in. Saudi nationals follow the higher contribution brackets that include employee deductions.
