Can I share my health insurance card?

q My sister works in a low salary job and is not provided with medical insurance. I wondered, if I wanted to help her by giving her my health insurance card to use, would I be in any trouble?

a It is worth noting that if your sister works in either Abu Dhabi or Dubai emirates, she is entitled to health cover from her employer as both emirates have mandatory health insurance enshrined in law. So, if this is the case she should make her employer aware of their obligations and, if that proves fruitless, she can report her employer to the health authority for failing to abide by their legal obligations. On the matter of offering your card, I would urge you to think twice before doing so as there are potentially severe penalties if you were to be caught. For example, Article 23 of the Dubai Health Insurance Law No 11 of 2013 states that misuse of health insurance cards can result in a fine ranging from Dh500 up to as much as Dh150,000. In Abu Dhabi, Article 24 from Abu Dhabi Health Insurance Law No 23 of 2005 states that fines range from Dh5,000 to Dh200,000. Regardless of which emirate she lives in, misuse of a health insurance card constitutes a felony in accordance with Article 216 of the Federal Penal Law and Article 217 states that such an action is punishable with imprisonment for no more than three years, as it is considered a forgery. This could apply to both you and your sister so it is certainly not advised.

Yousef Al Bahar is an advocate at Al Bahar and Associates Advocates and Legal Consultants.

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