How to compare home insurance policies in the UAE

Two policies with the same contents sum can pay very different amounts for the same loss.

What should you compare?

Sources: Liva’s 2026 wording, GIG Gulf’s Home Comfort handbook, Sukoon’s Home Umbrella page, Salama’s flyer and Union Insurance’s Home Shield table.¹²³⁴⁵

Salama, Union and ADNIC sell contents in fixed tiers. ADNIC’s run from AED 50,000 to AED 400,000.⁶ Tokio Marine sells cover to people who “own, rent or lease an Apartment or Villa in Dubai, Abu Dhabi or any northern emirates”, with sums you choose.⁷

Which terms change what you are paid?

• The average clause. Liva cuts a claim only if what you insured is worth more than the sum insured by 25%. GIG Gulf does not apply it to contents insured for AED 350,000 or less. QIC’s 2016 wording reduces any under-insured claim in proportion.¹²⁸ See under-insurance.
• Age deductions. Liva’s guideline scale deducts 10% to 40% for items over a year old, except valuables, and Liva can apply a different rate. GIG Gulf makes no deduction on a total loss of your own items, except clothing, household linen, bicycles and accidental damage to electronics.¹²
• Waiting periods. Liva does not cover weather or water damage in the first 30 days of a new policy.¹
• Accidental damage. Included for contents in Liva’s wording, optional in GIG Gulf’s.¹²
• Special excesses. GIG Gulf charges 10% of the claim for riot or malicious damage on buildings, and 10% for an item over AED 40,000.²

What would the same claim pay under three wordings?

Take contents that would cost AED 300,000 to replace, insured for AED 200,000, and a theft with forced entry that costs AED 30,000. The wordings treat it differently.¹²⁸

Run your own figures in the under-insurance calculator.

What is each insurer’s home product called?

Sources: each insurer’s product page or document.^6219375

Can you change your mind after you buy?

Yes, within a short window, and the windows differ.

• Liva. If you return the policy within 30 days with no claim paid or pending, Liva refunds the premium for the unexpired period, less “a small administration fee”. After that you can cancel with 30 days’ notice on the same terms.¹
• GIG Gulf. If you do not want to accept the policy, return it within 14 days of receipt, provided no claims have been made.²
• QIC. Its 2016 wording gives a 14-day cooling-off period, after which you keep the right to cancel.⁸
• Sukoon. Its page advertises a “free look-up period of 15 days”.³

Liva refunds premium only when no claim has been paid or is outstanding.¹ Read the cancellation clause before you switch insurer in the middle of a year.

What do published prices tell you?

Very little. The insurer documents above publish no premium for home cover. The figures that are published are banks’ charges for property insurance sold with a mortgage. Emirates NBD charges 0.01% of the property value a month plus VAT, and Mashreq lists a fee of 0.06% of the property value a year.¹⁰¹¹ Salama publishes AED 90 a year per person for its domestic helper extension.⁴ For anything else, ask each insurer for a quote on the same sums insured, excess and optional covers, and compare the schedules line by line.

What should you ask before you buy?

1. Send me the full policy wording and a specimen schedule.
2. What is the excess for each section, and are there special excesses?
3. What is the single item limit, and which items must I list?
4. Does the average clause apply to my sums insured?
5. Is there a waiting period for weather or water damage?
6. How many days can the home be empty?
7. Is accidental damage included or extra?

Under the 2025 Civil Transactions Law, you must disclose “all information that the insurer requests” when you buy, and tell the insurer of changes that increase the risk (Article 961).¹² Answer the proposal form in full.

Profiles of each company, with contacts and claims details, are in the insurers directory.