In Saudi Arabia, private health insurance is not optional for expats, it is a legal condition tied directly to your residence permit. This guide explains how the CCHI mandatory system works in 2026: who pays, the classes and costs of cover, the annual cap, network hospitals and how to claim treatment.
The CCHI system in brief
The Council of Cooperative Health Insurance (CCHI) regulates mandatory medical cover for private-sector employees and their dependents. Under the Cooperative Health Insurance Law, employers must provide compliant health insurance before an expat arrives and keep it active for the whole of employment. Cover is issued as a Takaful card listing your approved network of hospitals and clinics.
Who pays?
Your sponsor or employer bears full responsibility for buying and paying for your cover, you should not be charged the premium for your own mandatory policy. Employers also typically enrol direct dependents (spouse and children). If you want to add a dependent your employer does not cover, you can buy a family extension directly from the insurer, with spouse cover generally running SAR 3,000–8,000 a year depending on the tier.
The link to your iqama
Active CCHI cover is mandatory for every iqama issuance and renewal. The government’s Absher platform will not let a renewal proceed without an active insurance link on the sponsoree’s record. Without a valid policy you cannot renew your iqama, enrol a child in school, or in some cases complete other civil transactions. Keeping cover uninterrupted is therefore essential, not just for healthcare but for your legal residency.
Classes of cover and costs
Policies are graded by class, with premiums rising as benefits, room type and network breadth improve:
| Class | Tier | Typical annual premium |
|---|---|---|
| Class C | Basic / standard | From ~SAR 1,200 |
| Class B | Enhanced | Mid-range |
| Class A | Comprehensive | Up to ~SAR 8,000 |
| VIP | Premium | SAR 15,000+ |
Regardless of class, the CCHI sets a unified minimum annual cover cap of SAR 500,000 per insured person, so even a basic policy carries substantial protection. Higher classes add better hospital networks, private rooms, dental and optical, and coverage for chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and asthma, which are covered at Class B and above when declared.
What the policy must cover
Every CCHI policy meets a minimum benefit standard, the Essential Benefits Plan. At minimum this includes inpatient and outpatient care, emergency services, radiology and laboratory tests, medicines on the approved drug list, basic optical, emergency dental, emergency transport and chronic-disease management within defined limits. Two points to note:
- Maternity for an insured spouse is a standard benefit, but policies commonly apply a waiting period of around 9–12 months from the policy start date before maternity claims are payable.
- Chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and asthma must be covered when declared, with the fullest cover on Class B and above; basic Class C plans may limit chronic treatment after a short grace period.
Dependents and domestic workers
Employers must insure the legal dependents registered on your iqama, typically a spouse and children (children are usually covered while minors, and sometimes to 21 if studying). If a dependent is not covered through your employer, you can buy a separate policy directly. Domestic workers, housemaids, drivers and similar, must also be insured, but under a dedicated domestic-worker programme with its own benefit structure and premiums; note that basic domestic-worker plans often exclude maternity, so check before purchase.
Network hospitals and claiming
Your Takaful card defines your network. Within it, treatment is usually cashless, you present your card and the hospital bills the insurer directly. Outside the network, or for emergencies at a non-listed facility, you may pay upfront and submit a reimbursement claim with invoices and medical reports. The CCHI has moved to enforce a minimum network of accredited providers, meaning even basic policies must give access to a reasonable spread of clinics and hospitals.
Frequently asked questions
Can I upgrade my own cover? Yes. If your employer provides a basic Class C plan, you can often pay to upgrade the class or add benefits, or buy supplementary cover from an insurer.
What happens to my insurance if I change jobs? Your new employer must arrange fresh CCHI cover. Avoid a gap, because your iqama status depends on an active policy link.
Does it cover me outside Saudi Arabia? Standard policies focus on treatment inside the Kingdom; international cover is an add-on on higher tiers.
Bottom line
CCHI health insurance is a legal must-have in Saudi Arabia, paid by your employer and locked to your iqama, let it lapse and your residency renewal stalls. Check which class your employer provides, confirm your preferred hospitals are in-network, and budget for a family extension if you are sponsoring dependents. For the wider picture, see our guides to working in Saudi Arabia and the Absher and Muqeem platforms that manage your insurance link.
Primary source: the Saudi Ministry of Health.
