A question that has spread through UAE WhatsApp groups, school gates, and office conversations over recent months is whether existing insurance policies actually cover conflict-related losses. For most UAE residents, landlords, and tenants, the answer is no. But the market has changed in 2026. New war risk products have arrived, the Central Bank of the UAE has introduced clearer disclosure requirements, and knowing exactly where you stand could save you significant money and stress before you ever need to make a claim.
What counts as war under an insurance policy
War risk insurance is coverage that specifically protects assets or income against losses caused by acts of war, armed conflict, political violence, terrorism, sabotage, strikes, and civil unrest. Most UAE residents are surprised by how broadly insurers define the term war.
Under standard UAE policy wording, the war exclusion covers armed conflict between nations even without a formal declaration, military action by or against any government or sovereign power, missile strikes, drone attacks and retaliatory military operations, civil disturbance that rises to the level of armed conflict, and acts by government authorities to hinder or defend against any of the above. This means that even if the UAE has not formally declared war, damage caused by a missile strike or drone attack almost certainly falls within the war exclusion in your standard policy and your claim will be denied.
A common question in UAE insurance forums is whether a terror attack rather than a military strike would be treated differently. The answer depends on your specific policy wording. Some policies separate terrorism from war and offer limited terrorism cover within a standard home or contents policy. Others bundle terrorism into the war exclusion entirely. The only way to know is to read your policy documents and call your insurer to confirm in writing.
How each standard UAE policy type is affected
Home insurance
Standard home insurance policies in the UAE contain a war exclusion clause embedded in the fine print. This means losses caused directly or indirectly by war are not covered. For landlords, this means that if a property is structurally damaged by a conflict-related event, neither a standard building policy nor a landlord policy will pay out. For tenants, contents insurance will similarly exclude damage caused by war or political violence.
Health insurance
Mandatory UAE health insurance covers medical treatment for standard illness and injury. But if an injury or illness is directly caused by an act of war, many policies include a war exclusion clause that allows the insurer to deny the claim. International plans from providers such as Cigna or AXA may offer better protection than locally issued mandatory plans but this must be verified in writing with your specific insurer before you need it.
Motor insurance
UAE motor insurance comes in two forms: third-party liability which is mandatory, and comprehensive. Third-party covers only damage you cause to others and never covers your own vehicle. Comprehensive insurance covers theft, fire, natural disasters, and accidental damage. War damage is excluded from both. A common Reddit UAE thread flags that many residents assume comprehensive means all damage is covered, which is not the case once a war exclusion applies.
Life insurance
Death caused by war is typically excluded from UAE-issued life policies. Offshore policies issued in jurisdictions such as the Isle of Man or Guernsey may differ. Check explicitly with your provider and request written confirmation of what the war exclusion covers and does not cover.
Travel insurance
War-related trip cancellations are excluded once a conflict is classified as a known event by the insurer. A Cancel For Any Reason add-on must be purchased before tensions escalate to be of any use. Once a conflict becomes headline news, most insurers will stop selling new CFAR policies or increase premiums significantly.
New war risk products available in the UAE in 2026
The UAE insurance market has responded to growing demand. Orient Insurance has expanded its war risk protection portfolio in 2026, adding cover for cargo, personal vehicles, and residential units. The expanded range includes four distinct products.
Marine War on Land covers cargo and goods exposed to war-related risks during inland transit. Marine Cargo War Risks provides protection for maritime cargo shipments against war and associated perils. Political Violence for Personal Vehicles extends cover to privately owned vehicles against damage arising from political violence including war, terrorism, sabotage, strikes, and riots. Political Violence for Residential Units protects homeowners against property damage resulting from political violence events including war.
Other specialist providers are also active in this space. CoverB UAE offers tailored war risk solutions for both businesses and individuals. Specialist Lloyd’s of London brokers can arrange bespoke cover for higher-value property portfolios. For individual residents, standalone emergency evacuation insurance from providers such as Global Rescue and International SOS is the most accessible specialist product currently available.
The most important timing point is that war risk products become harder to obtain and more expensive once a conflict is already underway. Insurers classify escalating regional tensions as known events and may pause new applications entirely during active hostilities. Acting before coverage is urgently needed is not pessimism, it is basic financial planning.
What landlords need to know
Property damage and mortgage exposure
Landlords carry a specific combination of risks that standard insurance leaves almost entirely unaddressed during a conflict. If you own investment property in Dubai, neither your standard building insurance nor your landlord policy covers war-related structural damage or lost rental income during a conflict. Orient Insurance’s Political Violence for Residential Units product is currently the most accessible option for landlords seeking property-level war risk cover in the UAE retail market.
Many mortgage lenders require property insurance for the duration of the mortgage. That mandatory insurance does not cover war damage. The bank’s interest is protected against standard perils including fire, flood, and accidental damage, but a war-related loss would leave both you and the bank exposed to uninsured losses with no retail product currently available to cover lost rental income during a conflict.
Tenant disputes and force majeure
Under UAE law, Article 273 of the UAE Civil Code excuses contractual performance only when an event renders performance absolutely impossible, not merely harder, more expensive, or commercially unviable. Paying rent almost never becomes impossible in the legal sense. This means a tenant cannot simply stop paying rent by citing a regional conflict. The legal position is more nuanced on the tenant side but landlords should understand that their exposure to vacancy risk from force majeure claims is lower than many assume.
Steps for landlords to take now
Step 1: Review your existing policies. Search your building, landlord, and contents policy documents for the words war, terrorism, and political violence. Note exactly what is excluded and whether any terrorism endorsement was added at purchase. If you cannot find the policy wording, call your insurer and ask for the full schedule of exclusions in writing.
Step 2: Contact Orient Insurance directly. Orient Insurance is licensed by the CBUAE and is the primary retail provider of Political Violence cover for residential units in the UAE. Contact them through their website at orientinsurance.ae or call their Dubai head office at 800-ORIENT (800-674368). Ask specifically for a quote on their Political Violence (including War) for Residential Units product. Provide your property address, current building value, and whether you want contents coverage included. Orient Insurance operates across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and the Northern Emirates.
Step 3: Speak to a specialist broker for high-value portfolios. If you own multiple properties or units valued above AED 5 million, a Lloyd’s of London market broker can arrange bespoke political violence and war risk cover that is not available through standard retail channels. CoverB UAE is one active specialist broker in this space. A broker fee is typically charged as a percentage of the premium but access to Lloyd’s capacity often means broader cover and higher limits than direct insurers offer.
Step 4: Check your mortgage terms. Some mortgage lenders in the UAE require specific insurance endorsements as a condition of the loan. Contact your bank’s mortgage team and ask whether your existing building policy meets their requirements. Flag any war risk gap in writing so your bank is aware. This protects you from any allegation of breach of mortgage conditions in the event of a claim.
Step 5: Document your property now. Walk through every room with a phone camera and record dated video evidence of the property’s current condition, all fixtures and fittings, and any valuable items. Store this in cloud storage outside the UAE such as Google Drive or iCloud. This is critical evidence for any future claim and cannot be recreated after damage occurs.
What tenants need to know
Contents, health, and evacuation cover
Tenants face a different set of concerns from landlords, primarily around personal belongings, health coverage, and the right to remain in or exit a property if it becomes uninhabitable. Standard contents or renters insurance excludes war damage to belongings. Orient Insurance’s residential unit product is primarily aimed at building owners so tenants should specifically ask insurers whether a contents-level war risk add-on is available, or seek specialist advice.
Standalone emergency evacuation insurance is the single most actionable product for most UAE tenants. It covers the cost of extracting you and your family from a conflict zone and is available from Global Rescue, International SOS, and some international health insurers. Premiums rise steeply once a conflict is already declared. For most residents this is the first product to buy if you do not already have it.
Lease rights if a property is damaged
Established scenarios that may allow a tenant to exit or suspend a lease include the leased property being physically destroyed or rendered completely inaccessible by conflict-related damage, or a government order or emergency directive prohibiting occupation of the specific premises. Short of those thresholds, tenants remain contractually obligated to pay rent. Under UAE law, Article 249 does not terminate a lease but gives courts discretion to adjust obligations if performance has become excessively burdensome. Tenants seeking rent relief on hardship grounds would need to apply through the Rental Dispute Centre in Dubai or the equivalent body in their emirate.
Steps for tenants to take now
Step 1: Call your contents insurer today. Ask specifically whether your policy covers damage caused by political violence, terrorism, or war. Do not accept a general answer. Ask for the exact clause number in the policy that covers or excludes each. Request the response in writing by email.
Step 2: Verify your health insurance covers conflict-related injury. Contact your insurer or your company HR team and ask specifically whether injuries caused by acts of war or political violence are covered. If you hold an international health policy (Cigna, AXA, Allianz) check whether the war exclusion applies to treatment as well as evacuation. Get the answer in writing.
Step 3: Buy evacuation insurance before it becomes a known event. Global Rescue (globalrescue.com) and International SOS (internationalsos.com) are the two most established providers. A Global Rescue individual annual membership costs approximately USD 329 to USD 389 per year and covers emergency evacuation and field rescue globally. International SOS operates on a corporate model but individual plans are available. Compare both for your specific family size and budget. Once regional tensions are formally classified as an active conflict by the insurer, new applications may be paused or premiums will increase significantly.
Step 4: Review your lease for force majeure and early termination clauses. Find the force majeure section of your tenancy contract and read exactly what events are covered and what notice period applies. If your lease does not have a force majeure clause, which many older Dubai tenancy contracts do not, your rights are governed by UAE Civil Code Articles 249 and 273 rather than your contract. Know this before you need it.
Step 5: Document your belongings now. Record a dated video walkthrough of your apartment showing every significant item of value. Store this in cloud storage outside the UAE. For high-value items such as jewellery, electronics, or artwork, photograph the serial numbers and receipts separately. This evidence is essential for any contents claim and cannot be recreated after damage occurs.
Step 6: Keep emergency cash accessible. Have at least AED 2,000 to AED 5,000 in cash at home at all times. ATMs, digital payment systems, and bank transfers can be disrupted during a conflict and cash remains functional when digital infrastructure is not.
Your legal rights if a claim is denied
CBUAE disclosure requirements
If you submit a claim and your insurer cites a war exclusion to deny it, you are not without recourse. Under UAE Civil Transactions Law Article 1028, war exclusion clauses must be explicitly stated and properly disclosed to be enforceable. If an exclusion is ambiguous or was not clearly presented at the time of purchase, UAE courts may interpret the terms in the policyholder’s favour.
Under newer Central Bank of the UAE consumer protection regulations introduced from 2025 onwards, exclusion clauses and terms that result in forfeiture of rights must be printed in bold and in a different colour to be enforceable. If your insurer failed to highlight the war exclusion clearly at the time of purchase, this is a potential basis for disputing a denied claim regardless of what the policy wording says.
How to dispute a denied claim
Request a detailed written explanation from your insurer including the specific clause being relied upon. Review your policy documents to check whether the exclusion was clearly displayed as required by CBUAE regulations. File a complaint with Sanadak, the UAE’s Insurance Ombudsman, if you believe the denial is unjust. Seek independent legal advice if the claim value is significant. UAE courts have discretion to interpret ambiguous exclusion clauses in favour of the policyholder and have done so in consumer insurance disputes where disclosure requirements were not properly met.
Landlord vs tenant coverage comparison
| Coverage type | Landlord | Tenant |
|---|---|---|
| Building damage (war) | Orient Insurance Political Violence for Residential Units | Not applicable |
| Contents damage (war) | Limited — specialist brokers only | Very limited — ask insurer directly |
| Lost rental income | No retail product currently available | Not applicable |
| Health (war injury) | Check individual policy in writing | Check employer plan and personal policy |
| Evacuation | Global Rescue, International SOS | Global Rescue, International SOS |
| Motor (war damage) | Orient Insurance Political Violence for Personal Vehicles | Orient Insurance Political Violence for Personal Vehicles |
| Lease exit rights | Governed by tenancy law and lease terms | Property destroyed or government order required |
Does my home insurance cover terrorism in the UAE?
Usually only if terrorism cover was explicitly added as a paid endorsement at the time of purchase. Check your policy wording for the word terrorism specifically. It is often excluded alongside war but some policies treat them separately. Call your insurer and ask for written confirmation of what is and is not covered.
Can I still get war risk cover if regional tensions have already escalated?
It becomes harder and significantly more expensive once a conflict is classified as a known event by insurers. Some insurers will pause new war risk applications entirely during active hostilities. The time to buy coverage is before you urgently need it. Premiums for evacuation insurance, political violence cover, and CFAR travel add-ons all rise sharply once a conflict is underway.
Is war insurance mandatory in the UAE?
No. Standard home insurance is not even legally mandatory for most UAE residents (though mortgage lenders typically require it). War risk cover is entirely optional and is purchased as a separate add-on or standalone product. Health insurance is mandatory for employees under UAE law but the mandatory coverage does not include war risk protection by default.
Who regulates insurance in the UAE?
The Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) at cbuae.gov.ae regulates all insurance activity in the UAE. All insurers operating in the UAE must be licensed by the CBUAE and you can verify any insurer’s licence status on their website before purchasing any product.
What is Sanadak and how do I use it?
Sanadak is the UAE’s Financial Consumer Protection Ombudsman, responsible for handling insurance complaints and disputes between policyholders and insurers. If your insurer denies a claim and you believe the denial is unjust or the exclusion was not properly disclosed, you can file a complaint with Sanadak at sanadak.ae. The process is free and does not require a lawyer for the initial complaint stage.
Can a tenant stop paying rent if there is a conflict in the UAE?
Not unilaterally and not without legal basis. Under UAE Civil Code Article 273, contractual performance is only excused when it becomes absolutely impossible, not merely more difficult or inconvenient. Paying rent does not typically become impossible during a conflict unless the property is physically destroyed or a government order prohibits occupation. Tenants seeking hardship relief would need to apply through the Rental Dispute Centre in Dubai rather than simply stopping payment.
For UAE residents concerned about the broader cost of living and financial planning in an uncertain environment, the full Dubai cost of living breakdown for 2026 covers housing, utilities, healthcare, and transport costs with current AED figures. For residents reviewing their insurance coverage more broadly, the car insurance in Dubai guide covers the standard comprehensive versus third-party comparison and how to reduce premiums on standard coverage.
