International insurance firm, Bupa, has predicted clashes between big businesses and governments as mandatory insurance legislation sweeps across the Middle East.
Global companies with existing insurance packages for expatriate employees will need to amend their health plans to mirror regional demands, says Paula Covey, director of customer services, Bupa International, potentially at significant cost.
“Expats are a massive investment for companies and more of those global players looking to standardise health plans,” she explained. “What we are seeing from some key expatriate destinations such as the UAE, is regulation forcing a different plan design.
“Big companies won’t understand why they just can’t operate their standard offering in that particular region. So we do feel squeezed in the middle.”
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