A new report from Zurich International Life is reshaping how the UAE thinks about life and health protection. The insurer's People Protection Report 2026 found that most group insurance claims filed in recent years came from employees aged 39 to 50 — the heart of their careers, not the retirement years the product is often associated with.
The report puts total group claims between 2023 and 2025 at Dh140 million. Of that, Dh100 million was paid out for death-related claims, while Dh37 million covered disability and illness. Cardiovascular disease was the single largest driver, accounting for 36 per cent of claims, followed by cancer at 27 per cent. Musculoskeletal conditions made up 21 per cent, mental health issues 15 per cent, and accidents 14 per cent.
Perhaps the most striking figure is that 79 per cent of claims involved temporary disability or income protection rather than permanent loss, suggesting UAE employees are increasingly worried about short-term income disruption from illness or injury rather than only catastrophic, long-term risk. Zurich also warned that lost productivity tied to mental health could cost the UAE economy up to Dh17 million by 2030 if left unaddressed.
For employers and insurers operating in the UAE, the findings point to a clear shift: group health and life schemes built around the assumption that risk rises mainly with old age no longer match the claims reality on the ground. Younger, mid-career staff are filing a disproportionate share of claims, and insurers are being urged to redesign coverage — particularly around income protection and mental health support — to reflect a workforce that is, on average, younger than the policies were originally designed for.