Saudi Business Visit Visa Insurance Requirements 2026

TL;DR — Quick Answer

Is insurance mandatory for a Saudi business visit visa? Yes. Every traveller entering Saudi Arabia on a business, commercial, or work visit visa must hold valid medical insurance meeting Insurance Authority (IA) minimum standards before entry. Employers or Saudi hosts often arrange the policy, but the traveller must verify the coverage is active, sufficient, and linked to their passport number before flying. The IA offers a free online inquiry service to confirm policy validity instantly.

Why Business Travellers Cannot Skip Visit Visa Insurance

Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 economy — giga-projects, regional headquarters relocations, and record foreign investment — has made short-term commercial travel to Riyadh, Jeddah, and NEOM routine. But every one of those trips passes through one non-negotiable gate: valid medical insurance tied to your visit visa.

Unlike the tourist eVisa, where insurance is auto-bundled at application, business visit visa insurance is often arranged separately — by your employer, your Saudi sponsor, or yourself. That flexibility creates risk: mismatched policy dates, under-insured travellers, and non-compliant policies are among the most common reasons business travellers are stopped at Saudi immigration.

This 2026 guide covers exactly who needs cover, the minimum coverage the Insurance Authority expects, approved insurers, realistic costs, corporate vs individual policies, and how to verify your policy at entry. For the wider Saudi insurance landscape, start with our pillar guide: travel insurance for Saudi Arabia.

1. Who Needs Business Visit Visa Insurance?

Saudi Arabia applies a universal rule: no valid insurance, no entry — regardless of visa category. The Insurance Authority, which absorbed the former Council of Cooperative Health Insurance (CCHI) mandate, requires all inbound visitors to hold health coverage for the full duration of their stay. Business travellers are not exempt.

2. Minimum Coverage Requirements — Insurance Authority Standards

The Insurance Authority regulates every health insurance product sold in the Kingdom, including visitor and visit visa policies. Products must be IA-approved and sold by licensed insurers — unlicensed or foreign-only policies do not satisfy entry requirements.

Minimum Medical Coverage Amount

The widely applied market standard for visit visa insurance in Saudi Arabia is SAR 100,000 (approx. USD 26,600) per person in medical coverage, spanning emergency treatment, hospitalization, and outpatient care for the visa’s validity. Many insurers offer enhanced plans at SAR 500,000 or SAR 1,000,000 — recommended for older travellers or longer assignments. Because the IA updates product standards periodically, confirm the current minimum on the official portal: Insurance Authority — Health Insurance for Visit Visa.

Benefits a Compliant Policy Must Include

• Emergency medical treatment — doctor visits, diagnostics, and emergency room care
• Hospitalization — inpatient stays, surgery, and intensive care
• Emergency dental treatment — usually limited to pain-relief cases
• Medical evacuation & repatriation — transport to appropriate facilities or return home
• 24/7 assistance hotline — mandatory on IA-approved visitor products

3. Major Approved Insurers in Saudi Arabia

Only buy from IA-licensed insurers or licensed intermediaries. These are the most established names for visitor and business travel cover in the Kingdom.

Verify any company’s licence status via the Insurance Authority’s Regulations & Licenses pages before paying.

4. Cost Breakdown by Trip Duration

Premiums are driven mainly by duration and age band, not trip purpose. Figures below are indicative market ranges for a healthy adult under 65 — seniors typically pay more, as explained in our guide to Saudi Arabia travel insurance costs.

For help choosing between policy tiers — and spotting quiet exclusions — read our guide on how to compare travel insurance policies. Ready to buy? See how to buy Saudi Arabia travel insurance online.

5. Corporate vs Individual Policies

There are two routes to a compliant business travel policy, and they behave very differently at claim time.