Article 17 of the Saudi Cooperative Health Insurance Law
المادة 17 من نظام الضمان الصحي التعاوني
Cooperative health insurance is applied through qualified Saudi cooperative insurance companies operating on the cooperative insurance model, in accordance with Resolution No. (51) of the Council of Senior Scholars.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يتم تطبيق الضمان الصحي التعاوني عن طريق شركات تأمين تعاونية سعودية مؤهلة، تعمل بأسلوب التأمين التعاوني على غِرار ما تقوم بِه الشركة الوطنية للتأمين التعاوني ، ووِفقاً لما ورد في قرار هيئة كِبار العُلماء رقم (51) وتاريخ 4 / 4 / 1397 هـ.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 17 explained in plain English
This article specifies the entities through which cooperative health insurance is carried out, which are qualified Saudi cooperative insurance companies. The text sets three descriptions for these companies:
- They must be Saudi cooperative insurance companies.
- They must be qualified.
- They must operate on the cooperative insurance model, like what the National Company for Cooperative Insurance does, and in accordance with Resolution No. (51) of the Council of Senior Scholars dated 4/4/1397 AH.
This provision explains why the Law is described as "cooperative": the insurance intended is insurance on a cooperative model. The article did not explain the content of the Council of Senior Scholars' resolution or the details of the cooperative insurance model, but referred to it.
The practical meaning for the employer and the resident is that the health insurance policy is obtained from one of these qualified companies, not from just any insurer.
This article comes after Article 16, which makes monitoring the quality assurance of the health services provided to beneficiaries the responsibility of the Ministry of Health, and before Article 18, which requires the Minister of Health to issue the Implementing Regulations of the Law within a maximum of one year from its issuance.
Anyone with a dispute with an insurance company about its obligations would do well to consult a lawyer who specializes in health insurance cases.
Practical example
An establishment owner in Riyadh wants to obtain health insurance policies for his resident workers. He must deal with a qualified Saudi cooperative insurance company operating on the cooperative insurance model, as this article provides.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 17 of the Saudi Cooperative Health Insurance Law
Where do I get health insurance for workers?
Cooperative health insurance is applied through qualified Saudi cooperative insurance companies.
Why is health insurance called cooperative?
Because the article requires the companies to operate on the cooperative insurance model in accordance with Resolution No. (51) of the Council of Senior Scholars dated 4/4/1397 AH.
Can I insure with a foreign company?
The article refers to qualified Saudi cooperative insurance companies.
More articles on Health Insurance Policy Coverage
- Article 7
The article lists the basic health services a cooperative health insurance policy covers, from examinations and medicines to hospital stays, childbirth, surgery and dental treatment.
تُغطي وثيقة الضمان الصحي التعاوني الخدمات الصحية الأساسية الآتية : أ - الكشف الطبي والعلاج في العيادات، والأدوية. ب - الإجراءات الوقائية مِثل: التطعيمات، ورعاية
- Article 8
The employer may expand cooperative health insurance services through additional appendices at additional cost to include diagnostic and treatment services beyond those in Article 7.
يجوز لصاحِب العمل توسيع مجال خدمات الضمان الصحي التعاوني ،بموجب ملاحِق إضافية، وبتكلِفة إضافية لتشمل خدمات تشخيصية وعلاجية أُخرى أكثر مِّما نُص عليه في المادة ا
- Article 9
The arrangement of preventive health measures, such as tests and vaccines, for those covered by the insurance in the period before the policy is issued is made by decision of the Minister of Health.
يتم ترتيب ما يتعلق بالإجراءات الوقائية الصحية التي يخضع لها المشمولون بالضمان بما في ذلك الفحوصات واللُّقاحات في المُدة التي تسبِق إصدار وثيقة الضمان الصحي التع
- Article 11
Government health facilities may, when needed, provide the services covered by a policy to its holder for a fee borne by the health insurance body, with the Council determining the facilities and the fee.
أ - يجوز عند الحاجة تقديم الخدمات الصحية المشمولة في وثيقة الضمان الصحي التعاوني لحامِلها مِن قِبل المرافِق الصحية الحُكومية، وذلك بمُقابِل مالي تتحملُه جهة الض
- Article 16
The Ministry of Health monitors the quality assurance of the health services provided to cooperative health insurance beneficiaries.
تتولى وزارة الصحة مُراقبة ضمان جودة ما يُقدم مِن خدمات صحية للمُستفيدين مِن الضمان الصحي التعاوني.
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.