Salama insurance UAE: products, claims and Shariah credentials

Who are Salama?

Salama’s full legal name is Islamic Arab Insurance Company. It was incorporated in the UAE in 1979, making it the country’s longest-established takaful operator by date of founding. The company is listed on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) and had a paid-up capital of AED 1.21 billion as of June 2026 (source: salama.ae, verified Jun 2026).

The operator serves more than 450,000 participants across its lines. It is licensed by the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE), which regulates all insurance and takaful operators in the country. Check cbuae.gov.ae for the current licensed insurers register before making any decision based on this profile; licence status can change.

Source data for this profile: salama.ae and the CBUAE licensed insurers register, verified June 2026 by InsureCompare.ae.

Lines of cover

Salama writes across five main lines, split between general takaful and family takaful structures.

Motor (general takaful): Salama offers motor takaful covering both comprehensive cover and third-party liability (TPL). All vehicles registered in the UAE must carry at minimum a TPL policy under the unified motor policy framework regulated by the CBUAE. For a full breakdown of what comprehensive cover includes versus TPL, see comprehensive car cover.

Health (general takaful): individual and group health takaful plans. Health plans are structured to meet the mandatory health insurance requirements set by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) for Dubai residents and the Department of Health (DoH) for Abu Dhabi residents. Verify that any specific plan meets the current minimum benefit package at the time of purchase.

Life and savings (family takaful): the takaful equivalent of term life and savings-linked life plans. Family takaful provides a benefit to participants’ families on death or specified events, using the cooperative fund model. For a broader comparison of family takaful options in the UAE, see the family takaful comparison.

Travel (general takaful): travel cover structured as general takaful for individuals and groups travelling from the UAE.

Commercial lines: Salama also writes commercial insurance for business clients. Specific commercial product details are available at salama.ae.

The takaful model: how it works at Salama

The defining difference between Salama and a conventional insurer is structural. In a conventional policy, your payment (the premium) goes to the insurer’s revenue; the insurer bears the risk and profits from the difference between premiums collected and claims paid. In takaful, participants pay a contribution into a shared cooperative fund. Claims are paid from that fund, not from the operator’s own capital.

Salama charges a Wakalah fee for managing the fund. This fee covers administration and operations. The takaful fund itself belongs to the participants collectively, not to Salama’s shareholders.

At the end of a defined period, if the participant fund has a surplus after claims, Wakalah fees and reserves are deducted, Salama may distribute a portion of that surplus back to participants. The distribution, if any, is at the operator’s discretion and depends on the fund’s performance. There is no guarantee of a surplus return in any given year.

Salama operates a Shariah supervisory board. The board’s role, as described by the company, is to oversee the fund structure and certify compliance with Islamic finance principles. This includes prohibitions on interest income within the fund and restrictions on investment in sectors considered impermissible under Shariah. These are Salama’s own stated operating principles; InsureCompare.ae does not make independent Shariah determinations.

For a plain-language explanation of how takaful differs from conventional insurance, see takaful insurance explained.

Claims process

Motor claims: report the incident to the police first. A police report is required for all motor claims in the UAE. Submit the claim to Salama via their customer service channels or the salama.ae portal, along with the police report, your Emirates ID, vehicle registration and any other documents specified in your plan certificate. The CBUAE sets regulatory timeframes within which insurers must acknowledge, assess and settle or reject claims; Salama is required to operate within those timeframes. For the current claim submission steps, contact Salama directly at salama.ae.

Health claims (in-network): present your takaful card at an in-network provider. Direct billing handles the claim between the provider and Salama’s health fund. You pay any co-payment or deductible specified in your plan at the point of service.

Health claims (out-of-network): pay the provider directly, then submit receipts and medical reports to Salama for reimbursement. Submit within the deadline stated in your plan certificate. Late submissions are a common ground for reimbursement denial. Keep all original receipts and records.

Pre-authorisation: planned procedures and treatments above a cost threshold typically require pre-authorisation before you attend. Check your plan certificate for which procedures need this step. Proceeding without required pre-authorisation is a recognised ground for claim denial under most health takaful plans.

Family takaful claims: the beneficiary contacts Salama directly to begin the claim. The submission will typically require the participant’s death certificate, identity documents and supporting evidence as specified in the plan. Use the contact routes at salama.ae or speak with the broker who arranged the plan.

Disputes and escalation: raise any unresolved dispute first with Salama’s internal complaints team. If the outcome is unsatisfactory, file a formal complaint with the CBUAE Insurance Consumer Protection function. Verify the current submission route at cbuae.gov.ae.

Who suits Salama?

Salama is worth considering for:

Individuals and families who want Shariah-compliant cover across multiple lines from a single established operator, covering motor, health, life and travel
Buyers who value operator longevity: Salama’s 1979 founding date makes it the UAE’s oldest takaful operator in our verified comparison data
Those seeking a DFM-listed operator with substantial paid-up capital (AED 1.21 billion, verified June 2026) as one indicator of financial standing; for a current financial rating, check with the company or a licensed rating agency directly
Dubai residents needing DHA-compliant health cover and Abu Dhabi residents needing DoH-compliant cover, subject to verifying the specific plan at the time of purchase
Employers and SMEs seeking group health takaful or motor fleet cover under a takaful structure

For buyers who are comparing takaful operators specifically, it is worth reading profiles of other licensed UAE takaful operators alongside this one. See the Takaful Emarat and Watania Takaful profiles for comparison.

Salama is not the only option for takaful motor cover. If price is the deciding factor for motor takaful, run the comparison on InsureCompare.ae’s quote tool to see contribution rates from multiple operators side by side.

Frequently asked questions

Is Salama a conventional insurer or a takaful operator?

Salama is a takaful operator, not a conventional insurer. It operates under an Islamic cooperative structure where participants contribute to a shared fund rather than paying premiums to an insurer’s shareholders. The company describes itself as operating under Shariah principles with a Shariah supervisory board.

What lines of cover does Salama offer in the UAE?

Salama’s product range covers motor (general takaful), health (general takaful), life and savings (family takaful), travel and commercial lines. Cover is available to both individuals and corporate clients. The specific products available in each line are confirmed at salama.ae.

How old is Salama and is it financially stable?

Salama was founded in 1979, making it the UAE’s longest-established takaful operator. It is listed on the Dubai Financial Market and has a paid-up capital of AED 1.21 billion, verified June 2026. For current financial ratings, check directly with the company or licensed rating agencies.

How do I make a claim with Salama?

Claims are reported directly to Salama via their customer service channels or the salama.ae portal. For motor claims, a police report is required in the UAE. Salama’s claims process follows CBUAE requirements: the insurer must acknowledge a claim within a set period and settle or reject within the regulatory timeframe. For the current process, contact Salama directly.

What does “contribution” mean in Salama’s context?

In takaful, the amount you pay to the operator is called a contribution, not a premium. The contribution goes into a shared participant fund rather than to the insurer’s own revenue. Salama uses this terminology in line with the takaful structure. The difference is structural, not just semantic: surplus in the participant fund may be distributed back to participants at the operator’s discretion.

Can I compare Salama contributions alongside conventional insurance premiums?

Yes, for comparison purposes. When comparing motor or health cover costs, Salama’s contribution rates can be compared directly against conventional insurer premiums for equivalent cover. The structural difference (takaful vs conventional) does not change the comparison process for most buyers. Use InsureCompare.ae’s quote tool for side-by-side results.