ILOE insurance is the UAE’s mandatory unemployment insurance scheme. If you lose your job for a reason other than resignation or misconduct, it pays you part of your basic salary for up to three months while you look for new work. Most private-sector employees must subscribe, and the premium costs as little as AED 5 a month.
Many people only think about ILOE when a fine appears or a job ends suddenly. This guide explains who must join, what it costs, how to check your status and fines, and how to claim unemployment insurance in the UAE step by step. It also shows which websites are official, because several look-alike sites rank for the same searches.
ILOE insurance at a glance
| Full name | Involuntary Loss of Employment (ILOE) insurance |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | Federal Decree-Law No. 13 of 2022 and Cabinet Resolution No. 97 of 2022 |
| Who must join | Private-sector and federal government employees, with some exemptions |
| Who pays | The employee |
| Monthly premium | AED 5 or AED 10, plus VAT, depending on basic salary |
| Benefit | 60% of your average basic salary, capped at AED 10,000 or AED 20,000 a month |
| How long it pays | Up to 3 months per claim, and 12 months in total over your UAE working life |
| Claim deadline | Within 30 days of your employment ending |
| Insurer | Dubai Insurance Company, as manager of the ILOE insurance pool |
| Helpline | 600 599 555 |
Who must subscribe to ILOE insurance, and who is exempt
Under Federal Decree-Law No. 13 of 2022, subscription is mandatory for employees in the private sector and the federal government. The duty sits with you, not your employer, and so do any fines for missing it. Some companies choose to pay the premium for their staff, but they have no legal obligation to do so.
The law exempts five groups:
- investors who own the business they work in
- domestic workers
- workers on temporary contracts
- anyone under 18
- retirees who receive a pension and have taken a new job
Free-zone, semi-government and local-government employees sit outside the mandatory scope. MoHRE told The National in October 2023 that these employees may join voluntarily. If you work in a free zone, check with your free-zone authority before you assume ILOE applies to you.
ILOE insurance categories, premiums and benefits
Your category depends on your basic salary, not your total package. Housing, transport and other allowances do not count.
| Category A | Category B | |
|---|---|---|
| Basic salary | AED 16,000 or less | More than AED 16,000 |
| Premium | AED 5 a month + VAT | AED 10 a month + VAT |
| Maximum benefit | AED 10,000 a month | AED 20,000 a month |
| Benefit rate | 60% of average basic salary | 60% of average basic salary |
| Benefit period | Up to 3 months per claim | Up to 3 months per claim |
You can pay monthly, quarterly, every six months or yearly, and policies run for one or two years. ILOE adds the full VAT amount to your first payment. According to the ILOE policy terms, the benefit uses your average basic salary over the six months before you lost your job.
Example: Sara earns a basic salary of AED 8,000 a month, so she falls in Category A and pays AED 5 plus VAT each month. If her employer ends her contract after two years of continuous cover, she can claim 60% of her average basic salary, which comes to AED 4,800 a month, for up to three months.
The 12-month lifetime limit matters too. Once you use a full three-month claim, you need another 12 consecutive months of subscription before you can claim again.
How to subscribe to ILOE insurance
You need your Emirates ID or Unified Number and a valid UAE mobile number. Two channels are free:
- The ILOE portal: go to iloe.ae and select “Subscribe/Renew”. The button takes you to diniloe.ae, the official transaction portal run by Dubai Insurance.
- The ILOE app on Google Play or the App Store.
Through the portal, you choose your sector, enter your details and the SMS verification code, pick a payment schedule and pay online.
You can also subscribe through business service centres (Tasheel and Tawjeeh), kiosks and ATMs, Al Ansari Exchange, some banking apps, the BOTIM app or SMS. To use SMS, send “ID” followed by a space and your Emirates ID number to 2120. These other channels add a service charge, so the portal or app is the cheaper choice.
If the portal cannot find your details, private-sector employees should raise a support ticket with MoHRE through its website or app, or call 600590000. Federal government employees should contact their HR department.
How to check your ILOE insurance status and certificate
Your insurance certificate shows your policy details and expiry date. To view it, follow the steps on the official ILOE FAQ:
- Open the ILOE portal from iloe.ae, or open the ILOE app.
- Choose your sector.
- Enter your Emirates ID and mobile number, then request a one-time password (OTP).
- Select View Policy Details to see or download your certificate, or View Statement to see what you owe.
Check your status once a year, and again whenever you change jobs. A lapse you do not notice can cost you a fine and reset your eligibility for a claim.
How to renew ILOE insurance, and what happens when you change jobs
You renew through the same “Subscribe/Renew” option on iloe.ae, the ILOE app or the paid channels. Your policy continues for as long as you work in the UAE and keep paying. The deadline that matters is this one: you have 90 days after each due date to pay.
If a payment stays unpaid for more than 90 days, ILOE cancels your certificate. You then face a fine and must buy a new policy. The gap also breaks your continuous cover, and a claim needs 12 consecutive months with no interruption longer than three months.
A new job does not mean a new policy, because the cover follows you rather than your employer. The National reported in June 2025 that you should update your details on the ILOE portal and pay any difference if your new basic salary moves you into another category.
ILOE fines and how MoHRE collects them
Article 8 of Cabinet Resolution No. 97 of 2022 sets two fines:
- AED 400 for not subscribing
- AED 200 for leaving premiums unpaid for more than three months
The UAE Government portal currently lists AED 400 for non-payment as well. Because the sources disagree, check the exact amount you owe on MoHRE’s ILOE Quick Pay before you pay.
Unpaid fines do not simply sit on your record. The same article allows MoHRE to deduct them from your salary account registered under the Wage Protection System (WPS), or from your end-of-service gratuity. MoHRE also said in December 2023 that workers with unpaid ILOE fines cannot get a new work permit until they clear them.
How to check and pay an ILOE fine
You check and pay ILOE fines with MoHRE, not on iloe.ae. Use MoHRE’s ILOE Quick Pay service or the MoHRE app.
- Open ILOE Quick Pay on the MoHRE eServices website or in the MoHRE app.
- Choose one search option: Emirates ID, Unified Number, labour card number or person code. The service does not search by ILOE policy number.
- Enter the number and answer the security question.
- Review any fine shown, then pay online by card.
Gulf News has reported that you can pay a fine in instalments, and that you can request an exemption through ILOE Quick Pay with supporting documents, with a response within 15 working days. MoHRE’s service page does not describe either option, so confirm them in the MoHRE app or on 600590000 before you rely on them.
Who can claim ILOE insurance
You must meet every one of these conditions, set out in Cabinet Resolution No. 97 of 2022 and the ILOE policy terms:
- at least 12 consecutive months of subscription, with no gap longer than three months
- all premiums paid on your chosen schedule
- you lost your job for a reason other than resignation
- your employer did not dismiss you for disciplinary reasons
- you file within 30 days of your employment ending
- no absconding (work abandonment) complaint stands against you
- the claim involves no fraud, and your employer is a real business
- you did not lose your job through an illegal strike
- you are legally present in the UAE
Resignation disqualifies a claim
Article 9 of the Cabinet Resolution requires proof that you are unemployed “for any reason other than” your resignation. If you are thinking of leaving voluntarily, read our guide to resignation in the UAE and weigh the lost ILOE cover in your decision.
Check the reason your employer records
For private-sector workers, the claim portal fills in the reason and date your job ended from MoHRE’s records. If your employer records the cancellation as a resignation when it was a termination, the portal will show the wrong reason. Khaleej Times reported in June 2024 that insurers rejected claims in exactly this situation.
So before you sign any cancellation paperwork, ask HR which reason they will register with MoHRE, and keep your termination letter. Our guide to termination of employment in the UAE explains what else you are owed when your employer ends your contract.
How to claim ILOE insurance, step by step
You can claim through the ILOE portal, the ILOE app or the call centre on 600 599 555. The official claims guideline sets out these steps for the portal:
- Go to iloe.ae and select “Submit your claim”. The link opens the diniloe.ae portal.
- Sign in with your Emirates ID or Unified Number, mobile number and date of birth, then enter the OTP.
- Select Claim Submission and confirm your contact details.
- Check the reason and date shown for the end of your employment. If either is wrong, add remarks and upload supporting documents such as your termination letter.
- Choose how you want to receive the money: bank transfer or exchange house.
- For a bank transfer, enter your bank name, IBAN, account number and account holder name. The system cannot verify your IBAN, so double-check it.
- Submit the claim. ILOE sends updates to your registered email.
Federal government employees, and employees whose records do not sit with MoHRE, select the reason and last working day themselves and upload documents. The guideline lists your Emirates ID, passport and visa, employment contract, termination or resignation letter, residency cancellation, bank statement, any active labour complaint, an entry and exit report, and other supporting documents. All uploads together must stay under 5 MB.
When ILOE pays, and when payments stop
The insurer must pay within two weeks of receiving a complete claim that meets the conditions. Payments stop if you start a new job during the benefit period.
If you disagree with a decision, complain to the insurer first at Claims@iloe.ae. It must respond within five working days. After that, you can take the complaint to the Central Bank of the UAE.
If your job loss is part of a labour dispute, the ILOE policy terms also allow a claim within 30 days of the settlement of a complaint referred to court. For how to file that complaint, see our guide to checking your labour contract and filing a MoHRE complaint.
Leaving the UAE: ILOE insurance refunds and claims
The ILOE policy terms say that if ILOE cancels your certificate, “no part of the paid Insurance Premium will be refunded”. If you plan to prepay for one or two years, keep that in mind.
You must be legally present in the UAE to receive compensation. If you have lost your job and plan to leave, file your claim within the 30-day window and before you cancel your residency or travel. Neither iloe.ae nor MoHRE publishes a self-service cancellation procedure for people leaving the country, so call ILOE on 600 599 555 to confirm what happens to your policy.
Official ILOE insurance websites and contacts
Searches for ILOE fines and renewals also return unofficial websites with similar names. Some of them rank above genuine guides. Only use these official addresses:
| Task | Official channel |
|---|---|
| Scheme information, subscribe, renew, claim | iloe.ae (links to the diniloe.ae portal) and the ILOE app |
| Check and pay fines | ILOE Quick Pay on eservices.mohre.gov.ae, or the MoHRE app |
| ILOE helpline | 600 599 555 or iloehelp@iloe.ae |
| Claims queries | Claims@iloe.ae |
| MoHRE call centre | 600590000 |
Never pay an ILOE fine or premium through a link in an unexpected message, and never share an OTP with anyone who calls you. If a website that is not iloe.ae, diniloe.ae or mohre.gov.ae asks for card details, close it. Our guide on how to verify a UAE job offer and employer covers the wider warning signs of recruitment scams.
Frequently asked questions
Is ILOE insurance mandatory in the UAE?
Yes, for private-sector and federal government employees, unless you fall into an exempt group such as domestic workers or business owners. Free-zone and local-government employees may join voluntarily.
How much is the ILOE fine?
The Cabinet Resolution sets AED 400 for not subscribing and AED 200 for premiums unpaid for more than three months. The UAE Government portal lists AED 400 for both, so check your exact amount on ILOE Quick Pay.
Can I claim ILOE insurance if I resign?
No. A claim requires proof that you lost your job for a reason other than resignation. Dismissal for disciplinary reasons also disqualifies you.
How many days do I have to claim ILOE?
You must claim within 30 days of your employment ending. If your case went to court as a labour complaint, the policy terms allow 30 days from its settlement.
How much will ILOE pay me?
ILOE pays 60% of your average basic salary over your last six months, up to AED 10,000 a month in Category A or AED 20,000 in Category B, for a maximum of three months per claim.
What is the grace period for ILOE renewal?
You have 90 days after a payment’s due date. After that, ILOE cancels your certificate, a fine applies and you must subscribe again with a new policy.
Does my employer pay for ILOE insurance?
Not by law. The employee must subscribe and pay. Some employers pay the premium as a benefit, so ask HR, but check your certificate yourself either way.
Protect your safety net before you need it
ILOE insurance costs a few dirhams a month, but it only helps if your cover is continuous and your records are accurate when a job ends. Check your certificate today, set a reminder for your next payment, and make sure MoHRE records the right reason if your employment ends.
If you are between jobs or planning a move, browse the latest jobs in UAE or submit your CV so employers can find you.
This guide provides general information, not legal or insurance advice. We checked it in September 2026 against Federal Decree-Law No. 13 of 2022, Cabinet Resolution No. 97 of 2022, iloe.ae and MoHRE. Fees, procedures and channels can change, so confirm current details on iloe.ae or by calling 600 599 555.
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