Does your car insurance cover you in Oman and the GCC?

The standard UAE policy stops at the border. Damage to your own car abroad needs a rider. Liability to other people in Arab countries needs an Orange Card.

Updated 6 Nov 20266 min read

The unified policy is the standard wording UAE insurers must use.¹ It has two forms, Loss and Damage for your own car and Third Party for other people. Neither form mentions Oman, the GCC or the Orange Card.²^,³

A rider is an add-on to your policy. An Orange Card is a third party insurance card that insurers issue and sell.⁴

Steps on the Oman side are not confirmed by an Omani authority.

What do you need for a road trip to Oman?

Ask your insurer about both kinds of cover before you leave the UAE. Table 1 lists each step and what is known about it.

Table 1.Road trip steps, and what is known about each one.

Step	Where	What is known
1. Ask your insurer whether your Schedule carries an own-damage extension for Oman	UAE	The Loss and Damage policy excludes loss outside the UAE unless a rider is issued
2. Ask your insurer for an Orange Card, for third party cover	UAE	Third party cover reaches Arab countries only under the Orange Card. Sukoon says before entry. GIG Gulf says by portal download
3. If you are a resident, get a tourism certificate for the car	UAE	RTA requires it on Dubai plates, after an NOC from the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE. AED 120 for a light vehicle, valid 6 months. Citizens going to GCC countries do not need it
4. Hold the card at the Oman land border	Oman	ADNIC calls the card required for UAE vehicles travelling to Arab countries. Not confirmed by an Omani authority
5. Buy cover at Hatta or another crossing	Border	Policybazaar lists a border kiosk selling third party cover only. Not confirmed by an Omani authority
6. Show other documents at the border	Oman	Policybazaar lists seven, including your passport, Mulkiya and tourism certificate. Not confirmed by an Omani authority

Aash Dream Voyage, an independent channel, published this video on documents for the drive from Dubai to Oman in November 2025. Anything in it about Oman is not confirmed by an Omani authority.

Documents needed to travel to Oman from Dubai, UAE by road, Full guidelines
Aash Dream Voyage10 Nov 2025Watch on YouTube
Summary. Listed by title and channel only. This site has not watched this video and makes no claim about what it says. Independent channel, not an Omani or UAE authority.

How much does an Orange Card cost?

Ask your insurer what it charges for the card. The fee on the UAE side is not known. ADNIC’s fleet table shows an additional premium on two plans and no charge on the third.⁵

The OMR 1 in Omani news is a charge on Omani policies. Oman’s Financial Services Authority told insurers working in Oman to charge OMR 1, down from OMR 2, for adding the card to a vehicle policy from 1 January 2026.⁶ The Omani bureau describes the card as sold to Omani vehicles leaving Oman.⁷^,⁸ Times of Oman reported the cut as a saving for residents and citizens of Oman driving to the UAE.⁹ eSanad’s 2026 guide applies OMR 1 to drivers leaving the UAE.¹⁰ The Omani sources do not say that.

Does your policy cover you outside the UAE?

Not under the standard wording. The Loss and Damage policy covers damage “in the UAE”. It excludes loss outside the policy territory “unless a rider is issued”.³ The Third Party policy “does not apply outside the State” and excludes accidents outside the State.²

A third party policy may be extended to Arab countries only under the Orange Card.¹¹

Table 2.The two routes out of the UAE.

Cover	How it extends
Damage to your own car	A rider to the Loss and Damage policy
Liability to other people	The Orange Card, for Arab countries

Toyota Land Cruiser, Land Cruiser GXR 4.0L, Kuwait range page. Length 5,115 mm, wheelbase 2,850 mm, height 1,920 mm. Numbers mark where each cover question attaches. They say nothing about what any policy covers. Stylised drawing from cited dimensions, not a manufacturer image.

Mohammed Naser AlSayer & Sons (official Toyota Kuwait distributor), read 2026-11-04. Figures from a Kuwait source, not a UAE page.

What does the Orange Card cover?

Third party liability. The General Arab Insurance Federation (GAIF) describes cover for accidents caused by the insured car in the country you visit.⁴ LexisNexis’s summary of an Oman Observer report of 22 January 2026 also describes third party civil liability cover.¹² Neither source lists cover for your own car. Step 1 in Table 1 deals with that.

Which countries does the Orange Card reach?

In the GCC, the UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait. Saudi Arabia is not on the list.

GAIF’s website lists 18 countries in the 1975 Tunis agreement. It lists 15 that also joined the agreement between unified bureaus: Jordan, UAE, Bahrain, Tunisia, Algeria, Syria, Iraq, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Egypt and Morocco. Palestine and Morocco have not started issuing cards.¹³ That leaves 13 countries, our count.

The Omani bureau, quoted by Atheer, says 14 and adds Yemen.⁸ The two lists differ. Ask your insurer which countries your card covers.

Does the Orange Card work in Saudi Arabia?

No. GAIF’s 2022 slides name Saudi Arabia among countries that signed the 1975 agreement but did not join the card.⁴ Saudi Arabia runs its own system. Manafith sells the mandatory third party policy for non-Saudi vehicles entering or crossing the country.¹⁴ ADNIC’s fleet table leaves Saudi Arabia out of both GCC extensions.⁵

Manafith is third party cover. For damage to your own car in Saudi Arabia, ask your insurer whether any rider reaches it.

What changes on 1 January 2027?

Cabinet Resolution 174 of 2026 sets a federal rule on taking a car out of the UAE. The “now” column below is RTA’s, for Dubai plates. If your car has other plates, ask your licensing authority.¹⁵^,¹⁶

Table 3.Taking your car out of the UAE, now and from 1 January 2027.

Your question	Now, RTA for Dubai plates	From 1 January 2027, Cabinet Resolution 174
Who needs a tourism certificate	Residents. Citizens going to GCC countries do not	Anyone leaving the UAE with a vehicle. Citizens going to GCC countries are exempt
What you need first	NOC from the Automobile and Touring Club, a mortgage release or bank NOC if the car is financed, and fines paid	A valid vehicle licence and a customs carnet
How long it lasts	6 months	As long as the vehicle licence, for one trip only
Your car is abroad when the licence is due	Ask your licensing authority	Renew on time with proof it has been abroad for over 3 months. Inspect it there if possible and insure it in the UAE

The resolution does not say how a GCC trip by a resident will work at the border. Ask your licensing authority before you travel in 2027.

Does Oman’s new flood cover protect your UAE car?

No. Oman added automatic natural disaster cover to its own third party policy in 2026, and that addendum excludes vehicles with non-Omani plates.¹⁷ The UAE Loss and Damage policy excludes natural disasters.³ Ask your insurer whether your Oman rider treats flood damage differently.

What if you have an accident in Oman?

Call the police, get a report and tell your insurer. The Omani Unified Bureau for the Orange Card says it receives compensation claims from holders of the card on Arab vehicles, where the claim is complete with its conditions and documents, and carries out the settlement.¹⁸ It publishes no step-by-step guidance for a visiting driver. Ask your insurer before you leave how a claim on your card is made in Oman, and save its claims number.

What does your insurer offer for Oman and the GCC?

It depends on your insurer and plan. These three examples are not a comparison of value.

Sukoon’s Geographical Expansion applies only if it is on your Schedule. Own damage extends to Oman and Qatar. Third party extends only if Sukoon issued an Orange Card before entry, on request.¹⁹
GIG Gulf ticks Oman Cover on its Prestige and Perfect plans and lists it as optional on Third Party, with a note that it is valid only when the Oman extension is selected. GCC cover is optional on Prestige and Perfect, and No on Third Party. Its FAQ says you can download an Orange Card from the MyGIG Car portal.²⁰
ADNIC’s fleet table lists Oman own damage plus third party, with the third party part by Orange Card. Its GCC extensions exclude Saudi Arabia and carry an additional premium.⁵

All three insurers are on the Central Bank’s September 2026 register.²¹ Check your Schedule for an Oman or GCC line.

The small print

Clauses. Loss and Damage, Chapter Four 08.³ Third Party, Chapter One 02 and Chapter Four 1.² Both unified policies are the version consolidated 18 January 2021.
Decision 25 of 2016. This is the instrument that issues both policies. It adds a rule they do not repeat. Article 3 requires insurers to comply with ratified international agreements and names the Orange Card treaty. The same article applies this to non-UAE vehicles entering or crossing the UAE.¹¹
Visiting vehicles. From 1 January 2027, Cabinet Resolution 174 of 2026 Art 103(2) treats a visiting vehicle as meeting the UAE insurance requirement in any of three cases: a policy covering accidents in the UAE, the unified document issued under the Arab agreement, or insurance taken at the point of entry.¹⁶
How the card works. GAIF describes the card as an arrangement between authorities and insurance associations to indemnify road accident victims abroad. The agreement was signed in Tunisia on 26 April 1975. GAIF supervises the card through a committee. Unified bureaux in member countries distribute cards to insurers, which must be GAIF members. GAIF’s 2022 slides list a UAE unified bureau, and give 2023 as the planned date of full transition to an electronic card.⁴
Two Central Bank descriptions. The brochure describes the Orange Card as third party cover under the law of the country of the accident. Its list of Loss and Damage exclusions also says driving outside the policy area is excluded unless a rider is issued, in the words “an Orange Card”. The policy itself says only a rider.²²^,³
Table 1. Steps as of 6 November 2026. Step 1 rests on the Loss and Damage policy, Chapter Four 08. Step 2 rests on Decision 25 of 2016, Article 3, Sukoon’s wording and GIG Gulf’s FAQ. Step 3 is the RTA service page.¹⁵ Steps 4 to 6 quote ADNIC and Policybazaar.⁵²³
Table 3. The 2027 column is Cabinet Resolution 174 of 2026, Art 80 and Art 116 (our translation of the Arabic). “Customs carnet” translates daftar muroor jumruki.¹⁶ RTA charges AED 120 for a light vehicle, AED 100 plus AED 20 for knowledge and innovation.¹⁵
Oman’s addendum. Decision 1 of 2026 of Oman’s Financial Services Authority also sets a limit of RO 5,000 per vehicle. It applies to Omani policies.¹⁷
Insurers. Sukoon is Sukoon Insurance PJSC. Geographical Expansion is additional benefit 3.6 in its motor wording, print code 11/2024.¹⁹ GIG Gulf is Gulf Insurance Group (Gulf) B.S.C (c).

What the policy wording says

Document by document

What each document says about cover outside the UAE

Document	Own damage abroad	Third party liability abroad	Orange Card
Decision 25 of 2016	Not stated in the documents¹¹	Conditional¹¹Extension to Arab countries only under the Orange Card. Article 3.	Explicitly included¹¹Insurers must comply with the treaty. Article 3.
GIG Gulf car insurance page, as of 4 November 2026	Conditional²⁰Oman Cover ticked on Prestige and Perfect, valid only when the Oman extension is selected. GCC cover optional on both.	Conditional²⁰Oman Cover optional on Third Party. GCC cover No.	Conditional²⁰The FAQ says a customer can download the card from the MyGIG Car portal.
Sukoon motor wording, print code 11/2024	Conditional¹⁹Benefit 3.6, only if on the Schedule. Extends to Oman and Qatar.	Conditional¹⁹Only if an Orange Card was issued by Sukoon before entry, on request.	Conditional¹⁹Issued on request, before entry.
Unified Loss and Damage policy	Conditional³Excluded unless a rider is issued. Chapter Four 08.	Not stated in the documents³	Not stated in the documents³
Unified Third Party policy	Not stated in the documents²	Explicitly excluded²Chapter One 02 and Chapter Four 1.	Not stated in the documents²

Not stated in the documents does not mean the cover is absent. It means the reviewed document is silent.

Clause by clause

Question and reading	Status	Source	Effective	Last checked
Where does the Loss and Damage policy apply?⁠³Damage in the UAE. Loss outside the policy territory is excluded unless a rider is issued.	Conditional	Recital, Chapter Four 08Unified policy (CBUAE Rulebook), Unified Motor Vehicle Insurance Policy Against Loss and Damagev2 consolidated 2021-01-18	1 Jan 2017	4 Nov 2026
Does the Third Party policy apply outside the UAE?⁠² does not apply outside the State	Explicitly excluded	Chapter One 02Unified policy (CBUAE Rulebook), Unified Motor Vehicle Insurance Policy Against Third Party Liabilityv2 consolidated 2021-01-18	1 Jan 2017	4 Nov 2026
Does the Third Party policy exclude accidents abroad?⁠²Accidents outside the borders of the UAE are excluded.	Explicitly excluded	Chapter Four 1Unified policy (CBUAE Rulebook), Unified Motor Vehicle Insurance Policy Against Third Party Liabilityv2 consolidated 2021-01-18	1 Jan 2017	4 Nov 2026
How can a third party policy be extended to Arab countries?⁠¹¹Only under the Orange Card. Insurers must comply with ratified international agreements, including the Orange Card treaty.	Conditional	Article 3Insurance Authority decision (CBUAE Rulebook), Insurance Authority Decision 25 of 2016v2 consolidated 2021-01-18	1 Jan 2017	4 Nov 2026
How does Sukoon's wording treat Oman?⁠¹⁹Geographical Expansion applies only if on the Schedule. Own damage extends to Oman and Qatar. Third party extends only if Sukoon issued an Orange Card before entry, on request.	Conditional	Additional benefit 3.6Sukoon, Motor comprehensive terms and conditionsPrint code 11/2024		4 Nov 2026
How does GIG Gulf's page treat Oman and the GCC?⁠²⁰Oman Cover ticked on Prestige and Perfect, optional on Third Party, with a note that it is valid only when the Oman extension is selected. GCC cover optional on Prestige and Perfect, No on Third Party.	Conditional	Plan comparison tableGIG Gulf, Car insurance product page		4 Nov 2026

Readings are paraphrased unless set as a quotation.

How to read a status

Explicitly included: The policy document says this is covered.
Conditional: The policy document covers this only under stated conditions.
Explicitly excluded: The policy document says this is not covered.
Not stated in the documents: The policy documents do not mention this. This does not mean it is not covered.
Not yet verified: We do not have a document for this yet.

Sources

1Central Bank of the UAE Rulebook, Insurance Authority Board of Directors' Decision No. (25) of 2016 Pertinent to Regulation of the Unified Motor Vehicle Insurance Policies, v2 consolidated 2021-01-18. Article 2. Effective 1 Jan 2017. Last checked 4 Nov 2026. Source document: Insurance Authority Board of Directors' Decision No. (25) of 2016 Pertinent to Regulation of the Unified Motor Vehicle Insurance Policies

2Central Bank of the UAE Rulebook, The Unified Motor Vehicle Insurance Policy Against Third Party Liability, v2 consolidated 2021-01-18. Effective 1 Jan 2017. Last checked 4 Nov 2026. Source document: The Unified Motor Vehicle Insurance Policy Against Third Party Liability

3Central Bank of the UAE Rulebook, The Unified Motor Vehicle Insurance Policy Against Loss and Damage, v2 consolidated 2021-01-18. Effective 1 Jan 2017. Last checked 4 Nov 2026. Source document: The Unified Motor Vehicle Insurance Policy Against Loss and Damage

4General Arab Insurance Federation, at UNECE, The orange card, part of the international motor insurance card system. Last checked 4 Nov 2026. Source document: The orange card, part of the international motor insurance card system

5ADNIC, Motor fleet insurance page. Last checked 6 Nov 2026. Source document: Motor fleet insurance page

6Al Sawt, Arabic report that the Financial Services Authority cut the Orange Card fee to one rial from 1 January 2026. Last checked 6 Nov 2026. Source document: Arabic report that the Financial Services Authority cut the Orange Card fee to one rial from 1 January 2026

7Omani Unified Bureau for the Orange Card, Definition of the Orange Card. Last checked 6 Nov 2026. Source document: Definition of the Orange Card

8Atheer, Arabic report on the Orange Card, quoting the Omani Unified Bureau website. Last checked 6 Nov 2026. Source document: Arabic report on the Orange Card, quoting the Omani Unified Bureau website

9Times of Oman, Driving to UAE just got cheaper; Oman slashes Orange Card fees. Last checked 4 Nov 2026. Source document: Driving to UAE just got cheaper; Oman slashes Orange Card fees

10eSanad, Oman Orange Card Rules, UAE to Oman Eid Al Fitr 2026 Guide. Last checked 6 Nov 2026. Source document: Oman Orange Card Rules, UAE to Oman Eid Al Fitr 2026 Guide

11Central Bank of the UAE Rulebook, Insurance Authority Board of Directors' Decision No. (25) of 2016 Pertinent to Regulation of the Unified Motor Vehicle Insurance Policies, v2 consolidated 2021-01-18. Article 3. Effective 1 Jan 2017. Last checked 4 Nov 2026. Source document: Insurance Authority Board of Directors' Decision No. (25) of 2016 Pertinent to Regulation of the Unified Motor Vehicle Insurance Policies

12Lexis Middle East, Oman: Mandatory Orange Card Insurance Fee Reduced for Cross-Border Vehicles. Last checked 4 Nov 2026. Source document: Oman: Mandatory Orange Card Insurance Fee Reduced for Cross-Border Vehicles

13General Arab Insurance Federation, The Arab Orange Card, current status of the agreements. Last checked 6 Nov 2026. Source document: The Arab Orange Card, current status of the agreements

14Manafith, About Manafith. Last checked 6 Nov 2026. Source document: About Manafith

15Roads and Transport Authority, Tourism Certificates service page. Last checked 6 Nov 2026. Source document: Tourism Certificates service page

16UAE Legislation portal, Cabinet Resolution 174 of 2026. Effective 1 Jan 2027. Last checked 4 Nov 2026. Source document: Cabinet Resolution 174 of 2026

17Financial Services Authority, Oman, FSA approves automatic natural disaster coverage for third party motor insurance. Last checked 6 Nov 2026. Source document: FSA approves automatic natural disaster coverage for third party motor insurance

18Omani Unified Bureau for the Orange Card, Our commitment to cardholders. Last checked 6 Nov 2026. Source document: Our commitment to cardholders

19Sukoon Insurance PJSC, Motor comprehensive terms and conditions, Print code 11/2024. Last checked 4 Nov 2026. Source document: Motor comprehensive terms and conditions

20GIG Gulf, Car insurance product page. Last checked 4 Nov 2026. Source document: Car insurance product page

21Central Bank of the UAE, CB Register September of 2026. Last checked 4 Nov 2026. Source document: CB Register September of 2026

22Central Bank of the UAE, Fundamental concepts of motor vehicle insurance in the UAE, Know your insurance rights. Last checked 6 Nov 2026. Source document: Fundamental concepts of motor vehicle insurance in the UAE, Know your insurance rights

23Policybazaar UAE, Driving to Oman or Saudi Arabia, which car insurance and border documents do you really need?. Last checked 6 Nov 2026. Source document: Driving to Oman or Saudi Arabia, which car insurance and border documents do you really need?

Owner: Carinsurance.ae research team
Last review: 6 Nov 2026
Next review due: 4 Feb 2027
Status: Published

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