JEDDAH: Insurance companies would be exempt from providing people visiting Saudi Arabia with medical cover for terrorism related incidents, riots, strikes, and nuclear accidents.

This is according to the Council of Cooperative Health Insurance (CCHI), which also stated that companies would not have to pay for the shipment of the body of the deceased in such incidents to his or her home country.

The CCHI, the regulatory body overseeing the medical insurance industry, recently released a document outlining cover that should be provided for all people visiting the country, a local publication reported.

The CCHI also stated that insurance firms need not provide cover for acts of foreign aggression (declared or not), radioactive contamination from nuclear fuel or waste, and injuries from a person's participation in armed acts or police operations.

Also not covered is injury due to epidemics, accidents, chemical or biological reactions, and work or occupational injuries. Under the regulations, each person is insured up to SR100,000 for the duration of the visit.

The value of the hospital stay is equivalent to the maximum benefit. Daily accommodation and subsistence for the patient is set at SR600 per day in a ward with other patients, including the cost of the bed, nursing services, visits and medical supervision. Excluded from this amount is the cost of medicines and medical supplies ordered by the doctor.

For individuals accompanying patients, the accommodation and subsistence benefit is set at SR150 per day. Benefits for emergency childbirth is set at SR5,000 during the policy period, while the approved cost of travel with one family member is set at a maximum of SR5,000 during the policy period.

The maximum benefit for dental treatment is SR500 during the policy period, while benefits for premature childbirth and treatment, traffic injuries, emergency dialysis, and medical evacuation inside and outside the Kingdom is set at the maximum benefit of SR100,000.