When a UAE organisation appoints a private security provider, it should review insurance evidence alongside—but separately from—regulatory authorisation. A certificate or policy can help show what financial cover may respond to a claim; it does not establish that a company is permitted to provide the contracted security activity. A useful procurement review matches the named insured, covered activities, territory, policy period, limits, exclusions and subcontracting arrangements to the actual contract.
This is a practical buyer’s checklist, not a statement that one particular insurance policy is legally required for every security service in every emirate. Coverage needs depend on the contract and risk profile. For a specific legal interpretation or insurance decision, consult the competent authority, a qualified legal adviser or a licensed insurance professional.
Why insurance evidence is a separate check
The UAE’s Federal Law No. 37 of 2006 concerning private security companies addresses the security-approval and licensing framework for companies providing security services. Separately, the Central Bank of the UAE explains that an insurance policy is the document evidencing an insurance contract, and it regulates and supervises the UAE insurance sector. These documents answer different questions: regulatory permission concerns whether the provider may undertake an activity; insurance wording concerns whether and how an insurer may respond to specified losses.
For Dubai, SIRA’s public information lists a security-activity licence and a separate security-personnel licensing service. That is a Dubai-specific example, not a shortcut for checking requirements elsewhere. Buyers should confirm the relevant authorisation with the competent authority for the service and place of work. In every case, a policy should not be treated as proof of licence, and a licence should not be treated as proof of insurance.
Start with the document set, not the summary page
A short certificate of insurance is useful for screening, but it may summarise rather than reproduce the operative wording. For a material contract, request an insurer- or broker-issued certificate and the relevant policy schedule or endorsements. You do not need a provider’s confidential claims file, customer list, detailed protective plan or personnel records. The aim is to verify the coverage that relates to the service being purchased, while keeping sensitive operational and personal information out of routine procurement circulation.
A practical checklist for UAE buyers
Match the insured to the contracting entity. Compare the legal name on the insurance evidence with the proposed contract and business licence. A parent, affiliate or similarly named company is not automatically the insured party.
Check the policy period and current status. Confirm the effective and expiry dates cover the full service term, including any mobilisation or extension period. For a significant engagement, ask the broker or insurer how to confirm the policy remains in force.
Read the activity and territory wording. Make sure the declared business, service description and geographic scope are not materially narrower than the work being contracted. Do not infer UAE-wide cover from a general label; ask the insurer or broker to clarify where locations or emirates matter.
Identify the relevant kinds of cover. Depending on the service and allocation of responsibilities, ask an insurance professional whether public liability, employers’ liability, professional indemnity, motor or other cover is relevant. These are discussion points, not a universal list of statutory requirements.
Review limits, deductibles and exclusions together. Compare available limits with the contract’s requirements and potential exposure. Read exclusions, conditions and deductibles that could affect the particular activity; a large headline limit is not useful if a key exposure is excluded or subject to a condition the parties cannot meet.
Clarify subcontracting and additional-insured terms. If any work may be subcontracted, establish which entity performs it and what evidence applies. If the contract requires the client or venue to be named or otherwise protected, confirm the exact endorsement with the insurer instead of relying on a verbal assurance.
Record the evidence and follow-up date. Keep the certificate, relevant schedule or endorsement, broker contact and expiry date in the procurement file. Set a reminder before renewal and repeat the check if the contracting entity, service, location or subcontracting model changes.
Translate the check into a clear contract
Insurance review works best when the agreement defines the service, its term, the parties’ responsibilities, required evidence and a process for notifying the client of material changes. Assess the policy against those terms—not against a broad marketing description. If a certificate uses shorthand, request written clarification from the insurer or broker and keep that answer with the version of the contract it concerns.
Keep the review proportionate. A procurement file should generally contain evidence of coverage and the decisions made about it, not detailed security arrangements, routes, schedules or staff data. Limit access to policy documents to people who need them. If an engagement involves several sites, a high-profile event or changing responsibilities, define who rechecks evidence and when.
For the related question of documenting service expectations, see EquiSecure’s guide to security-service agreements in the UAE. Together, a precise scope and a carefully checked insurance record give procurement, legal and risk teams a clearer basis for discussion—without confusing documentation with a guarantee of performance or regulatory approval.
A final decision rule
Before award, be able to answer four plain questions: who is insured, for which activity, in which place and for what period? Then check the limits, exclusions and contract conditions with the right professional. If any answer is unclear, pause for clarification rather than assuming the cover is broader than the document says.
This article is general procurement information, not legal, insurance or security advice, and it does not state that EquiSecure or any other named provider holds a particular policy. EquiSecure’s published focus includes security planning and operational resilience; any engagement scope is confirmed case by case and remains subject to applicable UAE licensing and regulatory requirements.
Authoritative sources
UAE Federal Law No. 37 of 2006 concerning private security companies
Central Bank of the UAE — General FAQ on insurance contracts and policies
SIRA — New Security License service (Dubai)
SIRA — Security Cadre Card service (Dubai)
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