Shams free zone insurance requirements
Sharjah Media City's Employment Regulations 2017 require every company or branch to hold health cover for employees, plus third party liability and worker's compensation. No limits are stated, and later amendment is UNKNOWN.
Who runs Shams?
| Fact | Detail | As of |
|---|---|---|
| Emirate | Sharjah | |
| Authority | Sharjah Media City Free Zone Authority4 | |
| Legal basis | Sharjah Emiri Decree No. 11 of 2017, amended by Emiri Decree No. 15 of 20176 | |
| Established | 2017 | |
| Companies | 13,340 limited liability companies and 54 branches | 2021 |
| Area | Over 2 million sq m in Al Messaned, Sharjah | |
| Main sectors | Media and creative industries | |
| Website | www.shams.ae | |
What insurance and guarantees do companies in Shams need?
Third party liability
- If you employ staff in Sharjah Media City Free Zone, you must take out and maintain third party liability or public liability insurance for your business operations, and workmen's compensation insurance covering permanent injury or disability and all related medical expenses under the UAE Labour Law.4
Workmen's compensation
- Your workmen's compensation insurance must cover every employment injury, disability or both, and the related medical expenses, in line with the UAE Labour Law.4
Property all risks
- If you are a company or branch in Sharjah Media City Free Zone, or hold any interest in property there, you must hold and maintain valid insurance for your property, belongings and vehicles on the terms of your licence, lease or occupancy agreement and the zone's regulations.5
Contractors' all risks
- In Sharjah Media City Free Zone, sub-developers, contractors and any other legal or beneficial holders of rights in land under development must hold valid contractor's all risks and third party insurance on terms the free zone authority accepts, and give the authority evidence of it on demand.5
Do you need health insurance for your staff in Shams?
- If you employ staff in Sharjah Media City Free Zone, you must take out and maintain compulsory health insurance for all your employees with a health insurance provider licensed in the UAE.4
The rule for employers across Sharjah is on the Sharjah page.
Shams sets its insurance terms in a 2017 regulation
Reg 21 of the Employment Regulations 2017 sets the insurance terms.1 It is an authority rule, in force from its date of signature, and the exact date is UNKNOWN. The file sits on shams.ae under a path dated 29 April 2025. Check for later amendments.
| Reg | Weight | What it says |
|---|---|---|
| 21.1 | Authority rule | Health cover for all employees, with a company licensed in the UAE. |
| 21.2 | Authority rule | Third party or public liability for business operations, and worker's compensation for permanent injury or disability and related medical expenses under the UAE Labour Law. |
| 21.3 | Authority rule | Worker's compensation includes every employment injury or disability and related medical expenses. |
| 21.4 | Authority rule | A copy of both the liability and the worker's compensation policy is lodged with the Authority on request. |
The liability and worker’s compensation wording is close to Masdar City’s 2026 regulation.2 Unlike Masdar’s text, Reg 21.1 adds a health insurance duty in the same section. Neither states a limit.
Reg 21.1 states the health duty directly, where DIFC’s Art 56 ties health cover to what other law requires. Reg 21.2 has no unit-type exception of the kind DMCC’s guidance gives, and no employee count. The text does not say whether Shams applies it to a licence with no staff or no premises. Ask Shams.
We know of no emirate-level business insurance rule for Sharjah.
Watch
Sharjah Media City - Shams uploads
Sharjah Media City - ShamsOpen channel on YouTube
Summary. Uploads from the channel that shams.ae links. They are not evidence of any free zone insurance term.
Sources
6
1Sharjah Media City Free Zone Authority, Employment Regulations 2017, 2017. Reg 21. Last checked 4 Nov 2026. Source document: Employment Regulations 2017
2Masdar City Free Zone, Employment Regulations, Version 2.0, March 2026. Reg 11. Last checked 4 Nov 2026. Source document: Employment Regulations
3UAE Government portal, Getting a health insurance. Last checked 4 Nov 2026. Source document: Getting a health insurance
4Sharjah Media City Free Zone Authority (Shams), Sharjah Media City Free Zone (Shams) Employment Regulations 2023. Reg 31.1. Last checked 12 Nov 2026. Source document: Sharjah Media City Free Zone (Shams) Employment Regulations 2023
5Sharjah Media City Free Zone Authority (Shams), Shams Real Estate Regulations 2017. Part on Insurance (TOC item 15 Insurance). Last checked 12 Nov 2026. Source document: Shams Real Estate Regulations 2017
6og.shj.ae, Sharjah Media City Free Zone, legal text. Last checked 12 Nov 2026. Source document: Sharjah Media City Free Zone, legal text
- Owner
- Quotes.ae research team
- Last review
- Next review due
- 2 Feb 2027
- Status
- Published