UAE Passes Laws Requiring Notaries, Experts, and Translators to Hold Professional Liability Insurance Coverage
In a significant move for professionals in the UAE, new Ministerial Decisions have been issued, mandating that insurance policies for translators, experts, and notaries meet specific requirements. These decisions, numbered 208/2024, 211/2024, and 215/2024, are expected to increase demand for professional liability insurance products tailored to these professions.
The new laws require professional indemnity insurance (PII) policies to cover a wide range of perils beyond negligent practices. This includes protection against defamation, dishonesty, and fraud. The detailed requirements for PII policies specifically for UAE private notaries, experts, and translators, as mandated by these Ministerial Decisions, are not explicitly detailed in available search results.
However, from the broader context available on professional indemnity insurance in the UAE and related regulatory frameworks, it is clear that PII is a mandatory or strongly encouraged coverage for professionals exposed to liabilities arising from professional errors, omissions, or negligence. The policies must cover claims arising from acts, errors, or omissions during the provision of professional services, up to a certain limit specified either by law or regulatory authorities.
The new Ministerial Decisions provide clarity and detail about PII coverage for these professions in the UAE. They mandate minimum coverage amounts, particularly for policies obtained by expert and translation houses. The required policy term is three years, reflecting the term of registration for these professionals on the relevant UAE roll or register.
These mandatory insurance requirements should provide a greater level of protection for affected clients and claimants. Coverage is provided for specific types of cases, including loss, damage, destruction of documents, negligence, breach of duty, dishonesty, fraud, deception, disclosure of information, libel, defamation, and any other compensation adjudged for professional and technical errors.
The new Ministerial Decisions are related to Federal Decree-Law No. 20/2022, 21/2022, and 22/2022, and their Implementing Regulations contained in Cabinet Decision No. 16/2024, 17/2024, and 18/2024. To obtain the detailed requirements of the professional indemnity insurance policies for UAE private notaries, experts, and translators as mandated by these specific 2024 Ministerial Decisions, it is recommended to directly consult the official texts of these decisions published by the competent UAE authorities, UAE government legal databases or gazettes, professional bodies or regulatory agencies overseeing these professions, or licensed insurance providers in the UAE offering professional indemnity coverage tailored for these professions.
In absence of direct legislative excerpts, any attempt to enumerate the specific policy limits, coverage duration, conditions, or claims processes would be speculative. The current references only confirm that professional indemnity insurance is a regulated requirement within the UAE professional context but do not detail the exact regulatory mandates for these professions under the cited decisions.
The new Ministerial Decisions have the potential to impact practices in the UAE for the better, by encouraging risk management measures to reduce claims and insurance premiums.
The new Ministerial Decisions, affecting the UAE's translators, experts, and notaries, extend the scope of professional indemnity insurance (PII) to cover not only negligent practices but also defamation, dishonesty, and fraud. Given the mandated PII coverage, the finance industry and business sector may experience increased demand for tailored insurance products in these professions.
Understanding the specific PII requirements for UAE private notaries, experts, and translators as outlined by Decisions 208/2024, 211/2024, and 215/2024 necessitates consulting official texts, UAE government legal databases, or insurance providers specializing in professional indemnity coverage for these professions. Such information helps professionals prepare for the new industry standards and operate effectively within the modulated risk landscape.
