Car insurance is an absolute must in Dubai and will only be considered for registration once you have insurance cover from a recognised insurance provider. By law, third party liability coverage is the minimum level of car insurance necessary of all vehicles driven in Dubai. Third party liability only covers the owner's liability in respect to death and injury, or damage to property of the third parties.
Consider the amount of travel you are likely to do. If you like to off-road every now and then or travel to Oman occasionally, it might be wise to include insurance cover at an additional premium for such travels as well. Remember that it is much harder to get comprehensive insurance for cars that are over a certain number of years; seven in the case of RSA.
Most insurance providers in the UAE, like RSA, can arrange for your policy online or through the call centre. In order to obtain car insurance, you are required to submit your passport copy and visa page, UAE driving license, eye test results, vehicles registration details and a proof of no claims if available. By law, insurance policies are valid for 13 months, covering the one month grace period the Traffic Police allow after the registration expires.
In order to make a claim, you are required to provide a police report to your insurance provider. The police report is in two parts, a pink and a green form. The pink form is given to the person at fault while the green form is handed to the innocent party. Without these papers, your insurance provider may not process your claim. Remember that any insurance claims will only result in a higher premium when you renew you insurance.
Drive safely. No accidents means no claims which in turn means lower premiums.