How to Claim ILOE Benefit: Job-Loss Payout in the UAE
If you lose your job involuntarily, ILOE pays 60% of your average basic salary for up to three months, capped at AED 10,000 or AED 20,000 by category. To claim, you must have subscribed for at least 12 consecutive months and file at iloe.ae within 30 days of your termination date. Resignations and disciplinary dismissals are not covered.
- Gather your termination letter and Emirates ID.
- File your claim at iloe.ae within 30 days of termination.
- Check the MOHRE record says “termination”, not “resignation”.
Are you eligible to claim ILOE?
Involuntary Loss of Employment (ILOE) only pays out when a specific set of conditions is met, and most rejected claims fail one of them. Before you file, check that all of the following are true.
- Your job loss was involuntary, redundancy, company liquidation, or termination by the employer. Resignation and disciplinary dismissal do not qualify.
- You have been subscribed for at least 12 consecutive months with premiums paid on time.
- You are legally present in the UAE at the time you submit the claim.
- There is no open absconding complaint against you, it blocks the claim until resolved.
- You file within 30 days of your termination date (or of a labour complaint being settled).
You must also still be a genuine subscriber: if your policy lapsed, the claim fails, so it is worth confirming you are up to date and, if not, you may need to renew your ILOE insurance, although renewing after job loss will not restore a broken 12-month run.
How much ILOE pays you?
ILOE does not replace your full salary. It pays 60% of your average basic salary over the six months before you lost your job, for up to three consecutive months, and never more than the cap for your category.
| Category | Basic monthly salary | Maximum monthly payout | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Category A | AED 16,000 or below | AED 10,000 | 60% of average basic salary, up to this cap |
| Category B | Above AED 16,000 | AED 20,000 | 60% of average basic salary, up to this cap |
As a worked example, if your average basic salary was AED 10,000, ILOE pays 60% of that, AED 6,000 a month, for up to three months, so up to AED 18,000 in total. That figure sits under the Category A cap of AED 10,000 a month, so the full 60% is paid. Across your whole working life in the UAE, total ILOE payments cannot exceed 12 monthly benefits.
How to file your ILOE claim?
The 30-day clock starts on your termination date, so file as soon as you have your paperwork. The claim is submitted online.
- Go to iloe.ae or open the ILOE app and start a claim.
- Log in with your Emirates ID and verify the OTP.
- Upload your supporting documents as PDFs (listed below).
- Submit, and track the status through the app or website.
The documents you will typically need are:
- Termination letter on the employer’s letterhead, showing the date and reason.
- Your Emirates ID, and passport and residence-visa copy for non-nationals.
- Service certificate or salary details, and the last six months of salary slips or bank statements if requested.
- A travel report (entry and exit movement) if ILOE asks for one, to confirm you are in the UAE.
If you may need a travel report, generate it from GDRFA or an Amer centre before your residence visa is cancelled, it is far harder to obtain once your visa is gone.
Why ILOE claims get rejected
Most rejections come down to a handful of avoidable problems. The most common, and most frustrating, is a single wrong word on your cancellation paper. Check these before you file.
| Why claims are rejected | How to avoid it |
|---|---|
| The record shows “resignation”, not “termination” | Check the reason in the MOHRE system and have your employer correct it before you file |
| You resigned or were dismissed for misconduct | Only involuntary job loss qualifies; these are excluded by the scheme |
| An absconding complaint is open against you | Resolve the absconding case first, it blocks any payout |
| Subscribed under 12 months, or premiums lapsed | You need 12 continuous, paid months; a lapse resets the clock |
| Filed after the 30-day deadline | Submit within 30 days of your termination date |
The “resignation” trap catches many people: if your employer recorded the exit as a resignation when it was really a termination, the ILOE system will deny the claim automatically. Fixing the record is an employer action, so raise it early, and if they will not correct a genuine error, you can file a MOHRE complaint. An open absconding case is the other silent blocker, so it is worth running an absconding case check first.
When you will be paid?
Once your claim is approved, the insurer transfers the compensation to your account within about two weeks, and payments then continue monthly for up to three months or until you start a new job, whichever comes first. The review itself can take a few weeks, so the sooner you file with complete documents, the sooner the money arrives. For the wider set of employment tasks around a job change, see our UAE work and labour guide.
Frequently asked questions
How much does ILOE pay if I lose my job?
ILOE pays 60% of your average basic salary from the six months before job loss, for up to three consecutive months. The monthly payout is capped at AED 10,000 for Category A (basic salary up to AED 16,000) and AED 20,000 for Category B. Across your UAE working life, total payments cannot exceed 12 monthly benefits.
How long do I have to claim ILOE after termination?
You must file within 30 days of your termination date, or of a labour complaint being settled. Claims submitted after that window are rejected. File at iloe.ae or in the ILOE app as soon as you have your termination letter, rather than waiting, because gathering documents can take time.
Can I claim ILOE if I resigned?
No. ILOE covers involuntary job loss only, so resignation and dismissal for disciplinary reasons are excluded. A common problem is when an employer records a genuine termination as a resignation in the MOHRE system, which causes an automatic rejection. If that happens, ask your employer to correct the record before you file.
What stops an ILOE claim from being approved?
The main blockers are a resignation or disciplinary record, an open absconding complaint, fewer than 12 months of continuous subscription, lapsed premiums, missing the 30-day deadline, or not being legally present in the UAE. Checking each of these before you file is the best way to avoid losing the benefit.
Last verified: June 2026
Reviewed by: UAEexplained editorial team
Source: ILOE (Dubai Insurance Company); Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE)
