For a typical offshore life policy held by a UAE resident, the policy will normally carry on as before if your adviser leaves. The contract is generally between you and the life company, not the adviser, so your money stays invested, premiums continue to be collected under the existing arrangements, and the provider still holds the policy in your name, subject to its terms. What changes is that you may no longer have anyone servicing it, which is why a few practical steps can help.

Your policy is with the provider, not the adviser

Expat advisers move on often. They change firms, relocate or leave the industry. When that happens, in most cases:

  • Your policy stays in force under its existing terms.
  • Your investments stay in the funds currently selected.
  • Regular premiums continue to be taken unless you change them.
  • The provider continues to send statements and remains responsible for administering your policy.

The adviser's departure does not, on its own, change the value of your plan or your rights under it. You can generally deal with the provider directly at any time.

What can be affected

The practical gaps tend to be:

  • No reviews. Nobody is checking whether your funds or the plan still suit your goals.
  • No one to contact. Questions about valuations, changes or withdrawals go unanswered unless you go to the provider yourself.
  • Out-of-date records. If you have moved or changed email, statements may not reach you.
  • Adviser remuneration. Offshore policies are often expensive and frequently sold with high upfront commission, which is why the value can look lower than what was paid in. Depending on the policy and the original arrangement, some adviser remuneration may still be linked to the policy. Ask the provider whether this is the case for yours.

Sometimes the adviser's firm assigns your policy to a colleague. You are not generally obliged to accept that arrangement if you would prefer someone else.

Steps to take

  1. Contact the provider directly. Confirm your contact details and ask for a current valuation, surrender value and a transaction statement.
  2. Register for online access if you have not already. Many providers show a policy summary, valuation, transaction history and your listed adviser's details online.
  3. Ask who is now listed as your adviser. If it is still the person who left, or someone you do not know, you may be able to change this.
  4. Choose a new adviser if you want one. Many providers have a change of adviser form, and you do not normally need the previous adviser's agreement. The Central Bank of the UAE supervises the insurance sector and licenses insurance brokers onshore, while the DIFC and ADGM have their own regulators, so check that any new adviser is properly authorised.
  5. Keep a record of the correspondence and figures you receive.

For background on how these policies are structured, see our guide to this type of offshore policy.

Worked example

Illustrative example only, not a real client.

Rachel and Ahmed have paid into an offshore savings plan for seven years. Their adviser emails to say he is returning to the UK and a colleague will "look after things". They hear nothing further for a year.

They contact the provider, update their address, register for online access and request current and surrender values in writing. The online service still lists their original adviser. They choose a new adviser, check their authorisation, complete the provider's change of adviser form, and arrange a review. The change of adviser itself does not alter their policy, funds or value; what they gain is someone checking that the plan still fits their plans.

If something goes wrong

If you cannot get a response from the provider or are unhappy with how a request is handled, raise a formal complaint with the provider first. For insurers licensed by the Central Bank of the UAE, Sanadak, the UAE's insurance and banking ombudsman unit, may be able to consider complaints once the company has had the chance to respond. Insurers based outside the UAE set out their own complaints routes in the policy documents.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming the policy has stopped or been frozen because the adviser left.
  • Stopping premiums in frustration without understanding the options.
  • Accepting a new adviser by default without checking their authorisation or what they will do for you.
  • Letting statements go to an old address.

Sources and further reading

If your adviser has left and you are unsure where your policy stands, request a free independent policy review from a regulated financial adviser to understand your figures and options.

Last reviewed: October 2026. Tax year: 2026/27. Jurisdictions covered: UAE, UK. Rates, legislation and guidance change, so recheck before relying on this. Rules can differ between England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland; tax residence is fact-specific; treaty outcomes depend on residence, domicile or nationality provisions; examples are simplified and omit reliefs, costs, exchange rates and anti-avoidance rules. This is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice. Take advice in the relevant country before acting.