Blood Money (Diya) & Death Compensation in the UAE

Understanding Diya & Death Compensation in the UAE

When a death occurs through another’s wrongful act or negligence — most commonly in traffic accidents, workplace incidents, or medical error — the deceased’s family has rights under both Sharia principles incorporated into UAE law and the Civil Code. Diya (blood money) for loss of life is fixed at AED 200,000, and is subject to apportionment where the deceased bore a share of fault. Where the responsible party was driving an insured vehicle, the insurer’s exposure under the compulsory motor cover extends to the Diya within the policy limits.

Diya does not exhaust the family’s rights. Civil compensation for material harm — such as loss of the financial support the deceased provided to dependants — and moral damages for the family’s suffering can run alongside the Diya claim. These matters typically unfold across parallel proceedings: the criminal or traffic case establishing responsibility, the civil claim for compensation, the insurance claim, and estate matters concerning distribution among the heirs. Our team coordinates all of these strands, in English, Arabic, Urdu, and Hindi, so the family is not left to navigate them alone at the most difficult of times.

How ABR Advocates Can Help