Private companies in Saudi Arabia must provide medical insurance for their staff and families, including Saudi nationals and expatriates from next month, a report said.

"The insurance coverage must be given to all workers irrespective of the salaries they receive," Saudi Arabia’s Health Insurance Council was reported as saying in Arab News.

However, the rule does not apply to the children of Saudi women married to foreign men, or the foreign wives of Saudis, the report said.

"We are now waiting for the government to provide medical insurance for all Saudis. This will double the market, which is already worth SR25 billion ($6.6 billion," the report quoted an insurance firm executive as saying.

He said the maximum medical insurance coverage amount for a person would be increased from SR250,000 to SR500,000 from July 1.

"This will naturally increase premiums by 25 to 35 per cent," he added.