UAE Ranks Among the World's Most Resilient Nations, Zurich Study Finds

New global study by Zurich Insurance Group and Zurich International Life Limited, developed in partnership with Oxford research and development partners, covering more than 11,000 respondents across 16 markets, including 973 in the UAE.

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ME-HR & Learning

10/13/20263 min read

Financial Resilience in the UAE: 2026 Study | Zurich.

Zurich International Life Limited in the Middle East today released the UAE findings of the Personal Resilience Index, a new global study developed in partnership with Oxford Research and Development Partners that surveyed more than 11,000 people across 16 markets, including 973 in the UAE. The country scores 4.25 on the Index, above the 4.11 global average, with confidence, belonging and leadership emerging as the foundation of its resilience.

The study points to a country where resilience is not just an individual trait but is supported by a broader national ecosystem of wellbeing, belonging, and opportunity. The UAE outperforms the global average across all five drivers of resilience, psychological, physical, social, financial, and digital, with physical and social resilience emerging as its strongest areas.

Several findings stand out. 76% of residents say government wellbeing initiatives positively impact their mental health. 79% report a strong sense of belonging, one of the highest levels recorded in the study. 70% believe the next generation is developing the resilience skills it needs for the future. Together, these findings point to a confidence that extends from national leadership to individuals, families, employers and the next generation.

Financial preparedness emerges as the country's clearest opportunity to strengthen resilience further. 16% of UAE residents report they do not have a savings buffer, and income is the sharpest demographic divide in the sample. Middle and higher income workers place greater value on flexible working (41.3%), while lower income workers prioritise job stability and clarity (31.6%). The finding points to the role employers can play in tailoring support to different workforce segments.

Globally, employees with the highest resilience are twice as likely to report good or excellent performance as those with the lowest, underlining the value of the UAE's resilience advantage in the workplace.

Matthew Whitehouse, Head of Corporate Life and Pensions Zurich International Life Limited, said:

Employers are closer to the lives of their people than most institutions and have both responsibility and an incentive to look out for their resilience. The UAE is starting from a great place, and financial preparedness is where employers can turn that resilience into readiness."

The findings align with the UAE's long-standing focus on wellbeing and future readiness, reflected in national initiatives such as the National Strategy for Wellbeing 2031, which places quality of life and community resilience at the heart of the country's development.

The full UAE Resilience Story, including deeper analysis of the UAE findings:

Financial Resilience in the UAE: 2026 Study | Zurich.

About Survey:

The Global People Resilience Study surveyed 11,175 working-age adults across 16 countries, with per-country samples ranging from 499 to 1,110. Respondents were aged 18 to 69 (mean age 38) and the sample was close to gender-balanced at 49% women and 51% men. Markets covered: Australia, Brazil, Chile, Germany, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and United States.

The study’s Personal Resilience Index assesses three dimensions of resilience (beliefs, capabilities and behaviors) and traits, resources, and capacities across five life domains (psychological, physical, social, financial, digital). The framework is informed by more than 130 academic papers and was developed in collaboration with Professor Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, Director of the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford and Oxford Research & Development Partners. The Personal Resilience Index is a proprietary tool owned by Zurich Insurance Group Ltd© 2026.

About Zurich Insurance Group

Zurich Insurance Group (Zurich) is a leading global multi-line insurer founded more than 150 years ago, which has grown into a business serving more than 82 million customers in more than 200 countries and territories, while delivering industry-leading total shareholder returns.

Reflecting its purpose to ‘create a brighter future together,’ Zurich offers protection services that go beyond traditional insurance, to support its customers in building resilience. Since 2020, the Zurich Forest project has been supporting reforestation and biodiversity restoration in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest.

The Group has more than 65,000 employees and is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. Zurich Insurance Group Ltd (ZURN) is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange and has a level I American Depositary Receipt (ZURVY) program, which is traded over-the-counter on OTCQX.

Further information is available at www.zurich.com.

About Zurich International Life Limited

Zurich International Life Limited is a part of Zurich Insurance Group and established in the Isle of Man, where it is licensed by the Isle of Man Financial Services Authority. It has established and registered branches in the UAE, licensed by the Central Bank of the UAE, in Bahrain, licensed by the Central Bank of Bahrain and in Qatar, authorised by the Qatar Financial Centre Regulatory Authority.

In the UAE, it is registered (Registration No. 63) under UAE Federal Law Number 6 of 2007, and its activities in the UAE are governed by such law.

Further information about Zurich International Life is available at www.zurich.ae.