All insurers define the geographical areas where you may reside for the policy to operate normally. You may find these territorial limits may be different for diferent parts of your policy. For instance you mentioned a life and critical illness policy. This may have different limits for the life cover element, different limits for the critical illness, the terminal illness, the hospital cash benefits etc etc so it really depends on the precise policy you have. There are parts of the Middle East off limits to most insurers. Coupled with where you are now living you may find a change in occupation may also affect cover (e.g. if you are involved in oil rig work etc). From what you say you have found out you are not covered. Ask your insurer if you could have the option of maintaining the policy so you will have cost effective cover when you do return home (do you have a partner / children at home who could still benefit...) and obtain cover to cover yourself in the Middle East from say your new emploer. If you are using your policy against a loan here in ROI that throws up other problems for you if your lender finds the loan is unprotected.