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Jan 2023

News


MENA

MENA: More consolidation expected as regulatory regime tightens

More consolidation and M&A activity is expected in the regional insurance industry as regulators continue to tighten their supervision regimes particularly around capitalisation and solvency requirements, according to PwC Middle East.
 


MENA: GlobeMed tops TPA companies' rankings in the region

For the fourth consecutive year, GlobeMed claimed the top spot in the latest TPA Companies Rankings in the MENA region.
 


Algeria: CAAR to launch cyber insurance products

Compagnie Algerienne d’Assurance et de Reassurance (CAAR) said that it is currently working on the launch of new services in the fight against cyber risks as the use of technology increases among businesses in the country.
 


Algeria: Insurance sector predicted to grow by 10% this year

The turnover of the Algerian insurance sector is forecast to increase by approximately 10% with the resumption of the importation of new and used vehicles.
 


Morocco: Regulator says insurance law revision is progressing

Work on a project to amend the insurance code is progressing, according to the Insurance and Social Security Supervisory Authority (ACAPS) acting president Othman Khalil El Alamy.
 


Morocco: Market premiums grow nearly 8% to $4bn in 9M2022

Overall premiums recorded by insurance and reinsurance companies (excluding exclusive reinsurers) in Morocco increased by 7.7%, y-o-y to reach MAD42.35bn ($4bn) in the first nine months of 2022.
 


Oman: QIC's subsidiary agrees to merge with local insurer

Qatar Insurance Company (QIC) has announced that its majority-owned subsidiary in Oman has entered into a binding merger agreement with Muscat Stock Exchange-listed insurer Vision Insurance.
 


Saudi Arabia: Saudi Enaya and United Insurance explore merger

Saudi Enaya Cooperative Insurance (Saudi Enaya) and United Cooperative Assurance (UCA) have announced the signing of a non-binding MoU to evaluate a potential merger.
 


Turkiye: Insurers present scenarios for insurance market

The Insurance Association of Turkiye (TSB) has revealed that if the insurance penetration rate in the country was to rise from 2.2% to 3.2%, the insurance market would grow by 45% in terms of premiums and this growth will result in an increase of 3.5ppt increase or TRY197.8bn ($10.6bn) in Turkiye’s GDP.
 


Turkiye: Traffic insurance losses mount in first nine months

The insurance sector posted total profits of TRY6.115bn ($328.2m) in the third quarter of the year, according to the Insurance Association of Turkiye.
 


UAE: Central Bank tightens supervision of insurers' funds with intermediaries

The Central Bank of the UAE has called on insurance agents, insurance brokers and health insurance management companies to maintain suspense accounts for each insurance company.
 


UAE: Health insurers increase deductibles in medical policies

Several insurers in the UAE have increased the deductibles in medical insurance policies in a bid to cut down health insurance abuse.
 


Global

Global: Hurricane Ian drives Nat CAT insured losses to $115bn

Hurricane Ian and other extreme weather events such as the winter storms in Europe, flooding in Australia and South Africa as well as hailstorms in France and in the US have resulted in an estimated $115bn of Nat CAT insured losses in 2022, according to SRI.
 


Global: Rising interest rates will make life insurers increasingly attractive targets for M&A

Against a backdrop of rising global economic challenges and geopolitical uncertainty, 2022 saw interest rates rise globally from 2020 lows, said Clyde & Co in a recent commentary by partner Dean Carrigan and special counsel Johann Spies.
 


Global: Aircraft lessors sue insurers for $8bn over trapped Russian 'planes

Aircraft leasing firms are suing dozens of insurers for around $8bn in a string of lawsuits over the loss of hundreds of aircraft stuck in Russia since president Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, according to Reuters.
 


UK: Insurance and energy bill rises boost business credit use

New research from the UK’s insurance premium finance company, Premium Credit, showed that more than two out of five SMEs have seen insurance bills rise in the past year, adding to the financial pressures they are battling.
 


Takaful

Egypt: Misr Takaful Insurance-Hayat receives licence

Egypt’s Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA) has granted Misr Takaful Insurance (Hayat) a licence to carry out business in the country.
 


Jordan: Al-Manara receives regulatory approval to sell takaful products

Al-Manara Islamic Insurance Company (Al-Manara) has obtained the approval of the Central Bank of Jordan to issue and market takaful documents starting January 2023.
 


Jordan: Insurance federation signs cooperation pact with international takaful body

The Jordan Insurance Federation (JIF) and the Khartoum-headquartered International Federation of Takaful and Islamic Insurance Companies (IFTI) signed a cooperation agreement last November to exchange expertise and achieve common goals.
 


Indonesia: Shariah Insurance Association launches family takaful blueprint

The Indonesian Shariah Insurance Association (AASI) has launched its Shariah Life Insurance Blueprint, which is a strategic planning document to advance the family takaful market as one of the pillars of the nation’s economy.
 


Morocco: Majority of participatory bank borrowers have acquired mortgage takaful plans

Around three quarters of participatory bank borrowers have purchased takaful to cover mortgages that they took out since takaful plans were launched in the market in July, according to banking sources.
 


Pakistan: Takaful operator inks bancatakaful pact with microfinance bank

Pak-Qatar Family Takaful and U Microfinance Bank (U Bank) have signed a landmark bancatakaful agreement.
 


Qatar: Beema to become public shareholding company and launch IPO

Shareholders of Damaan Islamic Insurance Company (Beema) have voted to convert the company from a Qatari private shareholding company into a Qatari public shareholding company.
 


UAE: SALAMA and French broker APRIL Group form partnership

Islamic Arab Insurance Company (SALAMA) and APRIL Group last month announced a new partnership to offer innovative international health insurance solutions to UAE consumers.