AM Best has released its 2020 Country Risk Assessment Reports, providing economic, political and financial system risk assessments on 137 countries.
The Husson family, founder of the Ascoma group, and Chedid Capital Holding have entered into exclusive negotiations for the sale of Ascoma Assureurs Conseils to the Lebanon-headquartered insurance and financial services group.
Damana, a leading insurer in the GCC, has launched a drive to give motorists across the region access to more competitive insurance premiums and tailored products with the introduction of market-specific portals for brokers.
The Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA) has granted Enzo Insurance Brokerage a licence to operate in the Egyptian market.
One of Morocco’s largest insurers Wafa Assurance has obtained a licence from the Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA) to launch its new life and health insurance unit in Egypt.
The premium income of 24 insurers in Jordan reached JOD358.3m ($505.4m) in the first seven months of 2020, a 2.8% fall compared to the corresponding period in 2019.
The 4 August Beirut port explosion caused between $3.8bn and $4.6bn in damage to physical stock, while losses including changes in economic flows as a result of the decline in the output of the economic sectors are estimated to be in the range of $2.9bn and $3.5bn, according to preliminary estimates arising from a Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA).
Insurance claims arising from the 4 August warehouse explosion at the Port of Beirut have so far reached $425m, according to Caretaker Economy Minister Raoul Nehme.
The PREVAS Group, which is among the top 10 insurance brokers in Morocco, has launched PREVAS ACC, a new entity specialising in credit insurance, to offer Moroccan companies and the local credit insurance market a single point of contact and expertise in protection against the commercial risks of default and insolvency.
Omanis above 60 years of age will have their loan repayment periods rescheduled to their benefit, while borrowers aged 70 and above will still be eligible for health insurance because of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Capital Market Authority (CMA) has announced.
Oman’s Capital Market Authority (CMA) has approved a revised regulation for insurance companies that will allow them to invest up to 30% of their investment portfolio abroad.
The Saudi Shura (Consultative) Council has recommended the General Organization for Social Insurance (GOSI) study various alternatives to facilitate private sector retirees’ access to health insurance.
Healthcare benefits management company GlobeMed Saudi and Saudi Enaya Cooperative Insurance have entered into a TPA agreement that took effect on 1 September 2020 for a period of around three years.
Individual and corporate customers benefiting from private health insurance are predominantly located in Istanbul and Ankara, according to research by Demir Saglik, a life insurance agency.
Insurance companies in the UAE have sufficient financial solvency and liquidity to pay any current or potential compensation or claims resulting from the short-term repercussions of COVID-19, said the UAE Insurance Authority (IA) director general Ibrahim Obaid Al-Zaabi.
Health insurer Daman has collaborated with Microsoft to launch a bilingual health bot that will assist patients to conduct self-assessment on COVID-19 symptoms and guide them to the appropriate level of care.
Global
(Re)insurance markets are set to continue hardening over the next two years or perhaps even a bit longer, according to Munich Re CEO of reinsurance Dr Torsten Jeworrek during a virtual media conference last month.
The rise in digital initiatives for crop insurance and supportive government initiatives such as subsidies drive the growth of the global crop insurance market. US-based Allied Market Research (AMR) said in its latest report that the crop insurance market is expected to grow to $53.02bn globally by 2027, at a 6.1% CAGR.
Following rate improvements in many markets, and particularly in loss-affected segments, Swiss Re expects further rate hardening across all lines of business. At the same time, the reliance on underwriting profits increases in the low interest rate environment.
Aon’s recent reinsurance market outlook report indicated that reinsurance remains an accretive form of capital for insurers in managing volatility even as markets continue to evolve in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Takaful
The Jeddah-headquartered Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and the Kuala Lumpur-based Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB) have signed a Technical Assistance (TA) Grant agreement for the final review of the ‘10-Year Framework and Strategy Project’ for the Islamic financial services industry. The TA is planned to be implemented up to 31 December 2021.
In its annual commentary released in September on the global reinsurance industry, AM Best said retakaful operators have yet to achieve sustained traction in the MENA region, despite ample opportunities.
Algeria will for the first time launch Islamic insurance as the government seeks to boost the country’s Islamic finance industry, reported Reuters quoting the country’s finance minister Ayman Benabderrahmane.
EFG Hermes and GB Auto have announced the completion of their 75% stake acquisition of Tokio Marine Egypt Family Takaful, in a deal worth EGP84.75m.
The guidelines for takaful insurance in Nigeria are overdue for review and reform to make the industry more effective and robust, according to Mr Abdullah Abdulrasaq, a lecturer in the Department of Islamic Banking, Insurance & Finance at the Islamic Finance College, Ilorin Kwara State.