Editorial
Strength in unity for GIC Re
Overcoming testing times
Africa Re reaffirms commitment to region
Cover Story: Pensions - Addressing the long-term costs of GCC state pension schemes
Cover Story: Pensions - The need for attractive employee benefit plans in the GCC
Cover Story: Pensions - Takaful pensions: Time for providers to step up?
Jordan - A silver lining on the horizon
Jordan - Maintaining an edge
Jordan - Leading in consolidation
Jordan - Innovating to face challenges
Cyber Risks - What isn't vulnerable to cyber attacks?
Cyber risks: Have energy companies got it right?
Cyber Risks - Cyber value-at-risk: Measuring the impact of cyber risks
IT in Insurance - Telematics: A global motor insurance phenomenon
London moves to boost takaful
Building blocks of family bancatakaful
Credibility, integrity and resilience
UK Insurance Act: Implications for Middle East insurers
Insurance in Africa: Moving to a new beat
Brokers make their mark at regional congress
The Global Insurance Capital Standard: A major regulatory initiative takes shape
Middle East: 12 of 14 countries face terrorism threats - Aon
Korean Re to grow Middle East presence
GCC to harmonise insurance rules
Bahrain: More focus needed on long-term financial planning - survey
Bahrain: Trust Re's 1Q profits rise by 10%
Kuwait: Al Ahleia Insurance makes offer for Kuwait Re's shares
Lebanon: 44% of households lack medical insurance
Lebanon: Premiums up 6% in 1Q
Oman: AXA Gulf and Bank Muscat ink 10-year bancassurance tie-up
Oman: Premiums rise by 6% to US$315 million in 1Q
Oman: Falcon Insurance to go public
Palestine: Govt and insurance body to work closely on motor
Qatar: Traffic department sets up investigation units in insurers
Syria: Premiums grew by 4% in 2014 despite civil war
Turkey: CAT loss aggregation service launched
Turkey: Call for limits on third-party auto premium rates
UAE: RAKBank buys 79.23% of RAK Insurance
UAE: Regulator acts to boost insurance talent
UAE: Insurance Authority developing services through smart devices
UAE: Number of insurance brokerages down 15% to 136
UAE: Dubai extends health insurance to more citizens
UAE: Rise in motor premiums necessary to cover losses - EIA
UAE: DIFC aims to triple in size by 2024
UAE: Workplace injury insurance being studied
UAE: New India Assurance to open office in DIFC
UAE: Union Insurance launches high-end health insurance scheme
UAE: Arch Reinsurance completes acquisition of Gulf Re
UAE: Galaxy Insurance Brokers wins quality award
UN calls for stronger industry support for climate change agenda
South Korea to provide foreign tourists with free MERS insurance
Africa: Regulators concur on need for technology to increase insurance access
Algeria: Slight dip in premiums in 1Q
DR Congo: Central bank partners with trade insurance agency
Egypt: Life premiums increase by 24% in 1Q, surpassing non-life growth
Ecobank Kenya moves into bancassurance
South Africa: Barclays to buy majority stake in Kenyan insurer
Microinsurance pact signed in Tunisia
Tunisia: STAR seeks to grow regional role and expand offering
Kuwait: First Takaful restructures to deal with losses
Malaysia: Takaful targets 25% market share by 2020
Malaysia: Govt launches education savings plan with takaful coverage
Malaysia: PruBSN ties up with BSN on takaful plan
Al-Takaful Palestinian Insurance extends branch network
Saudi Arabia: Stock market liberalisation to affect mainly big listed firms
UAE: A.M. Best affirms Emirates Retakaful ratings, revises outlook to positive
UAE: Dar Al Takaful waiting for opportune time for rights issue
Global: IFSB Summit reiterates need for cross-border regulatory cooperation
Diary of Events
People on the Move
COUNTRY PROFILE
Severe competition and adverse motor results continue to impede market progress, but the start of what could be a trend towards mergers this year is expected to change the face of Jordan's insurance sector.
TAKAFUL MARKET PROFILE
With the launch of the Islamic Insurance Association of London (IIAL), the city looks ready to play a more active role within the global takaful market and become a viable platform to foster greater understanding and appreciation of...
COVER STORY
Despite the need for Shariah-compliant retirement plans, the market has not developed as quickly as it should. What needs to be done to fulfil the potential?
In an interview with Middle East Insurance Review, GIC Re's outgoing Chairman and Managing Director, Mr A K Roy, speaks of its performance in the region, and the opportunities that abound.
Buy Now
Abu Dhabi National Insurance Company (ADNIC) is aiming to return to profitability through a continued focus on prudent underwriting supported by innovative solutions, says CEO Ahmad Idris.
The change in Africa Re's visual identity comes as the company reaffirms its commitment to the continent's needs in response to global changes, says Mr Corneille Karekezi, Group Managing Director and CEO.
Messrs Simon Herborn of Milliman, Khurram Mirza of Osool and Fahad S Alajlan of GOSI discuss the sustainability of statemanaged pension schemes in the GCC and consider possible ways of reducing longevity exposure and other risks.
GCC governments have taken steps towards creating more efficient retirement savings schemes for expatriates, but more can be done, says Mr Sohail Jaffer of FWU Global Takaful Solutions.
Jordan Insurance Co (JIC) is continuously improving its services to maintain its leading position, says Mr Imad Abdel Khaleq, Managing Director and Member of the Board.
The first merger in Jordan's insurance sector in decades brings together two healthy operators and could signal a trend towards consolidation, says Dr Ali Al Wazani, CEO of First Insurance Co (FIC).
Mr Markus Bassler of PartnerRe looks at cyber risk from a lesspublicised physical property perspective, including example losses from the energy sector, as well as introducing insurance considerations for this important growth market.
Messrs Luke Hacker and Thomas Coombs of Holman Fenwick Willan LLP highlight the importance of a holistic and rigorous approach to cyber risks as they assess the impact of cyber attacks on energy companies.
Cyber value-at-risk provides a starting point for quantifying cyber threats, allowing for more informed decisions about an organisation's risk tolerances. Mr Fadi Mutlak of Deloitte Middle East examines the framework.
Messrs Andrew Dart of CSC and Pravar Gautam of Scope Technologies review a brief history of telematics-enabled usage-based insurance (UBI) programmes, detail the current global trends making UBI a mainstream offering, and discuss how the current...
A successful bancatakaful arrangement has the potential to bind the bank, takaful company and the customer together in a long-term relationship, as long as the entire proposition is made robust, says Mr Jabran Noor of Tajweez Advisory.
These are the qualities that every leader should possess and allow to shine, says Mr Brian Reilly, CEO of Zurich Insurance Middle East and member of the MENA Insurance CEO Club.
Ms Susan Dingwall and Mr Martin Schneider of Norton Rose Fulbright LLP examine the changes under the new UK Insurance Act which will be relevant to Middle East insurers whose reinsurance arrangements are governed by English law.
The 42nd African Insurance Organisation (AIO) Conference and General Assembly in Tunis last May tackled some of the continent's concerns and looked at expanding the industry's role in Africa. With the region's insurance industry increasingly...
An agreement governing dealings between insurers and brokers in Egypt was announced at the 1st Regional Insurance Brokers Congress (RIBC) in Cairo last May. The event also called for improvements in the profession and the regional insurance industry.
The Global Insurance Capital Standard (ICS) is one of the most important regulatory initiatives in global (re)insurance. It will not directly apply to Middle Eastern insurers but will accelerate the emergence of risk-based solvency regimes...