As multinational organisations across Asia reassess how they manage employee benefit risks, Life & Health captives are increasingly being viewed not merely as cost-funding vehicles, but as strategic tools for people risk and capital management. This shift is particularly evident among professional services (PS) firms and talent-intensive employers, where workforce sustainability, benefit competitiveness and earnings volatility are closely intertwined.
Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), the leading global financial centre in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region, continues to solidify its position as a global (re)insurance hub, with gross written premiums reaching $4.2bn in 2025, an increase of 20% year-on-year.
Sukoon Insurance, one of the biggest insurers in the UAE, has chalked up profit before tax of AED141.7m ($38.6m) in the first quarter of this year, a 24% jump year-on-year, driven by an improved operational performance and a prudent income-focused investment portfolio.
The domestic commercial health insurance industry achieved premium income of CNY399bn ($58.58bn) in the first quarter of 2026, an increase of 5.6% over the corresponding quarter in 2025.
Artificial intelligence is reshaping the new operating paradigm of the insurance industry, especially with the rise of AI agents like 'Lobster'.
Swiss Re reported a net income of $1.5bn and a return on equity (ROE) of 23.6% for the first quarter of 2026, driven by increased contributions from all business units, supported by low natural catastrophe experience and a strong investment contribution.
Life insurer Sun Life Financial reported that its underlying net income reached $1.05bn at the end of the first quarter of 2026. The figure, reported in a 7 May press release, was marginally higher than what was recorded a year earlier. The results came as growth in its protection businesses in Asia, Canada and US supported performance.
A total of PHP60bn ($1.07bn) has been returned to Manila's state health insurer, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), from the nation's treasury.
The overseas businesses of South Korean insurance companies recorded a net income of $197m in 2025, $37.9m higher than the $159.1m recorded a year earlier, according to data released by the Financial Supervisory Service.
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has responded to a Parliamentary question on whether medical insurance contracts should be reviewed to ensure that definitions of surgical procedures keep pace with modern, less invasive medical advances.