This year's edition of the Middle East Insurance Industry Awards (MIIA) continues to gain traction despite the challenging business and geopolitical environment. It remains clear that companies and individuals are determined to deliver their best and showcase their resilience.
Intense competition for this year’s MIIA has generated a distinguished list of 52 finalists, encompassing insurers, brokers, risk managers, service providers and industry leaders. Each finalist is contending for recognition in their respective category in the 13th edition of these prestigious, much-coveted industry awards for 2026.
This year’s Awards attracted 145 entries from across the region, hoping to win the top honours in 18 categories. The finalists were shortlisted by a panel of 17 judges – comprising CEOs, senior executives, association heads and industry experts – through a remote judging process which will culminate in the final deliberation of winners on 30 September & 1 October.
The Awards aim to encourage higher standards and greater professionalism within the industry. The process is structured with defined criteria and judging requirements to ensure transparency. They recognise the accomplishments of individuals and companies in the insurance sector across the MENA region.
In the first judging round, judges have arrived at a list of finalists by going through the entries received, based on a write-up of around 1,200 words for each candidate. The final round will take place on 30 September and 1 October when the judges will discuss the shortlist of finalists in detail to select the winners by secret ballot. The entire process is audited by EY.
The winners will be announced at the MIIA Gala dinner on 25 November 2026 at Atlantis The Palm, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. This year’s MIIA is special for another noteworthy reason: 2026 marks the 20th anniversary of Middle East Insurance Review (MEIR).
The finalists for the 18 award categories are:
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Life Insurance Company of the Year
- HAYAH Insurance Company
- Sukoon Insurance
- Zurich Middle East
General Insurance Company of the Year
- Emirates Insurance Company
- Gulf Insurance Group (GIG)
- Sukoon Insurance
Health Insurance Company
- Bupa Arabia for Cooperative Insurance Co.
- Cigna Healthcare Middle East and Africa (MEA)
- GIG Gulf
TPA of the Year
- Nas Neuron Health Services
- Nextcare
- Zurich Workplace Solutions
Takaful Company of the Year
- Abu Dhabi National Takaful Company
- GIG Egypt Life Takaful
- Solidarity Bahrain
Managing General Agent of the Year
- Arma Underwriting
- elseco
- Kay International AMEA
Educational & Training Initiative of the Year
- Bahrain Institute for Banking and Finance
- CII Middle East
- Corporate Risk Management Institute – CRMI
Digital Transformation of the Year
- GIG Gulf
- Tawuniya
- Zurich Middle East
InsurTech of the Year
- eData management solutions FZCO
- Shory
- tree (subsidiary of Tawuniya)
Strategic Partner to the Industry
- BADRI Management Consultancy
- Braxtone Group
- Callidus Consulting (DIFC)
Corporate Risk Manager of the Year
- Hina Valsan of Etihad Airways
- Khalid Jumah Alsalem of Real Estate Development Fund (REDF)
- Mani Marwah of Chiyoda Almana Engineering
Broker of the Year
- Chedid Insurance Brokers
- Lockton
- Marsh
Reinsurance Broker of the Year
- Chedid Re
- Guy Carpenter
- Shields Reinsurance Brokers
Life Reinsurance Initiative of the Year
- HDFC International Life and Re
- Mena Re Life General
Reinsurer of the Year
- Markel International Dubai
- Saudi Reinsurance Company (Saudi Re)
Woman Leader of the Year
- Hala Ghutmy of Commercial & General Reinsurance Brokers
- Karine Cherfane of Premium Cyprus Ltd.
- Rita El-Sokhon of Lebanese Association of Actuaries
Young Leader of the Year
- Abdulla AlMarzooqi of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company
- Avinash Babur of InsuranceMarket.ae
- Mohamed Altooblani of Liva Insurance KSA
Insurance Industry Leader of the Year
Winner to be revealed during the awards presentation on 25 November 2026
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For more details, please visit www.meinsurancereview.com/meirawards2026