From Editor-in-Chief
Risk management seen as top priority for regulators
Risk Management: A call to raise ERM awareness in the MENA region
Risk Management: The value of embedding capital models
MEIF: Technology to take centrestage at 11th MEIF
Growing despite challenges
Moving the industry forward
Life and health in positive mode
Bahrain National Holding: Maintaining the leading edge
Al Ahlia Insurance: A legacy in a competitive market
Health: Forging healthy partnerships
Health: Making client relations a priority in health insurance
Life prospects in the GCC
The route to success in bancassurance
Intense competition persists in MENA reinsurance markets
Raising retention in the Middle East
Review & Outlook: MENA insurance markets: An evolving landscape
Review & Outlook: Managing 21st century risk exposures in MENA
Bahrain: Leading takaful
MENA: "Galvanised extremism" highlighted as a risk this year
Most GCC insurers can absorb effect of oil price plunge - A.M. Best
GCC drivers urged to know their limits on car insurance
QBE opens trade credit lines in MENA region
Algeria: Insurers review auto premium rates
Egypt: GAIF Chairman named insurance personality in survey
Egypt: MetLife Alico partners with ALEXBANK
Jordan: Storm over blizzard claims
Jordan: Majority support early retirement
Morocco: Flood repair bill exceeds US$103 mln
Oman: ONIC and OMINVEST explore possible merger
Qatar: Motor insurers linked to unified traffic system
Qatar: QIC sets up EU subsidiary in Malta
Turkey: Nat CAT cited as top risk for businesses
UAE: Premiums grow 12% to US$9 bln in 2014
UAE: Insurers face tough battle for business graduates
UAE: Ironshore acquires Dubai-based Vision Underwriting Agency
UAE: MetLife, Emirates Money in preferred partnership accord
Global Nat CAT losses hit five-year low in 2014 - Aon
Bahrain: t'azur signs pact with finance company
Brunei: Takaful dominating insurance sector - OBG
Malaysia: Great Eastern inks deal with Bank Muamalat
Malaysia: Takaful and conventional insurers join efforts to help flood victims
Oman: MSM removes 4 companies from Shariah index
Pakistan: More conventional players seek to enter takaful sphere
Pakistan: Pak Kuwait Takaful signs agreement with Meezan Bank
Saudi Arabia: Medical insurance now a must for dependents' residence permits
Saudi Arabia: Call for independent supervisor for motor sector
Somalia opens first takaful entity in over 20 years
UAE: Dar Al Takaful joins online cargo insurance platform
UAE: Al Hilal Takaful partners with Social Solidarity Fund
UAE: Takaful Emarat to double capital to US$55 mln
Islamic finance to grow 19% to US$2.5 tln in 2015
A.M. Best affirms A- ratings of ACR ReTakaful Holdings and its subsidiaries
Diary of events
People on the move
COVER STORY
A survey of the MENA Insurance CEO Club (MICC), the think tank of the region's insurance industry, found that most members believe that improving risk management practices should be the topmost priority for regulators, while regulatory change is seen as the main challenge facing the MENA market. We present the key findings of the poll.
COUNTRY PROFILE
Upheld by strong fundamentals, Bahrain's insurance sector has continued to grow through the years, but the slump in oil prices could cast dark clouds on near-term prospects.
MARKET UPDATE
With the growing role of health insurers and third-party administrators (TPAs) in region, we look at what is needed for both to maintain a sustainable and symbiotic relationship as the market evolves.
Buy Now
A survey of the MENA Insurance CEO Club (MICC), the think tank of the region's insurance industry, found that most members believe that improving risk management practices should be the topmost priority for regulators, while regulatory change is...
Enterprise risk management (ERM) is becoming more established in the MENA region, but awareness is still not where it could or should be, says Mr Bernd Horsch of Munich Re.
Capital modelling, when used across the organisation, can empower business users to make more informed decisions, says Mr Hatim Maskawala of Badri Management Consultancy.
The Middle East Insurance Forum (MEIF) meets again this month to discuss ways of unlocking growth opportunities in the regional insurance markets. As leaders convene in Bahrain, we look at how MEIF2015 will look different from previous Forums.
The Central Bank of Bahrain is continuing to drive the insurance and takaful industry forward with new and enhanced rules and initiatives covering various areas in the coming years says Mr Abdul Rahman Al Baker, Executive Director of Financial...
The long-term outlook for life and medical insurance is positive in Bahrain, says Mr Robert Grey of Bahrain National Life Assurance (bnl) in his assessment of the industry's experience against a backdrop of global trends.
Customer centricity is one of the most difficult aspects of business, but getting it right is vital for success, says Ms Nada Majdalani of Neuron.
Mr Marcus Gent of Friends Provident International (FPI) provides an overview of the life market's performance internationally and the potential in the Gulf region.
Messrs Mahesh Mistry and Myles Gould of A.M. Best explore the challenges and risk landscape facing both established players and newer entrants in the regional reinsurance markets.
The solution to low retention levels in the region may lie with large dominant reinsurers which have the muscle to push for change, says Mr Rainer Lehner of Asia Capital Re.
Mr Sanjay Jain of EY reviews trends in the MENA insurance markets and highlights the need for insurers to remain adaptive to the changes that may take place in the year ahead.
Mr Suki Basi of Russell Group looks at the specialty insurance exposures created by the growth in MENA infrastructure projects and the need for scalable and integrated analytics and actuarial modelling capabilities.
Dr Hatim El-Tahir of Deloitte & Touche briefly examines the current takaful landscape which Bahrain leads as well as the key emerging trends and challenges in the industry, drawing analysis from recent developments in the GCC and elsewhere in the...
The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has a galvanising effect on extremist groups and individuals worldwide that will be difficult to undo, according to JLT Credit, Political and Security Risks. It has highlighted such "galvanised extremism"...
Most insurers rated by A.M. Best that are domiciled in the Middle East are adequately capitalised and well-positioned to absorb the impact that lower oil prices will have on the insurance sector, including lower-than-expected growth in premiums and...
GCC motorists who do not "read the small print" on their motor insurance contracts to ensure they have sufficient coverage levels for their needs or risk serious financial consequences, said Nexus Group, a leading insurance broker in the region.
A total of 258 separate global natural disasters occurred in 2014, causing a combined total insured loss of US$39 billion, 38% below the 10-year average of $63 billion and the lowest annual insured loss total since 2009, according to a report by Aon...
t'azur has signed an agreement with Bahrain Financing Company (BFC), a Shariah-compliant firm, to provide comprehensive and third-party insurance services for vehicles, property, travel and tourism and other personal insurance products at BFC...
Brunei's financial system is transitioning to one in which takaful and Islamic banking are the dominant forms of insurance and banking, said a report by research consultancy Oxford Business Group (OBG).
Great Eastern Takaful has signed a distribution agreement with Bank Muamalat Malaysia, enabling the former to tap into the bank's customer base of 700,000.
The Islamic finance industry is set for major growth in 2015, growing by nearly 19% to US$2.5 trillion from $2.1 trillion in 2014, said AlHuda Centre of Islamic Banking and Economics (CIBE).
A.M. Best has affirmed the financial strength rating of A- (Excellent) and the issuer credit rating of "a-" of ACR ReTakaful Berhad (ACR ReTakaful) (Malaysia) and ACR ReTakaful MEA B.S.C. (c) (ACR ReTakaful MEA) (Bahrain). A.M. Best has also...