Editorial
GTG: Accelerating takaful growth
Renewals outlook - Tough competition taking toll on reinsurers
MENA reinsurance market: Performance under pressure
GCC: A favourable market for reinsurance buyers
Lebanon - Getting through tough times
Lebanon - Interview with the regulator: Guiding a growing market
Lebanon - Promoting a dynamic industry
Improving trade outlook for Lebanon
Lebanon - Lessons and reflections of a regulator: Putting Lebanon on the world stage
Political Risk/Violence - Managing terrorism and political violence risk in the new normal
Middle East political risks: Underwriting in a climate of uncertainty
Claims Special - Supply chain claims and the need for risk management
Retakaful Special Feature - Plugging the gap in the takaful chain
Retakaful Special Feature - Tackling the challenges in retakaful through education
Takaful Special Feature - Commitment to the takaful way - can we improve?
Drones: Charting a sustainable flight path
Evolving D&O cover to meet regulatory changes
Jordan: Tackling the motor issue
Building a sustainable microinsurance market
The Economics of Insurance: How Insurers Create Value for Shareholders
MICC to celebrate 5th anniversary with Public Forum
MICC: Two new members bring total to 21
Region swelters under heat wave
10% of insurance claims are fraudulent - SAS
Bahrain: Non-resident Indians help make LIC top insurer
Bahrain: BKIC posts 31% lower profits in 1H
Potential balanced by challenges over Iran's opening - A.M. Best
Jordan: Premiums up 7% to US$281 mln in Jan-April
Jordan: Arab Orient Insurance reports 33% profit growth in 1H
Kuwait: gig records 23% fall in 1H profits
Oman: Premiums rise 9% in 1H
Qatar: QIC Group to set up new holding company
UAE: Almost 50% of all premiums ceded to foreign reinsurers in last 3 years
UAE: Dubai residents' health cover triples to 2.7 mln
UAE: ADNIC records US$81 mln net loss in 1H
UAE: Green Crescent affected by investment losses
UAE: OIC boosts underwriting profit
UAE: RAK Insurance's 1H profits soar over 200%
UAE: BPL Global opens office in DIFC
Global - Catastrophes in 1H create US$37 bln in economic losses
2014 report card on MENA
Algeria: Association launches three-year plan to modernise industry
Algeria: Proposal for auto premiums to be at least doubled
Egypt: Nat CAT scheme may take effect by year-end
Egypt: 7 insurers to pump in fresh capital of more than US$45 mln
Egypt: AXA partners with Commercial International Bank
Kenya: Munich Re provides cover for renewable energy project
Morocco: Regulator cracks down on instalment payments for motor insurance
Morocco: Insurance now mandatory for tertiary students
Nigeria: New Insurance Commissioner appointed
Mitsui Sumitomo sets up new office in South Africa
AIG launches cyber cover in Uganda
GCC: Regulation aggravates cost worries for takaful operators - S&P
Bahrain: Arig eyes full control of Takaful Re
Bahrain: Takaful International and Copart ink agreement on sale of damaged cars
Egypt: Takaful accounted for 13% of insurance market in Jan-May
Kuwait: Wethaq Takaful to sell 60% stake in Egyptian subsidiary
Takaful Malaysia expects 15% growth in 2015
Malaysia: Middle East experts lined up for Takaful Rendezvous 2015
Qatar: Beema offers motor takaful over the phone
Saudi Arabia: Insurers turn in mixed bag of 1H results
UAE: Abu Dhabi National Takaful sees profits rise 19% in 1H
Diary of events
People on the move
COVER STORY
Some of MICC's reinsurance members share their experience of the July renewals and how they are dealing with the prevailing soft market, expected to continue into 2016 as competition stiffens.
COUNTRY PROFILE
On the back of a modest economic performance and ongoing sociopolitical unrest in the region, Lebanon's insurance sector expanded slower in 2014, but players remain upbeat about the outlook.
GLOBAL TAKAFUL
The debate goes on: despite the growing acceptance of retakaful, and bigger capacity for mega risks, there is undue preference for conventional reinsurance. What needs to be done to stem the leakage of contributions?
With the long-term objective of being the official voice of the international takaful sector, the Global Takaful Group (GTG) is continuing its role in accelerating its growth. Mr Firas El Azem, GTG Chairman and General Manager of Takaful Re,...
Buy Now
The impact of lower oil prices on the MENA region's (re)insurance sector is expected to be minimal, but technical performance remains a key concern. Messrs Myles Gould and Mahesh Mistry of A.M. Best assess the sector's performance.
Despite economic uncertainty and over-capacity, the GCC reinsurance sector looks set to expand as many global players still find this region attractive, says Mr Mohammed Ali Londe of Moody's.
Lebanon's insurance sector can grow at least three times its current size, especially with consolidation, says Mrs Nadine El Habbal Assali, recently appointed as Acting Head of Lebanon's Insurance Control Commission (ICC).
Elected as President of the Association of Insurance Companies in Lebanon this year, Mr Max Zaccar will lead efforts to promote and improve the sector. He talks about the challenges and tasks ahead, including a plan to establish an oil & energy...
With political violence (PV) on the rise and becoming the new normal, risk managers and insurance buyers need to be fully alert to the risks and gaps in coverage in standard property damage, business interruption and terrorism insurance, says Mr...
Whether underwriters can get comfortable with the Middle East's increasingly pervasive security threats is a critical question that is already impacting foreign direct investment (FDI). Mr Crispin Hodges and Ms Emma Whiteacre of Beazley assess the...
Most insurance claims made by supply chain service providers can be traced to traffic accidents, collisions, theft, fire and cargo packing says Mr Peregrine Storrs-Fox of the TT Club.
A human capital development programme for Shariah scholars and takaful practitioners will greatly enhance the ability of the industry to handle the challenges in retakaful, says Mr Azman Bin Ismail of IIFIN Consulting.
Certain practices are preventing takaful from reaching its full potential, says Mr Mahomed Akoob of Hannover ReTakaful as he explores ways to raise commitment to the takaful way.
With the drones becoming more popular in sectors ranging from aviation to construction to media, the industry and regulators need to rise to the challenge to ensure their safe and sustainable use.
Ms Susan Dingwall and Mr Martin Schneider of Norton Rose Fulbright LLP look at the increasing regulatory focus on individuals, and the implications for D&O insurance and financial centres in the Gulf.
Jordan's insurance sector has been suffering over the past 15 years with regards to motor third-party liability (MTPL), said players at an industry event in Amman recently.
Regulatory intervention, suitable technology and consumer education are the three key enabling factors for the sustainable development of a microinsurance market, said attendees at a seminar in Tunis. Mr Michele Grosso of Democrance sums up the...
Original by John Hancock, Paul Huber and Pablo Koch (Zurich: Swiss Re Publishing, 2001) Translated to Arabic by Tayseer Treky and Misbah Kamal (Beirut: Muntada al Maref, 2015)
The MENA insurance industry delivered another solid performance in 2014 amid a difficult market environment, with the UAE and Saudi Arabia surpassing Iran to become the second and third-largest markets, respectively, in the region. Furthermore, life...