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Sep 2026

News


MENA

GCC: Population size estimated at over 62m in 2025

The total population of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries is estimated at 62.8m in 2025, with an average annual growth of 3.5%, according to the GCC Statistical Centre (GCC-Stat). GCC states accounted for around 0.8% of the world’s population.
 


Middle East: AXA XL posts US$115m loss in 1H2026 for the region

AXA XL, the P&C and specialty risk division of Paris-headquartered AXA Group, has reported a EUR100m ($115.4m) loss related to the Middle East for the first half of this year.
 


MEA & India: Insurance rates fall across all lines in 2Q2026

Composite insurance rates in the second quarter of this year decreased 16% in India, Middle East, and Africa (IMEA) region, the biggest fall across all regions analysed, according to Marsh, the global leading insurance broker.
 


Egypt: Qatari-controlled bank to establish non-life insurer

QNB Egypt Bank, a subsidiary of the Qatari-owned commercial bank, QNB, plans to establish a property insurance company, in a move aimed at completing the group’s non-banking financial services system.
 


Jordan: Insurance Federation builds digital platform for motor underwriting

The Jordan Insurance Federation (JIF) is working to establish a comprehensive digital platform to assist insurance companies in underwriting and compensation processes.
 


Kuwait Re maintains profitability through robust reserving and disciplined risk selection

Kuwait Reinsurance Company has demonstrated a track record of strong operating performance, evidenced by a return-on-equity ratio that has been consistently in the double digits over the past five years (2020-2025), peaking in 2025 at 19.9%, noted AM Best.
 


Morocco: Insurance industry records strong 21.4% rise in net income in 2025

The Moroccan insurance industry posted a combined net income of MAD5.3bn ($566m) in 2025, which represents a jump of 21.4% over 2024, as the sector benefitted from the strong performance of the financial market, according to the 2025 Annual Financial Stability Report.
 


Morocco: Competition Council advocates motor insurance pricing reform

The Moroccan motor insurance market is facing scrutiny as it is marked by pricing that is practically the same from one insurance company to another, despite an apparently liberalised competitive framework and the number of insurers operating in the market.
 


Oman: Insurance market reports topline expansion but softer profits in 1H2026

The first half of 2026 reflected a resilient yet more measured performance for Oman’s listed insurance sector, as strong topline growth was offset by softer profitability amid a normalisation of earnings, said BADRI Management Consultancy, an international actuarial and risk management firm.
 


Oman Re reports 49% growth in 1H net profit to US$8.6m

Oman Re, the Sultanate of Oman’s sole reinsurer, has announced its financial results for the six months ended 30 June 2026, which reflect improved technical performance, disciplined underwriting and continued progress in executing its strategic priorities.
 


Qatar: Central bank highlights strong 2025 profitability in insurance sector

Profitability in the insurance industry in Qatar remained strong and sustainable in 2025, according to the Qatar Central Bank (QCB) in its annual Financial Stability Report. 
 


Saudi Arabia: Saudi Re's 2Q profit soars by 118%, lifting 1H earnings

Saudi Reinsurance (Saudi Re) has posted a net profit of SAR162m ($43.3m) for the first half of this year, 84% higher than in the corresponding half last year.
 


Saudi Arabia: Higher claims pressure Tawuniya's interim results

The Company for Cooperative Insurance (Tawuniya), which ranks among Saudi Arabia’s top three insurers, has reported a net profit after zakat, attributable to shareholders of SAR609.85m ($162.8m) for the first half of 2026, 16.16% lower than the SAR729.11m in the corresponding half of last year.
 


Tunisia: Reinsurer sees modest first-half growth in premiums in tough environment

Tunis Re’s turnover reached TND126m ($31.85m) in the first six months of this year, representing a 2.2% increase compared with the corresponding half of 2025.
 


Turkiye: First rules issued for loss investigators

The Insurance and Private Pension Regulation and Supervision Authority (SEDDK) has published a circular, setting out that the authority, responsibility and duties of claims investigators are limited solely to investigating insurance fraud and suspicious claims.
 


UAE: Orient posts strong financial results for 1H2026

Orient Insurance, the leading insurance company in the UAE, has announced strong financial results for the first half of 2026.
 


UAE: Miller and Shields combined unit to be rebranded Shields Miller on completion of acquisition

Miller, the London-headquartered independent specialist (re)insurance broker, has completed its acquisition of Shields Reinsurance Brokers (Shields), an independent reinsurance broker based in Dubai.
 


Global

Willis Re launches global life reinsurance practice

Willis Re, the international reinsurance broker, has launched its global life reinsurance practice following the recent appointment of Mr Christian Howells as Head of Life Reinsurance.
 


70% of insurers report dramatic rise in violent luxury watch thefts

Claim reports indicate that there is a rise in the use or threat of violence involved in luxury watch theft, according to the findings of a study released by The Watch Register, an established London-based international database of lost and stolen luxury watches.
 


El Nino could add to credit pressures for weaker sovereigns and some corporate sectors

It is increasingly likely that the planet is headed for a very strong El Nino this year, with the US’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) assigning an 80% probability to a rise in Pacific Ocean temperatures in excess of 20C, says Fitch Ratings (Fitch).
 


Insurers face Nat CAT losses in 1H2026 consistent with the 21st-century average

The insurance sector faced losses of approximately $47bn from disasters in the first half of 2026, with additional adjustment to these figures expected. This was broadly in line with the average since 2000, says Aon, a leading global insurance broker.
 


Takaful

Egypt: Takaful operations fuel insurance industry growth

The takaful market was the main driver of growth in the Egyptian insurance industry in the first quarter of this year, statistics released by the Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA) reveal.
 


Indonesia: Hajj Ministry and Shariah insurers collaborate on pilgrimage insurance eco-system

The Indonesian Shariah Insurance Association (AASI) and the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah are collaborating to improve protection for Umrah pilgrims by developing the Umrah Travel Shariah Insurance (ASPU) ecosystem.
 


Indonesia: Takaful insurers see investment returns turn negative in 1Q amid market weakness

Indonesia’s Islamic insurance industry recorded negative investment returns in the first quarter of 2026 as volatility in the domestic capital market weighed on equity-based investments, according to the Financial Services Authority (OJK).
 


Kyrgyzstan: President signs amended home insurance law introducing takaful

The President of Kyrgyzstan, Mr Sadyr Japarov, has signed an amended law that introduces a mechanism for mandatory and voluntary home insurance based on Islamic insurance principles.
 


Malaysia leads global sukuk issuance in 1H2026

Sukuk issuance will continue to be driven primarily by local currency markets, particularly Malaysia, whose strong performance over the first half of 2026 offset a 9% decline in Gulf Cooperation Council issuance prompted by the Middle East war, says S&P Global Ratings (S&P).
 


Pakistan: Regulator grants general insurer the nod for takaful window operations

Pakistan General Insurance Company (PGIC) has received approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) to operate a takaful window.
 


Palestine: Takaful company launches IPO

Holy Land Takaful Insurance has launched an initial public offering (IPO), to expand community participation in the company.
 


Qatar: Al Khaleej Takaful posts higher first-half profit on stronger underwriting and investment income

Al Khaleej Takaful Insurance Company (AKTI) has reported an increase in first-half profitability, with shareholders’ net income rising to QAR36.0m ($9.9m) for the six months ended 30 June 2026.
 


Turkiye: Takaful market reports 13.6% real growth in contributions in 1H

The participation insurance (takaful) sector in Turkiye posted contributions totalling TRY48.4bn ($1.02bn) in the first six months of the year, 50.1% higher compared to the corresponding half in 2025, in nominal terms, according to data from the Insurance Association of Turkiye (TSB). The real growth was 13.6%.
 


Uganda: Pioneer takaful operator receives Shariah certification

Tamini General Insurance, Uganda’s first licensed takaful operator and a member of the Al Salaam Africa Group, has received Shariah certification from Bahrain-based Shariyah Review Bureau (SRB) for its portfolio of takaful products.