Category Archives: Takaful

New UAE Islamic insurance (takaful) company to capitalise on 30 per cent annual growth

New UAE Islamic insurance (takaful) company to capitalise on 30 per cent annual growth

Mithaq Lil-Takful, a new Islamic insurance company has been launched in Abu Dhabi with a paid up capital of Dh150 million to capitalise on business growing by 30 per cent annually.

The Shariah-compliant company has got the approval of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council (ADEC) to start its operations in the country.

“The ADEC has given its approval for the establishment of the Abu Dhabi-based Islamic insurance company with an initial capital of Dh150 million. The company’s 45 per cent shares have been subscribed by the founding members, well-known businessmen, while the remaining will be floated to through an IPO,” said Abdullah Saeed Al Qubaisi, chairman of the founding committee of Mithaq Liability Insurance Company.

Al Qubaisi said: “Getting the approval of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council after similar approval from the Emirates Securities and Commodities Authority is another very important step in the incorporation process of the company, which will be followed by an IPO.

This development is happening at a time when the UAE is witnessing a very rapid economic growth which gave birth to a sharp growth of the insurance market, particularly Shariah-compliant liability insurance products. This has created the need for more new liability insurance companies to meet the growing demand for this type of insurance product.

He pointed out that the UAE insurance market is witnessing a rapid growth rate currently at about 30 per cent per annum, while the annual premiums of insurance firms in the UAE is estimated at about Dh480 million, according to the feasibility study.

He said: “Mithaq” will be offering a comprehensive, high quality and Shariah-compliant insurance services. It will provide a low-risk investment opportunity and would be supervised by a committee of competent Islamic scholars of high reputation to strictly follow the principles of Islamic finance. Mithaq Liability Insurance Company will offer its IPO in early 2008.

FWU Group receives award for Best Takaful Operator 2007

FWU Group receives award for Best Takaful Operator 2007

FWU Group has been awarded Best Takaful Operator at The Islamic Business and Finance Awards 2007 Ceremony held recently by CPI Financial.

Munich-based company received the Award for its excellence in providing its technology solutions, product expertise and global experience in administering the distribution of Takaful products through various local, regional, and international business partnerships.

The prestigious event, which took place at The Godolphin Ballroom at The Emirates Towers in Dubai, was attended by a host of highly influential guests representing the most prominent Islamic banking, finance, and investment institutions from around the world. Dr. Manfred J. Dirrheimer, CEO and Founder of FWU Group, accepted the Award for the Group.

Mr. Abdul Hadi Shayif, Chairman of the International Advisory Board for FWU Group, was also present during the ceremony, as well as a number of senior guests representing some of the Group’s partner companies from across the industry.

‘We are very proud of the Award for Best Takaful Operator. It is truly gratifying and represents another milestone achievement for the Group,’ said Dr. Dirrheimer, who flew in from Munich to attend the evening. He added, ‘We would like to thank our partners, both Takaful companies and distributors, who have contributed immensely to our success with their dedication and cooperation in the rapidly growing Islamic finance industry.’

The Group has registered phenomenal growth in the region, securing a multitude of agreements with leading financial and Takaful insurance establishments in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Malaysia and Pakistan. Through these agreements, FWU’s banking partners would be able to offer Unit-Linked Family Takaful and Savings plans and related products to their customers.

‘Our teams have made admirable efforts to ensure that FWU Group provides its partner companies and establishments with the most professional and experienced service and knowledge to offer their customers a truly profitable investment within the guidelines of Islamic Shari’ah,’ said Mr. Nicholas Owen, Partner & Member of the FWU International Executive Board, who is based in the Group’s Regional Headquarters office in Dubai Internet City.

FWU Group has also received 3 other prestigious awards in 2007, including the EUROMONEY 2007 Islamic Finance Awards in the category ‘Best Life Takaful Provider’, the World Finance 2007 Award in the category ‘Takaful Life and General’, and the Globexa Communications 2007 ‘Financial Bridges Award for Best Islamic Finance Organization.’ The Islamic Business and Finance Award is yet another recognition of the Group’s exceptional performance in the industry.

The Islamic Business & Finance Awards 2007 are administered by CPI Financial, which publishes a number of authoritative magazines on the global finance industry, such as Banker Middle East, Private Equity & Hedge Funds and Islamic Business & Finance. The IB&F Awards recognize exceptional performers in various sectors of the Islamic Business and Finance industry around the world. Winners are voted for by the readers of Islamic Business & Finance Magazine from a list of nominations by a panel of rating and consulting firms, based on their performance over the last twelve months.

Globally, Takaful – insurance that is compliant with key Islamic Shari’ah tenants and based on the concept of collective insurance – is currently estimated to be a US$2.3 billion market, with the Middle East region accounting for 46 percent of total sales, according to the Bahrain Insurance Association.

Re-Takaful (Islamic Re-Insurance)

Concept and Nature of Re-Takaful

Re-takaful has a close relationship with takaful operations where retakaful is a form of takaful and the competitiveness of retakaful market is depend on the competitiveness of the direct takaful market. Actually Retakaful is a form of insurance whereby the Takaful operator pays an agreed upon premium from the Takaful fund to the reinsurance company or Retakaful operator, and in return, the Reinsurance company or the Retakaful operator will provides security for the risk reinsured. Reinsurance is best thought of as “insurances for insurance companies”. Or we also can say that Retakaful is a “takaful for takaful operators”. It is a way for a primary insurer to protect against unforeseen or extraordinary losses.

From the above diagram, takaful holders are individuals or companies that buy the Takaful products either General Takaful products or Family Takaful products and pay an agreed upon premium to the Takaful operator to protect them from unforeseen risk and also extraordinary losses. Then, the Takaful operator will take a portion of money from Takaful fund and pays premium to the Retakaful operator to get reinsurance protection to spread its risks. Reinsurance contracts may cover a specific risk or a broad class of business.

Retakaful or Islamic reinsurance is essentially about handling risk. It is a risk aversion method in which the Takaful ceding company resorts to either a conventional reinsurer or a Retakaful operator to reinsure original insured risks against an undesirable future situation if the risk insured were above the normal underwriting or claim. Thus, a Takaful ceding company may, based on limited financial resources, hedge against possible incapability to meet all Takaful reinsurance protection from a financially capable reinsurer, which will take over the coverage of the large proportion of the risk.

Fathi Lashin, a member of the Shariah Supervisory Board of the Dubai Islamic Bank stated that Retakaful does not, in principle, differ from Takaful operations. The Shariah principles applying to Takaful apply to Retakaful operations as well. The difference, if any, is that in the Retakaful operations, the participants are Takaful operators instead of individual participants. It is argued that the current practice of insurance business has shown that a Takaful ceding company cannot do without Retakaful facility. Therefore, there is a need for Takaful operators to split risks by way of establishing Retakaful operators. By doing so, they share their risks with Retakaful companies. The Retakaful operator, on the other hand, assumes the responsibility of managing and investing the premiums of Takaful operators on the basis of Profit Loss Sharing.

Differences between Re-Takaful and Re-Insurance