Regulation 3
RegulationConfirmedKuwait
Kuwait's insurance regulator and Interior Ministry agree joint inspections
The Insurance Regulatory Unit and the Ministry of Interior will run joint inspection campaigns against rule breaches by insurance sector staff, with companies held responsible for their employees' compliance. IRU chairman Mohammad Al-Otaibi said penalties would follow for anyone found evading the rules. Bringing police powers into conduct supervision is a notable step up for a regulator that is still only seven years old.
RegulationSingle-sourceKuwait
Kuwait asks insurers to report their Kuwaiti headcount every year
The IRU now requires insurers to file the number and share of Kuwaiti nationals in their workforce, as at 31 December, within 90 days of each financial year end on a standard template. A reporting rule for now, but it gives the regulator the baseline it would need to set localisation targets.
RegulationConfirmedQatar
Qatar Central Bank extends accessibility rules to insurers
QCB has issued instructions requiring insurance, exchange and finance companies to improve access for customers with disabilities and elderly customers, including priority service, branch accessibility, staff training in basic sign language and in spotting financial exploitation. The measures extend 2025 guidance that applied to banks, so insurers should expect it to feature in conduct reviews.
AI in insurance 1
AI in insuranceConfirmedBahrain
Arab insurance federation backs AI in underwriting and claims, with humans kept in the loop
The General Arab Insurance Federation closed its 35th conference in Jordan with recommendations to use AI and analytics in underwriting, pricing and claims under human oversight and proper data governance, alongside wider parametric cover and shared Arab loss databases. Bahrain will host the next conference in 2028. The recommendations are not binding, but they show where regional regulators are likely to set expectations.
Market 4
MarketCorroboratedKSA
Strikes on Saudi airports put aviation war cover back in focus
Drone and missile attacks on King Khalid International in Riyadh and on Abha airport killed three people, according to Saudi civil aviation authorities. Insurance Business notes that hull all-risks policies generally exclude war, so airlines, airport operators and lessors depend on separately bought war cover, and renewals for Middle East routes were already running at double-digit increases.
MarketSingle-sourceBahrainOman
GCC trade ministers raise shipping and insurance costs in Manama
The 15th consultative meeting of GCC commerce ministers and chamber heads in Bahrain discussed container supply chains, strategic storage and the rising cost of shipping, transport and insurance. A shared digital logistics marketplace was also on the table. Cargo and marine war-risk pricing has now reached ministerial level, which raises the odds of state-backed capacity schemes.
MarketCorroboratedKSA
Saudi Re gains 5% while Amana leads Tadawul's decliners
Saudi Re rose 5.05% to SAR28.70 on Wednesday, which Al Arabiya called its best one-day gain in eight months, while Amana Cooperative Insurance fell 4.78% to SAR6.77 and led the market lower. Neither move came with a company disclosure.
MarketCorroboratedUAE
Ras Al Khaimah police arrest sellers of fake motor insurance
RAK Police have referred several people to prosecution for selling fake car insurance online through unrealistically cheap premiums, unsecured websites and requests for bank details. Online motor sales keep growing, and so does the damage these schemes do to trust in legitimate digital channels.
Each item is a short editorial summary with a link to the original source. Items marked Rumour · unverified are unconfirmed and should be treated with caution. Compiled automatically; corrections welcome.