Strait of Hormuz LNG traffic reaches highest level since Iran war began
Strait of Hormuz LNG traffic rises to 31 tankers in October 2026, the highest since the Iran war began, as Qatar and UAE gas exports recover
đȘ Middle East & North Africa Insurance News
Latest insurance news from MENA insurers and regulators. Explore auto, home, life, P&C, pet and health insurance, including insurance rates, insights, trends, and breaking insurance news from Middle East and North Africa.
Soter Insure raises $66 mn in cash and crypto backing as Standard Chartered and SBI invest
Crypto insurer Soter Insure secures backing from Standard Chartered’s SC Ventures and SBI Group, bringing reported funding to about $66 mn, including BTC and ETH
Egypt two-train collision: 7 dead, 112 injured as Giza-Fayoum service hits stopped train
Two passenger trains collided in Egypt’s Giza province on November 8, 2026, killing seven people and injuring more than 110, authorities reported
Silver Lake and PIF discuss Unity acquisition at $25 bn valuation
Silver Lake and Saudi Arabia’s PIF have reportedly held talks to acquire Unity at a $25 bn valuation, following their $55 bn takeover of Electronic Arts
Gulf war insurance capacity falls 80% as Iran conflict disrupts events
War insurance for Gulf events has become scarce as the Iran conflict drives political violence premiums up to 50-fold and forces major event postponements
AFC and Munich Re launch $1 bn risk-sharing program for African trade
Africa Finance Corporation and Munich Re have agreed a $1 bn risk-sharing program to expand trade finance capacity across 11 African countries and attract institutional investors
Insurtech Shory partners with UAE Cyber Security Council to strengthen cyber resilience
UAE insurtech Shory has signed an MoU with the UAE Cyber Security Council to support cyber resilience, threat intelligence sharing and national cybersecurity preparedness
Iran expands oil tanker attacks beyond Strait of Hormuz into Gulf
Iran widens oil tanker attacks across the Gulf, targeting vessels near Qatar and the UAE as it seeks to control the Strait of Hormuz and restrict oil exports
Insurtech Alan acquires Tanel to expand health insurance business in Africa
Alan acquires Senegal-based healthtech Tanel, entering Africa’s health insurance market with plans to cover more than 1 mn people across the continent by 2030
Insurtech Shory launches AI insurance agent for car insurance in the UAE
Shory AI helps UAE drivers compare car insurance quotes, understand policy coverage and purchase insurance through an AI agent supporting English and Arabic
Chubb appoints Paul Jones as Head of Accident & Health, EMEA
Chubb appoints Paul Jones as Head of Accident & Health for EMEA, overseeing the insurer’s regional A&H business and growth across corporate and consumer markets
Flydubai flight FZ1073 diverts to Saudi Arabia after cockpit stabbing
Flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after a cockpit stabbing. Israeli officials suspect a hijacking attempt
Global Trading Show will take place in Abu Dhabi on December 10-11, 2026
Global Trading Show has announced an update to its event dates, with the highly anticipated event now set to take place on 10-11 December 2026 in Abu Dhabi
Heirs Insurance launches multilingual GenAI assistant Prince AI in Nigeria
Heirs Insurance launches Prince AI, a multilingual generative AI assistant for policy purchases, renewals, claims and insurance support in Nigeria
PureHealth launches AI system for Daman health insurance
PureHealth launched an AI-powered system for Daman that will process more than 60 mn insurance documents a year and cut turnaround times to minutes
Saudi Arabia approved war-risk insurance pool for cargo and vessels
Saudi Arabia approved a national marine war-risk insurance pool led by Saudi Re to protect cargo, vessels and trade during geopolitical disruption
Hormuz disruption threatens SMEs in global supply chains, UNCTAD says
UNCTAD warns Strait of Hormuz disruptions are raising energy, freight, insurance and financing costs, putting smaller businesses under pressure
Insurtech Shory launches Tesla insurance in UAE with EVS and Al Wathba
Insurtech Shory partnered with EVS and Al Wathba Insurance to launch Tesla-specific motor coverage in the UAE with access to specialist EV repairs
Saudi Arabia weighs state-backed war-risk insurance pool for ships
Saudi Arabia has discussed a state-backed marine war-risk insurance pool with London brokers as Iran and Houthi threats raise regional costs
Gulf, Red Sea shipping insurance costs surge as war-risks rise
War-risk premiums climb for ships in the Persian Gulf and Red Sea as insurer appetite tightens and regional attacks reshape voyage costs.
DIFC Court of Appeal limits reinsurer defence-cost liability
DIFC Court of Appeal says English law governs a $70 mn marine war-risk reinsurance dispute and rejects open-ended defence-cost liability
Insurtech Soor raises pre-seed funding for insurance marketplace
Bahrain insurtech Soor secures pre-seed funding from Spring to develop its digital insurance marketplace and expand insurer partnerships
Red Sea war insurance premiums rise after Houthi blockade threat
War risk premiums for Red Sea shipping rose after Yemenâs Houthis threatened a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, raising risks for oil and trade routes
Dubai airline returns slow as war insurance tightens
Dubai Airports says some European carriers face insurance hurdles as US-Iran strikes and travel advisories keep Gulf routes under pressure
Hormuz war risk insurance costs rise 4,000 times
Ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz face war risk insurance costs 4,000 times higher as mines, missiles, and attack boats threaten transit
Emirates adds $25,000 conflict cover to travel insurance
Emirates launches travel insurance with $25,000 conflict medical cover, hotel stays, rebooking support, and disruption protection
War risk models reshape insurance and Wall Street
Investors, banks, and insurers are adapting catastrophe-model methods to forecast war, regime change, shipping disruption, and political violence
Egypt starts Eid al-Adha medical insurance and emergency plan across
Egypt launched a nationwide Eid al-Adha medical plan, adding hospital readiness, ambulances, blood stocks, mobile clinics, and emergency monitoring
US-Iran ceasefire strains marine war risk cover after Hormuz strikes
Fresh U.S. strikes near Bandar Abbas deepen uncertainty for marine insurers as Hormuz war risk pricing remains far above pre-war levels.
U.S.-Iran conflict reshapes airline insurance renewals across Middle East
WTW says U.S.-Iran tensions are driving aviation insurance pricing pressure, with hull war and liability rates set for tougher renewals in 2026
Ethiopia opens insurance market to foreign investors under draft law
Ethiopia plans to allow foreign insurers for the first time in decades, aiming to boost competition, capital, and coverage
Cyera acquires Ryft for up to $130 mn to expand AI data security
Cyera buys Ryft to strengthen controls over AI-driven data access as enterprises face rising risks from autonomous systems
Digital insurance growth in Africa meets reinsurance capacity gap
Digital insurance expands across Africa and the Middle East, yet weak reinsurance capacity and rising motor losses raise pressure on sustainability
India plans sovereign backing for Gulf shipping insurance cover
India is preparing sovereign support for marine insurers as Gulf war-risk premiums surge, with proposed backstops worth $1.8 bn to keep cover in place
DFC and Chubb expand Hormuz maritime insurance facility to $40 bn
DFC and Chubb added six US insurance partners, doubling maritime reinsurance capacity to $40 bn to support trade through the Strait of Hormuz
April reinsurance renewals extend softer pricing despite Middle East tension
Reinsurance rates eased again at April 1 renewals as strong capital, low cat losses, and surplus capacity outweighed geopolitical stress and economic uncertainty
Fitch flags Iran conflict risk for Lloydâs and specialty insurers
Fitch warns Iran conflict could hit marine, aviation, and energy lines, with indirect risks from inflation, asset declines, and defaults
Gulf war-risk insurance withdrawal raises pressure on marine specialists
Fitch Ratings expects the withdrawal of hull war-risk marine insurance in the Persian Gulf to carry negative credit implications for U.S. property and casualty insurers
Iran conflict unlikely to trigger major insurer rating changes, Fitch says
Fitch says global insurers face manageable earnings pressure from Iran conflict unless escalation damages energy infrastructure or prolongs market volatility
DFCâChubb $20 bn reinsurance plan targets Hormuz shipping risk
U.S. DFC and Chubb launch $20 bn maritime reinsurance framework to support oil and LNG shipping through the Strait of Hormuz
Hormuz war-risk insurance premiums jump 12x as $20 bn US backstop emerges
War-risk rates in the Strait of Hormuz climb to 3% of hull value as DFC launches $20bn reinsurance plan amid tanker strikes
Gulf hull war rates may jump 50% as marine insurance cover pulled
Marsh and Aon warn marine hull war premiums in the Gulf could rise 25â50% as underwriters cancel policies and reprice transits
Morningstar DBRS warns Gulf conflict may tighten reinsurance
Morningstar DBRS says Iran conflict could push reinsurers to raise attachment points, cut capacity and heighten volatility in marine and aviation lines
Marine insurers halt Gulf war risk cover as premiums near 1%
Marine insurers cancel war risk policies in the Gulf after tanker strikes push premiums toward 1% of hull value and strand 150 vessels
War insurance risk cover pulled as Hormuz conflict jolts shipping
Marine insurers are cancelling war risk cover for vessels operating in the Middle East Gulf as the United StatesâIsraelâIran conflict disrupts tanker traffic
S&P sees reinsurance capital steady despite Middle East shock
S&P says reinsurers enter 2026 with strong capital buffers despite expected losses from Middle East conflict across marine, aviation and specialty lines
Kennedys flags multi-line insurance threat from US-Israel-Iran conflict
Kennedys warns escalating US, Israel and Iran hostilities threaten simultaneous losses across political violence, marine, aviation, energy and trade credit lines
Insurtech Policybazaar launches garage-backed motor plan with Watania Takaful
Policybazaar has introduced Watania Takaful â PB Auto Care Advantage (Pitstop P360), a comprehensive motor plan developed with Watania Takaful and Pitstop Automotive Services
MS Amlin partners with MSI on UAE political risk reinsurance
MS Amlin launches a political risk reinsurance partnership with Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance in the UAE, expanding contract frustration cover via Dubai
Willis adds Dubai and Madrid to global D&F reinsurance placement hub network
Willis expands its direct and facultative placement network with new hubs in Dubai and Madrid, extending global market access through a single coordinated platform
Cargo theft shifts online as insurers warn of rising digital freight fraud
IUMI and TAPA EMEA warn cargo crime is surging worldwide, with digital fraud replacing physical theft as losses reach billions across supply chains
đłđ”Nepal arrests Everest rescue officials over $20 mn insurance fraud
Nepal detains six rescue agency officials accused of staging helicopter evacuations near Mount Everest to extract nearly $20 mn from global insurers
Sanctions sideline 79 Russian oil tankers and drive up insurance costs
More than 79 sanctioned tankers involved in transporting Russian oil halted operations in 2025, while freight and vessel insurance costs jumped by 40-50%
Insurers brace for Arctic tension, regime shifts, nuclear risk in 2026
BMIâs Yoel Sano flags Arctic disputes, regime change, and nuclear uncertainty as top political risks insurers face heading into 2026 and beyond
Greenland tensions raise geopolitical risk stakes for insurers and reinsurers
Tariff threats tied to Greenland sharpen geopolitical risk, forcing insurers, reinsurers, and brokers to reassess political violence, SRCC, and supply chain exposure
Santam launches Lloydâs policy administration system with Alchemy and Buckhill
Santam, Alchemy Technology Services, and Buckhill delivered a new Lloydâs PAS for Syndicate 1918 in under three months, replacing legacy systems with a cloud-based, ecosystem-led model.
War insurance rates spike for Black Sea shipping after tanker drone attacks
Premiums for vessels heading to Russian and Ukrainian ports jump toward 1% of ship value as insurers reassess rapidly escalating risks in the region
Saudi insurer Walaa deploys CoverGoâs digital health insurance claims platform
Saudi insurer Walaa deploys CoverGoâs digital health claims platform to bring claims in-house, cut costs, and support growth in its health portfolio
Turkey property-CAT reinsurance rates fall 15% as Jan renewals soften
Gallagher Re says Turkiyeâs Jan 2026 property-CAT renewals saw 15% rate drops, heavy oversubscription, and easing pressure on parametric covers
Drone attack hits Russia-bound tanker in Black Sea, shipping insurance rates are expected to rise
A Palau-flagged tanker bound for Russia reported a drone attack in the Black Sea and diverted to Turkey
New tanker attacks in the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz highlight marine war-risk insurance exposure as oil prices rebound amid uncertainty over Iran
JWC expanded its Black Sea Listed Area, increasing war risk exposure for ships and adding insurance costs across Ukrainian and regional routes
Marine insurers warn of soft pricing, major losses, and fragmented trade as geopolitical conflicts reshape shipping and supply chains
Norway launches a 6-month pilot urging tankers in its EEZ to disclose insurance, targeting shadow fleet risks and aligning with regional maritime safety efforts