Insights Articles

Are ESG investment principles compatible with Islamic finance?

August 24, 2026 | London, UK

When it comes to the protection of humanity and the environment, there are obvious and powerful synergies between the principles of Islamic finance and the values encapsulated in the investment principles of ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance). This alignment exists because Islamic finance dictates that capital is raised and invested through the prism of inclusion, common interest, social justice and the avoidance of harm, in accordance with Shariah law.

How can re-insurers & businesses successfully navigate systemic uncertainty?

July 27, 2026 | London, UK

From economic uncertainty, regional instability and geopolitical volatility to supply-chain disruption, cyber threats and extreme-weather events, unpredictability has become one of the biggest challenges facing re-insurers and businesses the world over. Disruption has evolved to become more systemic than episodic, driven by the confluence of unknowable interdependent variables to create unpredictable, cascading, non-linear shocks and risk. How can organisations survive constant disruption?

Are MGAs reshaping the future of insurance in the Middle East?

June 25, 2026 | London, UK

Dubai has seen major growth in Managing General Agent (MGA) activity in the last 12–18 months, and the momentum behind that growth is likely to have a significant effect on the regional insurance landscape. Mirroring the extraordinary proliferation of MGAs in mature markets such as the UK, the MGA model is looking increasingly attractive across the Middle East as large re-insurers seek to gain access to speciality lines across diverse geographies more efficiently and effectively through MGA-carrier partnerships.

GCC data centres: where is the insurable risk?

June 1, 2026 | London, UK

With around 11,000 currently operating worldwide, data centres are not a new phenomenon, but recent growth in the number and sheer scale of new data centres is dramatically changing the market. The Gulf region is playing a major role in this development, with ambitious plans from GCC governments, backed by investment, to transform it into a digital hub. Government regulations now require public-sector data, as well as other sensitive data, to be hosted nationally, creating a regulatory environment that requires international data-centre operators to develop physical infrastructure in the GCC to satisfy data-residency mandates . As a result, the GCC’s data-centre market is expected to exceed US$ 9 billion by 2030, up from just US$ 3.5 billion two years ago.

Can mandatory cover in developing markets help increase insurance penetration?

May 14, 2026 | London, UK

Although stubbornly low insurance penetration rates persist in some Middle East and North African (MENA) markets, gross written premiums (GWP) are expected to grow in the GCC at a CAGR of over 5% by 2028. As a result of this success, several regulatory initiatives to expand compulsory lines, such as employee benefits and unemployment insurance programmes across the region, are promising to deliver greater insurance penetration as governments look to promote further economic stimulus, better social protection and greater risk management among businesses and populations.

Can Indonesia fix its SME insurance gap?

April 9, 2026 | London, UK

Growth in Southeast Asian insurance markets has been outpacing GDP growth in recent years, but the region’s insurance penetration rate remains stubbornly low, at less than half the global average. Across the risk landscape, protection gaps in natural-catastrophe losses loom large, and low penetration in Indonesia – the focus of this article – also endangers a fast-growing digital economy in which the extent and maturity of cyber protection and cyber cover is not keeping pace with the country’s rapid digitalisation.

Is the market softening for natural catastrophies a mirage?

March 6, 2026 | London, UK

With lower-than-average insured losses from natural catastrophes, last year saw a drop of around 25% compared to 2024’s US$ 140 billion . However, 2025 results are only marginally below the ten-year average, and given the volatility of natural catastrophe frequency, the recent softening of the so-called ‘nat-cat’ market reflects competition and over-capacity rather than any dramatic improvement in the risks associated with natural catastrophes and extreme weather.

How can AI plug talent gaps in Middle East insurance markets?

January 29, 2026 | London, UK

Like many insurance markets, the Middle East is facing a looming talent gap. Driven partly by demographics, a large cohort of experienced insurance professionals with career-long expertise is poised to reach retirement age as the baby-boomer generation begins to creep beyond the age of 65. In high-growth markets in particular, this talent gap needs to be addressed urgently, with a view to attracting, retaining and optimising scarce human resources with tech-enabled solutions.

Underinsurance: can aligning cover with risk counter complacency?

January 9, 2026 | London, UK

The proportion of underinsured and uninsured risk in North Africa is significant. Even in Morocco, which has long been seen as an outlier in a relatively underinsured region with low penetration rates, the risk of underinsurance to SMEs remains an existential threat to their operational and financial security. At the same time, businesses are suffering because re-insurers are not always able to adequately assess risk to understand probable maximum loss in a relatively immature market and therefore cannot price risk affordably.

What might 2026 hold for Middle East insurance markets?

January 5, 2026 | London, UK

As we emerge from a year that re-awakened the region to the dangers of geopolitical and cyber risk, opportunities for Insurers, re-insurers, MGAs and brokers are nevertheless likely to increase as digitalisation and heightened data visibility give innovators a significant competitive edge. Right across the Middle East, where insurance penetration has remained stubbornly low, risk awareness is growing, and commercial lines are likely to experience growth as the SME sector increasingly wakes up to the dangers of underinsurance.

INSIGHTS & NEWS

JENOA Insights

Are ESG investment principles compatible with Islamic finance?

How can re-insurers & businesses successfully navigate systemic uncertainty?

Are MGAs reshaping the future of insurance in the Middle East?

GCC data centres: where is the insurable risk?

Can mandatory cover in developing markets help increase insurance penetration?

Can Indonesia fix its SME insurance gap?

Is the market softening for natural catastrophies a mirage?

How can AI plug talent gaps in Middle East insurance markets?

Underinsurance: can aligning cover with risk counter complacency?

What might 2026 hold for Middle East insurance markets?