UAE Insurance Premiums Grew 15% in 2025 to Dh74.8 Billion and Another 15.1% in Early 2026, as Health Cover and Higher Investment Income Lift Profit to Dh4 Billion

The United Arab Emirates insurance market has continued to grow at about 15% a year, according to central bank data published in the second half of 2026. Khaleej Times reported on August 25, 2026, drawing on the Central Bank of the UAE's annual statistical report, that insurers wrote Dh74.8 billion of gross written premiums in calendar 2025, up 14.9% from 2024. The central bank's Quarterly Economic Review of June 2026 then showed the pace continuing into early 2026: premiums grew about 15.1% year on year in the first quarter, and press reports put the quarterly total at roughly Dh27.5 billion.

By line of business, property and liability premiums were Dh36.4 billion in 2025, up 14.1%. Health premiums were Dh30 billion, up 16.3%, and life and fund accumulation premiums were Dh8.4 billion, up 12.1%. The article notes that business-line data combining national and foreign insurers list health at Dh36.42 billion, which does not match the Dh30 billion figure and is not explained. Motor and transportation accounted for about Dh10.08 billion and fire for Dh6.89 billion. The number of policies was 17.3 million, up from 17.2 million, while health policies rose 26.1%. Health growth reflects a policy change: mandatory basic health insurance for private-sector employees and domestic workers took effect across all the emirates on January 1, 2025, which the central bank said provided "a stronger foundation for health insurance coverage."

Claims paid were Dh46.2 billion, up 11%. Health claims rose 15.1% and property and liability claims 13.8%. Two lines stand out for faster growth: marine claims were up 34.7% and fire claims up 27.4%. The overall gross loss ratio improved to 65.1% from 68.9%, and the health loss ratio improved to 75.3% from 77.4%. A loss ratio is claims as a share of premiums, so a lower figure means more of each dirham of premium is left for expenses and profit.

Profit rose sharply. Insurers earned Dh4 billion in 2025, up from Dh2.6 billion in 2024, mainly because of higher net investment income. That qualifier is important: it means the improvement owes as much to returns on the insurers' portfolios as to underwriting. Invested assets were Dh96.4 billion, up 13.5% from Dh84.9 billion, equal to 58.4% of total assets. Securities and debt instruments made up Dh43.7 billion and cash and deposits Dh27 billion. The solvency capital requirement ratio was 199%, up from 196%.

The first-quarter 2026 review points the same way. According to the central bank's June 2026 Quarterly Economic Review, as summarised in press reports, premiums grew about 15.1% year on year, the number of policies increased about 9.5%, and technical provisions and total equity also grew. The ratio of own funds to the minimum capital requirement rose to roughly 516% from about 393% a year earlier. These ratios are not directly comparable with the 199% solvency capital requirement ratio reported for 2025, because the minimum capital requirement is a lower threshold than the solvency capital requirement; the figures come from different measures and reports.

The structure of the market is stable. The central bank counted 58 insurers in 2025: 22 national traditional insurers, 10 national takaful companies and 26 foreign branches. The number of licensed insurance-related professions rose to 515 from 495. Changes to licensing are now under way. The central bank's Insurance Company Licensing Regulation, Circular 4/2026, in force since August 14, 2026, allows foreign insurers to be licensed only as branches and gives weight to an applicant's business plan, so new entrants will face a different test from the one that applied when the market grew to its present size.

Some simple arithmetic from the published figures adds perspective, though it is a calculation and not a central bank statement. Health premiums of Dh30 billion are about 40% of the Dh74.8 billion total, and property and liability premiums of Dh36.4 billion are about 49%, so those two lines make up close to nine-tenths of the market, with life and fund accumulation a much smaller share. Profit of Dh4 billion is about 54% higher than the Dh2.6 billion of 2024, a much faster rise than the 14.9% growth in premiums, which is consistent with the central bank's explanation that investment income was the main driver. Invested assets grew by about Dh11.5 billion over the year, which gives the sector a larger base on which to earn that income. Readers should note the limits of the data. The annual figures cover calendar 2025 and the quarterly figures cover only the first three months of 2026, and the press reports summarise reports whose full tables should be consulted for exact definitions. The Khaleej Times article does not explain the reasons for the faster growth in marine and fire claims. Even so, the direction is clear: a market growing quickly, supported by compulsory health cover, with improving loss ratios and strong reported capital, but earning a substantial part of its profit from investments.