Takaful Rapid Growth

Fitch Ratings says in a new report that the Malaysian takaful sector saw strong growth in 2015. Family takaful, which represented 29.7% in 1H15 by total new life insurance business, was up 7% on end-2014.

General takaful by gross direct contributions was 11.6%, up 1% in 1H15.

According to Bank Negara Malaysia, Malaysia dominates the takaful market in ASEAN, with around a two-third market share (71%). The country has 12 registered takaful operators. Growth potential for the sector is favourable, particularly due to encouraging demographics and government support.

Wider product innovation and distribution coverage is likely to drive sector growth as public acceptance of the model increases. Malaysia's takaful industry grew faster than conventional insurance, with general and family takaful recording 8.3% and 9.7% growth, respectively, at end-June 2015, compared with conventional general and life insurance growth of 6.6% and -0.4%, respectively.

Family takaful represents almost two-thirds of the industry in Malaysia and the rest is general. Family takaful operators' expense rates are likely to remain stable but will gradually absorb growing claims from medical inflation and bonus payouts to policyholders. The industry's total net claims payout rose 18% yoy in 2014.

Most products are distributed by the agency channel, but with the adoption of the life and family takaful framework in 2015 the life industry is likely to gradually diversify to bancassurance, the internet and other direct channels.

Minimum capital requirements and risk practices are now extended to Malaysian takaful operators after the adoption of a risk-based capital for takaful regime in 2014. The new regulations and capital requirements, and the need in many cases to independently finance and run insurance units, mean takaful operators with limited scale and capital burdens are likely to exit or merge over time.

The regulatory, legal and accounting environments are key areas of development for the takaful and retakaful industry. Fitch views the recent regulatory reforms extended to the takaful sector in Malaysia, including the introduction of internal capital adequacy assessment process, the Financial Services Act and gradual deregulation of tariff rates, as a positive development that could cement the region as a takaful hub.

Fitch expects Malaysian takaful and insurance sector M&A activities to continue, due to attractive growth prospects and new regulatory pressure. Regulatory changes in recent years aim to enhance the sector's global competitiveness as the market is being liberalised.

However, evolving regulation may put some pressure on operators' capitalisation in the short term; Fitch expects operators' capital profiles to eventually improve, although smaller ones are likely to seek strategic investors or alternative capital.