Best’s Market Segment Report: AM Best Maintains Stable Outlook on Malaysia’s Non-Life Insurance Segment

SINGAPORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AM Best is maintaining a stable market segment outlook on the Malaysian non-life insurance industry due to its underwriting discipline and the market’s recovery following the economic fallout from COVID-19.

The Best’s Market Segment Report, “Market Segment Outlook: Malaysia Non-Life Insurance,” states that non-life gross written premium rose by 4.0% to MYR 21.97 billion (USD 4.95 billion) in 2021, 44% of which was driven by the general takaful segment. The increase follows a contraction in non-life premiums in 2020 and was driven by a recovery in most lines of business, especially fire, engineering and the growing motor takaful segment. Over the near to medium term, AM Best expects the segment’s growth to be supported by the country’s economic recovery and increased insurance penetration. Whilst economic growth has rebounded with the lifting of prolonged COVID-19-related social and business restrictions, the increased adoption of digitalisation has improved the ease of policy subscriptions and is helping to raise insurance penetration.

Prospectively, key lines of business, in particular motor and fire insurance are expected to drive the growth of the non-life insurance segment. Following the end of movement restrictions and lock-downs, motor insurance business is likely to expand over the near term, supported by growing new vehicle sales.

“Given the hardening of reinsurance rates for fire coverage in recent periods, primary insurers have been moderately increasing the pricing for fire,” said Susan Tan, financial analyst, AM Best. “Price increases for the fire line peaked in the fourth quarter of 2021 following the December flood event in Malaysia.”

The risk of capital market volatility remains and is likely to be subject to the ongoing global development and management of the pandemic and deteriorating supply chain issues. In response to these market conditions, AM Best expects non-life insurers to continue monitoring their underlying risk exposure to various investment classes, as well as actively adjust and refine their portfolio allocation as part of their risk management.

“As economic activity resumes with the easing of lock-down measures, a rise in claims frequency is likely to drive a contraction of underwriting profit,” said Kanika Thukral, senior financial analyst, AM Best. “However, AM Best expects that non-life insurers in Malaysia will maintain underwriting and pricing discipline.”

To access the full copy of this market segment report, please visit http://www3.ambest.com/bestweek/purchase.asp?record_code=322489.

AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

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