Introduction: Insurance Board Governance in the UAE’s DIFC—Why It Matters Now The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) is more than the UAE’s premier financial free zone—it is a beacon for international business standards, attracting multinational insurance firms, brokers, and reinsurers. As the financial sector evolves, regulatory expectations on governance and board duties, particularly for insurance...

Introduction: Raising the Bar for Product Governance and Fair Value in the UAE Recent years have marked a significant shift in the regulatory landscape of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), particularly within the financial services sector. For global and local businesses operating in or through the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), robust product governance and...

Introduction The financial landscape in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has undergone significant transformation in recent years, particularly within the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC)—a pivotal hub for banking and insurance innovation. As distribution models like bancassurance and digital platforms redefine market engagement, legal frameworks governing these activities have concurrently evolved. For businesses, regulators, and...

Introduction: Navigating Distribution Models in DIFC The landscape of financial services in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)—and particularly within the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC)—is rapidly transforming. As we enter 2025, a wave of regulatory updates is reshaping how insurance products reach clients, particularly via bancassurance arrangements and digital platforms. With the UAE reinforcing its...

Introduction The rapidly evolving global regulatory environment has placed unprecedented compliance pressures on insurers operating within the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). Amidst increased international scrutiny and the introduction of new UAE federal directives, sanctions screening and export controls have emerged as critical concerns. For DIFC-based insurers, adherence to sanctions and trade restrictions is not...

Introduction In recent years, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has intensified its efforts to align with international anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-financing of terrorism (CFT) standards. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), where insurers face comprehensive legal requirements under the updated federal and Emirate-level regulatory frameworks. With the...

Introduction As the United Arab Emirates continues its rapid ascent as a global financial hub, regulatory rigour has become the hallmark of doing business in the country’s premier financial center: the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). Nowhere is this more evident than in the field of anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT)....

Introduction The United Arab Emirates (UAE), and in particular the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), has cemented its status as a global financial powerhouse by continuously strengthening its regulatory landscape to meet the highest international standards. One area of paramount significance is the implementation and evolution of Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Counter-Financing of Terrorism (CFT)...

Introduction In recent years, the landscape of Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Combatting the Financing of Terrorism (CFT) regulation within the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has undergone significant transformation. Nowhere is this evolution more prominent than in the Dubai International Financial Centre (“DIFC”)—a financial free zone with its own legal and regulatory framework—where insurers are held...

Introduction: The New Era of Change-in-Control in DIFC Insurance In the ever-evolving landscape of the United Arab Emirates’ financial services industry, the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) stands as a world-class hub for insurance and reinsurance transactions. The dynamic pace of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the DIFC insurance sector, particularly in light of the...