Why Emerging Markets In The Region Are Most Vulnerable To Insurance Risks

Analysts have named five risks that the Asian insurance sector will have to navigate in the coming months.

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Insurers in the Asia-Pacific region are facing significant challenges due to three reasons—political instability, immature legal frameworks, and weaker regulatory environments in developing markets. Experts emphasise the need for insurers to be really smart about managing risks and adapting quickly to changes. For instance, in places like India and Indonesia, the rules around foreign investments are slowly loosening, which adds another layer of complexity for insurers operating there.

“I think it's fair to say that the developing markets are more exposed to geopolitical risks than the mature markets. Typically, a developing market is more likely to have a less stable government and internal factions within the population, which can have a spillover effect on the country’s prosperity, including lower gross domestic product (GDP). These factors can also make developing markets more susceptible to being a pawn in a bigger player’s manoeuvres,” Anna Tipping, Norton Rose Fulbright Partner and Head of Asia Insurance told Insurance Asia.

Angela Rowley, Chief Risk Officer at FWD Life Philippines separately told Insurance Asia that although the markets in the region are at snailpace, there are multiple strategies to overcome these risks.