Asia Pacific Insurance Capital management

Features and key stories

Bank Rakyat building in Malaysia with Malaysian flag, related to MNRB's Takaful sale.

Modern office building with blue glass windows and a large EtIqa sign on the roof, featuring a yellow smile beneath the letters.

Blue glass skyscrapers in a financial district with bank logos DBS, HSBC and Standard Chartered visible on the towers, against a blue sky with palm trees in the foreground

Panoramic city skyline with tall glass skyscraper and apartment blocks, a rooftop pool in the foreground, and an overcast sky.

Illustration of a mountain with a flag for 2026 and a path leading to a summit with a flag for 2028.

Aerial view of a modern city with a twin-towered building by the water and a circular stadium in the foreground, under a clear blue sky.

Nighttime city skyline with densely packed buildings and bright neon lights, a tall blue-lit tower visible in the distance.

Sunset view of Sydney Harbour: the Opera House with the Harbour Bridge in the background over calm water, framed by green foliage on the sides.

City street at dusk with light trails from moving cars and a lit Tokyo Tower in the distance.

Wide city skyline with tall glass skyscrapers, blue sky, and a tree-lined plaza in the foreground. Central modern buildings flank a historic red-roofed structure to the right.

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MNRB to sell direct takaful arms to Bank Rakyat for US$400m

Malaysian Re's parent will divest Takaful IKHLAS Family and Takaful IKHLAS General to the cooperative bank, and keep its retakaful business.

Maybank to take full control of Etiqa in US$1.2bn Ageas buyout

The billion-dollar deal will be financed through Maybank's internal and external funding and is expected to close in 2026.

Allianz strikes S$2.7bn deal for HSBC Life Singapore

The two groups will also enter a 15‑year exclusive bancassurance partnership, with the deal slated for completion in the first half of 2027.

India, Malaysia drive biggest insurance deals as APAC activity cools in Q2

Against a broader regional slowdown, Southeast Asia stood out as the most active deal market.

Indonesian insurers on track for end-2026 capital rules, but 2028 poses bigger test

More than 80% of insurers have already met OJK's 2026 requirements, but experts say capital alone will not fix weak fundamentals as tougher 2028 rules loom.

China publishes new measures to accelerate build-out of Shanghai reinsurance centre

The eight-point plan seeks to lift trading volumes, strengthen reinsurers' capital, and bring more international capacity into China's market.

RGA signs block coinsurance deals with Sumitomo Life and Anshin Life in Japan

Sumitomo Life turns to reinsurance for the first time as insurers across Asia move in-force blocks off their books.

MAS targets captive and ILS market growth with new corporate structure

Industry participants say the proposed framework, set to launch by 2028, could reduce costs, improve operational efficiency and support broader adoption of captives and insurance-linked securities.

APRA finalises reinsurance reforms easing access to alternative risk-transfer solutions

The reforms, set to take effect from 1 January 2027, expand the role of Appointed Actuaries and streamline regulatory approvals.

Japan's FSA finalises tighter rules on asset-intensive reinsurance

Insurers face broader expectations on stress testing, collateral quality, recapture planning and reinsurer due diligence under the revised guidelines, which apply from July 1.

Pacific Life Re inks third asset-intensive reinsurance deal with Tokio Marine & Nichido Life

Third transaction with Japanese life insurer underscores Pacific Life Re’s growing role in the country’s AIR market.

Resolution Life signs three new asset-intensive reinsurance deals across Hong Kong, Japan

Reinsurer has completed two in-force reinsurance deals covering participating whole-of-life portfolios in Hong Kong and one reinsurance agreement in Japan.

Thailand's OIC puts insurers at centre of resilience push as risks and costs rise

The regulator is reshaping the insurance market through a five-year plan that extends regulatory reach to entire corporate groups, tightens capital standards, and pushes insurers to close the country's...

South Korea's DB Insurance completes US$1.65bn acquisition of Fortegra

Fortegra will operate independently under its existing leadership as the two companies target growth across the US, Europe and Asia.

Japan’s reinsurance market enters a spikier, more volatile phase

Deepening competition has brought faster, more pronounced underwriting cycles.

MNRB to acquire remaining 80% of Labuan Re for US$100m

The deal will lift the group's ownership of Labuan Re to 100% and is slated to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2026.

Prudential to acquire 75% stake in India’s Bharti Life for US$389m

The deal is expected to require Prudential to cut its stake in ICICI Prudential Life to below 10%.

Private credit gains ground with APAC insurers as RBC reshapes demand

Allocations remain resilient as insurers prioritise liability matching and capital efficiency.

Hong Kong IA finalises RBC amendments to incentivise infrastructure investment

Following feedback from 42 respondents, the Insurance Authority has finalised amendments to the RBC regime, with additional guidance to be issued ahead of implementation.

Japan FSA proposes tighter checks on life reinsurance deals

The draft guidance proposes stress tests for asset-intensive reinsurance deals, including recapture events and multiple reinsurer failures, to assess impacts on solvency and reserves.