Asia Pacific Life and Health insurance – (Re)in Asia

Life & Health.

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Hong Kong skyline and Victoria Harbour, with the Bank of China Tower in the foreground.

A paper boat bearing the Cayman Islands flag sits on a dock beside blue sea beneath a red sun.

Watercolor illustration of a city skyline with India’s flag rising from a gift-wrapped box labeled “GIFT City.

Andrew Hare, Japan head, Marsh Re, and Justin Ward, Pacific head, Marsh Re, over Tokyo and Sydney.

A red weight sits atop folded financial statements showing balance sheets, assets and liabilities.

Nighttime cityscape with an illuminated elevated highway, traffic light trails and modern high-rise buildings.

Nighttime city skyline with illuminated skyscrapers, a red cable-stayed bridge and reflections on the river.

Modern glass office towers rise behind Tokyo Station in warm evening light.

A uniformed inspector examines a treaty notice beside a high-speed train marked AIR.

Nighttime Tokyo cityscape with illuminated Japanese signs, high-rises and curving multilane traffic.

Miniature businesspeople stand and meet among coins beneath wooden blocks spelling “AML.

Portrait of an unnamed APAC chief wearing glasses, set against a city skyline and illuminated bridge.

Tokyo skyline at dusk, featuring the illuminated Tokyo Skytree surrounded by densely packed buildings.

India’s GI direct premium growth returns to 10% in August as health, motor advance

Illustration of healthcare workers and a hospital set against Asia Pacific city skylines

IRDAI proposes new commission caps, lower expense limits as distribution costs outpace premium growth

Hong Kong targets captives, ILS and specialty insurance growth under first five-year plan

IA weighs product changes to bring record life policies to Hong Kong

Speaking at the IAIS Annual Conference in Hong Kong, IA chief executive Clement Cheung also said he believes mainland Chinese buyers' hesitation over a 20% tax on offshore policy gains "will pass".

FWD issues US$318m HNW life policy, sets new world record

The policy beats Manulife Singapore’s US$300m record from earlier this year by 6%, with broker Charles Monat Associates placing a record-breaking case for the second time running.

Cayman eyes Japanese AIR

Cayman is not an alternative to Bermuda today, but its US reinsurance experience and Japanese investment links could give it a path into the market.

GIFT City draws reinsurance capacity but remains a price taker

The hub has succeeded in attracting capital and reinsurers; now the challenge lies in developing the expertise needed to underwrite complex risks locally.

Marsh Re sees Japan fac growth from data centres, chips; alternative capital opportunities in ANZ

Marsh Re’s new Japan and Pacific heads, Andrew Hare and Justin Ward, say capital is reshaping the reinsurance conversation, from Japan’s solvency regime to growing interest in alternative capital in Australia...

Balance-sheet pressures steer insurers towards structured solutions

As capital requirements evolve and market volatility persists, insurers are seeking more sophisticated ways of managing risk

Health, motor and marine cargo lift India’s GI premiums 5.8% in September

Year-on-year growth eased from 10.0% in August, as health contributed the most to gains while miscellaneous, fire, and hull premiums fell.

China insurance premiums dip in Q2 as life decline outweighs non-life growth

The quarterly fall follows three years of double-digit second-quarter growth.

Chariot Re takes on first Japanese liabilities in US$1.6bn MetLife retrocession

The treaty, effective 30 September, covers US dollar whole life and annuity policies and is the Bermuda reinsurer’s fourth since its July 2025 launch.

Japan AIR market braces for stricter regime, not slower growth

Industry experts expect future asset-intensive reinsurance (AIR) growth to hinge on access to third-party capacity, suitable matching assets and demonstrable risk transfer.

Pacific Life Re closes second Japan structured reinsurance deal of 2026

The transaction helps an unnamed major life insurer optimise its economic capital position under Japan’s new Economic Solvency Ratio (ESR) framework.

FWD to reacquire 25% stake in bolttech Insurance Hong Kong for US$20.72m

The proposed transaction is expected to deepen cooperation between the companies across group medical and general insurance, subject to the satisfaction of multiple closing conditions.

Prudential Japan to cut more than 60% of branches after independent probe links JPY6.17bn to staff misconduct

External committee linked sums to 159 current and former staff and 794 customers, and said it found structural failings in sales management, culture, and governance.

Hong Kong brokers face growing pressure over AML due diligence

IA’s actions point to greater scrutiny when onboarding customers.

Generali puts China and India at the centre of its next APAC growth push

APAC chief Rob Leonardi looks to turn a 27.8% jump in premiums into a bigger earnings base.

Prismic to reinsure US$5bn of Prudential Financial's Japanese whole life reserves

The deal takes Prismic's in-force and flow transactions with Prudential to more than US$22bn of USD-denominated liabilities.

India’s GI direct premium growth rebounds to 10% in August as health, motor advance

Health and motor insurance drove the recovery after July’s slowdown, while personal accident rebounded and fire remained under pressure.

Rebuilding APAC's healthcare insurance model

As healthcare affordability reaches a crisis point, APAC markets are exploring more sustainable healthcare insurance ecosystems.

IRDAI proposes commission caps and lower expense limits, rattling insurance stocks

IRDAI found commissions paid to sampled general insurance brokers rose 173% between FY2023 and FY2025, while premiums grew 37%.

Hong Kong targets captives, ILS and specialty insurance growth under first five-year plan

From expanding Hong Kong's influence across the global maritime value chain to developing specialty insurance products for mainland companies going global, the plan outlines an ambitious growth agenda...