IslamicFinance.de

Abu Dhabi-listed Islamic insurer National Takaful Co (Watania) said on Tuesday that United Arab Emirates regulators had approved the sale of 60.53 percent of the firm to MB UAE Investments and an affiliate of MB. Watania said MB UAE Investments would acquire 51 percent and Al Madina Insurance Co would take 9.53 percent. The group would buy a total of 90.8 million shares. The deadline for the purchase is next Feb. 24, Watania said in the statement. It did not give details such as the purchase price or who would sell the shares. In a separate filing on the Oman bourse, however, Al Madina said it would buy 14.3 million Watania shares for 17.88 million dirhams ($4.87 million), implying it would pay 1.25 dirhams per share.

Al Madina Insurance anticipates a robust growth in takaful insurance business in Oman, if the trend in neighbouring countries is any indication. Al Madina expects the market to grow between OMR60 million to OMR70 million in worst case scenario and OMR150 million to OMR180 million in best case scenario in the next three to five years, the company's chief executive officer Gautam Datta said. He added his company did not change the premium, after converting it into an Islamic insurance company from January this year. Referring to re-insurance, he said Al Madina has a re-insurance programme of over 55 per cent and is planning to expand its retail and personal lines portfolio.