InFocus
Augmenting Insurance Literacy with Souqalmal
The insurance industry is being disrupted by the ripple effects of today’s digital transformation. Innovation is making its way into diverse sectors around the world, including insurance, and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is no exception.
Bahrain’s forward-thinking government, with its mission to become a digital economy, is actively introducing new legislations that empower and enable emerging technologies such as crypto-assets, blockchain, and insurance aggregators to further enhance the local and global business environment.
In fact, on the 22nd of April 2019, the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) issued the draft regulation on “insurance aggregators”. This move was targeted at supporting insurance intermediaries by providing them with an e-broker license. This effectively allows insurance aggregators to launch an online platform to provide the following services:
Price Comparison of Insurance Policies
Facilitating sale of insurance policies on behalf of insurance companies
The support of local regulators towards the entry of tech-led innovation within an otherwise traditional industry, is the first step towards meeting the untapped demand for insurance services highlighted in the Insurance Digitalization Report 2019. Given these transformative changes, the online insurance comparison platform of Souqalmal has great potential of capturing a wide consumer base for digitized services by launching its headquarters in Bahrain.
The Kingdom’s sole regulator recently licensed Souqalmal to provide local customers with the opportunity to explore, compare and buy different types of insurance products, including car insurance.
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Ambareen Musa, CEO of Souqalmal tells us about her experience working with “Team Bahrain”
“From day one that we step foot into Bahrain we got a red carpet treatment with the help of the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB) to get our license from the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) and finally getting introduced to Bahrain FinTech Bay.”
“The great thing about FinTech Bay is that we have serviced offices, meeting rooms and most importantly a huge stamp of credibility around where we are actually situated. On top of that, because of the team running FinTech Bay we very easily got to know the right people at the right places. For instance; meeting the senior management of insurance companies” She added.
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#TeamBahrain
Nevertheless, here is how online insurance aggregators like Souqalmal, simplify an otherwise tedious car insurance purchase:
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Souqalmal’s financial education program
The company’s in-house MoneyDoctor blog, an online blog, provides up-to-date information tackling a broad range of car insurance related topics like the fine print in car insurance policies, the myths surrounding car insurance, and the factors that impact your insurance premium.
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Swiftly generated quotes
You get access to multiple car insurance quotes in under one minute, through Souqalmal’s online comparison platform – A useful feature for time-crunched insurance buyers.
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Side-by-side comparison of multiple products
Comparison-shopping is undoubtedly one of the most effective ways of not only getting the best deal, but also getting the highest value for every Dinar you spend. To avoid being stuck with an insurance coverage that's either too expensive or one that's simply inadequate, comparing before committing is the way to go.
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Offline support to complement the user’s online interaction
Souqalmal has added another layer of support to help users choose the right car insurance for themselves with the support of a highly trained team of agents that can answer all your questions and guide you through the seamless three step purchase process:
✔Complete an online form
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✔Select the best policy
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✔Make a payment
To truly deliver great value to customers, Souqalmal has currently tied up with some of the biggest and most credible insurance providers in Bahrain that consist of Tazur, New India Insurance, GIG Bahrain, GIG Takaful, SNIC Insurance, and Solidarity - with others to come onboard very soon.
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Souqalmal Also Benefits Insurance Companies
Souqalmal doesn’t just give insurance providers an advantage in terms of digitization, it also helps them unlock previously untapped market potential through a new, innovative and effective channel for car insurance distribution.
Automatic insurance renewals
In other words, when a car insurance company ties up with Souqalmal, they too can capitalize on the aggregator’s value proposition. With more and more consumers becoming better educated about their car insurance choices, insurers can also tap into repeat business through automatic insurance renewals.
Product development
There's another great way insurance companies stand to gain from their collaboration with Souqalmal. With the platform’s insights into customer demand and purchase behavior, insurance companies will be able to use the data to support in-house development of new products that are tailored to consumer needs.
Being the first insurance aggregator in Bahrain, and given the company's successful track record in transforming insurance sale and purchase in the UAE, Souqalmal will definitely strike a chord with customers who are looking to save time, money and effort when buying insurance, without compromising on quality.
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Disclaimer: The information presented in this piece is for informational purposes only and does not constitute and should not be construed as a solicitation or other offer, or recommendation to acquire or dispose of any investment or to engage in any other transaction, or as advice of any nature whatsoever. This publication is not designed to provide legal or other advice.
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