Insurance & Reinsurance
Malta has made and continues to make significant strides to the international insurance market in attracting world-class companies to its shores
KPI Section
INSURANCE IN MALTA
A dynamic growth industry in Malta thanks to its solid regulatory framework and EU membership
Companies licensed in Malta can write business in any other member state, and the country has already attracted several Fortune 100 companies to set up insurance companies in Malta, among them multinationals such as BMW, Peugeot, Citroen, Nissan, Munich Re, and Vodafone.
EU passporting rights and competitive operating costs are key attractions of locating in Malta. The country also championed the introduction of innovative structures such as Protected and Incorporated Cell Companies. Both structures allow firms to write risks through cells within a core company and provide businesses with a cost-effective and a ring-fencing mechanism as an alternative to setting up a stand-alone insurance company. The cell model is also applicable to insurance managers and brokers.
Several insurance and reinsurance companies, intermediaries and cells are today registered in Malta, with the large majority being international players and only a handful of companies being active in the local market. International insurance business now accounts for a substantial part of the total gross written premiums. With new legislation on reinsurance special purpose vehicles, Malta has also positioned itself to tap new markets. The island has recognised the growing importance of insurance linked securities and catastrophe bonds, as well as the convergence of reinsurance and capital markets.
Permitted Business Models
- Standalone Insurance/ Reinsurance Company
- Cell in a Protected Cell Company
- Cell in an Incorporated Cell Company
Why Malta for Insurance Guide | 2023 Edition
Insurance & Reinsurance – Our Sector at a Glance
Our insurance sector has gained global attention. Most major names in the industry have operations on the island. Explore our unique selling points to find out whether Malta could be the right choice for you too.
- Destination of Choice
We are home to a number of insurance companies, including professional reinsurers, captive insurers, protected cell companies and insurance managers. Except for a few domestic insurers, most of these companies sell insurance to clients outside of Malta, mainly in other EU countries. Global corporations such as BMW, Peugeot, Citröen, Nissan, Liberty Global, Volkswagen, Vodafone and RWE have set up insurance companies or captives in Malta, while reinsurance providers as well as international insurance managers have established operations on the island. Our insurance sector boasts a workforce of more than 1,200 people, and the sector is backed by a large number of legal firms, as well as accounting and auditing practitioners.
- Cell Company Legislation
Malta is the only full EU member state with protected cell company (PPC) legislation, which was introduced way back in 2004. With almost two decades of experience in cell company structures, we know this segment inside out. We have also further developed the cell company concept and brought different cell company structures to market, including the Incorporated Cell Company. Both structures allow firms to write risks through cells within a core company and provide businesses with a cost-effective alternative to setting up a stand-alone insurance company. The cell model is also applicable to insurance managers and brokers, and is seen as the ideal structure for start-ups, which otherwise might struggle to comply with today’s strict Capital and Solvency requirements. The cell structure also offers economies of scale and significant cost burden sharing whilst it grants cells access to a common pool of knowledge and expertise within the common management system at the core of the cell company.
- Reinsurance, CAT Bonds and the ILS Market
Innovative regulatory developments continued to invigorate our insurance and reinsurance sector. Malta recognised the growing importance of insurance-linked securities (ILS) and catastrophe bonds, as well as the convergence of reinsurance and capital markets. We enacted legislation allowing for the formation of reinsurance special purpose vehicles (RSPVs) and securitisation cell companies (SCCs). An SCC is a single legal entity that can establish one or more segregated cells for the purpose of entering into securitisation transactions, including insurance-linked securities transactions such as catastrophe bond issuances, longevity risk transfer transactions, collateralised reinsurance transactions and cell sidecars. The main benefit of SCCs lies in their application as programme or platform structures, for instance if repeat transactions are envisaged, offering lower costs and quicker set-up time for each transaction.
- Digitally Strong EU Base
EU passporting rights and moderate operating costs add to our appeal for insurance companies. We also host a good number of licensed insurance management companies, ranging from well-known international names to more boutique establishments offering operational and managerial support to third-parties. In addition, we are developing a vibrant InsurTech cluster, whereby our unique and tested cell company legislation proves attractive to insurers and tech companies seeking to develop and implement blockchain solutions, smart contracts, artificial intelligence and machine learning.
6 Benefits of Direct Writing in Malta
Offices in a low-cost jurisdiction
The EU passporting regime allows insurance companies to establish themselves in any member state and offer cross-border services into any other EU country, provided they follow a simple notification procedure and observe local general good provisions.
Availability of highly qualified staff
As an established finance centre, Malta has an excellent pool of human resources, with many professionals having insurance-specific knowledge and qualifications.
Sophisticated telecoms infrastructure
Although an island at the centre of the Mediterranean, Malta has overcome its physical limitations by establishing one of the most advanced telecommunications networks in Europe with fast internet widely available.
Access to regional markets
Thanks to Malta’s strategic location, it offers access to Europe and the emerging markets of North Africa and the Middle East.
Classes of long term business
Life and Annuity Marriage and Birth Linked long term Permanent Health Tontines Capital Redemption Pension Fund Management Collective Insurance Social Insurance
Classes of general business
Accident Sickness Land vehicles Railway rolling stock Aircraft Ships Goods in transit Fire and natural forces Other damage to property Motor vehicle liability Aircraft liability Liability for ships General liability Credit Suretyship Miscellaneous financial loss Legal expenses Assistance