Advantages Of Takala

Under wakala-based model, the takaful operator performs as the wakil or agent of the policyholders and is consequently entitled to a fee for the services provided. In theory, the policyholders pay premium that is credited to a policyholders’ fund. As an agent, the shareholders of the takaful operator company donate to a shareholders’ fund which is maintained separately from the policyholders’ fund. The takaful operator invests the policyholders’ fund in shari’ah compliant instruments in its capacity as wakil or agent. All operational general and administrative expenses are charged to the policyholders’ fund. The takaful operator received an agency fee from the percentage of the gross premium received. As valid claims occur, the benefits are

May 1997 Incorporation of ASEAN Retakaful International (L) Ltd. in the international offshore Financial Centre, Labuan.

November 1998 MNI Takaful changed its name to Takaful Nasional Sdn. Berhad.

February 2001 Establishment of islamic banking and Finance Institue Malaysia.

July 2002 Establishment of the Malaysian Takaful Association (MTA).

July 2003 Takaful IKhlas Sdn. Berhad commenced operations.

November 2004 Approval in principal granted to commerce Asset Holding to conduct takaful business.

Source: 20 years experience of takaful industry.

And later there were seven takaful operators in malaysia in 2006. And in 2005 Maybank acquired, via the insurance company Mayban Fortis, MNI Insurance and Takaful Nasional and later in 2007 were rebranded as Etiqa Insurance and Etiqa Takaful respectively. Subsequently, Mayban Takaful transferred all its business, assets and liabilities to Etiqa Takaful. Furthermore, now currently there are 8 takaful operators and 3 Retakaful operators in Malaysia.

List of Takaful Operators in Malaysia Years

Syarikat Takaful Malaysia Sdn. Berhad 1984

Takaful Nasional Sdn. Berhad 1993

Takaful Ikhlas Sdn. Berhad 2003

CIMB Aviva Takaful Berhad 2005

Prudential BSN Takaful Berhad

Even though the starting point of takaful can be traced back to Islamic practice 14 centuries ago during the Prophet Muhammad time, the development of takaful in contemporary was initially undertaken in Sudan in 1979 and Malaysia in 1984. The final stage of this initial development was sum up within the 1985 Fiqh Academy ruling declaring that conventional commercial insurance was haram (forbidden) and insurance based on the application of corporative principles, shari’ah compliance and charitable donations was halal (acceptable).

This takaful industry is seeing significant expansion during the past two decades, specifically in Islamic countries and countries with large Muslim community. In the Middle East, takaful operations have developed in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Iran, and Qatar as well as with new operation opening up in Egypt, United Arab Emirates and Kuwait in recent year. In Southeast Asia region, Malaysia has been at the forefront of takaful development with Bank Negara taking the lead with the introduction of separate takaful regulations allowing the takaful business to flourish in that country (Taylor, 2005). Indonesia, Brunei, Singapore have all followed with the development of takaful