War, Geopolitics And Insurance In The Gulf

STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS FOR INSURERS, REINSURERS AND CORPORATE RISK MANAGERS

INTRODUCTION

Insurance has always operated at the intersection of commerce, geopolitical instability and the disciplined allocation of risk. That dynamic is particularly acute in the Gulf Cooperation Council, where global energy flows, critical shipping corridors, aviation routes and high value infrastructure converge within a region periodically exposed to political and military tension.

Recent developments across the Middle East have once again brought war risk, political violence and contingent loss exposures into sharp focus. For insurers and reinsurers, the issue is no longer confined to conventional notions of physical destruction arising from armed conflict. The present risk environment is shaped by a wider spectrum of threats, including drone strikes, cyber interference, supply chain disruption, sanctions exposure, port closures, airspace restrictions and the increasing difficulty