Insurance Companies in Bahrain: CBB-Licensed List and How to Choose

01How to check an insurance company in the CBB register

1. Open the CBB Licensing Directory.
2. Keep the first tab on CBB Register.
3. Choose Insurance Licensees as the category.
4. Choose the relevant subcategory. Start with Locally Incorporated Insurance Firms or Overseas Insurance Firms for an insurer that can serve business in Bahrain.
5. Search the legal name from the quote or policy. A trading brand can differ from the registered company name.
6. Read the Remarks field. “Under Liquidation,” “Portfolio Transferred,” “Restricted to Service Existing Business” and “Restricted to Business Outside Bahrain” materially change how the entry should be treated.
7. Match the website in the register to the website or payment page you are using. If the names do not match, ask the seller to identify the licensed risk carrier in writing.

The CBB directory itself says the register information is provided by licensees and may contain errors, omissions or timing gaps. Recheck it on the day you buy and keep the quote, receipt, schedule and wording.

02Choose the right kind of provider before comparing names

A CBB entry establishes where a firm sits in the regulatory directory. It does not rank claim service, price or product fit. Compare the documents issued for the same risk and dates.

03Locally incorporated insurance firms

The following 21 names, countries and remarks come from the CBB Licensing Directory, checked 6 October 2026. A linked name uses the website shown in the register. “No special register remark shown” means only that the remarks field was blank or contained no usable note; it is not a quality rating.

04Overseas insurance firms with Bahrain entries

The CBB overseas-insurance-firm subcategory returned these 10 entries on 6 October 2026. “Overseas” describes the licensing category or branch structure. It does not mean the firm is unlicensed in Bahrain.

05Status warnings that a plain company list can hide

On the check date, the CBB register showed Under Liquidation beside Alhilal Life B.S.C. (c), Alhilal Takaful B.S.C. (c), T'azur Company B.S.C. (c) and the Iran Insurance Company branch. It showed Restricted to Service Existing Business beside The Mediterranean & Gulf Insurance & Reinsurance Company (Medgulf) B.S.C. (c).

The register also includes Arab Insurance Group, Hannover Retakaful and Trust Re, whose names and official activities concern reinsurance, plus Masheed Captive Insurance Company, marked “Captive.” These entries help explain why the raw count is larger than a consumer shortlist. Verify current activities through the CBB permitted-activities tab.

06Firms restricted to business outside Bahrain

The CBB places these eight firms in a separate “Insurance Firms (Restricted to Business Outside Bahrain)” subcategory. They should not be mixed into a Bahrain retail-shopping list.

Insurance pools and syndicates

The register also returns two specialised entries under Insurance Pools & Syndicates. They are not general retail insurers.

07Similar names and brands to check carefully

• Bahrain Kuwait Insurance Company B.S.C. and Bahrain National Insurance Co. B.S.C. are separate legal entities in the CBB register.
• Bahrain National Insurance and Bahrain National Life Assurance are separate register entries. Match the policy type and legal issuer.
• Gulf Insurance Group (Gulf) B.S.C. (c) appears with the register website gig-gulf.com, while Bahrain Kuwait Insurance Company appears with bkic.com. Do not treat a group or brand name as the legal issuer without reading the schedule.
• Takaful International Co. B.S.C. is a local register entry marked “Islamic Principles.” Its register website is gigtakaful.bh.
• Arabia Insurance Company S.A.L. appears under overseas insurance firms, while Arabia Insurance International BSC (c) appears in the category restricted to business outside Bahrain.
• Zurich Insurance Company and Zurich International Life Ltd. are separate overseas-firm entries.

All name and website matches above were checked in the CBB Licensing Directory on 6 October 2026. The policy schedule should state the company that carries the risk.

The GIG, AXA and BKIC name guide helps match similar brands to the issuer on your document.

08Insurance company, broker and administrator are different roles

The CBB directory separates insurance firms, insurance brokers, consultants, managers, pools, actuaries and loss adjusters. On the check date, the Insurance Broker subcategory returned 38 entries. A broker can arrange or advise on cover, but the policy should still identify the licensed insurer carrying the risk.

A health-policy card may also show an administrator or network name. That organisation may handle eligibility, approvals or claims administration. Confirm the insurer named in the policy schedule, the administrator named on the card and the hospital network attached to the exact plan.

Use the insurance broker verification guide when the business arranging the quote is not the risk carrier.

09A comparison checklist that works across companies

1. Legal issuer: copy the exact company name and verify it in the CBB register.
2. Product and insured risk: confirm the vehicle, people, trip, property or business activity shown on the quote.
3. Dates and territory: check start, expiry, cancellation rules and geographical limits.
4. Benefit or sum insured: compare the same limits and sublimits.
5. Excess, deductible or co-pay: record the amount you pay and any extra amount for young, novice, unnamed or out-of-network use.
6. Exclusions and conditions: read the wording for approval, security, disclosure, maintenance and notification requirements.
7. Service route: locate the network, garage list, roadside contact, pre-authorisation method and claim channel before purchase.
8. Claims evidence: identify the report, invoices, forms, deadlines and originals required.
9. Complaint route: save the insurer's formal complaint address and the CBB escalation form.

Price becomes meaningful only after these rows match. A cheaper quote with a larger excess, smaller network, restricted repair choice or lower benefit is a different product.

10Questions about Bahrain insurance companies

11Use the company list with the right product guide

• Car insurance in Bahrain for licensed motor providers, official third-party maximum premiums, excess, repair terms and claims.
• Health insurance in Bahrain for employer duties, Sehati, networks, co-pay and medical claims.
• Renew car insurance for the insurer-to-GDT handoff.
• Complain about an insurer for the insurer-first and CBB escalation process.
• Insurance companies hub for provider-specific guides.

For a trip, use the travel-insurance comparison guide to compare territory, limits and exclusions.

12. Arabic terms for the Bahrain insurer directory

Arabic searches such as شركات التأمين في البحرين, شركة تأمين البحرين and تأمين البحرين lead to the same verification task: identify the legal provider, confirm its role and check its current entry in the CBB Licensing Directory. A familiar trading name is not enough because an insurer, broker, aggregator and administrator perform different jobs.