Qatar Islamic Insurance Company (QIIC) is the oldest takaful operator in Qatar, founded in 1995 and listed on the Qatar Stock Exchange, and the only insurer in the country whose own site records a policyholder surplus declared every year since its first. Its facts page says the surplus began at 5% in 1995 and has risen to 15%, and its homepage advertises a 15% annual cash surplus return. It sells motor, medical (Balsam), life (Aman), property and travel cover to individuals plus a large commercial book. The case for QIIC is that record and a claims desk reachable by WhatsApp; the case against is that every premium is quote-only and the medical pages were down when we checked. For how takaful differs from a conventional policy, start with our takaful versus insurance explainer.
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What QIIC is and who stands behind it
QIIC's history page describes a company that has operated on Islamic principles from the outset, supervised by a Shari'a Supervisory Board that the site says is headed by Dr Waleed Mohammed Hadi. The group trades as Qatar Islamic Insurance Group (QIIG) in its own materials and as QIIC on its product pages. Its facts page states that paid-up capital rose from QAR 20 million to QAR 150 million through bonus shares alone, that assets have grown to almost a billion riyals, and that AM Best has assigned it an IFS rating of A- (Excellent) with a stable outlook. We did not find a dated rating letter on the site, so treat the rating as the company's statement rather than an independently dated fact.
The company is listed on the Qatar Stock Exchange, and its ticker appears in the QE Al Rayan Islamic Index constituents file dated 1 September 2026, which means AlRayan Bank's Shari'a board has passed the company's own balance sheet as compliant. That is a useful external check for a takaful buyer: the operator's shareholders are themselves held to a Shariah screen. Our QIIC provider profile carries the house verdict that QIIC is the reference point for takaful in Qatar, and nothing on the site in October 2026 contradicts that. Insurance complaints in Qatar go to the Qatar Central Bank's Customer Protection Department, whose page lists a dedicated insurance complaints number, 44456377, alongside the general financial institutions line, 8000700.
How the 15% surplus works, and what it does not promise
QIIC's about page explains the model in one paragraph. Policyholder contributions are treated as donations into a general fund from which claims are paid. At year end, any cash surplus remaining after expenses is not kept by the company or its shareholders but returned to policyholders as cash dividends or distributions. Shareholders earn their return separately, as a share of the profit on investing the insurance funds. The site frames this as a structural separation between policyholder money and shareholder money, which is the textbook takaful arrangement.
The record is the unusual part. The facts page states that QIIC has declared a surplus every year from its first, starting at 5% at the end of 1995 and rising to 15%, and that the cumulative declared surplus now exceeds the paid-up capital. The homepage repeats the 15% figure as an annual cash surplus return. What the site does not state on those pages is the base on which 15% is calculated, which lines of business qualify, whether a policyholder who claimed in the year still participates, and whether the payment arrives as cash or as a credit against renewal. Those are the four questions to put in writing before you buy, and our explainer on who actually receives takaful surplus in Qatar sets out why the answers vary between operators.
A declared surplus is a historical fact, not a guarantee. A bad motor claims year, or a change in reinsurance cost, can reduce or remove it. QIIC's own corporate philosophy page lists prudence as a value and says the company will not take risks that jeopardise policyholder or shareholder finances, which is reassuring but is still a statement of intent.
Motor takaful: the three tiers QIIC publishes
QIIC's motor page sets out three products. Gold Comprehensive covers repair of your own car and the third party's vehicle plus medical expenses, with add-on covers available. Standard Comprehensive is described as the basic level of own-damage cover with third-party property liability. Third Party is the minimum mandatory cover under Qatari law, with optional add-ons. The page lists own damage, personal injury, fire and theft, third-party liability, agency repair for up to three years, and windscreen replacement as covered items, without stating which tier includes which. Premiums are not published; the page invites you to get a quote.
| Tier | What the QIIC page says it covers | Agency repair |
|---|---|---|
| Gold Comprehensive | Own car, third-party vehicle, medical expenses, add-ons | Available, up to 3 years |
| Standard Comprehensive | Basic own-damage cover plus third-party property damage | Not stated |
| Third Party | Mandatory third-party liability, optional add-ons | Not applicable |
The roadside assistance package, reached on 800 8080, covers lock-out, battery boost, flat tyre, emergency fuel, loss of personal belongings and a free car registration service. The FAQ adds three terms worth knowing. A cover note is valid for 60 days and must be replaced by a certificate before it expires. All motor policies are annual, with shorter periods only by approval. Insured Declared Value (IDV) is the manufacturer's current list price adjusted for a tariff depreciation table, and for cars over five years old it is a value agreed between you and the insurer. Exclusions are the standard four: wear and tear, driving drunk or without a valid licence, intentional damage, and war. For how this compares with a conventional motor policy, see our motor takaful versus conventional car insurance comparison.
How a QIIC claim actually runs
The motor claims section is the most concrete part of the site. You report the incident by phone on 44658888, by WhatsApp on 4465 8899, or online, with a stated promise that no office visit is required. QIIC then records and assesses the claim, and within a day you receive an SMS with a claim reference number and the contact details of the repair workshop assigned to your policy type and vehicle. The reference number tracks the claim thereafter.
- Policy number, so the desk can pull the cover and tier before you describe the accident
- Police report, which in Qatar you must obtain before any insurer will open a motor claim
- Car registration card (istimara) for the insured vehicle
- Driving licence of the person who was driving at the time
- General incident details and photographs of the damage and the scene
Life claims follow the same three steps but the SMS reference arrives within a couple of days rather than one, and QIIC may inspect in person depending on the loss. Life claims questions go to takaful@qiic.com.qa. The site does not publish average settlement times or a complaints ladder, so if a claim stalls, the QCB insurance complaints line is the external route.
Aman life takaful: what the page states
QIIC's life page offers Individual Life Aman and Individual Credit Life, covering death from any cause and total permanent disability from accident or sickness. Premiums are stated to start from QAR 120, with optional critical illness and disability riders. The exclusions list is explicit: active war, AIDS contracted before cover began, military or naval operations, pre-existing conditions with a serious past history, and participation in hazardous sport or racing. The page does not state the minimum or maximum sum assured, age limits or term lengths, so those come with the quote.
The FAQ carries a worked illustration of the Aman Investment and Savings Program, dated 2008, in which a monthly contribution of QAR 1,000 splits into QAR 53 for death and disability cover and QAR 947 for investment, with a 7% assumed return net of QIIC's share. The same illustration mentions an 18% cash dividend on the Aman contribution in 2007. That example is nearly two decades old and should be read as a description of the mechanics, not a current return. Our review of the Aman savings programme as a pension alternative goes through the structure in detail, and our QIIC Aman versus Beema life takaful comparison weighs it against the main rival.
Balsam medical: what we could not verify
QIIC's history page names Balsam as its medical plan brand, available in individual, family and group form. The dedicated medical page returned a server error on each attempt on 30 September 2026, so we cannot describe plan tiers, network hospitals or limits. The FAQ, which did load, lists cosmetic and obesity treatment, pregnancy-related conditions, self-harm, adventure sport and war as exclusions, describes cashless treatment at network hospitals, and says age and sum insured are the main premium drivers. One FAQ answer refers to a third-party administrator being an IRDAI-authorised entity, which is an Indian regulatory reference and suggests that part of the page was adapted from a template rather than written for Qatar. Ask for the Qatar network list and the policy wording before relying on the FAQ.
QIIC versus Beema, General Takaful and Alkhaleej Takaful
Qatar has a handful of takaful operators and each has a distinct profile. Beema (Damaan Islamic Insurance Company) states on its homepage that it is licensed by the Qatar Central Bank under 13/2009 with commercial registration 43652, calls itself Qatar's first fully digital insurer, and sells motor cover by phone on 44050555 with a payment link sent by SMS. Its motor add-ons are priced as extras: agency repair with no depreciation on parts, a replacement car for up to 14 days at QAR 100 per day, off-road extension, and roadside assistance on 44810400. Our Beema profile records that QIB, QIC, Barwa, AlRayan and QInvest founded it in 2009. The General Takaful and Alkhaleej Takaful sites both returned server errors when we checked, so their rows below rest on our existing provider research rather than a fresh fetch.
| Operator | Published distinguishing fact | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| QIIC | Surplus declared every year since 1995, now 15%; WhatsApp claims desk | Buyers who weight surplus history and claims access |
| Beema | QCB licence 13/2009; fully digital; motor add-ons priced separately | Buyers who want to transact by phone and app |
| General Takaful | Discloses a 20% wakala fee covering all admin (our profile) | Buyers who want the fairest disclosed economics |
| Alkhaleej Takaful | Founded 1979, converted 2010; richest retail features (our profile) | Buyers who want feature-heavy products and accept fund questions |
Our General Takaful profile and our Alkhaleej Takaful profile carry the full verdicts. The short version is that QIIC wins on track record, General Takaful on disclosed fee fairness, Beema on digital process, and Alkhaleej on product design.
Who should choose QIIC
Choose QIIC for motor if you drive a car under three years old and want agency repair, you value a claims desk that answers on WhatsApp, and you are prepared to ask the four surplus questions and get the answers in writing. Choose QIIC for life if you want a simple term product with a stated QAR 120 entry premium and you are comfortable that the savings variant is a long-term commitment. Get a Beema quote alongside for motor, because its add-on pricing makes the cost of extras visible in a way QIIC's bundled tiers do not.
Do not choose QIIC for medical on the strength of its website, because the product pages were down and the FAQ is partly templated. Ask for the Balsam plan brochure, the Qatar network list and the full exclusions, and compare them with our four-operator medical takaful comparison. Facts checked against qiic.com.qa, beema.com.qa, qcb.gov.qa, qe.com.qa on 30 September 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Is QIIC a real takaful company or a conventional insurer with an Islamic name?
It is a takaful operator. QIIC's about page describes contributions as donations into a policyholder fund, claims paid from that fund, surplus returned to policyholders, and shareholders rewarded separately from investment returns. A Shari'a Supervisory Board supervises operations. The company's shares also sit in the QE Al Rayan Islamic Index, which requires a fatwa from AlRayan Bank's Shari'a board.
How much surplus does QIIC pay policyholders?
QIIC's site states that the declared surplus rose from 5% at the end of 1995 to 15%, and its homepage advertises a 15% annual cash surplus return. The pages do not define the base, say which lines qualify, or state whether a policyholder who claimed still participates. Ask those questions before you buy and keep the written answer with your policy.
How do I make a motor claim with QIIC?
Call 44658888, WhatsApp 4465 8899 or submit online. You need your policy number, the police report, the car registration card, your driving licence and photographs. QIIC says it issues a claim reference by SMS within a day, together with the details of the workshop assigned to your policy type. No office visit is required according to the site.
Does QIIC offer agency repair?
Yes, the motor page lists agency repair for up to three years as a covered item. The page does not state which of the three tiers includes it, and Gold Comprehensive is the tier described as covering your own car fully, so confirm in the quote that agency repair is included and for how many years from first registration.
What does QIIC Aman life cover cost?
QIIC's life page says premiums start from QAR 120 and cover death from any cause and total permanent disability. Sum assured, term and age limits are not published, so the actual premium comes with a quote. The savings variant, Aman Investment and Savings, splits each contribution between risk cover and investment, as illustrated in the site's 2008 example.
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Who regulates QIIC and where do I complain?
Insurance in Qatar sits under the Qatar Central Bank, whose Customer Protection Department page lists 44456377 for insurance company complaints and cp@qcb.gov.qa for email, with in-person service at the West Bay office from 8:00 to 13:00. Beema's site cites its QCB licence number; QIIC's product pages do not display one, so ask for it if you want it on file.
