Insurance Authority to mandate coverage for crowded venues

Naji Al-Tamimi, CEO of Insurance Authority

Saudi Arabia plans to introduce mandatory public liability insurance for crowded public venues such as hospitals, restaurants, hotels and malls, Naji Al-Tamimi, CEO of Insurance Authority, said.

The aim is to protect third parties from potential harm caused by accidents or fires, Al-Tamimi said to Rotana Khalejia.

Official directive was issued and the remaining steps included regulatory aspects, linking with relevant entities, while other types of mandatory insurance were still under review.

Regarding complaints related to medical insurance approvals, the CEO said work is underway to improve medical approvals after monitoring beneficiaries’ difficulties, through initiative with insurance companies to expand a network of centers that do not require prior approvals for certain services, especially for holders of non-open policies.

Despite volume of requests exceeding 60 million annually, the aim was to reduce complexity and speed up service.

Al-Tamimi added that a parallel study was being conducted to examine cancellation of medical approvals, while assessing economic impact to avoid any consequences that could raise costs or prices for patients or business owners, ensuring balance between ease of access to services and sustainability of system.