How does Orient Takaful relate to Orient Insurance?
The Orient Group is backed by Al-Futtaim, one of the UAE’s major conglomerate groups. Within insurance, the group operates two separate CBUAE-licensed entities: Orient Insurance Company PJSC, a national conventional insurer, and Orient Takaful Insurance Company PJSC, a national takaful operator.
These are legally distinct companies. Each holds its own CBUAE licence, its own balance sheet, its own actuarial reserves and its own Shariah Supervisory Board (in the case of Orient Takaful). The shared group infrastructure, branding heritage and distribution do not make them the same company or create any cross-guarantee of claims obligations.
If you buy a motor policy from Orient Takaful, your contract is with Orient Takaful, not with Orient Insurance. The two entities cannot be substituted for each other in a claim context.
For a full review of Orient Insurance (the conventional entity), see Orient Insurance UAE: car, health and home cover reviewed. For a broader explanation of how the takaful structure works across operators, see takaful insurance explained: how it works and how it differs.
What motor plans does Orient Takaful offer?
Orient Takaful offers motor cover across the standard UAE tiers: third-party liability (TPL) and comprehensive (full cover).
Third-party liability covers damage and injury you cause to other parties. This is the legal minimum under the unified motor policy framework (IA Board Decision No. 25/2016, CBUAE, verified June 2026). The TPL limit is up to AED 2,000,000 per accident for third-party property damage.
Comprehensive cover adds own-damage protection: fire, theft, natural perils, accident damage to your own vehicle, and typically a range of optional add-ons (off-road, agency repair, hire car, roadside assistance). The specific add-on options and pricing tiers for Orient Takaful’s comprehensive product should be confirmed directly with the operator, as they were not independently verified at the publication date of this article.
The takaful structure means participants pay a contribution into the shared pool rather than a premium to the operator. The operator manages the fund as a wakala (agent), typically charging a management fee from the pool. From the policyholder’s practical standpoint, buying, renewing and claiming looks very similar to a conventional motor policy.
How does the takaful model work at claim time?
When a participant makes a claim, it is assessed and paid from the takaful fund (the shared pool of contributions), not from the operator’s own capital. Orient Takaful manages the process as the fund’s wakala agent.
From the participant’s side, the claims experience looks the same as a conventional insurer: notify the operator, go through assessment, agree settlement and receive payment or authorise repairs. The distinction is structural; the money comes from the pool rather than from the operator’s risk capital.
Surplus distribution is a feature of takaful with no conventional equivalent. If, at the end of a fund period, claims and expenses are lower than contributions, the surplus belongs to the participants. How it is calculated, whether distributed as cash or credited against the next contribution, and under what conditions, are set out in the fund rules governed by Orient Takaful’s Shariah Supervisory Board. Read these rules before purchasing.
If the fund runs a deficit (claims exceed contributions), the operator typically provides a Qard Hasan, an interest-free loan to the fund, which the fund repays from future surpluses. Participants are not directly called on to cover a deficit.
Who suits Orient Takaful?
Orient Takaful suits drivers for whom a Shariah-compliant structure is relevant to their choice of insurer. The takaful model is designed for participants who prefer a mutual, non-interest-based risk-sharing arrangement.
Beyond the Shariah dimension, the practical question when comparing Orient Takaful against other motor insurers is the same as for any provider: what are the contribution rates for your vehicle and profile, what does comprehensive cover include and exclude, how does the claims process work in practice, and is agency repair available within the eligible age window?
Orient Takaful is not necessarily more or less expensive than conventional alternatives; contribution levels depend on vehicle, location, driver profile and policy tier. Comparing it alongside other CBUAE-licensed motor insurers is the right approach rather than assuming takaful pricing is always higher or lower.
To compare Orient Takaful alongside other UAE motor insurers, see compare car insurance in the UAE or the Orient Group insurers page for verified data. Confirm current contribution rates directly with Orient Takaful before purchasing.
Information, not advice. InsureCompare.ae is an independent comparison site. We are not licensed by the CBUAE to advise on insurance products. Orient Takaful product names, add-on options and contribution rates are not independently verified at publication; confirm directly with Orient Takaful before purchasing. Shariah compliance statements are based solely on the operator’s own disclosures.
Related reading
- Orient Insurance UAE: car, health and home cover reviewed
- Takaful insurance explained: how it works and how it differs
- Orient Group: insurer profile
- Compare car insurance in the UAE
Frequently asked questions
Is Orient Takaful the same company as Orient Insurance?
No. Orient Insurance Company PJSC and Orient Takaful Insurance Company PJSC are legally separate entities, each with its own CBUAE licence. Both are part of the Al-Futtaim-backed Orient Group, but they operate distinct balance sheets, reserve pools and governance structures. Orient Takaful has its own Shariah Supervisory Board; Orient Insurance does not, as it is a conventional insurer.
What motor cover does Orient Takaful offer?
Orient Takaful offers TPL and comprehensive motor cover. Comprehensive typically includes own damage, fire, theft and natural perils, with add-on options. Specific product names, tiers and add-on structures should be confirmed directly with Orient Takaful, as they were not independently verified at the publication date of this article.
How is the claims process different under takaful compared to conventional insurance?
From a participant’s practical standpoint, the process is broadly the same: notify the operator, go through assessment, and receive settlement or repair authorisation. The structural difference is that claims are paid from the shared takaful pool, not from the operator’s own risk capital. The operator manages the process as the fund’s wakala agent.
Can I receive a surplus distribution if Orient Takaful has a good year?
If the takaful fund’s contributions exceed claims and expenses in a given period, the surplus may be distributed to participants per the fund rules approved by Orient Takaful’s Shariah Supervisory Board. Not every year results in a distributable surplus. Review the fund rules before purchasing.
Who should choose Orient Takaful over a conventional insurer?
Orient Takaful suits drivers for whom a Shariah-compliant structure is a deciding criterion. Beyond that, the decision should rest on the same factors as any motor comparison: contribution rate for your vehicle and profile, scope of comprehensive cover, add-on availability, network of approved repairers and the claims process. Compare Orient Takaful against both takaful and conventional competitors before deciding.