Insurance and Reinsurance
Resolution
The Council discussed the research and the papers presented to it concerning the issue of insurance and how it is dealt with in Europe and reviewed the publications of the Fiqh Academies, conferences and scientific forums on this matter, and has arrived at the following:
First: Taking into consideration the resolutions issued by some FiqhAcademies that prohibit business insurance (which is based on fixed premiums without giving the insured any of the profits of the company or charging him any of its losses) and the lawfulness of cooperative insurance (which is based on regular cooperation among the insured and distributing the surplus, if any, among them – the role of the company being confined to running the budget of insurance and investing its assets), there are cases and environments that require solutions to deal with special situations and meet their needs, particularly the case of Muslims in Europe where business insurance is prevalent and where people are badly in need of benefiting by it to ward off the risks they are largely exposed to in daily life in all its forms, and in the absence of the Islamic alternative (i.e. the cooperative insurance) and the difficulty to find it nowadays. Therefore, the Council gives the fatwapermitting business insurance in the following and similar cases:
1- The cases of legal compulsion, such as insurance on cars, machinery and equipment, for employees and officials (social security and pension), and some cases of health insurance, study insurance, etc.
2- Cases where insurance is required to ward off critical situations and severe difficulty and where the risk in the system of business insurance is excused. Following are some examples:
a) Insurance on Islamic institutions such as mosques, centers and schools, etc.
b) Insurance on cars, machinery, equipment, houses, professional and commercial establishment, to avoid the perils that are difficult to cover such as fires, theft and the impairment of various facilities.
c) Health insurance to avoid the high costs which the insured and the members of his family may have to pay, in the absence of free, slow, or technically low level health coverage.
Second: Postponing the subject of life insurance in all its forms to another session to complete its study.
Third: The Council recommends that wealthy and intellectual figures try hard to establish financial Islamic establishments, such as Islamic banks, and Islamic cooperative insurance companies as much as possible.[1]
[Resolution 7/6]
[1] Dr Muhammad Fuad al-Birazi, member of the Council, disagreed by saying: “I see that insurance is permissible if it compulsory by law, in addition to cooperative insurance if it is available. Otherwise, it is prohibited.”
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