ADNIC Insurance

Abu Dhabi National Insurance Company — universally known as ADNIC — is one of the UAE's oldest insurers, founded in 1972, the year after federation. It is a composite insurer offering both general (motor, property, marine, energy) and life lines, listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) since 1991, and headquartered at ADNIC Tower in Abu Dhabi. Compared with the more retail-focused names that dominate UAE insurance advertising, ADNIC's profile is split fairly evenly between everyday personal cover and large corporate risks tied to the emirate's energy and infrastructure economy. This guide covers what ADNIC sells, how to deal with it as a customer, and where it sits relative to peers like Daman, Orient and Salama in the broader UAE insurance market.

At a Glance

Company History

ADNIC was incorporated in 1972, predating UAE federation by a year. It was set up to serve the risk needs of Abu Dhabi's oil-driven economy — early business was weighted to property, marine and energy cover for industrial and trading firms.

The company listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange in 1991, becoming one of the first insurers on the local market. Over the following two decades it broadened from a primarily corporate insurer into a composite serving retail customers in motor, health, travel and life. ADNIC is regulated by the UAE Central Bank, which absorbed insurance supervision from the previous Insurance Authority in 2020.

Today ADNIC is one of a handful of UAE insurers with both meaningful retail market share and serious capacity in large commercial lines.

Lines of Business

Motor Insurance

Motor is one of ADNIC's largest retail lines. The company sells both comprehensive cover (own damage, third-party liability, theft, fire) and the cheaper third-party-only policies that satisfy the legal minimum to register a vehicle. Optional add-ons typically include agency repair, GCC cover, off-road extension, personal accident benefit and roadside assistance.

ADNIC has a strong distribution presence in Abu Dhabi for motor, with direct sales through its branches and call centre as well as a broad broker and online aggregator network. Renewal can be done through the ADNIC Connect app or via partners such as the major aggregator sites; quotes vary considerably by vehicle, age and licence history rather than by a single sticker price.

Health Insurance

ADNIC is one of the licensed insurers in the Abu Dhabi DOH market, where employer-provided health cover is mandatory under Thiqa-adjacent rules. It offers individual and group medical plans across the emirates, with networks that include most major hospital groups. Plans are tiered — broadly entry, mid and premium — and cover scope, copay, room category and overseas treatment vary by tier.

For UAE-wide buyers it competes directly with Daman on group health, and slots in alongside private medical insurers such as Orient and Sukoon. ADNIC's health book is meaningful but not the largest in the market; it tends to be priced in the mid-range and is often chosen by SMEs and corporates that already use ADNIC for property or motor cover.

Travel Insurance

Travel cover is sold both as standalone single-trip and annual multi-trip policies and as an add-on to credit cards or other ADNIC products. Standard cover includes medical expenses abroad, trip cancellation and curtailment, baggage loss, personal liability and 24-hour assistance. Single-trip cover for a typical Schengen visa application can be bought online in minutes.

Property Insurance

ADNIC writes home, building and contents cover for individual homeowners and tenants, plus larger policies for landlords, developers and commercial property owners. Standard policies pick up fire, flood, escape of water, burglary and personal liability inside the home; higher-tier products extend to alternative accommodation, valuables away from home and identity theft. Building cover is required by many UAE banks at mortgage drawdown, which is one of the main entry points to this line.

Life Insurance

The life book is roughly 30% of overall business and covers term life, decreasing-term mortgage protection, and family protection riders such as critical illness and total permanent disability. Whole-of-life and savings-linked products are also available but represent a smaller share of new sales than pure protection. Group life and credit life sold to employers and banks make up a meaningful slice of the portfolio.

Marine, Aviation and Energy

This is where ADNIC differs most clearly from purely retail-focused peers. The company writes:

• Marine cargo and hull — for shipping, freight forwarders and vessel owners operating out of UAE ports.
• Aviation — hull and liability cover for operators and ground handlers.
• Energy — onshore and offshore oil and gas property, business interruption and liability, often co-insured or reinsured into the international market.

These corporate lines reflect Abu Dhabi's economic profile and are a major reason ADNIC's premium income is more diversified than competitors that lean heavily on motor and health.

Engineering and Construction

Project-based cover — Contractors All Risks, Erection All Risks, machinery breakdown and contractors' plant and equipment — is sold to developers and contractors working on infrastructure, real estate and industrial projects across the UAE. ADNIC has been a regular participant on large public-sector and quasi-government project schedules.

Customer Channels

ADNIC has built out a multi-channel distribution model. The main routes for individual customers are:

• Branch network — around 10 to 15 customer service offices across the emirates, concentrated in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain with smaller footprints in Dubai and the Northern Emirates.
• Broker channel — the majority of motor and health business is broker-distributed, which means many customers first encounter ADNIC via an independent insurance broker rather than direct.
• ADNIC Connect mobile app — used for policy management, claims tracking, motor renewal, and document upload. The app handles motor accident claims with photo upload and live status updates.
• Online quote and buy — single-trip travel and motor renewals can be completed end-to-end on the website.
• Aggregators and bancassurance — ADNIC quotes appear on the major UAE comparison sites and is offered as an option through several bank partners.

Claims for motor accidents typically begin with a police report (mandatory in the UAE for any insurance claim) followed by submission via the app or to a branch. Health claims are largely cashless at network providers; reimbursement claims are handled via the app or web portal.

Practical Notes

• Premiums in AED. Quotes vary widely by risk profile and we don't publish exact prices here — get a personalised quote on the ADNIC site or via a broker.
• No-claim discounts. Motor renewals reflect a no-claim discount that builds over consecutive claim-free years; switching insurer normally requires a written confirmation of the discount from the prior carrier.
• VAT. Insurance premiums in the UAE attract 5% VAT, which is included in most quoted prices but worth confirming.
• Documents. A standard motor application needs Emirates ID, passport copy, UAE driving licence, vehicle registration (Mulkiya) and a no-claim letter if applicable. Health applications need Emirates ID and a recent medical declaration.
• Cooling-off. Most personal lines have a short cancellation window with pro-rata refund, subject to no claims having been made.
• Regulator. The UAE Central Bank handles insurance supervision and complaints; ADNIC is licensed and listed locally.

Compared with Peers

ADNIC sits in a relatively distinctive spot in the UAE market.

• Versus Daman, ADNIC has a smaller health member base — Daman is the dominant Abu Dhabi health insurer with the Thiqa scheme — but ADNIC offers a far broader product set across motor, property, life and corporate lines.
• Versus Orient, ADNIC is comparable in scale and breadth, but Orient is more of a Dubai-anchored and Al-Futtaim-aligned brand. ADNIC leans into Abu Dhabi government and energy work.
• Versus Salama, ADNIC is larger and conventional rather than Sharia-compliant; Salama is the headline takaful brand.
• Versus the wider UAE insurance market, ADNIC is in the upper tier of locally listed insurers by gross written premium and stands out for the depth of its commercial book.

On price, ADNIC is generally mid-priced — neither the cheapest direct-to-consumer option (those tend to be smaller insurers selling almost entirely via aggregators) nor the most expensive premium brand. For Abu Dhabi residents it is a credible long-established homegrown alternative to Daman on health and to Dubai-headquartered insurers on motor.

Frequently Asked Questions

When was ADNIC founded?

ADNIC was founded in 1972, the year before the formation of the United Arab Emirates federation. It is one of the oldest insurance companies in the country.

Is ADNIC a public company?

Yes. ADNIC has been listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) since 1991 and trades under that ticker. It publishes audited financials and holds annual general meetings for shareholders.

Where is ADNIC's head office?

ADNIC's head office is at ADNIC Tower in Abu Dhabi. The company also operates around 10 to 15 customer service branches across the emirates, with the densest network in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain.

What does ADNIC sell?

ADNIC is a composite insurer offering motor, health, travel, property and life cover for individuals, plus marine, aviation, energy, engineering and construction cover for corporate clients. The retail and corporate split is roughly 70% general and 30% life.

Is ADNIC a takaful (Sharia-compliant) insurer?

No. ADNIC is a conventional insurer. For takaful options the established UAE option is Salama, and several other dedicated takaful operators are also licensed.

How do I make a claim with ADNIC?

For motor claims you typically file a police report first, then submit photos and details through the ADNIC Connect app or at a branch. For health claims, treatment at network providers is generally cashless; reimbursement claims are submitted via the app or web portal with receipts.

Is ADNIC better than Daman for health insurance?

They serve different audiences. Daman is the largest Abu Dhabi health insurer and runs the Thiqa scheme for nationals; ADNIC is a broader composite insurer where health is one of several lines. For pure health depth in Abu Dhabi, Daman has scale; for a single insurer covering motor, home and health together, ADNIC is often the simpler option.

Does ADNIC have a mobile app?

Yes. ADNIC Connect handles policy management, motor renewal, claim filing and tracking, and document upload. It is available on iOS and Android.

How does ADNIC compare on price?

ADNIC is generally mid-priced in the UAE market — not the cheapest aggregator option and not the most expensive premium brand. Motor and health quotes vary heavily by risk profile, so it is worth comparing ADNIC against two or three competitors via an aggregator or broker before renewing.

Can I buy ADNIC insurance through a broker?

Yes, and most ADNIC motor and health business is in fact broker-distributed. Independent brokers will quote ADNIC alongside other insurers, which is a common way to compare options without contacting each carrier directly.