Dar Al Takaful no longer exists as a brand. The Dubai company licensed in July 2008 acquired Noor Takaful in 2020, merged with Abu Dhabi's National Takaful Company (Watania) on 1 July 2022, and in March 2023 became Watania International Holding PJSC, a holding company without its own takaful licence. Every policy sold under the Dar Al Takaful or Noor Takaful names is now held by Watania Takaful General (motor and general cover) or Watania Takaful Family (life and medical). Renewals and claims go through 800 WATANIA (928 2642), info@watania.ae or the myconnect portal. This page covers the timeline, the entities, how to handle a legacy certificate and whether to stay. The takaful versus insurance hub explains the model itself.
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The merger timeline and the entities that hold legacy policies
Dar Al Takaful PJSC obtained its commercial licence on 23 July 2008 and started operations on 1 September 2008, listing on the Dubai Financial Market under the ticker DARALTAKAFUL. National Takaful Company, trading as Watania, was founded in Abu Dhabi in 2011 and listed on the Abu Dhabi exchange. Noor Takaful had launched as two companies, Noor Takaful General and Noor Takaful Family, because UAE Federal Law No. 6 of 2007 requires life and non-life takaful to be written by separate entities. In 2020 Dar Al Takaful bought 100% of Noor Takaful, which gave it those two operating companies.
The merger plan with Watania was announced on 3 March 2022 and completed on 1 July 2022 after regulatory and shareholder approvals. Watania shareholders received 0.734375 Dar Al Takaful shares for each Watania share, the enlarged company's issued capital was AED 260,156,250, and it traded on DFM as DARTAKAFUL from 4 July 2022. Early in 2023 the two operating subsidiaries were renamed Watania Takaful General PJSC (motor and non-motor) and Watania Takaful Family PJSC (life and medical). In March 2023 shareholders approved changing the parent's name and objects to Watania International Holding PJSC, its takaful licence was cancelled, and it became an investment holding company trading on DFM as WATANIA.
| Date | Event | What it means for a policyholder |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 2008 | Dar Al Takaful begins operations in Dubai | Original issuer of DAT-branded certificates |
| 2011 | National Takaful Company (Watania) founded in Abu Dhabi | Original issuer of Watania-branded certificates |
| 2020 | Dar Al Takaful acquires 100% of Noor Takaful General and Noor Takaful Family | Noor certificates come under DAT ownership |
| 3 Mar 2022 | DAT and Watania announce merger plan | No change to cover |
| 1 Jul 2022 | Merger completes; 0.734375 DAT shares per Watania share | Merged group trades as DARTAKAFUL from 4 July 2022 |
| Early 2023 | Noor Takaful General and Family renamed Watania Takaful General and Family | Your certificate is now serviced under the Watania Takaful name |
| Mar 2023 | Parent renamed Watania International Holding; takaful licence cancelled | Parent is a holding company; cover sits with the two subsidiaries |
The practical result is that there is no longer a licensed insurer called Dar Al Takaful. A certificate issued by Dar Al Takaful or Noor Takaful General is a Watania Takaful General obligation; a family or medical certificate from Noor Takaful Family is a Watania Takaful Family obligation. Watania's own FAQ, written during the 2023 head office move, states that the change of name and location has no impact on any certificate or claim. The Watania Takaful review assesses the merged operator going forward; this page is about getting from the old name to the new one.
How to renew, amend or claim on a certificate issued under the old brand
Watania runs one contact centre for all legacy brands: 800 WATANIA (928 2642), seven days a week from 8am to 7pm, and info@watania.ae. Motor claims have a dedicated address, motorclaims@watania.ae, and an online claims portal at myconnect.watania.ae where you can submit and track a claim. Renewal quotes and takaful certificates are issued online through watania.ae, by phone, or at four full-service offices: Al Jazeera Club Tower A in Abu Dhabi, Business Point Building at Port Saeed in Deira, Al Gurg Tower in Baniyas, Deira, and The Galleries Building 2 in Downtown Jebel Ali.
- Find your certificate number on the old document; Watania's systems carry over Dar Al Takaful and Noor Takaful policy records, so quote the number as printed even if it carries the old logo.
- For renewal, request a quote online or by phone before expiry and ask that any no-claims discount earned under the old brand is carried forward; the FAQ confirms the schedule in your certificate governs deductibles and discount.
- For a motor claim, submit the police report, both sides of the Mulkiya (registration card) and both sides of the driving licence through the portal, by email or at an office; for a medical reimbursement, the claim form and invoice; for a home claim, an incident description, a police report if theft, and a list of items with invoice values.
- For an amendment such as a change of vehicle, named driver or address, call the contact centre or visit an office, and ask for the amended certificate to be reissued under the Watania Takaful General or Family name.
Watania publishes service commitments that apply regardless of which brand issued the cover. If you use one of its recommended repairers, repairs including paintwork are guaranteed for one year. If you use your own repairer, Watania authorises repairs within two working days of receiving an estimate and photographs but does not guarantee the work. For a total loss, Watania calls to agree a settlement within two working days of assessment and pays within five working days; a vehicle is treated as beyond repair if the chassis or pillars are damaged or repair costs exceed 50% of its depreciated value. Third-party claims against another driver's cover are settled within seven working days where you are covered, with Watania then recovering from the party at fault.
What changed in the product lines and what the website no longer lists
Watania Takaful General writes motor, general, technical, property, marine, engineering, casualty and liability and fleet cover; Watania Takaful Family writes medical, life and personal accident, individual family takaful with savings and investment, and group schemes. The individual product menu on watania.ae in October 2026 lists motor, medical, family, personal accident, travel, home and marine. That is the combined book of the three predecessor companies rather than a narrower one, and the 2023 rebrand statement said the subsidiaries would carry forward the established operations of both merged companies.
Motor is where the detail is published. Comprehensive cover lists death and disability benefit up to AED 200,000, market value paid up to AED 2 million on total loss, ambulance expenses up to AED 6,770 per person, agency repair in the first year of use and approved repair shops afterwards, roadside recovery, off-road cover in some cases, and a courtesy car for up to 15 days or AED 300 a day where the other party was at fault and a recommended repairer is used. Esaad card holders are offered a AED 200 voucher or up to 20% off comprehensive motor. The best motor takaful comparison sets these terms against Salama, Orient and the others.
What Watania does not publish is a list of discontinued products or a statement on which Dar Al Takaful or Noor plans were withdrawn at the merger. If you hold a savings-linked family plan from Noor Takaful Family, the FAQ confirms that the contributions are invested in a fund overseen by Watania Takaful in line with Shariah principles with strategies from moderately cautious to aggressive, and that benefits can be distributed under Shariah inheritance rules or to named first-degree beneficiaries; ask for the current fund factsheet by name. Medical members covered through the NasNeuron network have access to a chronic disease management programme that Watania states will continue for future certificate holders.
Financial strength and licence status of the merged group
The holding company reports to DFM and its latest numbers cover the six months to 30 June 2026. Net profit after tax was AED 11.0 million, up 101.8% from AED 5.4 million in the first half of 2025; profit before tax was AED 11.8 million. Gross written contributions rose 9.5% to AED 592.6 million and takaful revenue 15.9% to AED 450.6 million. The combined ratio improved to 98.5% from 101.9%, meaning the takaful business paid out and spent less than it collected for the first time in that comparison. Total assets were AED 1.48 billion and shareholders' equity AED 272.1 million, with earnings per share of AED 0.042. Management attributed the improvement to underwriting in medical and motor.
Two governance facts matter for a policyholder. Anuj Agarwal, formerly chief executive at Gulf General Insurance and before that at Allianz Saudi Fransi and Bajaj Allianz Life, became Chief Executive Officer of Watania International Holding on 20 April 2026, and Dr Ali Saeed Bin Harmal Aldhaheri chairs the board. The parent's shares closed at AED 0.688 on DFM on 18 September 2026, within a 52-week range of AED 0.586 to AED 0.777. Watania describes its subsidiaries as the second-largest takaful provider in the UAE with about 25% of the takaful market and roughly 3% of the overall insurance market; those are the company's own figures.
On licensing, the cancellation of the parent's takaful licence in March 2023 is not a warning sign; it reflects the group's decision to hold rather than write cover. The two operating companies, Watania Takaful General PJSC and Watania Takaful Family PJSC, state that they operate under Federal Law No. 6 of 2007 on takaful companies and agents and remain the licensed insurers supervised by the Central Bank of the UAE, which took over insurance regulation from the former Insurance Authority. The UAE takaful regulation and consumer protection guide explains how to escalate a complaint to the Central Bank's Sanadak ombudsman if a legacy claim is not handled.
Stronger or weaker than the company you bought from?
Measured by scale, the merged operator is larger than any of its three predecessors: a combined AED 592.6 million of gross contributions in a half year, a national office footprint in Abu Dhabi, Deira and Jebel Ali, and a single claims platform. Measured by profitability, the group has moved from a combined ratio above 100% in the first half of 2025 to below it in 2026, which is the direction a policyholder wants, because an insurer that loses money on underwriting eventually tightens claims handling or raises contributions. The AED 272.1 million of equity against AED 1.48 billion of assets is the number to watch at the full-year results.
The weaker points are disclosure and continuity. A customer who dealt with a Dar Al Takaful branch in Dubai now deals with a Deira or Jebel Ali office, and the website does not publish the names of the current Internal Shariah Supervision Committee on the pages fetched for this article, so ask for the Shariah certificate for your product in writing. Watania's rewards for renewing are also modest compared with the discounting elsewhere in the motor market. The providers directory lists the alternatives if you decide to move.
Verdict: renew with Watania, or switch, for motor, medical and family policyholders
A motor policyholder with a clean record and a vehicle under five years old should get Watania's renewal quote and two competing quotes from Salama and Abu Dhabi National Takaful, then compare agency repair terms, courtesy car days and the deductible rather than the contribution alone. Watania's one-year repair guarantee and published settlement timelines are genuine positives; its contribution may or may not be. Renewing with Watania Takaful General is sensible if the price is within 10% of the alternatives and you have an open or recent claim, because switching mid-claim complicates recovery.
A medical policyholder should stay unless the network has dropped a hospital you rely on, because medical takaful in the UAE is renewed annually with underwriting, and a new insurer can exclude conditions the old one covered. A family takaful holder with a savings or investment element should not surrender: early surrender charges on these plans are heavy, the fund is still managed under Shariah oversight, and the merger did not change the contract. Request the current fund statement from Watania Takaful Family, check the beneficiary nomination still reflects your wishes, and keep paying; the Watania Takaful Family review covers the life operator's current terms. Facts checked against watania.ae, dfm.ae, financialfilings.com on 18 September 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Is Dar Al Takaful still operating in the UAE?
Not under that name. Dar Al Takaful PJSC acquired Noor Takaful in 2020, merged with National Takaful Company (Watania) on 1 July 2022 and in March 2023 was renamed Watania International Holding PJSC, an investment holding company whose own takaful licence was cancelled. Cover is written by its two wholly owned subsidiaries, Watania Takaful General PJSC for motor and general lines and Watania Takaful Family PJSC for life and medical, both operating under UAE Federal Law No. 6 of 2007.
What happened to my Dar Al Takaful or Noor Takaful policy?
It remains in force and is now serviced by Watania Takaful General (motor and general certificates) or Watania Takaful Family (life and medical). Watania's FAQ states the rebrand and office move had no impact on any certificate or claim. Quote your original certificate number when you call 800 WATANIA (928 2642) or email info@watania.ae, and ask for any reissued document to carry the Watania Takaful name.
How do I renew a Dar Al Takaful motor policy?
Request a renewal quote through watania.ae, by calling 800 WATANIA (928 2642) between 8am and 7pm any day, or at the Abu Dhabi, Deira or Jebel Ali offices. Give the old certificate number and ask for your no-claims discount to be carried forward. Comprehensive cover currently lists death and disability up to AED 200,000, market value up to AED 2 million, agency repair in the first year and a one-year guarantee on repairs by recommended garages.
How do I make a claim on an old Dar Al Takaful certificate?
Submit it through the myconnect.watania.ae portal, by email to motorclaims@watania.ae for motor or info@watania.ae for other lines, by phone on 800 WATANIA (928 2642), or in person at a Watania office. Motor claims need the police report, both sides of the Mulkiya and both sides of your driving licence. Watania states it agrees total loss settlements within two working days of assessment and pays within five working days.
Is Watania financially stronger than Dar Al Takaful was?
The merged group is larger and, on its latest figures, more profitable. For the six months to 30 June 2026 Watania International Holding reported net profit of AED 11.0 million, more than double the AED 5.4 million a year earlier, gross written contributions of AED 592.6 million, takaful revenue of AED 450.6 million, a combined ratio of 98.5% improved from 101.9%, total assets of AED 1.48 billion and equity of AED 272.1 million. A new CEO, Anuj Agarwal, took office on 20 April 2026.
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Should I switch from Watania to another takaful provider?
For motor, compare Watania's renewal with two other quotes on repair terms, courtesy car and deductible, and stay if the price is close or you have an open claim. For medical, stay unless your hospital has left the network, because a new insurer can exclude existing conditions. For family or savings plans, do not surrender: early exit charges are heavy and the fund remains under Shariah oversight. Review your beneficiary nomination and request the current fund statement.
