https://www.businessdail...n-defaults-rise-3773780
Kenya Re has disclosed that insurance companies and brokers have defaulted on Sh8.57 billion premiums, hurting the profitability of the Nairobi Securities Exchange-listed firm which has had to make provisions for the amounts receivable.
The company said in its financial statement for the year ended December 2021 that the unremitted premiums had risen by Sh2.7 billion in the period, indicating that insurers are either struggling for funds or have become lax in their obligations to the reinsurer.
Kenya Re makes provisions for the unremitted premiums in its balance sheet, and when some of these impairments are realised, they impact negatively on its bottom line.
“Delays in receiving outstanding reinsurance premiums continue to pose credit risk to the group. This is mainly from outstanding retro recoveries as well as outstanding premium receivables from cedants and brokers,” said Kenya Re.
“As at December 2021, gross receivables stood at Sh8.57 billion against provisions of Sh3.89 billion as compared to December 2020 where gross reinsurance receivables stood at Sh5.865 billion against provisions of Sh3.87 billion.”
The listed reinsurer saw its net profit for the year rise marginally by 0.8 percent to Sh2.97 billion, after incurring an impairment hit of Sh909.4 million for bad debts relating to the unpaid premiums—up from Sh227.8 million in 2020.
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