Monday, March 16 2026 10:33
Karina Melikyan

Loss ratio under MTPL insurance contracts shows increase from Feb.  2026

Loss ratio under MTPL insurance contracts shows increase from Feb.  2026

ArmInfo. In the Armenian insurance market, the loss ratio for compulsory motor third-party liability insurance (CMTPLI), after declining throughout 2025 from 81.8% to 76.3%, has begun to rise since 2026, reaching 80.2% in the first two months (versus 77.5% in January-February 2025). This is  evidenced by data from the Armenian Bureau of Motor Insurers.

The increase in the loss ratio in January-February 2026 was observed  against the backdrop of an acceleration in the annual growth of the  number of active contracts from 2.1% to 6.3% and the volume of  insurance premiums from 11.7% to 16.1%, and a reversal in claims from  a 1.1% decline to a 6.7% increase. 

According to the Bureau, the number of vehicles with MTPL policies  increased more significantly year-on-year, by 4.3%, compared to only  1.4% a year ago. In quantitative terms, as of March 2026, there were  696,298 vehicles with MTPL policies in the country, but the number of  active policies was 216,965 (excluding terminated policies -  196,578). 

Of the total number of MTPL policies, the share of E-policies  increased year-on-year from 35% to 39%, reaching 82,072 thousand by  March of this year, with an acceleration in annual growth from 13.6%  to 17.2%. According to the results of January-February 2026, the  volume of collected insurance premiums under existing contracts  reached 6.1 billion drams ($16.1 million), and the volume of  insurance indemnities exceeded 4 billion drams ($10.7 million).  Moreover, the volume of indemnities paid out under simplified  accident registration (Europrotocol) significantly slowed in  year-on-year growth from 62.8% to 6.2%, amounting to 660.2 million  drams ($1.8 million). At the same time, the annual growth of the  average single payment also stalled - from 36.7% to 8%, amounting to  133,995 thousand drams ($355, compared to $315 a year ago).  Meanwhile, the average per-payment size for total insurance claims  slowed less significantly year-on-year, from 8.2% to 3.1%, reaching  284,742,000 drams ($755, compared to $702 a year ago).

According to the Bureau, INGO Insurance Company covers the largest  number of vehicles with a MTPL policy - 129,983 units (approximately  19% of the market).  Incidentally, its MTPL loss ratio increased to  91% (from a minimum of 66% a year earlier). Armenia Insurance  recorded the highest MTPL loss ratio during the reporting period -  100% (compared to 77% a year earlier), while Nairi Insurance had the  lowest - 54% (compared to 70% a year earlier).

INGO and Nairi Insurance generate the largest volume of insurance  premiums under existing MTPL policies - 1.2-1.1 billion drams (21-19%  of the total market volume).  These same insurance companies also  lead in compensation in this class, with compensation amounts of  818-702 million drams (20-17% of the total). INGO delivered the  largest payouts for simplified accident reporting (Europrotocol)  cases - 141 million (21% of the total market volume). INGO also has  the leading number of E-policies - 37,653 thousand (46% of the total  number of such contracts on the market), LIGA Insurance is in second  place - 15,601 thousand (19%), and Armenia Insurance is in third  place - 11,343 thousand (14%). Nairi Insurance maintains the lowest  number of E- policies - 3,511 thousand (only 4% of the total number  of such contracts on the market).  In terms of the total number of  active contracts, the first two positions are occupied by INGO and  REGO Insurance - 47,003 thousand and 42,572 thousand, respectively  (or 22% and 20% of the total number on the market). It's worth  noting, however, that the leaders in insurance premiums-INGO and  Nairi Insurance-also lead in the number of terminated contracts, with  4,345 and 3,637 thousand, respectively (with an amount of 57- 53  million drams outstanding or already paid). Armenia Insurance and  LIGA Insurance have the fewest terminated contracts (2,485 and 2,990,  respectively).

It's worth noting that in April 2023, the Armenian insurance market  began liberalizing MTPL tariffs, and within a quarter, the loss ratio  for this class began to increase. This trend continued until 2025,  when, beginning in February, a significant increase in MTPL tariffs  allowed insurance companies to significantly improve their operating  efficiency, and the loss ratio began to decline. But already in 2026,  and specifically since February, the loss ratio has resumed its  growth. In early March of this year.

The Armenian Bureau of Motor Insurers announced that, as part of  amendments to the General Conditions of Compulsory Motor Liability  Insurance (CMTPLI), increased insured amounts and maximum indemnity  limits will come into effect on April 1, 2026.  Specifically, the  insured amounts and maximum indemnity limits have been increased as  follows: For property damage, the current 1.8 million drams have been  increased to 2.5 million drams; for damage to health, the current 3.3  million drams have been increased to 3.5 million drams. At the same  time, the insured amounts for the total damage caused to all victims  as a result of a single insured event have been proportionally  increased and set at 25 million and 35 million drams, respectively.

As a reminder, seven insurance companies have been operating in  Armenia since the end of July 2023, following the return of EFES  Insurance Company to the market, although it is not licensed for  compulsory motor third-party liability insurance (CMTPL). (The  exchange rate for the dram against the US dollar as of February 28,  2026, was 377.00 drams per US dollar, compared to 393.35 drams per US  dollar as of February 28, 2025.).