DEAD SEA, Nov. 7 (Petra) – The Arab Health Insurance Conference 2026 convened Saturday at the King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Centre under the theme "Opportunities and Challenges in the Era of Artificial Intelligence," drawing over 220 experts and 20 speakers from Jordan, Palestine, Libya, Syria, Yemen, and the UAE.

Organized jointly by the Jordan Association for Health Insurance (JAHI) and the Jordan Insurance Federation (JIF), the two-day forum explores the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in driving insurance digitization, curbing healthcare expenditure, and ensuring fiscal sustainability.

Patronizing the opening ceremony, former Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour stressed that while AI presents unprecedented data-processing capabilities, the primary challenge lies in developing transparent, evidence-based systems that enhance medical claim processing, expedite prior authorizations, and eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse. Ensour highlighted the need for robust legal frameworks to safeguard medical privacy, standardize data exchanges, and maintain human oversight over automated decision-making.

For his part, JAHI Board Member Moain Al-Habashneh stated that integrating practical AI applications will improve patient care pathways from diagnosis to post-treatment follow-up while containing operational costs. During the conference, Al-Habashneh unveiled JAHI’s new brand identity, reflecting enhanced inter-institutional collaboration and social protection values.

JIF Chief Executive Officer Majed El-Klob highlighted that medical insurance remains the largest segment in the Jordanian market, generating approximately JD 168 million in premiums during the first five months of 2026–representing 40 percent of total market volume and a 17 percent year-on-year growth–against JD 97 million in paid claims.

El-Klob noted that AI provides effective mechanisms to mitigate rising healthcare costs through automated fraud detection, precise risk pricing, and expedited claims settlement, while emphasizing strict compliance with Personal Data Protection Law No. 24 of 2023. He added that the insurance sector stands ready to partner with the government on the universal health coverage initiative, contingent on comprehensive actuarial modeling and precise dataset integration.

The conference features five thematic tracks focusing on digital transformation, health data governance, cybersecurity, personal data protection, actuarial AI modeling, and technological solutions to expand coverage for chronic and critical illnesses across Arab markets.

//Petra// AA