Check an Insurance Company or Broker Is SECP Licensed in Pakistan Before You Pay
Look up any insurer or broker on the SECP's official lists before paying a premium. Learn the 6 steps, the warning signs and where to complain in Pakistan.
Short answer: Open the SECP data page for insurance companies and download the list of active insurers or the list of active insurance brokers. The newest files are marked "as on 3 September 2026". Find the exact company name in the list before you pay a premium. If it is missing, do not pay.
A man in Lahore pays Rs 120,000 a year to "a company" his cousin recommends. The receipt carries a logo and a stamp. Nobody ever asks one simple thing: is this firm on the regulator's list? Checking takes about three minutes, and it is free.
We opened the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) pages for insurance licensing, its insurance data page and its contact page on 11 October 2026. We did not buy a policy, and we did not test any complaint.
The SECP regulates insurers and publishes who is licensed
The SECP is the federal regulator for insurance in Pakistan. An insurer needs a registration certificate under the Insurance Ordinance 2000 before it can sell cover. The SECP publishes lists of active insurers and active brokers as downloadable files on its data page.
The licensing page for insurers sets the entry bar. A life insurer or family takaful operator needs minimum paid up capital of Rs 700 million. A non-life or general takaful insurer needs Rs 500 million. Each must also keep a statutory deposit of 10 percent of paid up capital with the State Bank of Pakistan.
That is why the list matters. A firm on it has passed those tests. A firm off it has not, whatever its brochure says.
| Who you are dealing with | What the SECP list is called | What it proves |
|---|---|---|
| Insurance company (life, non-life, takaful) | List of Active Insurers | The company is registered to sell cover |
| Insurance broker (a company that advises you and shops for cover) | List of Active Insurance Brokers | The broker holds a licence, renewed every year |
| Reinsurance broker | List of Active Reinsurance Brokers | Relevant to companies, rarely to individuals |
| Health claims handler | List of Third-Party Administrators | The firm is authorised to administer health claims |
| Accident surveyor | List of Active Insurance Surveyors and ASOs | The person is authorised to assess a loss |
How to look a company up on the SECP list
Go to the SECP website, open Data and Statistics, then Insurance Companies. Choose the newest file for your case. Insurer lists and broker lists are separate downloads, so pick the one that matches the person selling to you.
- Open secp.gov.pk and go to Data and Statistics, then Insurance Companies.
- Find the newest "List of Insurers" file. At our check, the newest was dated 3 September 2026.
- Find the company name printed on your policy papers and premium receipt. Match the full legal name, not the brand.
- If a broker or agency sold you the policy, also open the newest "List of Active Insurance Brokers" file and look for that name.
- Note the date at the top of the file. A list from 2024 can miss a licence that was cancelled since.
- Write down the policy number and keep a copy of the policy schedule.
The listed file names on the page carry different "as on" dates, and some older rows are labelled oddly. Always read the date inside the file you open.
A licensed broker is not the same as a licensed agent
Brokers and agents are different. A broker is a licensed company. An agent is an individual who sells for one insurer. We found no public SECP list of individual agents, so the check for an agent is to confirm the insurer, then ask that insurer to confirm the agent in writing.
The SECP broker page says a broker must be a company with at least Rs 10 million paid up capital, a Rs 0.5 million deposit with the State Bank and professional indemnity cover of Rs 10 million. A broker licence runs for one year and is renewed annually. An "agent" who says he has a personal SECP licence number is not describing anything we could find on these pages.
Ask for three things before any payment: the insurer's full name, the agent's code or authority letter, and the policy wording in print. Then pay the premium to the insurer's own bank account, never to a personal account or a mobile wallet in a person's name.
What to do if the firm is not on the list
Stop paying and keep every paper. Ask the seller to show the registration certificate number, then compare it with the list. If the company still cannot be found, report it to the SECP and tell your bank if you paid by card or transfer.
The SECP contact page gives a toll free number, 080088008, a complaints email, complaints@secp.gov.pk, and an online portal at sdms.secp.gov.pk. Phone lines run 9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday, with a lunch break from 1 pm to 2 pm. After hours, the page tells people to use the portal first.
If the insurer is licensed but refuses a claim, that is a different problem. We set out that route in how to complain when an insurance claim is refused. If you are claiming after a death, the steps are in how to claim life insurance in Pakistan.
Insurance is also sold through banks. A bank officer who offers a "plan" with a "guaranteed return" is often selling an insurer's product. The name on the policy still needs to be on the list. The same logic applies to lending firms, and we cover that in checking if a lending app is SECP licensed.
Warning signs that a policy offer is not real
Treat an offer as unsafe if it asks for cash only, promises returns that no insurer can promise, or pushes you to pay today. A real insurer gives you a policy document, a policy number and a way to verify both.
- The seller will not give the insurer's full legal name.
- The premium goes to an individual's account.
- The "plan" promises a fixed profit on top of cover.
- The paperwork has no policy number or no free look period.
- You are told the SECP list is "out of date" or "not needed".
A free look period lets you cancel a new life policy and get your premium back. We explain how it works in cancelling life insurance within the free look period.
Common questions
Is every insurance company in Pakistan regulated by the SECP?
Yes. Insurers in Pakistan are registered with the SECP under the Insurance Ordinance 2000. The SECP publishes the list of active insurers on its data page.
Where is the official list of licensed insurance companies?
It sits on the SECP website under Data and Statistics, then Insurance Companies. The newest insurer list we saw was dated 3 September 2026.
Can I check an insurance agent on the SECP website?
We found no public list of individual agents. Check the insurer on the SECP list, then ask the insurer to confirm the agent in writing.
Is a takaful company covered by the same check?
Yes. Takaful operators work under SECP rules, and window takaful operations need separate authorisation, so ask which entity issues the certificate.
How do I report a fake insurance company?
Use the SECP portal at sdms.secp.gov.pk, email complaints@secp.gov.pk or call 080088008 on a working day. Attach receipts and chat screenshots.
What if the insurer is on the list but will not pay my claim?
Complain to the insurer first, then escalate to the insurance ombudsman or the SECP. Keep the claim number and every reply.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked on Sunday 11 October 2026. We read the SECP's insurance companies licensing page, its insurance brokers licensing page, its insurance data and statistics page and its contact page. We did not open the PDF lists to search for a company, so we cannot say how any single firm appears. Lists change, so use the newest file.
About the author
Global Affairs & Political Economy Writer
Muhammad Hatim is a book lover who started writing because he enjoys it. At Pakistan Era he writes about international relations, geopolitics and the global economy, with a particular interest in South Asia and the forces behind current events.
