Level of financial disclosures for listed insurance companies using ISO 31000: empirical evidence from Jordan and Palestine

Purpose - In light of the complex risk and transparency regulations, this paper investigates the factors influencing the level of risk management disclosure by insurance firms in Jordan and Palestine. The characteristics examined were ownership structure, which covers public, institutional and management ownership on risk management disclosure (RMD) utilizing ISO 31000, as well as profitability, leverage, liquidity and firm size. Design/methodology/approach - To achieve the aim of this study, a quantitative research methodology was used. Based on the total number of observations, 232 purposeful annual observations for the study sample were collected between 2016 and 2023 for 10 insurance companies listed on the Palestine stock exchange (Palestinian companies) with 80 observations and 19 companies listed on the Amman stock exchange (Jordanian companies) with 152 observations. This study uses panel data regression with fixed effects models. By employing the 2SLS approach, we comprehensively address the main endogeneity concerns and problems in risk management disclosure RMD of insurance firms in Jordan and Palestine. Findings - The results show that risk management disclosure is significantly influenced by the liquidity and size of an organization. Furthermore, RMD is not significantly affected by profitability, debt, public ownership, institutional ownership or liquidity, whereas business size has a favorable influence. Research limitations/implications - The findings of this study may not be generalizable to firms in other countries because of the limitations of insurance firms in Palestine and Jordan. Study replication in future studies should consider the potential for bias and differences in data interpretation when utilizing qualitative methodologies to evaluate RMD. Practical implications - The practical implications emphasize how crucial it is for investors, practitioners and stakeholders to choose firms that are large and have little liquidity because this is linked to high levels of risk management transparency. This knowledge can offer investors an important direction for assessing possible risks and transparency in risk management within the insurance sector framework. The study recommends that the governments of Palestine and Jordan enact laws requiring risk management disclosure according to the ISO 31000:2018 standard, especially in the insurance industry. Originality/value - This study contributes to the literature by illuminating the relationship between firm size, liquidity and risk management disclosure in insurance companies operating in Jordan and Palestine. Therefore, investors should choose large, relatively liquid companies with strong risk management disclosure. This study offers theoretical insights that may be used as a guide for other research, improving the understanding of the variables influencing risk management disclosure in insurance companies and advancing scientific understanding.