As opposed to basic Third-Party Only (TPO) and Third-Party, Fire & Theft (TPFT) policies, comprehensive car insurance is the widest financial safety net available to a motor vehicle.
Comprehensive motor insurance in Kenya covers the owner’s car accidental and malicious damages and loss, alongside mandatory legal liabilities to third parties.
In other words, comprehensive car insurance offers complete protection for your vehicle against accidental and malicious damage and loss, theft, fire, natural disasters, and third-party liabilities.
In this write-up, I will take you through a detailed review of comprehensive motor insurance in Kenya, and explain carefully the inclusions, exclusions, and add-ons that you can include in your standard comprehensive motor policy.
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Standard Inclusions Comprehensive Car Insurance in Kenya
A Standard Comprehensive Motor Insurance Policy contains certain fundamental protections that are mandatory as long as the policy is issued by an insurer that is regulated by the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA).
Allow me to break them down here. These mandatory protections include:
- Accidental Damage and Loss
This provision covers repair costs or total loss payouts if your car is involved in a collision, rollover, or single-vehicle accident.
The damage and loss refers to the motor vehicle, its accessories, and spare parts that are in the vehicle at the time of the incident.
The coverage also includes a vehicle lost or damaged whilst in the custody of a mechanic or garage for overhaul, upkeep and/or repair.
Repair of the vehicle requires approval if the amount involved is substantial and requires intervention of the assessor, usually a damage above KES 50,000.
- Theft and Carjacking
This provision involves full financial reimbursement based on agreed market value if stolen and unrecovered.
It also involves repair costs for damage sustained during attempted theft.
Theft provision covers the vehicle, its accessories, and spare parts that are in the vehicle at the time of the incident.
A vehicle lost whilst in custody is a mechanic or garage for overhaul, upkeep, and/or repair is usually covered.
- Fire Damage
This is coverage against accidental electrical fires, fuel leak ignitions, arson, or spreading fires.
- Third-Party Liability
This involves statutory legal protection covering third-party bodily injury and death. It also includes third-party property damage caused by the insured vehicle.
There are usually certain limits applied in third-party liabilities in your comprehensive motor insurance.
Third-party body injury usually comes with no limit for compensation. However, the passenger legal liability limit per one person or event is usually capped at KES 10,000,000 and KES 30,000,000 respectively.
Third-party property damage limit per a single event is usually capped at KES 30,000,000.
Kenya-Specific Standard Benefits and Perils
There are certain standard benefits in comprehensive motor insurance in Kenya.
These built-in benefits include:
- Windscreen and wing mirrors cover against flying stone chips, vandalism, or road debris damage. A limit of between KES 30,000 to KES 50,000 is usually applied on this benefit. In case of additional cost above this limit, the policyholder will foot this bill from their pocket.
- Radio cassette or vehicle entertainment system coverage with a limit applies, usually between KES 30,000 to KES 50,000. In the event that the cost is more than the stated limit, the policyholder will pay out of their pocket.
- Special perils such as floods, storms, earthquake, typhoon, hurricane, and volcanic eruption that may result in engine hydrolocking and flood damage during heavy rain seasons.
- Medical expenses covering emergency medical costs for driver and passengers following an accident. A limit is usually applied on this benefit e.g. KES 100,000. If you cause injury to another party in the unfortunate event of an accident, you are at liberty to take them to hospital and seek reimbursement later on. You must show the required documentation such as a medical report from the doctor and the corresponding receipts.
- Towing and emergency recoveries and this includes transporting a disabled vehicle from the accident scene to an approved panel garage. The insurer covers the towing charges up to a particular limit, and in excess of this limit, you will cover the additional costs out of pocket.
- Valuation services. Insurers usually offer valuation of your vehicle free of charge the first time you enroll in a comprehensive motor insurance policy. For subsequent valuations, you will get a discount from their panel of valuers upon request of an official letter from the insurer. The valuers will come to you instead of you going to them. However, I would advise you to do your car valuation before insuring it to avoid disappointment in the unfortunate event that you have to replace your vehicle.
Essential Add-Ons (Riders That Seal the Deal)
Besides the above mandatory benefits and the standard features in Kenya comprehensive motor insurance policy, you can add other benefits in your comprehensive covers.
Basic policies carry standard limitations. To enhance your coverage, insurers offer popular add-ons or riders.
These add-ons or riders include:
- Excess protector for own damage or theft
This rider eliminates or waives the mandatory excess fee (out-of-pocket fee) you are normally required to pay when lodging an own-damage or theft claim.
An excess protector is usually charged at a rate of 0.025 (2.5%) of your car value.
However, this amount is subject to a minimum and maximum cap e.g. a minimum of KES 20,000 and a maximum of KES 100,000.
For example, if your car has a value of KES 5,000,000, the maximum excess you can be charged is KES 100,000 instead of KES 125,000.
- Political violence and terrorism (PVT)
The political violence and terrorism rider covers damages resulting from civil commotion, riots, strikes, or acts of terrorism.
This is a key add-on for Kenya urban driving conditions currently.
Political violence and terrorism add-on is charged at a rate of 0.25% of the value of the insured vehicle.
- Courtesy car/loss of use
This add-on helps you to get a temporary replacement vehicle or a daily stipend while your primary car undergoes accident repairs at an approved garage.
A courtesy car or stipend is given for up to 10 days mostly.
A flat annual rate is usually charged for this benefit e.g. KES 3,000.
- Extended towing and roadside assistance
This rider offers broader breakdown recovery services beyond the standard post-accident towing limits.
Pricing, Valuation and Market Requirements of Comprehensive Motor Insurance
| Parameter | Standard Kenyan Market Practice |
| Annual Premium Rate | The annual premium rate is typically calculated between 3.5% and 8.0% of the vehicle’s current market value. |
| Minimum Base Premium | In Kenya, most underwriters enforce a baseline premium floor at around KES 30,000 regardless of how low the vehicle’s value is for comprehensive motor cover. |
| Vehicle Age Limit | Comprehensive motor insurance in Kenya usually covers vehicles not older than 15 years. Cars exceeding this cap usually require special underwriting exceptions or must revert to Third-Party Only (TPO)/Third-Party, Fire and Theft (TPFT) covers. |
| Mandatory Valuation | Before a comprehensive motor insurance policy is issued, a formal valuation report from an approved assessor is required at inception. This report is used to set the Sum Insured and prevent under-insurance or over-insurance. |
| Total Loss Threshold | If your car repair costs exceed 50% to 70% of the Sum Insured, the insurer underwriters typically declare it a total loss (“write-off”) and compensate the market value. The compensation is subject to deductible terms. |
Comprehensive Motor Insurance Key Policy Exclusions
Comprehensive car insurance does not cover the following:
- Wear and tear/mechanical breakdown
Your vehicle consequential depreciation, mechanical breakdowns, electrical failures, or routine maintenance costs are not covered in the comprehensive policy.
- Driving Under Influence (DUI) or Unlicensed drivers
If you cause an accident under the influence of alcohol and other illicit substances or driving without a valid NTSA-recognized driving license, the insurer will not cover the incurred costs.
- Unauthorized vehicle use
You should use your vehicle on the licensed usage. If your vehicle is involved in an accident while in the wrong use, the insurer will not compensate for the loss incurred.
A good example is using your privately insured vehicle for commercial fare-paying passengers without the proper commercial endorsement. If an accident happens while doing so, the insurer will be involved.
- Delayed accident reporting
Failure to notify the insurer or acquire a traffic police abstract within 24 to 48 hours may lead to your claim being disqualified.
- Geographical limit/border limit
Your standard comprehensive motor insurance covers your vehicle while within the Kenyan borders.
Driving across East African borders to countries such as Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi requires an additional COMESA Yellow Card or territorial extension.
- Damage to tyres
Damage to ties is not covered, unless the damage is as a result of an incident involving other parts of the motor vehicle.
- Loss of or damage to the contents being carried in or on the motor vehicle.
- Damage caused by overloading or strain on the motor vehicle.
That is all for today!
To get an accurate comprehensive motor insurance quote, please fill the above quotation form and I will get back to you in no time.
The key document required to enroll in a comprehensive motor insurance cover include:
- Copy of vehicle logbook
- Owner’s National ID and KRA PIN Certificate
- Proposal form/digital application
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