Car Insurance in Kenya: Types, Prices & Best Companies (2026)

Types of car insurance in Kenya

Every motor policy in Kenya falls into one of three levels of cover. Choosing the right one is the single biggest decision — it sets both what you pay and what you are protected against.

• Third party only (TPO) — the legal minimum. Covers injury and damage you cause to other people, not your own car. Cheapest option. Learn about third party cover.
• Third party fire & theft (TPFT) — everything in TPO, plus your car against fire and theft (but still not accident damage to your own vehicle).
• Comprehensive — the fullest cover: your own car (accident, fire, theft), third-party liability, and add-ons. See comprehensive cover.

How much does car insurance cost in Kenya?

Third party is a largely flat rate — about KES 7,500 a year for a private car. Comprehensive is priced as a percentage of your car’s value — for a private saloon roughly 3.5%–4.5% (a common insurer card charges 4.25% under KES 2.5M and 3.5% above), and higher for SUVs, PSVs and commercial vehicles. A minimum premium applies and varies by insurer (often KES 20,000–40,000).

As a worked example, a saloon valued at KES 1,500,000 at 4.25% works out at roughly KES 63,750 in basic comprehensive premium; add the 0.45% statutory levies (training + policyholders’ fund) and stamp duty and you are near KES 64,000 a year before optional extras. Try the car insurance calculator for your own figure.

What comprehensive cover includes (and add-ons)

Beyond accident, fire and theft, comprehensive policies commonly bundle free benefits and optional extras:

• Windscreen cover — often up to KES 50,000 included.
• Entertainment/radio — typically up to KES 30,000.
• Courtesy car / loss of use while yours is repaired.
• Excess protector (~0.5% of value) — removes the excess you would otherwise pay per claim.
• Political violence & terrorism (PVT) (~0.5% of value) — usually a paid add-on, not automatic.
• 24/7 roadside rescue and towing.

Understanding excess and the excess protector

The excess is the portion of a claim you pay yourself. On comprehensive cover, the standard own-damage excess is often around 2.5% of the car’s value (with a minimum figure), and theft excess is higher — commonly 10% with an anti-theft device fitted and 20% without. An excess protector add-on waives that amount, so you pay nothing out of pocket when you claim. For many drivers it is worth the small extra premium.

No-Claims Discount (NCD)

Go a policy year without making a claim and most insurers reward you with a No-Claims Discount at renewal, which grows the longer you stay claim-free. It is one of the simplest ways to bring your premium down over time, so it is worth protecting a clean record for minor damage you could pay for yourself.

Car valuation explained

Comprehensive cover is based on your car’s value, so insurers usually require a valuation — often free at the start of the policy. The valuation sets your sum insured, which is the most the insurer will pay if the car is written off or stolen. Insuring for the right value matters: over-insure and you pay too much premium; under-insure and you are short-changed at claim time.

Best car insurance companies in Kenya

The “best” insurer depends on price, claims-settlement reputation, valuation terms, instalment options and how quickly they issue certificates. Rather than guess, we compare Kenya’s underwriters for you — see our comparison of the best car insurance companies in Kenya.

Cheapest car insurance in Kenya

Third party is the cheapest legal cover. To cut the cost of comprehensive: build up your No-Claims Discount, fit a tracking device (it lowers the theft excess), consider a higher voluntary excess, pay annually rather than monthly where possible, and — most importantly — compare insurers, because the same car can cost noticeably less with a different underwriter. See how to get the cheapest car insurance.

How to buy or renew car insurance

Request a quote, we confirm your best rate across insurers, you pay via M-Pesa, and your certificate is issued on the DMVIC system and sent to your email — usually within minutes. Several insurers also allow paying in instalments (for example up to 12 monthly payments on comprehensive). Note that cars over 15 years old or in poor condition may only qualify for third party with some underwriters.

How to make a car insurance claim

After an incident: ensure everyone is safe, report to the police and get an abstract, take photos, and notify us with your policy details as soon as possible. For theft, report to the police immediately. The underwriter then guides you through repair or settlement — comprehensive claims are typically settled within about a week where no investigation is needed.