Excited about your new car? You are probably debating on the insurance cover to take and the provider to use. With so much information out there, this can be a headache. Thankfully, we have come up with 6 important facts to know about car insurance in Kenya to help you in your decision-making:
It is mandatory for your car to be insured when on the road
For any car to be on a public road, it must be insured. Even if the car will be on the road for a few hours or a few days, insurance is mandatory. If it has to be on the road uninsured, make sure its on a flatbed or carrier. The insurance can be third party or comprehensive. Third party insurance covers you, the owner, against claims on damages or bodily injuries caused by your car on others e.g. hitting another car or hitting a pedestrian. Comprehensive on the other hand also covers damages to your car. Here is a look at the different types of insurance covers.
The type and cost of insurance is determined by several factors
Some of the deciding factors that you and your insurance agent will look into when deciding the type and cost of insurance you will take include:
- Your car’s age: Most insurance companies do not offer comprehensive insurance to cars older than 15 years. You can only get third party cover.
- Your car’s make and model: Certain makes and models of cars are denied comprehensive insurance by insurance companies due to risks associated with them. At one time or other, insurance companies have refused to comprehensively insure Subaru and Toyota Probox cars in Kenya.
- Budget: Comprehensive insurance premiums are higher than third party. Additionally, under comprehensive insurance, the premiums depend on the value of the car; the more expensive the car is, the pricier the premium.
- Usage: The intended usage of the car determines the type of insurance and premiums payable. Cars for private use have lower premiums compared to cars insured for commercial use.
- Your age and experience as a driver: If you are young or your driving license is new, your insurance premiums will be higher to reflect the increased risk.
Your car will probably need to be valued
When taking a comprehensive insurance or third party with fire and theft covers, a valuation will need to be done on your car. This is one of the factors that will determine the premium you will be paying to insure the car. More expensive cars have higher premiums. Each insurance provider has their own list of approved valuers for their clients to use. The cost of carrying out the valuation depends on the insurance provider; it can be borne by you, your insurance provider or split between you and the insurance provider.
Make sure your insurance is active
With digital motor vehicle insurance certificates, you need to activate it. You can use the AKI app, available on both the App Store and Google Play, or dial *352#.
For *352#, dial it and:
- Choose option 1 Activate Certificate
- You will be asked whether the vehicle is insured by you, reply Yes.
- Enter the certificate number
- Follow the prompts to confirm if your insurance is active or not
You are required by law to display your insurance certificate at all times
Your insurance certificate will be generated and sent to you online (by email, WhatsApp etc). You need to print it and display it on your windscreen. The preferred location is upper left side of your windscreen so it can easily be seen.
In an accident, record everything
When you find yourself in an accident, call the police and if there are injuries, also call an ambulance. Do not admit liability. Take photos and videos of everything and notify your insurance company or agent. Investigations will be conducted by the police and your insurance company and they will advise on the way forward on filing a claim.
Read More: This Is What You Should Do After A Car Accident
Note:
- If the accident is a minor fender bender, you can move the car off the road and come to an agreement with the other party. No need to involve the police or insurance, but remember to still record everything for your protection.
- If its unsafe to be there e.g. the crowd is becoming unruly, flee the scene and drive to the nearest police station.
