Industry Stakeholders Champion Improved Claims Experience at Inaugural Minet Kenya Conference

Following a year of sustained growth for Kenya’s insurance sector in 2025, marked by rising premium volumes and industry assets surpassing KES 1 trillion, industry stakeholders are now turning their attention to improving claims management as a critical next step in strengthening public trust and expanding insurance uptake. The issue took centre stage at the inaugural Claims Conference hosted by Minet Kenya in Naivasha this week, which convened insurers, regulators, claims assessors, loss adjusters and other stakeholders to examine challenges and opportunities shaping claims handling. Held under the theme “Claims: Where Insurance Trust is Won or Lost – From Promise to Performance”, the conference comes at a time of notable industry expansion, with premium volumes reaching KES 352.29 billion by the third quarter of 2025. Regulators attribute this growth to innovation and increasing recognition of insurance as an essential financial protection tool. Despite these gains, insurance penetration remains just above two percent of GDP, significantly below the global average of 7 percent, highlighting a persistent gap between market growth and public confidence. Stakeholders noted that innovation, regulatory reforms and increased awareness of insurance as a financial protection tool have contributed to this progress. However, insurance penetration remains low, indicating continued opportunity to deepen inclusion and expand coverage among Kenyan households and businesses. Participants observed that customer experience at the point of claim plays an important role in shaping public perception of insurance. Transparent and well-communicated claims processes were identified as essential to reinforcing trust and demonstrating the value of insurance protection. “The two biggest gaps that have been known to bring friction between insurers and customers are knowledge and silos. When we place insurance covers for clients, they do not always fully understand the terms and conditions. As a result, expectations may not be met, leading to disappointment and frustration at the point of claim,” said Minet Kenya CEO, Sammy Muthui. “On silos, there are many players in the ecosystem, including clients, insurance risk advisors, insurance companies, loss adjusters, loss assessors, insurance investigators and reinsurance companies. Because these players often operate in silos, there is insufficient collaboration, which can affect the smooth settlement of claims.” Discussions highlighted ongoing industry efforts to modernize operations through digital platforms, automation and improved data management. While distribution channels have evolved rapidly through technology and mobile integration, stakeholders noted the importance of ensuring similar progress across claims management processes to deliver a seamless customer journey from policy purchase to settlement. Advancements in digital technology, including artificial intelligence, were also identified as key enablers in improving risk assessment, fraud detection and claims processing efficiency, while strengthening transparency and trust between insurers and policyholders. Participants further reaffirmed the industry’s shared commitment to working closely together, with the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA) fronting operational tools to ensure that sector growth translates into improved customer outcomes. “We have developed a Treating Customers Fairly framework that provides a clear pathway for how customers should be treated throughout their journey, from onboarding to the point of making a claim,” said Insurance Regulatory Authority Market Conduct Director, Anne Chelagat. “We are now placing greater focus on market conduct by becoming more proactive rather than reactive. This includes reassessing the relationship between insurers and their customers from the outset, as well as how both parties conduct themselves, to ensure that when a claim arises, due process is followed and the customer is treated fairly.”