WIBA Insurance in Kenya

WIBA insurance covers an employer's legal duty to compensate employees who are injured, disabled or killed at work, or who catch an occupational disease, under the Work Injury Benefits Act 2007. The insurer pays what the Act requires: earnings while the employee is off work, a lump sum for permanent disablement or death, reasonable medical costs and funeral expenses. It is compulsory for every employer in Kenya.

Yes. Section 7(1) of the Work Injury Benefits Act requires every employer in Kenya to insure its liability to employees for work injuries and occupational diseases. There is no exemption for small employers, so a business with one employee needs cover, and casual workers engaged for your business count. Not insuring is a criminal offence.

An employer who fails to insure commits an offence. On conviction the fine is up to KES 100,000, up to three months' imprisonment, or both, plus up to KES 10,000 for every day the breach continues after conviction. You still owe the injured employee their compensation, in January 2026 the Employment and Labour Relations Court held that an unpaid DOSHS award can be enforced as a judgment.

Yes. WIBA covers casual workers engaged for the purpose of your trade or business. Only a casual hired for some other purpose, such as a one-off job unrelated to the business, falls outside the Act. Declare casuals' expected wages when you buy cover; leaving them out of the payroll is a common reason for a claim to be disputed or the premium to be adjusted later.

WIBA pays earnings for an employee off work for three days or more, for up to 12 months; a lump sum for permanent disablement worked out from 96 months' earnings multiplied by the degree of disablement in the Act's First Schedule; reasonable medical costs; and funeral expenses up to a set maximum. Death benefits also follow the Act's formula.

WIBA is compulsory and pays only the compensation the Work Injury Benefits Act sets for injuries and diseases arising from work. Group personal accident (GPA) is optional: it pays agreed benefits for accidental death, disablement and medical costs 24 hours a day, on or off duty. GPA is typically priced at about 25%–40% of the WIBA premium when added to it.

WIBA Plus is the market name for WIBA combined with group personal accident cover in one policy. The WIBA part meets your legal duty for work injuries; the GPA part extends protection to accidents outside working hours, so staff are covered 24 hours a day. Insurers usually price the extension as a loading on the WIBA premium.

WIBA pays the fixed compensation in the Act. Employers' liability (common-law) cover pays damages and legal costs when an employee sues you for negligence or breach of a safety duty. It is not required by law, but higher-risk employers often buy it. Some insurers sell it only alongside WIBA, typically at about 25%–40% of the WIBA premium.

WIBA covers employees working under a contract of service for wages or a salary. A sole proprietor, partner or director who is not employed on such a contract generally falls outside the Act, so their own injuries would not be paid under WIBA. Owners and non-employed directors usually add themselves to a group personal accident policy instead. Ask your insurer how your directors are treated.

Get the employee treated, then report the accident to the county DOSHS office on form DOSH 1 within seven days, or within 24 hours if it is fatal. Notify your insurer at the same time. Collect medical reports, receipts, sick-off sheets, payslips and witness statements. The claim must be lodged within 12 months; once DOSHS lodges it, payment is due within 90 days.