What is the digital marine cargo insurance certificate?
The Digital Marine Cargo Insurance Certificate is the proof of local marine cover that every import to Kenya has needed since 1 July 2026. A Kenyan-licensed insurer issues it against your active Import Declaration Form, you pay through eCitizen, and it goes straight to KRA's customs system, which will not clear the goods without it. It replaces paper certificates. Our marine cargo insurance overview explains the cover itself.
How to get your certificate, step by step
- Register the IDF Your clearing agent lodges the Import Declaration Form. The certificate can only be issued against an active IDF.
- Choose where to buy A Kenyan insurer's portal, an IRA-licensed agency such as Naveah, your clearing agent's platform or the eCitizen insurance portal.
- Confirm the details Goods description and HS code, value, route, cover level and dates must match the IDF and invoice.
- Pay the premium Through eCitizen, M-Pesa or your bank. Levies and stamp duty are added.
- Certificate issued It is generated instantly after payment and sent to the IRA platform and KRA's ICMS.
- Clear the goods Your agent lodges the entry; customs checks the cover in real time.
What you need before you start
- An active IDF number
- Commercial or pro forma invoice, and packing list
- Bill of lading or air waybill, if issued
- Correct HS code and goods description: a wrong code can change the premium and the validity of the cover
- Port of loading, destination and expected dates
- KRA PIN of the importer
Where you can buy it
An insurance agency (Naveah)
We compare several insurers for your goods, check the cover level and value, and help if you ever claim. Free to you.
An insurer's own portal
Several Kenyan insurers issue certificates online; you get that one insurer's terms.
Your clearing agent's platform
The forwarders' association platform launched on 30 June 2026 lets agents issue certificates while they clear your goods.
eCitizen insurance portal
Choose an insurer and pay inside the government import workflow.
Whichever route you use, the certificate is the same: it is issued by a Kenyan-licensed insurer and sent to KRA. What differs is who checks that the cover suits your goods and who helps you claim.
The 2026 system in brief
Under an IRA notice of 22 May 2026, from 1 July 2026 every import must be covered by a Digital Marine Cargo Insurance Certificate from a licensed Kenyan insurer. The certificate is generated against an active IDF, paid for through eCitizen and sent to KRA's customs system (ICMS) before the goods are cleared.
Source: IRA notice of 22 May 2026, as summarised by Clyde & Co (June 2026)
The Kenya International Freight and Warehousing Association (KIFWA) launched a digital marine cargo insurance platform on 30 June 2026 with APA, Britam, CIC, Old Mutual and Pacis among its insurer partners. It links to eCitizen, KRA's ICMS, M-Pesa and banks.
Source: Eastleigh Voice, 30 June 2026
eCitizen's insurance portal sells IRA-approved marine cargo insurance inside the import declaration workflow: choose the service, choose an insurer, review the offer, get the quote and pay.
Source: eCitizen insurance portal (insurance.ecitizen.go.ke)
Digital certificates are reported to be valid for 90 days, with cover extendable up to 180 days depending on the shipment. Refunds for cancelled, split or consolidated shipments were still being settled when the system went live.
Source: FEAFFA magazine, July 2026
Validity, changes and refunds
- Certificates are reported to be valid for 90 days, extendable up to 180 days if the shipment takes longer.
- A change to the value, goods or IDF goes through the insurer that issued the certificate.
- Refunds for cancelled, split or combined shipments were still being worked out at launch: ask before you pay.
- Open-cover clients still need a separate digital certificate for every consignment.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get a digital marine cargo insurance certificate?
Register your Import Declaration Form first. Then ask a Kenyan insurer, an agency such as Naveah, your clearing agent's platform or the eCitizen insurance portal for cover against that IDF, pay, and the certificate goes electronically to KRA's customs system. Once it shows there, your goods can be cleared.
How long is a digital marine certificate valid?
It is reported to be valid for 90 days, with cover extendable up to 180 days if the shipment takes longer. Check the dates on your certificate, and tell us early if your goods are delayed.
Can I amend or cancel a digital marine certificate?
Changes to the value, goods or IDF have to go through the insurer that issued the certificate. Refunds for cancelled, split or combined shipments were still being worked out when the system went live in July 2026, so ask before you pay if your shipment may change.
Where can I buy marine cargo insurance in Kenya?
From any Kenyan-licensed general insurer that writes marine cover, through an IRA-licensed insurance agency such as Naveah, through your clearing agent's platform, or on the eCitizen insurance portal. All of them must issue the same digital certificate against your IDF.
Why buy marine cover through Naveah instead of a portal?
A portal sells you a certificate; we compare insurers for the right cover level, check the value and terms, and help you if you ever need to claim. Our service is free to you: the insurer pays our commission, and the premium is the insurer's own rate.
Can I buy marine cover after my goods have shipped or arrived?
You can still buy the certificate you need for clearance, but cover bought after a loss has happened will not pay for that loss, and some insurers will only cover the rest of the journey. Buy as soon as your IDF is registered, before the goods leave the supplier.
What happens if I import without local marine insurance?
Customs will not clear the goods until a verified local certificate is in KRA's system, so storage and demurrage keep running. Placing the cover with a foreign insurer is also an offence under the Insurance Act, with a fine of up to KES 5 million, up to five years in prison, or both.
How do I pay for marine insurance?
For a digital import certificate the premium is paid through eCitizen, M-Pesa or a bank, against your IDF. For annual open covers insurers can bill monthly or quarterly against your declarations.
How fast can Naveah get my marine certificate?
Usually the same working day once we have your IDF, invoice and shipping details. Send them by WhatsApp or the form on this page and Farzana's team will reply within the hour in office hours.
Need a certificate today?
Send your IDF number, invoice and shipping details on WhatsApp or the form. We compare insurers and issue against your IDF, usually the same working day.
Licensed by IRA · No obligation · We reply within 1 hour
Sources
- IRA notice of 22 May 2026, as summarised by Clyde & Co (June 2026)
- The Star, 3 July 2026
- Eastleigh Voice, 30 June 2026
- eCitizen insurance portal (insurance.ecitizen.go.ke)
- FEAFFA magazine, July 2026
- Insurance Act (Cap 487), s.20
Facts and published prices checked 18 Oct 2026; last reviewed October 2026 by Naveah Capital. Rates shown are market estimates before levies, not a quote or a promise. Naveah Capital Insurance Agency is an IRA-licensed insurance agency in Nairobi; this page is general information, and your policy wording decides your cover.
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