Do imports to Kenya need local marine insurance?
Yes. Every commercial import must be insured with a Kenyan-licensed insurer under the Marine Insurance Act (s.16A) and the Insurance Act (ss.2 and 20), unless the Commissioner of Insurance grants an exemption. Since 1 July 2026 the cover is a digital certificate linked to your Import Declaration Form, and customs will not clear goods until it shows in KRA's system. See marine cargo insurance for what the cover itself includes.
Does the rule apply to your shipment?
Choose your situation to see whether Kenyan marine cover is required.
| Your situation | What the rule says | Kenyan cover |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial goods imported by sea | Kenyan insurer, digital certificate against the IDF | Required |
| Air freight through JKIA | Same rule: it applies whatever the mode of transport | Required |
| Goods entering by road at a border post | Same rule at Malaba, Busia, Namanga and other entry points | Required |
| A car imported for sale or your own use | Insure the sea leg in Kenya; a car is not personal effects | Required |
| Personal effects of a returning resident | Excluded from 'Kenya business' by the Insurance Act | Exempt (cover still advised) |
| Goods bought on CIF terms with the supplier's policy | The supplier's foreign policy does not satisfy the rule | Required |
| Courier parcels and online orders | No published value threshold; treat them as imports | Check with us |
| Transit cargo for Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan or DRC | The rule follows Kenyan import declarations | Not under the Kenyan rule |
| Exports from Kenya | None of the notices apply local placement to exports | Not required |
Local marine cargo insurance: who it applies to (October 2026)
- What the rule says
- Kenyan insurer, digital certificate against the IDF
- Kenyan cover
- Required
- What the rule says
- Same rule: it applies whatever the mode of transport
- Kenyan cover
- Required
- What the rule says
- Same rule at Malaba, Busia, Namanga and other entry points
- Kenyan cover
- Required
- What the rule says
- Insure the sea leg in Kenya; a car is not personal effects
- Kenyan cover
- Required
- What the rule says
- Excluded from 'Kenya business' by the Insurance Act
- Kenyan cover
- Exempt (cover still advised)
- What the rule says
- The supplier's foreign policy does not satisfy the rule
- Kenyan cover
- Required
- What the rule says
- No published value threshold; treat them as imports
- Kenyan cover
- Check with us
- What the rule says
- The rule follows Kenyan import declarations
- Kenyan cover
- Not under the Kenyan rule
- What the rule says
- None of the notices apply local placement to exports
- Kenyan cover
- Not required
Checked 18 Oct 2026. Sources are listed at the end of this page.
What the law says
Anyone with an insurable interest in marine cargo must insure it with an insurer registered in Kenya under the Insurance Act, unless the Commissioner of Insurance has granted an exemption in advance (Marine Insurance Act, Cap 390, s.16A, inserted by the Finance Act 2017).
The Insurance Act counts marine cargo policies on all imports entering Kenya as Kenyan business. Policies on the personal effects of returning residents and of passengers coming to live in Kenya are excluded (Insurance Act, Cap 487, s.2).
Source: Insurance Act (Cap 487), s.2
Placing Kenyan business with an insurer that is not licensed in Kenya, without the Commissioner's prior written approval, is an offence: a fine of up to KES 5 million, up to five years in prison, or both (Insurance Act, s.20(1) and (4)).
Source: Insurance Act (Cap 487), s.20
Local marine cargo insurance for imports has applied since 2017. KenTrade dates it from 1 January 2017 and says it covers all imports, whatever the mode of transport, with the importer responsible for buying it.
How enforcement has changed
A joint IRA and KRA notice dated 7 January 2025 said that from 14 February 2025 importers must buy marine cargo cover digitally from Kenyan insurers against an active Import Declaration Form. The rollout stalled because of system problems (as reported in the press).
Source: IRA/KRA notice of 7 January 2025, as reported by Kenyans.co.ke
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)
Since 1 July 2026, goods without a digitally verified local marine cargo certificate are not cleared by customs.
Source: The Star, 3 July 2026
KenTrade's original Single Window process from 2017 has been overtaken by the digital certificate, which is generated against the IDF and checked by customs in real time.
Importing step by step: where marine cover fits
- Register the IDF Your clearing agent lodges the Import Declaration Form on KRA's system.
- Insure against the IDF Buy local cover from a Kenyan insurer, through us, your agent's platform or eCitizen, before the goods ship if you can.
- Pay Through eCitizen, M-Pesa or a bank. The premium is the insurer's, plus levies.
- Certificate to KRA The digital certificate goes automatically to the IRA platform and KRA's ICMS.
- Lodge the entry and clear Customs checks the cover in real time before releasing the goods.
- Deliver and check Inspect the goods on arrival and report any damage before signing for them.
More on Digital marine certificate
Documents you need to buy cover
- Import Declaration Form (IDF) number
- Pro forma or commercial invoice
- Packing list
- Bill of lading or air waybill, once issued
- KRA PIN, and the company's registration certificate
- Goods description, origin, port of loading and destination
Special cases
Goods already at sea
If the supplier insured the goods before you registered the IDF, you still need a Kenyan certificate to clear them. Ask us before the ship arrives.
Air freight and border posts
The rule covers every mode of transport, so JKIA, Malaba, Busia and Namanga entries need a certificate too.
Transit cargo
Goods on a transit entry to Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan or the DRC are not Kenyan imports; their owners can still buy cover for the Kenyan leg.
Personal effects
Household goods of returning residents are excluded by law, but insuring them is still wise.
Bank-financed imports
Under a letter of credit the bank usually asks for the certificate; we can note its interest.
Exemptions
Only the Commissioner of Insurance can exempt a shipment, in writing and in advance.
Goods in transit or marine cargo?
| Marine cargo | Goods in transit | |
|---|---|---|
| Journeys | Imports and exports by sea or air, with connecting road and rail legs | Road and rail within Kenya and the region |
| Legal requirement | Compulsory for imports, from a Kenyan insurer | None in general |
| How bought | Per shipment or an annual open cover, with a certificate for each import | Single trip or an annual policy on estimated carry |
- Marine cargo
- Imports and exports by sea or air, with connecting road and rail legs
- Goods in transit
- Road and rail within Kenya and the region
- Marine cargo
- Compulsory for imports, from a Kenyan insurer
- Goods in transit
- None in general
- Marine cargo
- Per shipment or an annual open cover, with a certificate for each import
- Goods in transit
- Single trip or an annual policy on estimated carry
Use marine cargo up to your warehouse, then goods in transit for deliveries to customers.
Frequently asked questions
Is marine insurance mandatory in Kenya?
Yes, for imports. The Marine Insurance Act (s.16A) and the Insurance Act (ss.2 and 20) require marine cargo cover on goods imported into Kenya to be placed with a Kenyan-licensed insurer, unless the Commissioner of Insurance grants an exemption. Personal effects of returning residents are excluded. Exports are not caught by the rule.
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.
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.
My supplier already insures the goods on CIF. Do I still need Kenyan cover?
Yes. A foreign policy arranged by your supplier does not meet the Kenyan rule, and customs will look for a local digital certificate. To avoid paying twice, ask the supplier to quote CFR (cost and freight) and buy the cover in Kenya.
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.
Do goods in transit to Uganda or Rwanda need Kenyan marine cover?
The Kenyan rule is enforced through Kenyan import declarations, and no notice extends it to goods on a transit entry to Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan or the DRC. Their owners can still buy Kenyan marine or goods in transit cover for the Northern Corridor leg.
Do courier parcels and online orders need marine insurance?
The law covers all imports and no value threshold for parcels has been published. Many couriers arrange cover in their own system, so ask your courier how your parcel is cleared, and talk to us if you import regularly.
Which law covers marine insurance in Kenya?
The Marine Insurance Act (Cap 390) sets the rules of marine policies and, in s.16A, the duty to insure marine cargo locally. The Insurance Act (Cap 487) defines imports as Kenyan business (s.2) and sets the penalty for placing them offshore (s.20). Some online answers mix the two chapter numbers up.
Does the local marine insurance rule apply to exports?
No notice issued so far applies it to exports. The Insurance Act names imports only, and the digital certificate is enforced through import declarations. Exporters who sell on CIF or CIP terms still need cargo cover, and can buy it from a Kenyan insurer by choice.
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 cover for an import?
Send your IDF number, invoice value and shipping details. We compare Kenyan insurers and get the digital certificate to KRA, usually the same day.
Licensed by IRA · No obligation · We reply within 1 hour
Sources
- Marine Insurance Act (Cap 390), s.16A
- IRA notice of 22 May 2026, as summarised by Clyde & Co (June 2026)
- KenTrade, FAQs on Marine Cargo Insurance
- Insurance Act (Cap 487), s.2
- Insurance Act (Cap 487), s.20
- IRA/KRA notice of 7 January 2025, as reported by Kenyans.co.ke
- The Star, 3 July 2026
- eCitizen insurance portal (insurance.ecitizen.go.ke)
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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