Marine Insurance for Imported Cars in Kenya

Do imported cars need marine insurance in Kenya?

Yes. A car shipped to Kenya is an import, so marine cargo insurance for the voyage must be bought from a Kenyan-licensed insurer, and since 1 July 2026 the digital certificate must be in KRA's system before the car is cleared. An industry estimate puts the premium at about 0.15% of the car's value. Our marine cargo insurance page explains the cover in full.

What you need to know

Buy on C&F, insure in Kenya

Japanese and UK exporters usually quote C&F; you then buy the marine cover in Kenya. A CIF price means you pay for insurance twice.

Ro-ro or container

Ro-ro is cheaper to ship but more exposed to scratches and theft of parts; containers protect better. Tell us which, as it affects the cover.

Cover from the port of loading

Your Kenyan cover should start when the car is loaded in Japan, the UK or the UAE, and end when it reaches you or the yard.

Used-car limits

Insurers often exclude rust, existing scratches and mechanical faults. Some overseas policies pay only scrap value; check the basis before you buy.

Personal effects

Only genuine household goods of returning residents are excluded; a car is treated as an import.

Then motor insurance

Once the car is registered it needs at least third-party motor cover before it goes on the road.

Worked example: a car from Japan

Worked example

Car value (CIF): KES 3,000,000
Sum insured (CIF + 10%): KES 3,300,000
Premium at about 0.15%: KES 4,950
PHCF levy (0.25%): KES 12
Estimated total, before training levy and stamp duty: KES 4,960

Older cars, high-value vehicles, ro-ro shipping and war-listed routes can cost more. Minimum premiums apply.

Facts for car importers

Key factsEach checked against its source · 18 Oct 2026· checked 18 Oct 2026

The chair of the freight forwarders' association put the digital marine cargo premium at about 0.15% of the cargo value: about KES 30,000 on a KES 20 million vehicle.
Source: Eastleigh Voice, July 2026
Kenya registered 85,922 new vehicles in 2024 and 91,310 in the first eleven months of 2025, and imported road motor vehicles worth KES 131.6 billion in 2025 (KNBS).
Source: KNBS, as reported by Business Daily
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

What to send us for a quote

Where the car ships from and the expected loading date
Make, model, year and chassis number
The CIF value from the exporter's invoice
Ro-ro or container
Your IDF number, once registered

Frequently asked questions

Do I need marine insurance to import a car into Kenya?

Yes. A car shipped to Kenya is an import, so its sea leg must be insured with a Kenyan insurer and the digital certificate must be in KRA's system before clearance. Only genuine personal effects of returning residents are excluded.

How much is marine insurance for an imported car?

An industry estimate puts it at about 0.15% of the vehicle's value: about KES 30,000 on a KES 20 million car, or about KES 4,500 on a KES 3 million car, before levies. Older or high-value cars and ro-ro shipping can cost more, and minimum premiums apply.

Does marine insurance cover my car after it leaves the port?

Only to the delivery point named in the certificate. Once the car is registered and on the road it needs motor insurance: third-party cover is a legal minimum, and comprehensive cover protects the car itself.

Are used cars and second-hand machinery fully covered?

Often not. Insurers may limit used goods to total loss or named events, exclude rust, scratches and mechanical faults, or pay only scrap value under some overseas policies. Check the basis of cover before you buy.

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.

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.

Importing a car?

Tell us where it ships from, its value and the shipping method. We compare Kenyan insurers and issue the certificate against your IDF.

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Sources

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.