Do doctors in Kenya need professional indemnity insurance?
Yes. Section 15A of the Medical Practitioners and Dentists Act requires every doctor and dentist to hold professional indemnity cover each year, and KMPDC will not renew a practising licence without it. The law sets no minimum limit. Premiums depend on your specialty and limit: about KES 17,500–20,900 a year for a GP with KES 5 million of cover. Doctors' indemnity insurance is also called medical indemnity cover or medical malpractice insurance.
What the law requires
Doctors and dentists must hold professional indemnity cover every year, and every health institution must insure against the professional liability of its staff (Medical Practitioners and Dentists Act, s.15A). KMPDC will not renew a practising licence without valid PI. The law sets no minimum limit.
Source: Medical Practitioners and Dentists Act s.15A; KMPDC 2026 renewal notice
KMPDC licences renew by 31 December, so most doctors buy or renew PI in November and December.
What indemnity insurance for doctors covers
Patient injury
Bodily injury, illness, mental distress or death caused by negligence in diagnosis, treatment, prescribing or procedures.
Legal defence
Defence costs agreed with the insurer, including expert medical opinion.
Awards and settlements
Court awards and approved settlements up to your limit.
Common add-ons
Defamation, loss of documents, breach of confidentiality and employee dishonesty (varies by insurer).
Typical claim situations
- Missed or delayed diagnosis
- Surgical or procedural complications
- Wrong treatment, prescription or dosage
- Consent and confidentiality disputes
- Poor handover or referral
- Disappointing cosmetic results
What doctors' indemnity insurance costs
| Cover limit | GP / medical officer | Physician / paediatrician | Dentist | Surgeon, obstetrician/gynaecologist |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KES 1 million | 6,400 – 7,100 | 7,100 – 7,300 | 7,300 – 8,100 | 12,800 – 14,300 |
| KES 5 million | 17,500 – 20,900 | 20,900 – 22,500 | 22,500 – 25,700 | 32,300 – 35,900 |
| KES 10 million | 26,000 – 30,800 | 30,800 – 32,000 | 32,000 – 37,600 | 40,000 – 45,600 |
| KES 30 million | 43,500 – 50,800 | 48,000 – 50,800 | 48,000 – 56,000 | 62,700 – 70,500 |
Indicative annual premium for doctors in Kenya (KES a year)
- GP / medical officer
- 6,400 – 7,100
- Physician / paediatrician
- 7,100 – 7,300
- Dentist
- 7,300 – 8,100
- Surgeon, obstetrician/gynaecologist
- 12,800 – 14,300
- GP / medical officer
- 17,500 – 20,900
- Physician / paediatrician
- 20,900 – 22,500
- Dentist
- 22,500 – 25,700
- Surgeon, obstetrician/gynaecologist
- 32,300 – 35,900
- GP / medical officer
- 26,000 – 30,800
- Physician / paediatrician
- 30,800 – 32,000
- Dentist
- 32,000 – 37,600
- Surgeon, obstetrician/gynaecologist
- 40,000 – 45,600
- GP / medical officer
- 43,500 – 50,800
- Physician / paediatrician
- 48,000 – 50,800
- Dentist
- 48,000 – 56,000
- Surgeon, obstetrician/gynaecologist
- 62,700 – 70,500
Specialty matters as much as the limit: surgeons and obstetricians pay about 1.3–2 times a GP's premium for the same cover.
Medical exclusions to check
- Sexual misconduct and criminal acts
- Experimental treatment
- Services under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Non-medical activities and work outside your licence
- Dental procedures under general anaesthesia outside a suitable facility
- Claims about treatment before your retroactive date
Choosing your limit
- The law sets no minimum, so start from your exposure: specialty, procedures and patient volume.
- Defence costs usually come out of the same limit.
- If a hospital or employer asks for a minimum limit, match it.
- Published limits run from KES 500,000 to KES 60 million.
How to get covered
- Tell us your specialty, practice settings and the limit you want.
- We compare insurers and send you options with the excess and key terms.
- Send your practising licence, ID and KRA PIN, then pay by M-Pesa or card.
- Receive your certificate as soon as cover is confirmed, ready for KMPDC.
Frequently asked questions
Do doctors in Kenya have to have professional indemnity insurance?
Yes. Section 15A of the Medical Practitioners and Dentists Act requires every practitioner to take PI cover each year, and KMPDC will not renew your practising licence without valid cover. The law does not set a minimum limit, so the amount is your choice.
How much does professional indemnity insurance cost in Kenya?
For individuals, published rates start at about KES 3,100–7,100 a year for KES 1 million of cover (advocates and GPs) and rise with your specialty and limit: a GP pays roughly KES 17,500–21,000 for KES 5 million, a surgeon about KES 32,000–36,000. Firms are priced on fee income, staff and claims history. Levies of 0.45% plus KES 40 stamp duty are added.
Which professional indemnity insurance is best for doctors?
The best policy is the one that covers your actual specialty and procedures at the limit you need, with defence costs and patient bodily injury included, an excess you can afford, and a retroactive date that keeps your past work covered. On published rates, the same GP cover differed by up to about 20% between two insurers, so compare before you renew.
I am employed by a hospital. Do I still need my own PI?
Yes. KMPDC requires every practitioner to hold their own cover for licence renewal. The hospital's own policy protects the institution and may not cover you personally, your locum work or private practice. Make sure your own policy covers every setting where you practise.
Does my cover include locum and private practice?
It can, if you declare it. Tell the insurer every setting where you work (employment, locum and sessional work, private practice) and the procedures you perform. Undeclared work can lead an insurer to dispute a claim.
Why do surgeons and obstetricians pay more?
Insurers group specialties by risk. Surgeons, obstetricians/gynaecologists, anaesthetists and interventional specialists sit in the highest risk group and pay about 1.3–2 times a GP's premium for the same limit on published rates.
Are dentists covered for procedures under general anaesthesia?
Only where the procedure is performed in a suitable hospital or clinic with a specialist anaesthetist in control, according to at least one insurer's wording. Check this condition before you rely on your cover.
How much cover (limit) do I need?
At least any legal minimum for your profession, then enough to meet the largest claim you could realistically face: think of your biggest contract or fee, what a client could lose through your error, and any limit a client or tender requires. Remember that defence costs usually come out of the same limit.
How quickly can I get a certificate for my licence renewal or tender?
For individual doctors, clinical officers and nurses, some insurers issue the policy online straight after payment. Advocates' cover can also be bought online from some insurers. Firm policies take longer because they are underwritten on fees and staff. Tell us your deadline and we will work to it.
Are there taxes or levies on top of the premium?
Yes: a 0.2% training levy, a 0.25% Policyholders' Compensation Fund levy and KES 40 stamp duty. A KES 17,500 premium therefore costs KES 17,618.75 in total.
Renewing your KMPDC licence?
Tell us your specialty, the limit you want and your renewal date. We compare insurers and get your certificate in time.
Licensed by IRA · No obligation · We reply within 1 hour
Sources
- Medical Practitioners and Dentists Act s.15A; KMPDC 2026 renewal notice
- KMPDC 2026 renewal notice (deadline 31 Dec 2025)
- Itemised insurer quotes, Oct 2026
- Insurer proposal forms (GA, Kenya Orient, Liberty, Madison), Oct 2026
- GA, Liberty and First Assurance proposal forms, Oct 2026
- Insurer websites, Oct 2026
- Published professional indemnity rates from Kenyan insurers, checked 5 October 2026
Facts and published prices checked 5 Oct 2026; last reviewed October 2026 by Naveah Capital. Prices are indicative published rates, 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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