Travel Insurance in Kenya

Travel insurance pays for emergencies on a trip: medical treatment and hospital care abroad, emergency evacuation, repatriation, trip cancellation or cutting a trip short, delays, lost or delayed baggage and documents, and personal liability. It is emergency cover for the length of a trip, not a general health plan.

Not for Kenyans travelling out. No Kenyan law requires it, but many visas do, starting with the Schengen visa (at least EUR 30,000 of medical cover). The 2026 rule that made cover compulsory applies to non-Kenyan visitors coming into Kenya, and Kenyan citizens and residents are exempt from it.

Yes. Since 5 October 2026 every non-Kenyan visitor staying under three months needs Kenya's Inbound Travel Health Insurance (up to USD 44 per person), bought on eCitizen or with the eTA before boarding. Citizens of East African Community states and holders of Kenyan residence status are exempt. Our visitors' guide explains it in full.

On Kenyan insurers' published rates, a week in the Schengen area costs about USD 17–20 per adult (roughly KSh 2,200–2,600), a week in Africa or Asia about USD 13, and a year of trips USD 129–409. Children pay half; travellers aged 66–80 pay 50–100% more.

A single-trip policy is cheaper if you travel once or twice a year. On published rates an annual plan pays for itself from about the 8th to 13th one-week trip, or the 4th to 7th month-long trip, and each trip is limited to 92 or 180 days.

Usually not. Most Kenyan travel policies exclude any condition you had before the trip, and none pays for a trip taken to get treatment. One insurer will cover a declared condition if its underwriter agrees. If you have a long-term condition, tell us before you buy so we can find the right policy.

The usual exclusions are:

• Pre-existing medical conditions, unless declared and accepted
• Trips taken to get medical treatment, or travel against a doctor's advice
• Treatment paid for without calling the assistance company first, above a small limit
• Injuries linked to alcohol or drugs
• Dangerous and winter sports, unless you add them
• Flight cancellations made by the airline itself, at some insurers
• Anything that happened before the trip, and treatment after you return beyond a small follow-up allowance

Buy it as soon as you book, and always before you leave Kenya: cover cannot be bought once the trip has started, and buying early means cancellation cover protects you if something happens before departure. For a visa, buy it before your appointment.

Yes, if Kenya is where you live. Kenyan travel policies go by residence, not nationality: they cover trips out of Kenya and end when you return. One insurer limits cover to permanent residents. Holders of Kenyan residence status are also exempt from the visitors' rule.

You can, but section 20 of the Insurance Act bars placing Kenyan business with insurers not licensed in Kenya without the Commissioner's approval, claims are handled abroad in foreign currency, and Schengen embassies in Nairobi check their own list of approved insurers. A Kenyan policy from a listed insurer avoids all three problems.

Generally not. SHA funds only pre-approved treatment abroad for 36 listed procedures, capped at KES 500,000, and most local medical plans give partial or no cover outside Kenya. Travel insurance, or international health insurance for long stays, fills that gap.

Most Kenyan travel plans now include COVID-19 medical treatment, and several pay for compulsory quarantine at USD 80 a day for up to 14 days. Some exclude other pandemics, so check the wording.

We compare the plans of the Kenyan insurers we work with on medical limits, age rules, Schengen listing and price, issue the certificate you need for your visa, and help you through any claim. The quote is free and there is no obligation.