How do I claim on travel insurance?
In a medical emergency abroad, get care and call your insurer's 24-hour assistance number before paying any large bill: most policies refuse medical payments over USD 300–500 made without its approval. For other losses, collect the evidence on the spot (receipts, the airline's Property Irregularity Report, a police report) and send the claim within 31 days of returning to Kenya.
Step by step: a medical emergency abroad
- Get emergency care In a life-threatening emergency go straight to the nearest hospital.
- Call the assistance line Ring the 24-hour number on your certificate as soon as you can, with your passport and policy number, before paying a large bill.
- Let them arrange payment The assistance company guarantees the hospital bill or tells you what to pay and keep receipts for.
- Collect the evidence Medical report, itemised bills and receipts; for bags, the airline's Property Irregularity Report; for theft, a police report.
- Send the claim within 31 days Submit the claim form and documents to the insurer within 31 days of returning to Kenya.
- Settlement A fully documented claim takes about seven working days at one Kenyan insurer.
Documents for each type of claim
| Claim | What to send |
|---|---|
| Medical treatment | Medical report, itemised bills, receipts, prescriptions |
| Lost or damaged baggage | Property Irregularity Report, airline settlement letter, list of contents, receipts |
| Delayed baggage | Airline delay confirmation and receipts for essentials bought |
| Flight delay or missed connection | Airline letter giving the delay and reason, boarding passes |
| Cancellation | Proof of the reason (medical certificate, death certificate), bookings and refunds received |
| Theft of money, passport or items | Police report made within 24 hours, receipts, embassy fees for a new passport |
| Death abroad | Death certificate, medical report and the assistance company's case number |
- What to send
- Medical report, itemised bills, receipts, prescriptions
- What to send
- Property Irregularity Report, airline settlement letter, list of contents, receipts
- What to send
- Airline delay confirmation and receipts for essentials bought
- What to send
- Airline letter giving the delay and reason, boarding passes
- What to send
- Proof of the reason (medical certificate, death certificate), bookings and refunds received
- What to send
- Police report made within 24 hours, receipts, embassy fees for a new passport
- What to send
- Death certificate, medical report and the assistance company's case number
Deadlines and rules
Policies tell you to call the insurer's 24-hour assistance company before treatment: one refuses medical payments over USD 300 made without its approval, another over USD 500.
Source: Kenyan insurers' published 2025 travel rate cards, checked 19 Oct 2026
Non-emergency claims must reach the insurer within 31 days of your return home under three Kenyan insurers' brochures.
Source: Kenyan insurers' published 2025 travel rate cards, checked 19 Oct 2026
One Kenyan insurer says a fully documented travel claim takes about seven working days to settle.
Source: Kenyan insurers' published 2025 travel rate cards, checked 19 Oct 2026
For lost luggage, insurers ask for the airline's Property Irregularity Report, its final settlement letter and a list of contents; theft needs a police report.
Source: Kenyan insurers' published 2025 travel rate cards, checked 19 Oct 2026
Why travel claims are refused
- A condition you had before the trip and did not declare.
- A large bill paid without calling the assistance company first.
- Missing reports: no airline report for bags, no police report for theft.
- A claim sent after the deadline.
- Injuries linked to alcohol or drugs, or a sport the policy excludes.
- A wrong age or detail on the application.
Direct payment or pay and claim?
Direct payment
For hospital stays the assistance company usually pays the hospital or guarantees the bill, so you do not pay up front.
Pay and claim
Small bills, outpatient visits and baggage costs: pay, keep every receipt, and claim on your return.
How Naveah helps with a claim
- Tell us early WhatsApp or call us from abroad; we point you to the right assistance number.
- We check the papers Before you submit, so nothing is missing.
- We follow it up With the insurer until the claim is settled.
Frequently asked questions
What should I do first in a medical emergency abroad?
Get emergency care, then call the 24-hour assistance number on your certificate as soon as you can, before paying any large bill. The assistance company arranges the hospital, guarantees payment and organises evacuation if needed.
How long do I have to make a travel insurance claim?
Report emergencies straight away. Other claims must usually reach the insurer within 31 days of your return to Kenya, and card fraud within 48 hours at one insurer.
What documents do I need to claim?
The claim form, your certificate and passport, receipts and invoices, and the report that proves the event: medical report, airline Property Irregularity Report, police report or airline delay letter.
How long does a travel claim take to pay?
One Kenyan insurer says about seven working days once the claim is fully documented. Missing papers are the usual cause of delay.
I paid the hospital myself. Can I still claim?
Yes, with the receipts and medical report, but most policies refuse medical payments over a small limit (USD 300–500) made without the assistance company's approval, so call them first whenever you can.
Why are travel insurance claims rejected?
The common reasons are a pre-existing condition, paying a large bill without calling assistance first, missing documents, a late claim, alcohol or drugs, an excluded sport, or a wrong age or detail on the application.
What if I disagree with the insurer's decision?
Ask the insurer for its reasons in writing and appeal with any missing evidence. We take the case up with the insurer for our clients, and you can complain to the Insurance Regulatory Authority if it is not resolved.
Need help with a travel claim?
Tell us what happened and who insures you. We help our clients with the documents and follow the claim up with the insurer.
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Sources (2)
- Kenyan insurers' published 2025 travel rate cards, checked 19 Oct 2026
- Case summary of BMK v AIG Kenya Insurance Ltd [2020] eKLR
Facts and published prices checked 19 Oct 2026; last reviewed October 2026 by Naveah Capital. Prices shown are published rates and market estimates in US dollars, before any levies an insurer adds; they are not a quote. 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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