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Beyond premiums: Why insurers must put customers first

Africa News News African November 2, 2026 · Comments off

Kenya’s insurance industry has an opportunity to do more than grow premiums and balance sheets. It can transform how individuals, households, and businesses protect themselves against uncertainty and recover from unexpected setbacks. But realising this potential requires a fundamental shift: Are we designing insurance around our corporate processes, or around the everyday realities of the people we serve?

Kenya illustrates both the market’s promise and its persistent challenges. In 2025, the Insurance Regulatory Authority reported gross direct premiums of Sh466.58 billion, up 16.5 percent from Sh400.59 billion in 2024. Insurance penetration also rose from 2.45 percent to 2.63 percent of gross domestic product.

Yet FinAccess survey findings reveal that 70.5 percent of respondents do not use any form of insurance. Although these figures measure different aspects of the market, they highlight a critical disconnect: Industry growth does not automatically translate into broader financial protection. We must look beyond premiums collected to ask how effectively we are serving the millions of people and businesses who remain uninsured or underinsured.

Fundamentally, insurance is a promise about the future. Customers pay today, trusting that their insurer will stand by them when adversity strikes. What consumers want and need are straightforward answers: What does my policy cover? Have exclusions been explained? Can I track my claim and receive timely updates? If a claim is declined, will I receive a clear explanation? These are not merely operational details, they shape public confidence, customer loyalty, and the industry’s long-term commercial sustainability.

Consumers increasingly expect the speed and simplicity they experience with banks, retailers, and digital platforms. Insurance cannot afford to be an exception. A convenient purchase followed by a frustrating, opaque claims process undermines trust. We must rethink the entire customer journey, from the first inquiry to claims settlement and renewal, ensuring every interaction reinforces the same core promise: insurance should ease life’s uncertainties, not add to them.

We must also recognise that customers are not interchangeable. A small business needs protection against inventory losses, equipment damage, and business interruption. A young household needs affordable life cover. A smallholder farmer needs protection against extreme weather and climate risks. Diverse circumstances demand relevant products, not rigid, one-size-fits-all solutions.

Affordability is equally vital, particularly for people working in the informal economy where incomes are irregular. Flexible payment schedules, micro-premiums, plain-language contracts, and accessible distribution channels can make protection practical for traders, farmers, and micro-entrepreneurs.

Financial inclusion means more than making a policy available online. People must understand it, afford it, access it, and receive meaningful value when they need it most. Meeting these needs is both a social responsibility and a significant commercial opportunity. Insurers that solve real problems can reach underserved markets, build lasting relationships, and unlock sustainable growth.

Digital technology, data analytics, and artificial intelligence can accelerate this shift by simplifying on boarding, improving risk assessment, and speeding up claims. However, technology should never be adopted for its own sake. Its true value lies in solving practical problems. Can a customer submit documents without traveling to a branch? Can a business owner obtain suitable cover without cumbersome paperwork? Can a policyholder track a claim without repeated follow-ups? These are the outcomes that truly matter.

Kenya does not lack reasons to need insurance. The challenge lies in making protection accessible, understandable, affordable, and dependable. Our task is to move beyond merely selling policies to delivering protection people can trust when it matters most.

The writer is Chief Executive Officer, APA Apollo Group

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