Britam Connect has unveiled a new medical insurance product targeting domestic and informal workers, with premiums starting at Sh336 a month to widen access to affordable healthcare for a segment long excluded from formal cover.
The product, known as Bima ya Wafanyikazi, is underwritten by Britam and distributed through Minet Kenya Insurance Brokers. It bundles inpatient, outpatient, maternity, dental, optical and last expense benefits, and is available to individual workers, employers and registered worker associations.
Britam said the cover addresses a major gap in the market, citing International Labour Organization data showing that more than 90 percent of domestic workers lack any form of medical insurance. Many also work under informal arrangements without written contracts, leaving them exposed to catastrophic medical costs when illness strikes.
Britam Connect Chief Executive Officer Evah Kimani said the product was designed around the everyday realities facing domestic and informal workers.
“For many domestic and informal workers, there is very little room for life’s disruptions. An illness, injury or even a few days away from work can quickly place pressure on household finances,” Kimani said.
The cover offers four inpatient options with annual limits of Sh100,000, Sh200,000, Sh300,000 and Sh500,000, alongside outpatient limits of Sh20,000, Sh50,000 or Sh65,000. All inpatient plans include a Sh50,000 last expense benefit, while family packages extend cover to a spouse and dependants at an additional premium.
Individual inpatient cover starts at Sh4,026 annually, while outpatient-only plans begin at Sh10,328. Members serve a one-month waiting period for illness, though accidental injuries are covered from the policy’s start date. Maternity and chronic conditions carry a 10-month waiting period.
Minet Kenya Chief Executive Officer Sammy Muthui said the partnership was built around a clear gap identified through customer feedback.
“There is a significant gap in healthcare protection for Kenya’s informal workforce, and it is a gap that demands innovative solutions,” Muthui said.
Domestic workers, employers and registered associations can sign up by calling Minet Insurance Brokers on 0719 044 000 or emailing [email protected].
