Which Business Insurance Do I Need?

Start with the one cover that is legally mandatory: WIBA, which every employer must hold for their staff. Beyond that, protect your assets with Fire & Perils (and Burglary for theft) and protect against claims with Public Liability — plus Professional Indemnity if you give advice for a living. Most Kenyan SMEs end up with a bundle of WIBA + Fire + Burglary + Public Liability, packaged under one renewal date.

WIBA (Work Injury Benefits Act) cover is the only generally mandatory business insurance — every employer must have it, even a household with one domestic worker. Motor insurance is compulsory for business vehicles. Professional indemnity is required by some regulators (LSK, MPDC, IEK, ICPAK, ARC-Kenya) as a condition of practice. Fire and public liability are not legally required but are routinely demanded by banks, landlords, and tender boards.

It depends on the cover and your size. As illustrative starting points: WIBA from about KSh 5,000/year (rated on payroll), Public Liability from about KSh 8,000, Burglary from about KSh 10,000, Fire & Perils from about KSh 15,000 (rated on the sum insured), and Professional Indemnity from about KSh 20,000. Bundling several covers with one underwriter usually lowers the total.

WIBA covers your own employees for work-related injury, disease, or death — and is legally required. Public Liability covers injury or property damage you cause to members of the public. Professional Indemnity covers financial loss a client suffers from your negligent advice or work. They protect three different groups — staff, the public, and clients — so a professional firm with a public office often needs all three.

They cover different risks. Fire & Perils pays for damage to your buildings, stock, and equipment from fire, lightning, flood, and similar perils. Burglary pays for theft of stock and contents involving forced entry. Neither covers the other, which is why most businesses take them together — usually under one combined commercial policy.

A building or civil contractor typically needs Contractors All Risks (CAR) for the works, plant, and materials; WIBA for site workers (statutory); and Public Liability for third-party injury and damage around the site. Many tenders make all three a condition of award. We package them so the cover matches the contract and the bill of quantities.

Yes. Most insurers offer a combined commercial policy that puts Fire, Burglary, WIBA, Public Liability, and other sections under one schedule, one renewal date, and often one excess — simpler to administer and usually cheaper than buying each cover separately. Tell us your operations on WhatsApp and we will structure the right bundle.