WIBA Insurance: Work Injury Benefits Act Compliance
The legally mandatory employer cover in Kenya. Every business with staff must insure work-related injury, disease, and death under the Work Injury Benefits Act. Minimum premium from about KSh 5,000/year.
from
KSh 5,000/year
WIBA insurance is legally mandatory for every employer in Kenya under the Work Injury Benefits Act, 2007, from a household with one domestic worker to a factory with thousands of staff. It pays the statutory benefits when an employee is injured, falls ill, or dies because of their work: medical expenses, temporary and permanent disability lump sums, and death and funeral benefits to dependants. Premiums are rated on your annual wage bill: roughly 1–2% of payroll for most trades, with a minimum premium from about KSh 5,000 a year. Without WIBA in force the employer is personally liable, and DOSH can issue a stop-work notice and prosecute. Vike issues compliant WIBA cover on WhatsApp and explains your exact minimum premium.
- Legally mandatory for every Kenyan employer, no staff-number minimum
- Rated on payroll: typically ~1–2% of your annual wage bill
- Minimum premium from about KSh 5,000/year
- Covers medical, disability lump sums, death & dependant benefits
- Non-compliance: personal liability + DOSH stop-work and prosecution
- Compliant cover arranged on WhatsApp; IRA-regulated underwriters
The Work Injury Benefits Act (WIBA), 2007 makes it compulsory for every employer in Kenya to insure their employees against work-related injury, occupational disease, and death. There is no exemption for size: a household with a single domestic worker, an SME with ten staff, and an industrial group with thousands all carry the same legal obligation. The employer is strictly liable for the scheduled benefits regardless of fault, and the Directorate of Occupational Safety and Health Services (DOSH) can issue a prohibition (stop-work) notice and prosecute an employer found operating without cover.
WIBA premiums are rated on your annual wage bill and your occupational class: an office attracts a far lower rate than a construction site or a transport fleet. As a rule of thumb the rate lands around 1–2% of payroll for most trades, subject to a minimum premium from about KSh 5,000 a year for very small payrolls. Most insurers settle the premium on an end-of-year payroll declaration, so you pay against your actual wage roll. Vike places compliant WIBA, on its own or bundled with Employers' Liability (common law), for businesses of every size, and you can get a quote and your exact minimum premium over WhatsApp.
What It Covers
Medical expenses for treating work-related injuries and occupational diseases
Temporary total / partial disability: wage replacement while the employee recovers
Permanent disability lump sums, calculated on earnings and the WIBA disability scale
Death benefit and funeral expenses where a work accident is fatal
Compensation to the dependants of an employee who dies from a work cause
Legal defence costs for claims brought against the employer
Occupational diseases listed in the WIBA Schedule (and others with medical evidence)
Casual, contract, and field-based workers, subject to payroll declaration
Who It's For
Every employer in Kenya: the Act applies from the very first employee
Households employing domestic workers, gardeners, nannies, or guards
SMEs, retailers, restaurants, salons, and professional offices
High-risk operations: manufacturing, construction, farms, transport, logistics
NGOs, schools, saccos, and any organisation that pays wages
Contractors who must show WIBA cover to win and run a site
Types We Cover
Each profile is rated and underwritten differently. Talk to us so we can match your specific situation.
WIBA: Minimum Statutory Cover
The legal minimum: pays the WIBA-scheduled benefits to injured workers or their dependants. Satisfies the Act and DOSH compliance. The entry point for the smallest payrolls.
WIBA + Employers' Liability (Extended)
Adds common-law / Employers' Liability cover for negligence claims that fall outside the WIBA schedule, typically the larger awards for serious injury. Market standard and our default recommendation for any business beyond a single domestic worker.
Domestic WIBA (Households)
A simplified, low-cost WIBA for households employing 1–4 domestic staff, often from about KSh 5,000 a year per worker. Many households are unknowingly non-compliant; placement is quick.
WIBA + Group Personal Accident Top-Up
Adds 24-hour accident cover (on- and off-duty) and lump sums above the WIBA schedule. A common staff-benefit enhancement that often pairs with Group Life.
Real-World Scenarios
A new SME hires its first three employees
From the first hire the business is legally required to hold WIBA. On a modest payroll the premium can be close to the ~KSh 5,000 minimum. Putting cover in place removes the personal liability the owner would otherwise carry and pre-empts a DOSH stop-work notice.
A site worker suffers a permanent hand injury
The insurer pays the medical treatment and a permanent partial disability lump sum, calculated as a percentage of annual earnings times the WIBA disability factor for that injury. If the worker also sues in negligence beyond the schedule, the Employers' Liability extension defends and indemnifies the business.
An employer is found operating without WIBA
DOSH can issue a prohibition notice halting work and prosecute the employer, who is then personally liable for the full scheduled benefits, which can run into millions for a serious injury or death. The premium saved is never worth that exposure; we place compliant cover the same day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is WIBA mandatory in Kenya?
How is the WIBA premium calculated?
What is the minimum WIBA premium?
What is the difference between WIBA and Group Personal Accident?
Does WIBA cover occupational diseases as well as accidents?
Do I need WIBA for casual and contract workers?
What happens if I don't have WIBA and a worker is injured?
Can I arrange WIBA compliance cover on WhatsApp?
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