Comprehensive home insurance coverage for your house, contents, and personal belongings. Protect against fire, theft, and natural disasters.
Your home is likely your biggest investment. Home insurance protects your property, belongings, and provides liability coverage for accidents that occur on your property.
Covers the physical structure of your home including walls, roof, floors, windows, doors, and permanent fixtures. Essential for homeowners and required by most mortgage lenders.
Protects your personal belongings inside the home - furniture, electronics, clothing, appliances, and valuables. Suitable for both homeowners and tenants.
Combines buildings and contents insurance into one policy, offering complete protection for your property and belongings at a better rate than separate policies.
Understanding the specific risks in Kenya helps you choose the right coverage:
Electrical faults, cooking accidents, and gas explosions are common. Ensure electrical systems meet safety standards.
High risk in urban areas. Good security measures may reduce premiums. Report to police within 24 hours for claims.
Increasing risk during rainy seasons, especially in low-lying areas. May require additional flood coverage.
Understanding how your property is valued is crucial for adequate coverage:
Market Value: What your home would sell for (includes land value).
Replacement Cost: Cost to rebuild your home (excludes land, includes labor and materials).
Always insure for replacement cost, not market value. Land doesn't need insurance, but rebuilding does.
New for Old: Replacement with new items of similar quality (better coverage, higher premium)
Indemnity: Replacement value minus depreciation (lower premium, reduced payout)
If you're under-insured, claims are paid proportionally. For example, if you insure for KES 5M but replacement cost is KES 10M, you'll only receive 50% of any claim amount.
Premium costs vary based on property value, location, security features, and coverage type. Here are typical ranges:
If you have a mortgage, your lender will require buildings insurance as a condition of the loan. This protects their investment in your property.
Even without a mortgage, protecting your largest asset from fire, theft, or natural disasters is essential. Rebuilding costs can be financially devastating.
Protect your rental property investment with buildings insurance and consider landlord-specific policies that cover loss of rent and tenant damage.
Your landlord's insurance doesn't cover your belongings. Contents insurance protects your furniture, electronics, and personal items from theft or damage.
Understanding the difference between tenant and landlord insurance is crucial for rental properties:
What it covers: Building structure, landlord's fixtures, loss of rent due to uninhabitable property, liability for injuries on the property, legal expenses for tenant disputes.
Who needs it: Property owners who rent out their homes or apartments.
Typical cost: 10-20% higher than standard home insurance due to increased risks.
What it covers: Personal belongings (furniture, electronics, clothing), temporary accommodation if rental becomes uninhabitable, liability for damage you cause to the property or injuries to visitors.
Who needs it: Anyone renting a home, apartment, or room.
Typical cost: KES 5,000 - 15,000 annually, depending on contents value.
Landlord insurance does NOT cover tenant belongings. Tenants must purchase their own contents insurance. Similarly, tenant insurance does NOT cover building damage - that's the landlord's responsibility.
Many home insurance policies in Kenya include or offer add-on coverage for domestic employees (housekeepers, gardeners, guards).
Most insurers require minimum security measures to validate theft claims:
Failure to maintain required security measures may result in claim rejection or reduced payouts.
Understanding real-world claim examples helps you appreciate the value of home insurance:
A short circuit in the kitchen caused a fire that destroyed half the house. The family was displaced for 6 months during repairs.
Claim Amount: KES 8.5M (building repair + contents replacement)
Additional Benefit: KES 600K for temporary accommodation (6 months × KES 100K/month)
Outcome: Full claim paid within 45 days. Family used temporary housing benefit.
Thieves broke in while the family was away for 2 weeks, stealing electronics, jewelry, and furniture.
Claim Amount: KES 1.2M (contents stolen)
Deductible: KES 50K (paid by homeowner)
Outcome: Paid KES 1.15M after police report confirmed. Claim processed in 30 days.
Severe flooding damaged floors, walls, and all ground-floor furniture. Electrical system needed complete replacement.
Claim Amount: KES 3.8M (building repair + damaged contents)
Issue: Standard policy had flood exclusion in high-risk area
Outcome: Claim rejected. Homeowner had not purchased flood extension coverage.
Lesson: Always check if your location requires additional flood coverage.
While not legally required, it's highly recommended. Rebuilding a home after fire or disaster can cost millions of shillings. Most homeowners cannot afford this out-of-pocket, making insurance essential financial protection.
Review and update your coverage annually. Building costs, property values, and the value of your belongings increase over time. Many insurers offer automatic indexation (inflation adjustment) for a small additional fee.
Frequent claims will increase your premiums at renewal and may lead to policy non-renewal. Some insurers offer no-claims bonuses (discounts) for claim-free years. Only claim for significant losses, not minor damages you can afford to fix.
Standard home insurance typically excludes business activities. If you run a business from home, inform your insurer and purchase business equipment coverage or a separate commercial policy.
Yes, but you may face cancellation fees or lose your no-claims bonus. If you have a mortgage, your lender requires continuous coverage. Most insurers allow monthly or annual payment options for flexibility.
Simple claims (theft with police report, small damage) typically take 2-4 weeks. Complex claims (fire damage, disputes over valuation) can take 1-3 months. Insurers must acknowledge claims within 48 hours and provide regular updates.
Home insurance is not just about protecting your property - it's about protecting your financial future and peace of mind. In Kenya's unpredictable environment with risks from theft, fire, and flooding, comprehensive home insurance is one of the smartest financial decisions you can make. Don't wait for a disaster to realize its value.
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