Insurers bundle investments with cover as uptake stalls

Insureres increasingly combining investment products with health and life cover to boost insurance uptake.

Kenya's insurers are increasingly combining investment products with health and life cover to boost insurance uptake, which remains among the lowest globally.

The shift comes as firms look for new ways to attract customers who have traditionally avoided standalone insurance products but are willing to invest for education, retirement and wealth creation.

Kenya's insurance penetration rose marginally to 2.44 per cent in 2024 from 2.41 per cent in 2023, according to the Association of Kenya Insurers (AKI), despite gross written premiums growing to Sh395.3 billion.

More recent figures suggest fresh stagnation. Cytonn Investments, citing data from the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA) and the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), reported insurance penetration fell to 2.2 per cent in the first half of 2025, well below the global average of 7.4 per cent reported by Allianz.

The persistent gap has pushed insurers towards products that combine savings and protection, betting that customers who resist buying insurance outright may still sign up for investment products with embedded cover.

Liberty Kenya is among the firms adopting the approach after enhancing its LifeVest investment-linked plan to include Critical Illness and Permanent Total Disability cover at no additional premium.

"The traditional separation between saving, investing and insurance is becoming less aligned with the financial realities facing families, professionals, entrepreneurs and pre-retirees," said Liberty Kenya Group Chief Executive Officer Kieran Godden.

"While more Kenyans are becoming intentional about investing for education, retirement, homeownership and legacy planning, many remain exposed to risks that can quickly interrupt years of disciplined saving," added Godden.

Liberty is not the first insurer to pursue the strategy. Britam's Imarika plan similarly combines investment returns with life cover as insurers seek to make protection products more attractive to younger and investment-focused customers.

Competition remains concentrated among the country's largest long-term insurers. IRA data showed six insurers controlled 67.6 per cent of the long-term insurance market in the first quarter of 2025.

Industry estimates for 2026 placed Britam's share of long-term premiums at 21.91 per cent, followed by ICEA Lion at 14.77 per cent and Jubilee at 14.16 per cent.

Liberty reported an 8.5 per cent increase in insurance revenue to Sh11.9 billion in 2025 as the group navigated higher claims and weaker equity market returns.

Analysts say product innovation is becoming increasingly important as insurers seek to grow market share without relying on price competition alone.

LifeVest allows customers to invest from Sh50,000 and make additional contributions of Sh1,000, while providing life cover equivalent to 10 per cent of the accumulated fund value, capped at Sh5 million.

The policy also allows withdrawals of up to 25 per cent of the fund value annually from the second year, subject to policy terms and conditions.

"Customers want solutions that support their ambitions, but they also need confidence that one unexpected life event will not completely derail their financial progress," said Liberty Life Managing Director and Principal Officer Nkoregamba Mwebesa.

Long-term insurers wrote Sh110.39 billion in premiums during the second quarter of 2025, up 17.7 per cent from a year earlier, while industry assets rose 22.6 per cent to nearly Sh978 billion as digital distribution channels expanded.