Best Medical Insurance Cover in Kenya 2026: Cheapest Plans, Premiums and What They Cover

Updated 20 October 2026

The best medical insurance cover in Kenya depends on what you need it for. If you want the cheapest protection against a big hospital bill, Jubilee Health’s CoverBora (from KSh 6,200 a year for KSh 250,000 of inpatient cover) and Britam’s Bima ya Mwananchi (from KSh 4,600 a year for KSh 75,000) are the low-cost options with published prices. If your family sees a doctor often, CIC’s Afya Bora bundles inpatient and outpatient cover for up to six people at KSh 32,000 a year.

This guide compares those plans using the insurers’ own pages and brochures, explains how private cover sits on top of the Social Health Authority (SHA), and shows how to choose and buy a policy without paying for benefits you will never use.

In this guide

1. Start With SHA, Then Add Private Cover
2. Best Medical Insurance Covers in Kenya Compared
3. Jubilee CoverBora: Best Cheap Inpatient Cover
4. Britam Bima ya Mwananchi: Lowest Entry Price
5. CIC Afya Bora: Best Family Cover With Outpatient
6. Inpatient Only or Inpatient Plus Outpatient?
7. How to Buy Medical Insurance in Kenya
8. Frequently asked questions

Start With SHA, Then Add Private Cover

Private medical insurance does not replace SHA. Every Kenyan adult must register with SHA and pay the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) contribution of 2.75% of income, with a minimum of KSh 300 a month. SHA pays contracted hospitals against its own tariffs, so it does not give you a fixed shilling limit, and it does not cover every private hospital.

People buy private cover on top of SHA for three main reasons: a guaranteed cash limit for admissions, quicker admission at private hospitals, and outpatient visits at clinics outside the SHA panel. Some private insurers also deduct what SHA pays for your bed before they settle the rest of the bill, so keep your SHIF payments up to date even after you buy a policy. If you have not logged in for a while, see how to log in to the SHA portal.

Best Medical Insurance Covers in Kenya Compared

Plan	Best for	Cover	Annual premium
Britam Bima ya Mwananchi, Option 1	Lowest entry price for one person	KSh 75,000 inpatient	KSh 4,600 (self only)
Jubilee CoverBora, Plan A	Cheap individual hospital cover with a higher limit	KSh 250,000 inpatient	KSh 6,200 (individual)
Jubilee CoverBora, Plan C	Families who want only hospital cover	KSh 500,000 inpatient	KSh 11,400 (individual), KSh 19,600 (family of up to five)
Britam Bima ya Mwananchi, Option 5	Higher inpatient limit with optional outpatient	KSh 500,000 inpatient	KSh 15,500 (self only), KSh 35,500 (family of five)
CIC Afya Bora	Families who need inpatient and outpatient in one policy	KSh 250,000 inpatient and KSh 50,000 outpatient	KSh 32,000 per family of up to six

Premiums can change, and some insurers add levies and stamp duty at checkout, so always ask for the final all-in figure before you pay.

Jubilee CoverBora: Best Cheap Inpatient Cover

CoverBora is an inpatient-only plan from Jubilee Health Insurance. It pays for hospital admissions, emergency treatment, surgery, ICU, diagnostics, drugs while admitted and maternity hospitalisation. Jubilee also says it covers mental health admissions, and pre-existing conditions after 12 months.

• Plan A: KSh 250,000 inpatient limit from KSh 6,200 a year for an individual.
• Plan B: KSh 350,000 limit for KSh 8,100 a year.
• Plan C: KSh 500,000 limit for KSh 11,400 a year.
• Family cover: Jubilee advertises family cover for up to five members (the main member plus four) with a KSh 500,000 limit from KSh 19,600 a year.

Jubilee says that works out to about KSh 17 a day for an individual. You can sign up through USSD by dialling *706*2#. The main drawback is that there is no outpatient benefit, so clinic visits, routine tests and pharmacy bills stay out of pocket.

Britam Bima ya Mwananchi: Lowest Entry Price

Bima ya Mwananchi is Britam’s budget plan for individuals and families. You pick an inpatient tier and can add outpatient cover separately. Going by the rates in Britam’s product brochure, inpatient tiers run from KSh 75,000 (KSh 4,600 a year for one person) to KSh 500,000 (KSh 15,500 for one person), with family prices rising by number of dependants. Each tier also carries a last expense benefit for funeral costs inside the shared limit.

Britam’s waiting periods are published on its product page:

• One month for illness, while accidents are covered from the start date.
• 10 months for maternity and for chronic and pre-existing conditions.
• One month for emergency abdominal surgery, and one year for other surgery not caused by an accident.

Britam excludes cosmetic treatment, infertility, hearing aids, contact lenses and any cost that another cover such as SHIF or work injury insurance already pays.

CIC Afya Bora: Best Family Cover With Outpatient

CIC’s Afya Bora is sold as a family package rather than an individual plan. One premium of KSh 32,000 a year covers up to six family members with:

• KSh 250,000 inpatient cover per family per year, including maternity, caesarean delivery and day care surgery.
• KSh 50,000 outpatient cover for consultations, prescribed drugs, lab tests, X-rays and ultrasound, with a KSh 100 co-payment per visit.
• A KSh 50,000 shared funeral benefit.
• Pre-existing and chronic conditions covered up to KSh 50,000 for inpatient and KSh 20,000 for outpatient after six months.

Parents can join up to age 70, and children are covered from one month to 25 years if they are still in school or college. CT scans and MRIs are not covered. Afya Bora is listed under CIC’s cooperative solutions, so ask CIC or your Sacco whether you can buy it directly.

Inpatient Only or Inpatient Plus Outpatient?

Buy inpatient-only cover if your main worry is a large hospital bill after an accident, surgery or a difficult delivery. It costs far less and protects your savings where it matters most.

Choose a plan with outpatient cover if you have young children, someone in the house with a chronic condition, or you visit a clinic more than a few times a year. A simple test: add up what your household spent on clinic visits, tests and medicine last year. If that is close to the extra premium for outpatient cover, the combined plan pays for itself.

If cancer, stroke or heart disease is the risk you worry about most, a separate critical illness cover pays a lump sum on diagnosis and works alongside a medical plan.

How to Buy Medical Insurance in Kenya

1. Decide on inpatient-only or combined cover and the limit you need.
2. Get written quotes from at least two insurers licensed by the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA). Premiums depend on age and family size.
3. Check the hospital panel. A cheap plan is no use if the nearest approved hospital is far from you.
4. Have your national ID and KRA PIN ready for each adult, and birth certificates or notifications for children.
5. Declare any existing conditions honestly. Hiding one is a common reason claims are rejected.
6. Pay through the insurer’s official paybill or bank account and keep the receipt and policy document.

Need to reach an insurer before you buy? See the contacts for AAR Insurance and Heritage Insurance, or our list of the top insurance companies in Kenya by market share. Employers that offer group medical cover often advertise it in their job listings on JobinKenya.

Frequently asked questions

Which is the cheapest medical cover in Kenya?

Among plans with published prices, Britam’s Bima ya Mwananchi Option 1 is the cheapest at KSh 4,600 a year for KSh 75,000 of inpatient cover for one person. Jubilee’s CoverBora Plan A costs KSh 6,200 a year for a higher KSh 250,000 limit.

Do I still need SHA if I have private medical insurance?

Yes. SHA registration and SHIF contributions are compulsory. Private cover is a top-up, and many insurers deduct what SHA pays before settling the rest of a hospital bill.

Which medical cover is best for a family?

For hospital-only cover, Jubilee CoverBora’s family plan offers KSh 500,000 for up to five people from KSh 19,600 a year. For a plan that also pays clinic visits, CIC’s Afya Bora covers up to six people for KSh 32,000 a year.

How long before I can use a new medical cover?

Accidents are usually covered at once. Expect about a month for ordinary illness, around 10 to 12 months for maternity and pre-existing conditions, and up to a year for planned surgery.