Quick answer
Beatrice Wanjiku Kariuki, a financial adviser with Old Mutual General Insurance Kenya, was named General Insurance Person of the Year at the AKI Awards in Nairobi in March 2026 for the highest national points on policies and premiums sold. She also won the Premium Volume category.
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Old Mutual General Insurance Kenya agent Beatrice Wanjiku Kariuki has been named General Insurance Person of the Year at the Association of Kenya Insurers (AKI) Awards, held in Nairobi on Friday evening.
Kariuki, a financial adviser with Old Mutual General Insurance Kenya (OMGIK), was recognised for her contribution to growing the uptake of general insurance in the country. According to the organisers, she recorded the highest aggregate weighted points nationally for the number of policies and the value of premiums she sold during the competition period.
She also won the Premium Volume category, for the highest points in new business across the country, and was named second runner-up in the Emerging Insurance Markets category after recording the second-highest sales across 12 emerging markets.
The awards ceremony was attended by Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA) Chief Executive Godfrey Kiptum and AKI Board Chairperson Tom Gitogo.
What her portfolio covers
During 2025, Kariuki sold a large volume of policies across OMGIK’s main product lines, including motor, medical, SME and corporate covers, as well as personal insurance such as domestic package policies that protect household goods. Her clients range from individuals to small and medium-sized enterprises and corporate customers, who use the covers to protect their assets, pay for health care and keep their businesses running after a loss.
“We are proud of Beatrice for this remarkable achievement. Her dedication to serving customers and helping them secure the protection they need reflects the professionalism and impact our advisors bring to the industry,” said Japheth Ogalloh, Managing Director of Old Mutual General Insurance Kenya.
Other Old Mutual winners
Kariuki was not the only OMGIK agent recognised on the night:
- Dorcas Awino won the Personal Accident (PA) Product Category Award and was named among the Top Twenty Agents nationwide.
- Stephen Mogaka won the Emerging Insurance Markets category.
- Sylvia Kajwiri earned a place among the Top Twenty Agents in the country for consistent performance.
The wider AKI Awards results
The AKI Awards reward insurance companies and sales agents for performance over the previous year, with companies scored on the aggregate points their agents earn from policies sold and premium volume, as well as on innovation in products and distribution.
In the General Insurance Agents category, Geoffrey Mandela of Jubilee Health Insurance came second behind Kariuki, while Margaret Muthoni Mwaura of APA Insurance came third. Among companies, Britam General Insurance was named General Insurance Company of the Year and also took the General Insurance Innovation Award and the award for Most Improved Performance.
Other company winners included:
- CIC Life Assurance: Group Life Insurance Company of the Year.
- Equity Life: Lowest Loss Ratio and Innovation in group life.
- Britam Life Insurance: Life Insurance Company of the Year and the Innovation Award for individual life.
- APA Life Assurance: highest percentage growth in new policies.
- Pioneer Assurance: most improved performance in individual life.
In life insurance, Doreen Mwendwa Mwirigi of Madison Life Assurance won Life Insurance Agent of the Year for new business and was also recognised as the youngest life insurance agent. Ruth Mumbe Nyingi of Britam Life and Charlene Wanjiku Kimara of Prudential Life Assurance Kenya came second and third. The Life Insurance Persistency Award, which rewards agents whose clients keep their policies running, went to Jayshree Haria of Jubilee Life Insurance, ahead of Ezekiel Njuguna Mburu of Britam Life and Purity Karimi Njagi of Madison Life.
More agents qualify, most of them women
AKI said 1,195 insurance sales agents qualified for this year’s awards, up from 1,084 the year before, an increase of 9.5%. The event coincided with International Women’s Day, and Gitogo noted that 67% of the qualifying agents were women, pointing to growing female representation across the industry, from boardrooms to the sales force.
The theme of the event was “Customer First: Reimagining Customer Service through Digital Transformation”. AKI Executive Director Tom Gichuhi said the association would soon roll out an industry-wide Customer Service Charter, backed by technology, to set minimum service standards across the sector.
Why agents matter for insurance uptake
Insurance penetration in Kenya remains low, and agents like Kariuki are the main way many households and small businesses first buy cover. Awards such as these are meant to reward agents who grow the number of insured customers and keep policies in force, not just those who sell large single contracts.
If you are comparing insurers, our list of the top insurance companies in Kenya and our guide to critical illness insurance providers explain what each firm offers. Old Mutual also runs investment products such as the Old Mutual Money Market Fund.
Insurance companies regularly recruit sales agents and financial advisers. You can find current openings on JobinKenya.
Frequently asked questions
Who won General Insurance Person of the Year at the AKI Awards?
Beatrice Wanjiku Kariuki, a financial adviser with Old Mutual General Insurance Kenya.
Which company won General Insurance Company of the Year?
Britam General Insurance, which also won the General Insurance Innovation Award and Most Improved Performance.
How many agents qualified for the AKI Awards?
AKI said 1,195 agents qualified, up from 1,084 the year before, and 67% of them were women.
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