Why Britam Is Targeting Informal Workers
Britam has launched a low-cost medical insurance product with monthly premiums starting at Sh336, in a move aimed at expanding healthcare access for millions of Kenyans working in the informal sector.
The insurer unveiled the new cover, dubbed Bima ya Wafanyikazi, through its digital platform Britam Connect in partnership with Minet Kenya, offering affordable medical insurance at a daily cost starting from about Sh11.
The initiative targets domestic workers and informal sector employees, many of whom continue to rely on out-of-pocket payments to meet their healthcare needs due to limited access to conventional insurance products.
“For many domestic and informal workers, there is very little room for life’s disruptions. An illness, injury or even a few days away from work can quickly place pressure on household finances. Bima Ya Wafanyikazi is anchored on holistic healthcare, bringing together outpatient and inpatient care, maternity, dental and optical benefits, as well as annual health check-ups,” Britam Connect Chief Executive Evah Kimani said.
The new policy offers a range of benefits, including inpatient and outpatient treatment, maternity services, dental and optical care, annual health check-ups and last expense cover. Beneficiaries will receive treatment through Britam’s network of more than 600 health facilities across the country.
Customers who opt for higher monthly premiums will also qualify for enhanced medical benefits under the scheme.
Informal Sector Remains Key Growth Market
Britam’s latest product reflects the growing push by insurance firms to increase coverage among Kenya’s informal workforce, a segment that has traditionally recorded low insurance uptake due to irregular incomes and lack of formal employment.
According to data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), the country had 18.1 million informal sector jobs last year, representing nearly 84 percent of Kenya’s 21.6 million total jobs.
Kimani said the new product was designed around the everyday financial realities facing workers who often struggle to absorb unexpected medical costs.
She noted that affordable healthcare remains essential for protecting household incomes, especially among workers whose earnings depend on daily productivity.
Digital Distribution to Expand Access
Britam said the policy can be purchased directly by individual workers, employers or organised worker groups, a model expected to make premium payments more convenient while increasing insurance uptake.
Minet Kenya Deputy Director for Commercial Gideon Bii said the partnership combines the broker’s distribution network with Britam’s underwriting expertise to reach more Kenyans.
“We have combined our strengths to create a solution that not only expands access to affordable healthcare, but also advances financial inclusion by protecting workers from the financial impact of unexpected medical expenses,” Bii said.
Kenya’s insurance penetration remains relatively low at about 2.4 percent, well below the global average of approximately seven percent and significantly behind markets such as South Africa, where penetration exceeds 11 percent.
Industry players have increasingly embraced microinsurance products and digital distribution channels to attract customers in the informal sector, with affordable premiums seen as a key strategy for boosting insurance adoption across the country.
