Comparison · Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia
Motor insurance compared: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Ethiopia
Short answerChecked 23 September 2026
Third-party motor insurance is compulsory in all four countries, but it does not cover the same things. Ethiopia is the only one whose legal minimum includes damage to property and emergency treatment; Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania only require cover for death and bodily injury. Limits run from UGX 1 million per person in Uganda to KES 3 million per claimant in Kenya.
Side by side
| Kenya | Uganda | Tanzania | Ethiopia | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The law | Cap. 405 | Motor Vehicle Insurance (Third Party Risks) Act, 1989 | Motor Vehicles Insurance Act, Cap. 169 | Proclamation 799/2013 |
| Death or injury to others | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Damage to others' property | Not required | Not required | Not required | Yes |
| Emergency medical treatment | — | — | — | Yes (Art. 27) |
| Passengers carried for hire | Must be covered | Covered (a passenger is a third party) | Must be covered | Not excluded (only the insured's family and employees are) |
| Legal limit | KES 3 million per claimant | UGX 1 million per person, 10 million per accident | None set in the Act | Set by Regulation 554/2024 |
| Penalty for driving uninsured | Up to KES 10,000 and/or 2 years | Up to UGX 100,000 and/or 2 years, 12-month ban | Fine and/or up to 6 months, 12-month licence suspension | Birr 3,000–5,000 or 1–2 years |
| Check a cover | *352# or verify.dmvic.com | MTN *165*4*5*5# / Airtel *185*7*6*1# | TIRAMIS | Sticker on the windscreen; insurer confirms within 24 h |
What it means for you
- Outside Ethiopia, damage you cause to another car is not part of the legal minimum — check that your policy adds it.
- Uganda's UGX 1 million per person is low: anything above can be claimed from you. Ask for higher limits.
- If you carry paying passengers — matatu, boda boda, taxi, daladala — the policy must say so.
- Driving to a neighbouring country? You need a COMESA yellow card: see travel insurance in Kenya, Uganda or Tanzania.
What would you like to do now?
Frequently asked questions
Which East African country has the widest compulsory motor cover?
Ethiopia: Proclamation 799/2013 requires cover for death, bodily injury, damage to property and emergency medical treatment. Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania only require death and bodily injury.
Is property damage covered by third-party insurance in Kenya, Uganda or Tanzania?
Not by the legal minimum. Many policies add it with a limit — read the schedule.