Photo: Lebu Ayiga, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0Excess protector in Kenya
What it covers, what it costs and when it pays off
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First, what the excess is
The excess is the part of each claim that stays with you. On comprehensive cover it is usually a percentage of the car's value with a minimum and a maximum. Sanlam Allianz's motor page (seen 28 October 2026), for example, lists:
| Type of claim | Excess on Sanlam Allianz's page |
|---|---|
| Own damage (accident) | 2.5% of the sum insured, minimum KES 20,000, maximum KES 100,000 |
| Theft, with an anti-theft device | 10% of the value, minimum KES 20,000 |
| Theft, without an anti-theft device | 20% of the value, minimum KES 20,000 |
| Theft, with a tracking device | 2.5% of the value, minimum KES 20,000 |
| Third-party property damage | KES 7,500 |
| Young or inexperienced driver | An extra KES 5,000 |
Third-party only cover has no own-damage excess, because it never pays for your own car: an excess protector only makes sense on comprehensive cover. Our third-party vs comprehensive guide explains the difference.
What an excess protector costs: the rates insurers publish
Few insurers publish the price. The ones we found on insurers' own pages (seen 28 October 2026):
| Insurer (own document) | Excess protector | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Sanlam Allianz General — motor page | On accidental own damage | 0.25%, minimum KES 3,000 |
| CIC General — Motor Private brochure, version 08/2021 | Own damage | 0.25% of sum insured, minimum KES 5,000 |
| CIC General — same brochure | Theft and own damage | 1% of sum insured, minimum KES 10,000 |
| Madison General — Motor Private page | Listed as an additional benefit | No rate published |
The percentage is applied to the sum insured — the value you declare for the car — except where the minimum is higher. Sanlam Allianz's page gives the rate without saying what it is applied to; ask for the excess protector as a separate line on your quote, in shillings.
Worked example: is it worth it?
Take a car insured for KES 1,000,000, with the published rates above:
| Sanlam Allianz rates | CIC rates (own damage) | |
|---|---|---|
| Excess protector premium | 0.25% = KES 2,500, so the minimum KES 3,000 applies | 0.25% = KES 2,500, so the minimum KES 5,000 applies |
| Own-damage excess without it (Sanlam's 2.5% rule) | 2.5% = KES 25,000 per claim | Ask CIC for its excess schedule |
With these figures, one own-damage claim in the year costs KES 25,000 out of pocket without the protector, against a KES 3,000 extra premium with it. For a car insured for KES 3,000,000, 0.25% is KES 7,500, and Sanlam's own-damage excess would be KES 75,000 — still within its KES 100,000 cap. The higher the car's value, the more the protector costs, but the more each claim's excess would have cost too.
It pays off mainly if you drive a lot, in heavy traffic, or would struggle to pay the excess on short notice. If you rarely claim, a protector can be a cost you never recover — and note that the excess applies per claim.
What an excess protector does not remove
- Theft excess, unless the protector covers it: Sanlam Allianz's is "on accidental own damage"; CIC sells theft and own damage as a separate, dearer option at 1%.
- Extra excesses for a young or newly licensed driver, unless the policy says otherwise — ask.
- Anything outside the policy: the protector removes the excess on an accepted claim; it does not make payable a claim that the policy excludes.
- Your no-claim discount: ask your insurer whether a claim paid with the protector still counts against your no-claim discount at renewal.
Other extras are priced the same way. Sanlam Allianz lists political violence and terrorism at 0.25%, minimum KES 2,000; CIC lists political violence at 0.25%, minimum KES 2,500, and loss of use (courtesy car) of up to KES 30,000 for KES 3,000 more. Our article on Jubilee car insurance, now sold by Sanlam Allianz and the one on the cheapest car insurance in Kenya cover those extras.
How to add an excess protector
- Ask for it at quote or renewal: it is added to a comprehensive policy for the policy year.
- Get the price in shillings, the excesses it removes and those it does not, in writing.
- Check the schedule when the policy arrives: the excess protector should appear as a benefit.
- Compare quotes for the same car with and without it — ask for quotes here, or read Britam's comprehensive cover for one insurer's free benefits.
After an accident, report it to your insurer and the police as your policy requires. If a claim is delayed, section 203 of the Insurance Act sets the time limits for payment — our complaints guide explains how to escalate to IRA.
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Frequently asked questions
What is an excess protector?
An optional extra on comprehensive motor insurance that removes the excess — the share of an own-damage claim you would otherwise pay — for an additional premium.
How much is excess protector in Kenya?
Sanlam Allianz publishes 0.25%, minimum KES 3,000, on accidental own damage. CIC's motor brochure lists 0.25% (minimum KES 5,000) for own damage and 1% (minimum KES 10,000) for theft and own damage.
Does excess protector cover theft?
Not always. Sanlam Allianz's protector is on accidental own damage. CIC sells a separate theft-and-own-damage protector at 1% of the sum insured, minimum KES 10,000.
Is excess protector worth it?
It depends on the car's value and how likely you are to claim. On a KES 1,000,000 car with a 2.5% own-damage excess, the protector costs about KES 3,000 to 5,000 a year and saves KES 25,000 on each own-damage claim.
Can I get an excess protector on third-party insurance?
No. Third-party cover never pays for damage to your own car, so there is no own-damage excess to remove.
Sources
- SanlamAllianz Kenya — Motor personal lines products: cover, benefit limits, optional benefits, limits of liability and excesses (insurer's own page, seen October 2026)
- CIC General Insurance — Motor Private brochure, version 08/2021: comprehensive rates, third-party-only premium and extra benefits (insurer's own document, seen October 2026)
- Madison General Insurance Kenya — Motor Private page: additional benefits and renewal channels (insurer's own page, seen 28 October 2026)
- Insurance Act, Cap. 487 (Rev. 2022) — s.203 (settlement of claims) and s.204A (power of the Authority to settle disputes)