Photo: Schreibkraft, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0Last expense cover in Kenya (funeral cover, death insurance)
What it pays, the prices insurers publish, waiting periods and claims
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What last expense cover pays — and what it is not
A last expense policy pays a fixed sum — not a refund of receipts — to the nominated beneficiary when the principal member, or a covered spouse, child or parent, dies of natural or accidental causes. The family decides how to spend it: mortuary, coffin, transport, burial. Britam's covers run for a year and have to be renewed; such a cover builds no savings, unlike the whole-life policies in our life insurance guide.
- Individual or family cover — bought directly, from an agent, or by mobile money.
- Group cover — bought by an employer, a SACCO, a microfinance institution or an investment group for its members.
- An add-on — some medical and life policies include a funeral or last expense benefit, with a lower limit.
How much last expense cover costs: the premiums insurers publish
No regulator sets last expense prices; each insurer prices its own. These are the premiums insurers print in their own documents (Britam's read in September 2026, Britam Connect's and Pacis's on 10 November 2026). This is Britam's own statement, not a rating or a recommendation — see the Britam profile for the regulator's figures and complaints.
Individual and family cover by mobile money. Britam General Insurance's Airtel Money Pata Bima Mkononi policy document lists one level of cover, renewed by dialling *334#:
| Option | Sum paid on death | Monthly premium | Annual premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual | KES 100,000 | KES 40 | KES 400 |
| Family | KES 100,000 | KES 170 | KES 1,680 |
Group cover. Britam's Group Last Expense Cover brochure needs at least 10 principal members; groups of fewer than 100 can choose option 1 or 2, larger groups any of the six. Total premium printed for the nuclear family (principal, spouse and up to 4 children), in Kenya shillings:
| Option | Principal and spouse, each | Each child | Premium, single claim | Premium, multiple claims |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 50,000 | 50,000 | 400 | 500 |
| 2 | 100,000 | 100,000 | 700 | 1,000 |
| 3 | 200,000 | 100,000 | 1,100 | 1,300 |
| 4 | 300,000 | 100,000 | 1,500 | 1,700 |
| 5 | 400,000 | 100,000 | 1,800 | 2,000 |
| 6 | 500,000 | 100,000 | 2,300 | 2,400 |
Adding up to 2 parents and 2 parents-in-law — each covered for half the principal's sum, capped at KES 200,000 — raises the single-claim premium to between KES 1,100 (option 1) and KES 8,200 (option 6), and more again if you want parents covered up to 85 or 90 years old.
Britam Connect Heshima Farewell Plan (individual and family). Britam Connect is Britam's micro-insurance company. Its Heshima brochure prints this rate card (KES a year) and offers the benefit as cash or as funeral services from a partner:
| Package | Principal | Spouse | Children (2 included) | Annual premium | Each extra child under 18 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | 50,000 | 50,000 | 25,000 | 1,200 | 150 |
| Standard | 100,000 | 100,000 | 50,000 | 2,400 | 300 |
| Advanced | 200,000 | 200,000 | 100,000 | 4,800 | 600 |
| Gold | 300,000 | 300,000 | 100,000 | 7,200 | 900 |
The same brochure lists what each package's service option includes (mortuary fees for 7 to 18 days, a hearse to any destination in the country, a coffin, wreaths, a clothes cash-back of KES 7,000 to 30,000), a 3-month waiting period for illness and none for accidents, at most 2 claims a policy year, and exclusions for deaths from illegal acts or under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Its group version for families, chamas, SACCOs and welfare groups pays KES 50,000 to 500,000, "with premiums starting from as low as Ksh 400 per year" and no medical examination (Britam Connect).
Pacis last expense cover. Pacis's last expense page offers benefit options from KES 25,000 to KES 100,000 for one principal member "with no limits on the number of dependents", priced in premium bands it does not print: ask for the quote.
Who can be covered, and until what age
| Member | Britam group cover | Britam Airtel Money cover |
|---|---|---|
| Principal and spouse | Join 18 to 70, covered to 80 | Join 18 to 65, covered to 70 |
| Children | From 1 month to 18, or 25 if in school; benefit capped at KES 100,000 | From 30 days to 24 if a full-time student |
| Parents and parents-in-law | Join up to 75, covered to 80 (85 or 90 at a higher premium) | Not covered |
Other published limits: Britam Connect's Heshima plan accepts the principal and spouse at 18 to 65, covered to 70, and children from 1 month to 18 (25 if students), the first two free (brochure); Pacis accepts members aged 18 to 70 at entry, with children under 18 as dependants (Pacis); Jubilee's group last expense cover is for registered entities with 20 main members and above and covers the principal member, spouse, children, parents and parents-in-law, with no waiting period (Jubilee).
If you want to cover your parents, check the maximum entry age and the age at which cover stops, and whether cover can be renewed after that age.
Waiting periods, exclusions and other traps
- Waiting period: a death from illness in the first weeks is not paid. Britam's group brochure sets 1 month for all members and 3 months for parents; the Airtel Money policy sets 30 days; Britam Connect's Heshima individual plan 3 months and Pacis 90 days. Accidental death is covered from the start on all of them.
- Renewal: Pacis says there is no automatic renewal and no grace period: premiums must be paid for cover to continue, with an SMS reminder six weeks before expiry. It refunds a cancelled cover pro rata, up to 80% of the premium, and pays claims by mobile money to the nominated beneficiary.
- Late renewal: the Airtel Money policy gives only 24 hours of grace after expiry; renewed later, it is treated as a new policy and a waiting period can apply again.
- Exclusions: the Airtel Money policy excludes deaths linked to alcohol or drugs, suicide, war, riot, terrorism, hazardous sports (motorcycling and football included) and any disease classified as a pandemic. The group brochure, by contrast, says its cover extends to riots and HIV. Read the exclusions of your own policy.
- Cancelling: under the Airtel Money policy you can cancel with 7 days' notice but get no refund; Britam can cancel with 30 days' notice and refunds the unused part.
- Premium reviews: the policy lets Britam raise the premium, or reduce the benefit, at renewal.
How to claim, and how fast the insurer must pay
- Tell the insurer as soon as possible, or the employer or group official for a group policy.
- Fill in the claim form, signed by the nominated beneficiary — Britam's brochure requires the beneficiary to be over 18.
- Attach copies of: the ID of the deceased (birth certificate for a child), the burial permit or death certificate, the beneficiary's ID, and a police abstract if the death was accidental.
- Keep a copy of everything you send and the date you sent it: the legal deadline runs from the report of the claim.
Section 203 of the Insurance Act requires an insurer, once it has all the relevant documents, to admit or deny liability and pay within 90 days of the date the claim was reported. The Commissioner can extend this by up to 30 days; after that a penalty of five per cent of the unpaid amount is due. The same section (subsection 1A) says this does not apply to micro-insurance claims — if your cover is sold as micro-insurance, ask the insurer what payment deadline it commits to.
If a claim is refused or delayed, complain to the insurer in writing, then to the regulator: the steps are in our guide to complaining about an insurer.
Before you buy last expense cover
- Decide who needs covering — you alone, your household, or your parents too — and pick a sum that matches a realistic funeral budget.
- Check whether you are already covered: through your employer, your SACCO, or a medical or life policy with a funeral benefit.
- Get the policy document, not just a flyer, and read the waiting periods, age limits and exclusions.
- Name a beneficiary and tell your family where the policy and the claim documents are.
- Pay on time: cover ends when premiums stop, and a late renewal can restart the waiting period.
To compare last expense and life covers from several licensed insurers, ask for quotes.
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Frequently asked questions
What is last expense cover?
A funeral insurance that pays a fixed cash sum to the nominated beneficiary when an insured person dies, of natural or accidental causes, to meet funeral costs. Britam's covers run for a year and are renewed; they build no savings.
How much is last expense cover per month in Kenya?
Each insurer sets its own price. Britam's Airtel Money policy document lists KES 40 a month (KES 400 a year) for KES 100,000 of individual cover and KES 170 a month for the family option. Britam Connect's Heshima Farewell Plan costs KES 1,200 to 7,200 a year for KES 50,000 to 300,000 per adult. Group brochures list premiums from KES 400 a year per family.
What is the difference between last expense cover and life insurance?
Last expense cover is a one-year policy paying a fixed funeral sum and builds no savings. A life policy pays the sum assured you choose, can run for many years or for life, and some plans also pay out at maturity; it is sold only by long-term insurers — see the life insurance guide.
Can I cover my parents under a last expense policy?
Often yes, as an option: Britam's group cover adds up to 2 parents and 2 parents-in-law, joining up to 75 and covered to 80 (or 85 and 90 at a higher premium), with a 3-month waiting period for illness; Jubilee's group cover includes parents and parents-in-law. Britam Connect's individual Heshima plan covers the principal, spouse and children.
What is the waiting period for last expense cover?
It depends on the policy: Britam's group brochure sets 1 month for illness (3 months for parents), its Airtel Money policy 30 days. Accidental death is covered from the start.
What documents are needed to claim last expense?
Britam asks for the claim form with copies of the deceased's ID or birth certificate, the burial permit or death certificate, the beneficiary's ID, and a police abstract for an accidental death.
Is last expense cover the same as funeral cover or death insurance?
Yes, in practice: last expense cover is the funeral insurance sold in Kenya — a fixed cash sum paid on death to meet funeral costs, as in Britam's policies above. Life insurance is a different product: it pays the sum assured chosen in the policy to the beneficiaries.
Does SHA pay for funeral or mortuary costs?
SHA's tariffs list end-of-life services — embalming at KES 3,000 and mortuary storage at KES 500 a day for 5 days — but mark the package as rolled out subject to budgetary allocation. It is not a cash benefit for the family like last expense cover — see what SHA covers.
Which is the best last expense cover in Kenya?
No regulator ranks last expense covers, and Tulinde does not either. Compare the same four points on each written quote: the sum paid on death, who is covered and to what age, the waiting period for illness, and whether the cover ends after the first claim in the year. Check that the insurer is on IRA's list of licensed insurance companies.
What is group last expense cover?
A last expense policy bought by an employer, a SACCO, a microfinance institution or an investment group for its members. Britam's group brochure, for example, needs at least 10 principal members and prices six options, from KES 50,000 to KES 500,000 per principal member and spouse.
How long does an insurer have to pay a last expense claim?
Section 203 of the Insurance Act gives 90 days from the reporting of the claim once all documents are in, extendable by 30 days, after which a 5% penalty is due. The rule does not apply to micro-insurance claims.
Sources
- Britam General Insurance Company (K) — Airtel Money Pata Bima Mkononi last expense policy document (insurer's own document, seen September 2026)
- Britam — Group Last Expense Cover brochure (insurer's own document, seen September 2026)
- Britam Connect (Britam Micro-Insurance Company) — Heshima Farewell Plan brochure: eligibility, packages, waiting periods, exclusions, claims and rate card (insurer's own document, linked from its Retail Last Expense page, seen 10 November 2026)
- Britam Connect — Heshima Farewell Plan – Group: KES 50,000 to 500,000, premiums from KES 400 a year, waiting periods (insurer's own page, seen 10 November 2026)
- Pacis Insurance — Last Expense Cover: KES 25,000 to 100,000, ages, waiting period, cancellation, claims by mobile money (insurer's own page, seen 10 November 2026)
- Jubilee Insurance Kenya — Group Last Expense Cover: entities with 20 main members and above, no waiting period (insurer's own page, seen 10 November 2026)
- Insurance Act, Cap. 487 (Rev. 2022) — s.2 (definition of insurance business) and s.203 (settlement of claims)
- Social Health Authority — Benefit Tariffs: Primary Healthcare Fund, Social Health Insurance Fund and Emergency, Chronic & Critical Illness Fund (seen 28 October 2026)