Last expense cover in Kenya: what it costs, who it covers and how to claim

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.

What it costs: the premiums Britam publishes

No regulator sets last expense prices; each insurer prices its own. Britam prints its premiums in its own documents, which we read in September 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#:

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:

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.

Who can be covered, and until what age

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. Accidental death is covered from the start on both.
• 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

1. Tell the insurer as soon as possible, or the employer or group official for a group policy.
2. Fill in the claim form, signed by the nominated beneficiary — Britam's brochure requires the beneficiary to be over 18.
3. 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.
4. 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

1. Decide who needs covering — you alone, your household, or your parents too — and pick a sum that matches a realistic funeral budget.
2. Check whether you are already covered: through your employer, your SACCO, or a medical or life policy with a funeral benefit.
3. Get the policy document, not just a flyer, and read the waiting periods, age limits and exclusions.
4. Name a beneficiary and tell your family where the policy and the claim documents are.
5. 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.

Sources

1. Britam General Insurance Company (K) — Airtel Money Pata Bima Mkononi last expense policy document (insurer's own document, seen September 2026)
2. Britam — Group Last Expense Cover brochure (insurer's own document, seen September 2026)
3. Insurance Act, Cap. 487 (Rev. 2022) — s.2 (definition of insurance business) and s.203 (settlement of claims)