Photo: Maria Immaculata Hospital, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0M-TIBA health insurance in Kenya
Packages, prices and how to enroll
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What M-TIBA is — and why it has no price list
M-TIBA's member guide describes it as "a digital platform that connects you to your health insurance scheme", and says it is "available to members covered by participating insurers or payers". Its home page now presents it as a platform for insurers and brokers. When we checked in October 2026, neither page listed a package or a premium.
- The insurer designs the cover, sets the price, carries the risk and pays the claims.
- M-TIBA is where you see the cover: your policy, e-card, dependants, benefit limits and real-time balances, and where you authorise a visit at a supported clinic.
- So the price question goes to the insurer: ask it for the premium, the inpatient and outpatient limits and the provider panel, and whether members use M-TIBA.
M-TIBA's guide states 4.8M+ lives impacted, 5,000+ healthcare providers and 10+ insurers connected — its own figures. Before paying for any cover, check that the underwriter is on the regulator's list of licensed insurance companies.
What a cover accessed through M-TIBA looks like
Two examples, from the insurer's and the platform's own pages — quoted as their statements, not ranked.
| Cover | Who it is for | What the page says |
|---|---|---|
| AAR medical cover | All AAR members, individual or under a corporate scheme, and their dependants | AAR's M-TIBA page says members use *253# to pay for outpatient, dental and optical treatment from their AAR or corporate scheme |
| Kinga Afya | Passengers of 2NK Sacco vehicles | An accident cover underwritten by AAR Insurance: hospital bills up to KES 250,000, up to KES 100,000 on a fatal accident, up to KES 50,000 for permanent disability; bought per single trip, return trip or week, before or within 15 mins of departure |
For the premiums insurers do publish for their own family plans, see our health insurance guide and the AAR profile.
How to enroll on M-TIBA with *253#
You need a cover first: M-TIBA's archived member page says you receive an SMS from M-TIBA when the cover your insurer provides is ready. Then, per the member guide:
- Dial the code *253# on Safaricom or Airtel — "a free service, no airtime required".
- Select 1 to create an account: enter your first and last name and your date of birth (DDMMYYYY).
- Set a 4-digit PIN, confirm it, accept the terms and give consent for personal data processing.
- Sign in: dial *253# again, choose 2 and enter your PIN.
- Open Plans to see your policy and the family members linked to it. If the plan is not visible, call customer care or dial *253*2# to reach an older account.
With the My M-TIBA app (App Store or Google Play), you sign up with your phone number or email, confirm the one-time password, enter your date of birth, and your policy appears if your details match those registered with your insurer.
Using M-TIBA at the clinic and for an admission
AAR's M-TIBA page gives the steps at the counter:
- Dial the code *253# from the number registered on M-TIBA (Safaricom, Airtel or Telkom).
- Press 1 to initiate a treatment, then select a recent clinic or enter the facility's till number.
- Select the patient — you or a dependant.
- Select the payment method: your scheme, then outpatient, dental or optical.
- Press 1 to authorise. M-TIBA's archived member page adds that you then confirm with your fingerprint and receive an SMS with a transaction number.
- Planned admission: M-TIBA's archived member page asked members to call it at least 48 hours before the treatment; the hospital requests pre-authorisation through the platform.
- Short balance: the same page says that when the benefit does not cover the bill, you pay the difference in cash.
- Abroad: AAR says M-TIBA "is not accessible out of the country or on roaming service".
- A dependant alone at the clinic gives the primary member's phone number so the provider can start the treatment.
M-TIBA, SHA and private cover
M-TIBA is not a public scheme and does not replace the Social Health Authority: SHA contributions are set by law, while a cover you reach through M-TIBA is a private policy from an insurer, or a scheme your employer or another payer runs. How the two fit together for hospital bills is explained in SHA vs private medical insurance.
AAR members are among those who use M-TIBA; what AAR's own covers cost is in our article on AAR medical cover packages. To compare private medical covers and their prices from several licensed insurers, ask for quotes.
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Frequently asked questions
How much are M-TIBA insurance packages?
M-TIBA does not publish packages or prices of its own; it is the platform through which members of participating insurers and payers use their cover. The premium is set by the insurer whose policy you hold, so ask that insurer for its price and limits.
How much is M-TIBA per month?
M-TIBA has no monthly price of its own: using the platform and dialling *253# is free, and the premium — monthly or yearly — is the one set by the insurer or scheme whose cover you hold. Ask that insurer how often you can pay.
Is M-TIBA an insurance company?
No. M-TIBA describes itself as a digital platform that connects you to your health insurance scheme. The cover is underwritten by an insurer — Kinga Afya, for example, was underwritten by AAR Insurance.
How do I register for M-TIBA?
Dial *253# (free, no airtime), select 1 to create an account, enter your name and date of birth, set a 4-digit PIN and accept the terms. Or download the My M-TIBA app and sign up with your phone number or email. Your policy shows only if your insurer has registered you.
Can I use M-TIBA outside Kenya?
AAR's M-TIBA page says it is not accessible out of the country or on roaming service.
What is the M-TIBA customer care number?
M-TIBA's member guide lists the toll-free number 0800 721 253 and the email customercare@mtiba.co.ke.
Sources
- M-TIBA — Get started with My M-TIBA (USSD *253# and app set-up, member FAQ; platform's own page, seen October 2026)
- AAR Insurance Kenya — M-TIBA page (how AAR members use *253#; insurer's own page, seen October 2026)
- M-TIBA — For members page and FAQ (activation, treatment, admissions; platform's own page, Web Archive copy of 7 December 2025)
- M-TIBA — Kinga Afya passenger accident cover, underwritten by AAR Insurance (platform's own page, Web Archive copy of 7 December 2025)