WIBA compensation calculator
Permanent injury, time off work and death
30% permanent disablement on earnings of KES 30,000 a month gives 96 × KES 30,000 × 30% = KES 864,000, paid as a lump sum.
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly earningsPay at the time of the accident, incl. regular allowances and housing (s.37) | KES 30,000 |
| × 96 monthss.30(1) | KES 2,880,000 |
| × degree of disablementLoss of one eye, other being normal — First Schedule | 30% |
| Compensation | KES 864,000 |
What next: the WIBA guide covers DOSH 1, the 90-day payment deadline and objections; WIBA Plus adds off-duty cover; employers can get WIBA quotes.
Indicative: the Director of Work Injury Benefits sets the award. The Act caps every payment between a minimum and a maximum fixed by the Cabinet Secretary (ss.28, 30, 34), which this tool does not apply. Medical costs are paid on top (s.47) and are never deducted from the employee.
Free, no obligation. Only insurers and brokers licensed by IRA Kenya receive your request.
Get free quotesOn this page · 6 sections
The formulas in the Act
| Situation | Compensation | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Permanent disablement | 96 months' earnings × the degree of disablement in the First Schedule | s.30(1)–(2) |
| Injury not in the Schedule | The percentage a doctor assesses, following the Schedule's guidelines | s.30(3) |
| Temporary total disablement (3 days or more) | Periodical payments equal to earnings, for at most 12 months | s.28(1), (3) |
| Temporary partial disablement | A proportionate share of those payments | s.28(2) |
| Death | Rated 100% in the First Schedule; paid to dependants under the Third Schedule, plus reasonable funeral expenses | s.34, First Schedule A |
| Medical costs | Paid by the employer on top, never recovered from the employee | ss.47, 50 |
"Earnings" means the monthly rate of pay at the time of the accident, including rations or housing supplied, regular allowances and regular overtime, and excluding intermittent overtime, one-off payments, expense refunds and ex-gratia payments (s.37). Every payment is subject to minimum and maximum amounts fixed by the Cabinet Secretary (ss.28, 30, 34). Source: WIBA.
Degrees of disablement in the First Schedule
| Injury | Degree |
|---|---|
| Death; total loss of sight; loss of both hands; permanently bed-ridden | 100% |
| Loss at shoulder (stump under 20 cm) | 70% |
| Loss of hand at the wrist; four fingers and thumb of one hand | 60% |
| Loss of leg below middle thigh to 10 cm below knee; total loss of hearing, both ears | 50% |
| Loss of four fingers on one hand | 40% |
| Loss of one eye, other normal; loss of leg below knee (stump over 10 cm) | 30% |
| Loss of thumb (both phalanges); index finger (three phalanges); ankylosis of the knee | 25% |
| Total loss of hearing, one ear | 7% |
| Loss of great toe (both phalanges) | 5% |
The Schedule's note: for a right-handed employee, an injury to the left arm or hand may be rated at 90% of these figures, and two or more injuries may be added together, at the Director's discretion.
Worked examples
| Case | Calculation | Compensation |
|---|---|---|
| Loss of one eye, earnings KES 25,000 | 96 × 25,000 × 30% | KES 720,000 |
| Loss of four fingers, earnings KES 40,000 | 96 × 40,000 × 40% | KES 1,536,000 |
| 4 months off work, total disablement, earnings KES 30,000 | 30,000 × 4 | KES 120,000 |
| Death, earnings KES 20,000 | 96 × 20,000 × 100% | KES 1,920,000, plus funeral expenses |
After the accident
The employer reports on DOSH 1 within 7 days (a death within 24 hours), the doctor states the degree of incapacity, and the employer or its insurer must pay within 90 days of the claim. Deadlines, objections and appeals are in the WIBA insurance guide; off-duty cover is explained in WIBA vs WIBA Plus.
Already insured?
Next step
Frequently asked questions
How is WIBA compensation calculated in Kenya?
Permanent disablement: 96 months' earnings × the degree of disablement in the First Schedule (s.30). Temporary disablement: earnings for up to 12 months (s.28). All within the minimum and maximum set by the Cabinet Secretary.
How much is WIBA compensation for death?
The First Schedule rates death at 100%, so 96 months' earnings, paid to the dependants under section 34 and the Third Schedule, plus reasonable funeral expenses. The Director sets the award.
What counts as earnings for WIBA?
The monthly pay at the time of the accident, including housing or rations supplied, regular allowances and regular overtime; not intermittent overtime, one-off or ex-gratia payments or expense refunds (s.37).
How long is WIBA paid for time off work?
For as long as the temporary disablement lasts, up to 12 months, and only after at least 3 days off. Nothing is due while you receive full pay (s.28).
Who pays WIBA compensation?
The employer, through the WIBA policy every employer must hold (s.7). The insurer or employer must pay within 90 days of the claim.
Sources
- Work Injury Benefits Act, 2007 (consolidated to 31 December 2022, the current version on Kenya Law) — ss.28, 30, 34, 37, 47 and the First and Third Schedules — Kenya Law (Web Archive copy)
- Madison General Insurance Kenya — WIBA policy page: death and permanent total disablement 96 months' earnings, temporary total disablement 52 weeks (insurer's own page, opened 28 October 2026)