Health insurance must reflect how Kenyan families earn and spend

This story has significance for readers across Kenya and beyond.

When illness strikes, Kenyan families often face two crises: how quickly a loved one can receive care and how the household will pay for it.

For families without adequate health cover, a hospital bill can disrupt school fees, rent, food budgets, business capital and savings. The patient may recover, but the financial strain can linger long after they return home. Kenya’s health insurance challenge is therefore also a household financial-security issue.

According to the 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey, health insurance coverage ranged from only 5 percent among people in the lowest wealth quintile to 58 percent among those in the highest. The disparity shows how closely access to protection remains tied to household income and financial stability.

Insurance payment structures do not always reflect how households earn. An annual premium paid in one transaction may suit someone on a predictable salary but prove difficult for farmers, traders, casual workers and small-business owners whose incomes fluctuate.

Flexible payment arrangements can ease this pressure. Spreading a premium across instalments gives households more room to plan payments alongside rent, school fees, food and other responsibilities. Instalments do not reduce the annual premium, but they can help families that can afford cover over time but struggle with a lump-sum payment.

At Jubilee Health Insurance, eligible customers can activate their health cover from the first payment and spread the balance over as many as ten monthly instalments.

Flexible payment must, however, be matched by clear communication. Customers need to understand the total annual cost, when cover begins, benefits, waiting periods, exclusions and what happens when a payment is delayed or missed.

Kenya’s expanding digital financial infrastructure also gives insurers new ways to reach customers.

The 2024 FinAccess Household Survey found that formal financial access had reached 84.8 percent. Yet digital enrolment must be supported by trained advisers and responsive customer-service teams so customers understand what they are buying.

Closing Kenya’s health insurance gap will require products that reflect real household needs, clear terms, accessible distribution and service that builds trust. Flexible payment is one practical step.

The writer is Deputy General Manager - Operations, Jubilee Health Insurance

Reporting originally appeared via Business Daily. Read the full source for additional context.