Comparison · Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia
Motor insurance compared
Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia and South Africa
Short answerChecked 28 October 2026
Third-party motor insurance is compulsory in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Ethiopia, but it does not cover the same things. Ethiopia is the only one whose legal minimum includes damage to property and emergency treatment; Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania only require cover for death and bodily injury. Limits run from UGX 1 million per person in Uganda to KES 3 million per claimant in Kenya. South Africa has no compulsory car insurance: road injuries are paid by the Road Accident Fund, funded by a fuel levy of R2.25 a litre.
Side by side
| Kenya | Uganda | Tanzania | Ethiopia | South Africa | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The law | Cap. 405 | Motor Vehicle Insurance (Third Party Risks) Act, 1989 | Motor Vehicles Insurance Act, Cap. 169 | Proclamation 799/2013 | Road Accident Fund Act 56 of 1996 (no compulsory private cover) |
| Death or injury to others | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Paid by the Road Accident Fund, not by insurance |
| Damage to others' property | Not required | Not required | Not required | Yes | Not covered by the RAF — only by private insurance |
| Emergency medical treatment | — | — | — | Yes (Art. 27) | Victims claim medical costs from the RAF |
| Passengers carried for hire | Must be covered | Covered (a passenger is a third party) | Must be covered | Not excluded (only the insured's family and employees are) | Injured passengers claim from the RAF |
| Legal limit | KES 3 million per claimant | UGX 1 million per person, 10 million per accident | None set in the Act | Set by Regulation 554/2024 | RAF loss of income or support capped at R390,664 a year (from 31 July 2026) |
| Penalty for driving uninsured | Up to KES 10,000 and/or 2 years | Up to UGX 100,000 and/or 2 years, 12-month ban | Fine and/or up to 6 months, 12-month licence suspension | Birr 3,000–5,000 or 1–2 years | None — car insurance is not compulsory |
| How it is paid for | Premium to an insurer | Premium to an insurer | Premium to an insurer | Premium to an insurer (national tariff) | Fuel levy of R2.25 a litre from 1 April 2026 |
| Check a cover | *352# or verify.dmvic.com | MTN *165*4*5*5# / Airtel *185*7*6*1# | TIRAMIS | Sticker on the windscreen; insurer confirms within 24 h | Policy schedule; insurer on the Prudential Authority's list |
Details and sources: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia (and how to check a cover in Ethiopia), South Africa (and the Road Accident Fund).
What it means for you
- Outside Ethiopia, damage you cause to another car is not part of the legal minimum — check that your policy adds it.
- Uganda's UGX 1 million per person is low: anything above can be claimed from you. Ask for higher limits.
- If you carry paying passengers — matatu, boda boda, taxi, daladala — the policy must say so.
- In South Africa, an uninsured driver breaks no law, but the RAF never pays for damage to vehicles: without private cover, you pay for your own car and for the other driver's.
- Driving to a neighbouring country? You need a COMESA yellow card: see travel insurance in Kenya, Uganda or Tanzania.
What would you like to do now?
Frequently asked questions
Which East African country has the widest compulsory motor cover?
Ethiopia: Proclamation 799/2013 requires cover for death, bodily injury, damage to property and emergency medical treatment. Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania only require death and bodily injury.
Is property damage covered by third-party insurance in Kenya, Uganda or Tanzania?
Not by the legal minimum. Many policies add it with a limit — read the schedule.
Is car insurance compulsory in South Africa?
No. Injuries and deaths on the road are compensated by the Road Accident Fund, financed by a fuel levy of R2.25 a litre from 1 April 2026. Damage to vehicles is only covered by private car insurance.
Sources
- Kenya — Insurance (Motor Vehicles Third Party Risks) Act, Cap. 405
- Uganda — Motor Vehicle Insurance (Third Party Risks) Act
- Uganda — IRA newsletter Oct–Dec 2025 (digital stickers)
- Tanzania — Motor Vehicles Insurance Act, Cap. 169
- Tanzania — TIRAMIS
- Ethiopia — Proclamation No. 799/2013 (English text)
- South Africa — Road Accident Fund Act 56 of 1996 (consolidated text, LawLibrary)
- South Africa — Board Notice 967 of 2026, RAF statutory limit for loss of income and support (Government Gazette 55097, 31 July 2026)
- South Africa — National Treasury, Budget Review 2026, Chapter 4 (RAF levy R2.25 a litre from 1 April 2026)
- South Africa — Prudential Authority (SARB), Insurers List (retrieved 29 October 2026)