Business insurance in Malawi — staff, property

Short answerChecked 31 October 2026

Every employer in Malawi, including the Government, is liable to pay compensation for a work injury under the Workers' Compensation Act (Cap. 55:03) and is liable to assessment for the Workers' Compensation Fund (sections 4 and 61); the employer must report a serious injury or any death within 21 days (section 24). Insurers also sell employers' liability (workmen's compensation) cover. Beyond staff, the Registrar's 2017 Directive lists the business covers licensed insurers sell: fire — industrial and commercial, liability, engineering, marine and goods-in-transit, cash-in-transit, fidelity guarantee, bonds and agriculture (crop, livestock, poultry, weather).

Free PDF: Workers' compensation & business insurance guide 2026

4 chapters in one PDF, every source listed. Free, no sign-up.

Get the free PDF

Your situation is different? Ask.

Answers come from the law, the regulator and the insurers' own documents, with the source under each answer. General information, not advice.

Do I need work injury cover for my staff?Is my stock covered against theft?What is business interruption cover?

Your staff: workers' compensation

The employer is liable for an injury arising out of and in the course of employment (section 4(1)); compensation is paid by the Commissioner out of the Fund on the employer's behalf where the employer is assessed and has paid its assessment (section 5).
Report to the Workers' Compensation Board within 21 days any injury that kills, may cause permanent incapacity or keeps a worker off work for more than 14 days — fine K20,000 (section 24).
Death with dependants: 42 × monthly earnings; permanent total incapacity: 54 × (sections 7 and 8).

Text: Workers' Compensation Act. Full guide: workers' compensation · workers' compensation calculator.

Property, liability and other business covers

Class	Sub-classes (First Schedule)
Fire — industrial and commercial	Buildings, contents, plant and equipment, consequential loss (loss of profit), industrial all risks
Liability	Public liability, products liability, directors' and officers' liability, employers liability (workmen's compensation), other
Engineering	Plant and machinery, erection all risks, contractor's all risks, machinery breakdown, boilers, electronic equipment, deterioration of stock, advanced loss of profit
Marine	Hull, cargo, liability
Miscellaneous	Cash-in-transit, goods-in-transit, fidelity guarantee, burglary, bonds, all risks
Agriculture	Poultry, livestock, crop, hail, weather
Motor — commercial	Comprehensive, third party fire and theft, third party, Act

From the Classes of Insurance Business Directive, 2017. An insurer may only underwrite the classes on its licence (paragraph 6). A business with an annual turnover of MK250 million or less is a "financial consumer" protected by the Disclosure Directive 2018.

Already insured?

Check my motor certificate Understand my policy Prepare a claim

Next step

1. Find the cover that fits

Frequently asked questions

Is workers' compensation compulsory in Malawi?

Every employer, including the Government, is liable to pay compensation for work injuries and liable to assessment for the Workers' Compensation Fund (Workers' Compensation Act, sections 4 and 61).

When must an employer report a work accident?

Within 21 days, for an injury that kills or may kill a worker, may cause permanent incapacity or keeps the worker off work for more than 14 days (section 24).

Can a business insure goods in transit in Malawi?

Yes. Goods-in-transit and cash-in-transit are sub-classes of general insurance in the Registrar's 2017 Directive.