Photo: Rasheedhrasheed, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0Insurance in Tanzania: the rules, the insurers, your rights
The Tanzanian insurance market in figures
TIRA's Annual Insurance Market Performance Report 2024 gives the most recent official picture:
| Indicator (2024) | Figure |
|---|---|
| Gross written premium | TZS 1,516.3 billion (TZS 1,240.8 bn in 2023) |
| Insurance penetration | 2.08% of GDP (1.58% in 2020) |
| Premium per person | TZS 22,878 |
| General insurance | TZS 957.2 bn — 63.1% of premiums |
| Life insurance | TZS 309.0 bn — 20.4% |
| Health insurance | TZS 187.5 bn — 12.4% |
| Claims paid | TZS 342.4 bn |
| Consumer complaints received by TIRA | 341 (377 in 2023) |
Most premiums are general insurance — motor, property, marine — and fewer than one in fifty shillings of the economy goes to insurance. For households, the covers that matter most are compulsory motor, health and life.
Who regulates insurance
TIRA licenses and supervises insurers, brokers, agents and bancassurance agents. Its public register shows every licensed entity by category — at the time of our review it listed 159 insurance brokers and 13 insurance digital platforms as well as the insurers.
The Insurance Act, Cap. 394, also requires every insurer to be incorporated in Tanzania, with at least one third of its controlling interest and one third of its board held by Tanzanian citizens (section 16).
Guides for Tanzania
Vehicles
- Motor insurance in Tanzania: what the law requiresCap. 169 in plain words: what third-party cover pays for, the penalty, and how to check a sticker on TIRAMIS.
- Third-party vs comprehensive car insurance in TanzaniaWhat the legal minimum pays for, what you only get with a broader policy, and how to compare quotes.
- How to check a motor insurance cover in Tanzania (TIRAMIS)TIRAMIS step by step: verify by registration, sticker, cover note or chassis number — and what police can ask.
- Bodaboda and bajaji insurance in TanzaniaCarrying paying passengers? Cap. 169 makes passenger cover compulsory. LATRA licensing and helmets explained.
- Daladala, taxi and ride-hailing insurance in TanzaniaPassenger cover under Cap. 169, LATRA licensing, and the 45-day claim payment rule.
Health and life
- Health insurance in Tanzania: NHIF, universal cover and private plansUniversal health insurance started in January 2026. What NHIF's basic package costs and where private cover fits.
- Life insurance in Tanzania: how it works and your right to cancelTerm, whole-life and savings policies — and the right to cancel under section 119 of the Insurance Act.
Home, business and travel
- Home and property insurance in TanzaniaPrivate homes are optional; commercial buildings and markets must be insured (s.134).
- Business insurance in Tanzania: WCF contributions and compulsory coversWCF at 0.5% of payroll, and the compulsory covers for commercial buildings, markets, imports and vessels.
- Travel insurance and the COMESA yellow card in TanzaniaThe COMESA yellow card for cross-border driving, and Zanzibar's mandatory US$44 visitor insurance.
Frequently asked questions
Is car insurance compulsory in Tanzania?
Yes. Section 4 of the Motor Vehicles Insurance Act, Cap. 169, makes it unlawful to use a motor vehicle on a road without a policy covering third-party risks. Government vehicles are exempt.
How do I check that an insurer is licensed in Tanzania?
Search TIRA's register of licensed entities on tira.go.tz, or read our list of licensed insurers in Tanzania.
Who can I complain to about an insurer in Tanzania?
First to the insurer, then to the Tanzania Insurance Ombudsman, which handles disputes up to TZS 40 million. See how to complain.