Photo: Bahnfrend, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0How to check a motor insurance cover in Tanzania (TIRAMIS)
Check a cover on TIRAMIS, step by step
- Open TIRAMIS or install the TIRAMIS app (English and Swahili).
- Choose Verify Insurance Cover Note.
- Pick how to search: registration number, sticker number, cover note reference or chassis number.
- Type the number and press Verify. Check the insurer, the vehicle and the dates.
- To check the insurer itself, use the Verify Company tab.
TIRA publishes no USSD code for checking motor covers; the web portal and the app are the official routes. The same portal lets you file and track a complaint.
What the police can ask for
Under Cap. 169:
- The insurer must issue the certificate of insurance at the same time as the cover note (s.7).
- A driver asked by a police officer must give their name and address, the owner's name and address, and produce the certificate (s.9(1)).
- It is not an offence if you produce it within 5 days at a police station you name at the time.
- After an accident causing injury, if the certificate was not shown at the scene, report the accident within 48 hours at a police station and produce the certificate (s.9(2)).
When the insurer must pay
Section 131 of the Insurance Act requires insurers to pay a claim within 45 days of receiving the signed discharge. The Commissioner can extend this once, by up to 45 days; an unjustified delay beyond that is treated as a bad-faith claim and sanctioned.
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Frequently asked questions
How can I check if a car is insured in Tanzania?
On TIRAMIS (tiramis.tira.go.tz) or the TIRAMIS app: Verify Insurance Cover Note, then search by registration, sticker, cover note or chassis number.
Is there a USSD code to check motor insurance in Tanzania?
TIRA does not publish one. Use the TIRAMIS portal or app. (The *149*46*7# code is only for checking a COMESA yellow card.)
What if I forgot my insurance certificate when stopped by police?
Cap. 169 s.9 gives you 5 days to produce it at a police station you name at the time.
How long does an insurer have to pay a claim in Tanzania?
45 days from receiving the signed discharge, extendable once by up to 45 days (Insurance Act, s.131).