Photo: Shaun Metcalfe (Flickr), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0Your rights as a policyholder in Zambia
Your rights as a policyholder in Zambia
Short answerChecked 31 October 2026
The Insurance Act No. 38 of 2021 gives policyholders in Zambia these rights: a policy printed legibly on a form lodged with the Registrar (sections 23–24); a claim settled within the prescribed period once the insurer accepts it, or written reasons for a refusal (section 28); 30 days to cancel a new life policy (section 46); premiums paid to your licensed broker count as paid to the insurer (section 26); the right to enforce the policy in court (section 30) and to complain to the PIA (sections 156–157).
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Get the free PDFYour rights, section by section
| Your right | Section |
|---|---|
| Policy terms in legible print and clear typeface | 24 |
| The insurer must lodge its policy and proposal forms with the Registrar 30 days before use; the Registrar can prohibit a form | 23 |
| The PIA may stop an insurer charging a premium below the pure risk premium | 25 |
| Premium paid to the licensed broker who arranged the policy counts as paid to the insurer | 26(4) |
| If you do not pay, the insurer must cancel a general policy and tell you in writing | 26(2) |
| Claims settled within the prescribed period once liability is accepted; written reasons for disclaiming liability | 28 |
| The policy is issued in Zambia and payable in Zambia | 29 |
| You may enforce your rights in court, whatever the policy says (arbitration clauses apply) | 30 |
| 30 days to cancel a new life policy | 46 |
| Life cover protected from creditors when taken for spouse or children | 35, 36 |
| Complaint to the PIA, within one year of exhausting the insurer's process | 156, 157 |
Text: Insurance Act No. 38 of 2021.
Using your rights
- Ask for every answer in writing, especially a refused or reduced claim: section 28 requires written reasons.
- Keep proof of every premium paid, to the insurer or to your broker.
- Check the seller on the PIA list before you pay: check an insurer, broker or agent.
- If the insurer does not answer, go to the PIA: complaints.
The PIA lists "a delay in settlement of a payable claim" among the complaints it handles (complaints procedure).
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Frequently asked questions
Must an insurer explain why it rejected my claim in Zambia?
Yes. An insurer that does not accept liability must give the claimant a written statement of its reasons (Insurance Act 2021, section 28(2)).
I paid my broker but the insurer says I did not pay. Who is right?
Section 26(4) treats a premium paid to the licensed broker who arranged the policy as paid to the insurer.
Can I take my insurer to court in Zambia?
Yes. Section 30 lets a policyholder enforce the policy in court despite any contrary term; an arbitration clause is applied by the court.