Car insurance in Zimbabwe — the law, ZINARA

Short answerChecked 31 October 2026

Every vehicle used on a Zimbabwean road must carry third-party insurance (Road Traffic Act [Chapter 13:11], section 22). That statutory policy covers your liability for death, injury and damage to property caused by using the vehicle (section 23). Someone you injure can claim directly from your insurer, a right that prescribes two years from the date the claim arose (section 25). Damage to your own car is covered only if you buy more than the statutory minimum. Motor insurance is sold by the 20 short-term insurers on IPEC's list.

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

What excess will I pay on a claim?Am I covered if I use the car for business?What should I check before I renew?

On this page · 5 sections

The statutory minimum
Buying motor cover
The motor insurers
FAQ
Sources

The statutory minimum

Rule	Road Traffic Act
A third-party policy or security must be in force whenever the vehicle is used on a road	s 22(1)
It covers liability for death, bodily injury and damage to property caused by the use of the vehicle on a road	s 23(2)
The insurer issues a certificate in the prescribed form	s 24A
An injured person may recover from the insurer directly; the right prescribes two years from the date the claim arose	s 25(1)
Conditions in a statutory policy that restrict this liability have no effect against the claimant	s 26
Knowingly making a false statement to obtain the policy is an offence	s 29

Text: Road Traffic Act, Parts IV and V. The Act sets maximum amounts the statutory policy must cover (s 23(3)) in Zimbabwe dollars of the time; the Minister may change them by statutory instrument (s 23A), so ask the insurer which limits your policy carries.

Buying motor cover

Choose the level of cover: third-party or comprehensive.
Buy from one of the short-term insurers on IPEC's list, directly, through a registered broker or agent, or when you license the vehicle at ZINARA.
Keep the certificate the insurer issues (s 24A). Carry your licence disc: vehicles without one face fines and impoundment (ZINARA).

The motor insurers

IPEC's list of regulated entities, retrieved on 31 October 2026, shows 20 short-term insurers. In 2025 short-term insurers wrote ZWG 8,153.69 million of insurance revenue, up 20% on 2024 (IPEC 2025 Annual Report). IPEC does not publish a motor share per insurer in that report, so Tulinde does not rank them.

Already insured?

Check my motor certificate Understand my policy Prepare a claim

Next step

1. Find the cover that fits

Frequently asked questions

Is car insurance compulsory in Zimbabwe?

Third-party insurance is: section 22 of the Road Traffic Act forbids using a vehicle on a road without a third-party policy or security in force. Cover for your own car is optional.

How long does an accident victim have to claim from the insurer?

Two years from the date the claim arose, for a claim made directly against the insurer of the vehicle (Road Traffic Act, s 25(1)).

Who sells motor insurance in Zimbabwe?

The short-term insurers registered with IPEC — 20 on its list retrieved on 31 October 2026 — directly or through registered brokers and agents, and at ZINARA offices when you license a vehicle.