Photo: Gary Bembridge (Flickr), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0Third-party vs comprehensive in Zimbabwe
Third-party vs comprehensive car insurance in Zimbabwe
Short answerChecked 31 October 2026
Third-party cover is the minimum the Road Traffic Act requires: it pays for the death, injury and property damage you cause to other people with your vehicle (sections 22 and 23). It does not pay to repair your own car. Comprehensive cover adds damage to and loss of your own vehicle, on the terms of the policy. The premium, the excess and the exclusions are set by each insurer; compare them in writing.
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| Third-party (statutory) | Comprehensive | |
|---|---|---|
| Required by law | Yes (s 22) | No |
| Death and injury of other people | Yes (s 23(2)(a)) | Yes |
| Damage to other people's property | Yes (s 23(2)(b)) | Yes |
| Damage to or theft of your own vehicle | No | On the policy's terms |
| The injured can claim from the insurer directly | Yes, within two years (s 25) | Yes, for the third-party part |
Legal column: Road Traffic Act. Section 23(3) lets a statutory policy exclude some liabilities beyond set amounts, notably to passengers; ask what your policy covers for passengers.
Questions to ask the insurer
- What is the excess on each claim, and is there a higher excess for young or new drivers?
- Are passengers covered, and up to what amount?
- Who may drive the vehicle?
- Does the policy pay in US dollars or ZiG, and how is the sum insured revalued?
- Can I use the vehicle outside Zimbabwe? For COMESA countries you need a yellow card: see travel insurance.
Already insured?
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Frequently asked questions
Does third-party insurance pay for my car in Zimbabwe?
No. Statutory third-party cover pays for the death, injury and property damage you cause to others. Damage to your own car needs comprehensive cover.
Is comprehensive insurance compulsory?
No. Only third-party cover (or an approved security) is compulsory under section 22 of the Road Traffic Act. A lender financing a car may require comprehensive cover in its contract.
Sources
- Road Traffic Act [Chapter 13:11], Parts IV and V (compulsory third-party insurance, yellow card) — ZimLII copy (Web Archive, 26 March 2024)
- IPEC — Regulated entities: life assurers, short-term insurers, funeral assurers, microinsurers, reinsurers, brokers, agents and assessors (retrieved 31 October 2026)