Britam, through Britam Connect, has launched a new medical insurance product dubbed Bima ya Wafanyikazi targeting domestic and informal sector workers, with monthly premiums starting at KSh336, the company said on July 28, 2026 in Nairobi. The cover will be distributed by Minet Kenya and is aimed at expanding access to health insurance for workers whose incomes and employment arrangements often make traditional medical covers difficult to sustain.

According to the press release, the product is available to individual domestic workers, their employers, and registered worker associations. Britam said the cover provides inpatient, outpatient, maternity, dental and optical benefits, alongside last-expense benefits, and will be accessible through Britam’s network of 600 partner facilities across Kenya.

The launch comes amid heightened focus on financial inclusion and the challenge of insuring workers in Kenya’s largely informal economy. The statement cited international and local sources indicating the country has “nearly 2 million” domestic workers and “over 15 million” people employed in the informal sector, groups that often work without written contracts and without employer-provided benefits.

Britam Connect CEO and Principal Officer Evah Kimani said the insurer designed the cover around the income patterns and risks faced by workers outside formal employment. “For many domestic and informal workers, there is very little room for life's disruptions. An illness, injury or even a few days away from work can quickly place pressure on household finances,” Kimani said.

Kimani added that the product bundles multiple benefit categories to reduce out-of-pocket spending and encourage early care-seeking. “Bima Ya Wafanyikazi is anchored on holistic healthcare, bringing together outpatient and inpatient care, maternity, dental and optical benefits, as well as annual health check-ups, so workers can seek care earlier, stay healthier and face fewer financial shocks when illness strikes,” she said.

Minet Kenya Deputy Director – Commercial Gideon Bii said the partners developed the product after identifying what he described as a gap in healthcare protection for informal workers. “Insurance should solve real problems. We spent a great deal of time listening to our customers and understanding their evolving needs. One message came through clearly: there is a significant gap in healthcare protection for Kenya's informal workforce, and it is a gap that demands innovative solutions,” Bii said.

Bii said the partnership combines Minet’s distribution capabilities with Britam Connect’s inclusive insurance expertise. “Together with Britam, we have combined our strengths to create a solution that not only expands access to affordable healthcare, but also advances financial inclusion by protecting workers from the financial impact of unexpected medical expenses,” he said.

For Kenya’s insurance industry, the product launch underlines the market push toward lower-premium, high-volume covers that can be sold to individuals and groups within the informal economy. The press release also referenced industry data indicating insurance penetration in Kenya “hovers around 2.4%,” compared with “over 11.5%” in South Africa, highlighting the growth opportunity insurers see in mass-market segments. The cited figures were attributed in the press materials to external media and research sources linked in the release.

Looking ahead, uptake will likely depend on distribution effectiveness through employers and associations, as well as claims experience at the facility level. Britam and Minet Kenya did not disclose target policy numbers, premium volumes, or timelines for expanding benefits beyond those listed, but said the cover is now active across Kenya.