January 20th, 2026
For too long, the insurance industry in most parts of Africa seemed stuck in the past. Think about it: you report a loss, fill out tons of paperwork, and then wait, sometimes for what feels like forever, for your claim to be processed. This outdated process isn’t just frustrating for customers; it also erodes trust in insurers, especially in a region where trust can be delicate.
This lack of trust, combined with issues such as delayed claims and poor customer experiences, is a key reason why insurance remains underutilized in Africa. Across the continent, only about 2-3% of people have insurance, much lower than the global average of 7%. In Kenya, for instance, only 2.43% were covered at the end of 2024, compared to South Africa’s 14.3%. Reforms are urgently needed to rebuild confidence in the industry.
The slow, costly grind of the past
At the heart of these problems are outdated manual processes. These old ways of working lead to lengthy approval times, confusing data errors across different systems, and costly rework. It’s like trying to navigate a dark room with limited visibility into how claims are moving; it’s hard to see where the hold-ups are or how well the system is performing. These delays don’t just annoy customers and erode trust; they also increase the insurance companies’ operational costs.