What is an Insurance Excess? A Guide for Kenyan Motorists

An excess is the fixed amount or percentage of a claim that you agree to pay yourself before your insurer pays the remainder. It is your share of the risk under a comprehensive motor insurance policy.

For example: if your claim is for KES 80,000 and your policy excess is KES 7,500, you pay KES 7,500 and your insurer covers the remaining KES 72,500.

Kenyan motor insurance policies typically use a percentage-based excess with a minimum floor amount:

Standard excess: Often expressed as '5% minimum KES 7,500' — meaning 5% of the claim value, with a minimum payment of KES 7,500 regardless of claim size.

Basic excess: A flat amount that applies to all claims.

Compulsory excess: Mandatory excess set by the underwriter, usually non-negotiable.

Voluntary excess: Additional excess you can choose to accept in exchange for a lower premium.

A higher excess generally means a lower premium, and vice versa. By agreeing to bear more of the risk yourself, the insurer reduces its exposure and passes some savings to you in the form of a lower annual premium.

This makes voluntary excess a useful tool if you are confident in your driving and want to reduce your annual insurance cost.

Excess protector (or excess waiver) is an optional add-on benefit offered by many underwriters. When you make a claim, the excess protector covers your compulsory excess — meaning you effectively pay nothing out of pocket at claim time.

On Wheelswise, some underwriter plans include excess protector as an optional benefit you can add before checkout.

Excesses typically apply to own-damage claims (damage to your vehicle). Third-party liability claims — where the insurer is paying another person for injury or property damage you caused — usually do not have a deductible. The insurer covers the full third-party claim on your behalf.