The Kenya Government has made plans to set up insurance agencies across all the 47 Counties. According to the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA), the government has already taken a bold step towards making insurance available in more parts of the country, beginning at a County level.

The initiative involves educating at least 100 people per County with regard to insurance packages and details about the industry that would otherwise remain undisclosed.

In spite of an ongoing move to ban 33% of the registered insurance companies who have failed to meet IRA regulational standards, the government still intends to sensitize the general public.

This IRA programme, which was first launched in Kitui late last year, has since managed to educate 105 participants, granting them a Certificate of Proficiency in Insurance. Present during the graduation ceremony were the likes of big insurers like Britam, CFC Life, Heritage Insurance and Pan Africa Life.

There are currently 45 registered insurance firms and all of them are stationed in Nairobi. The Kitui Acting District Commissioner evennotes that most underwriting agents are only found in urban areas while the rural population remains uneducated. The Chairman for the Chamber of Commerce, Kiprono Kittony, agrees, stating that the new agents will be tasked with helping local businesses understand the growing need for insurance.

The next training period is set to kick off in the course of this month in Kisii County.