Importers Mandated To Digitally Procure Marine Cargo Insurance From Feb 14

Starting February 14, 2025, all importers in Kenya must acquire Marine Cargo Insurance (MCI) coverage for their imports through digital platforms from locally licensed insurance companies.

This will be a mandatory step before obtaining customs clearance for goods.

This directive follows amendments made under the Finance Act, 2017, and the Marine Insurance Act (CAP 390), which require all individuals with an insurable interest in marine cargo to procure insurance from companies licensed locally under the Insurance Act (CAP 487).

Additionally, the law prohibits sourcing marine cargo insurance from foreign insurers.

In a joint statement published in MyGov, the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA) and the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) announced that the new system will streamline the insurance process.

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“The Digital Marine Cargo Insurance Certificate request will be submitted through the clearing agents’ and importers’ mobile Apps, dedicated portals, or Insurance Underwriters Platforms connected to the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA) electronic platform. The processed digital marine certificate from the IRA Platform will be electronically submitted to the KRA Integrated Customs Management Systems (ICMS),” the statement reads.

How to Obtain a Digital Marine Cargo Insurance Certificate

To obtain a Digital Marine Cargo Insurance Certificate, importers must first ensure they have a valid Import Declaration Form (IDF), as the certificate can only be issued against an active IDF. Customers can access various platforms to purchase the insurance cover, including the Coral Mini App on the M-PESA Super App, Coral’s web-based portal, insurance underwriters’ web-based portals, insurance underwriters’ mobile apps on M-PESA, and the Kentrade Single Window portal.

Once logged in, customers or clearing agents can access their IDF by using their account details on the chosen platform. For registered users, the system automatically retrieves the IDF details. After retrieving the IDF, users are required to complete the necessary fields for the Marine Cargo Insurance certificate, pay the insurance premium, and submit the details digitally.

The completed certificate is then submitted to the Insurance Regulatory Authority’s (IRA) electronic platform, which automatically forwards it to the Kenya Revenue Authority’s (KRA) Integrated Customs Management System (ICMS). Upon successful submission, the importer receives a confirmation of compliance, which facilitates the clearance of goods in the ICMS.