The Association of Kenya Insurers in conjunction with ZEP RE Academy hosted a medical insurance workshop on 17-18 May 2023 in Nairobi. The aim of the workshop was to engage players on how to improve customer experience while ensuring they have access to affordable and good quality treatment.

The workshop participants deliberated on cross-cutting issues affecting the service delivery of medical insurance including the legal and regulatory challenges, how to leverage technology and innovation and how to enhance quality, affordability, and accessibility of services.

The two-day event brought together players from the medical insurance business including government, development partners, private insurance companies, reinsurers, insurance intermediaries, medical professionals, and technology partners.

While welcoming the participants, AKI Executive Director, Mr. Tom Gichuhi, noted that ‘’Medical insurance is a fast-growing business; it is the second largest contributor to the gross written premium of general insurance business after motor insurance. At the current rate of growth, medical business is likely to overtake motor insurance business in less than five years.’’ He further added that despite this top line growth, the bottom line is plagued with challenges key among them fraud and high cost of health care.

ZEP Re Managing Director, Ms Hope Murera, emphasised on the need to invest in technology to enable sustainable business growth in the form of cost management, customer access, and availability. She noted studies that have shown that insurers invest least in technology within the financial services industry.

This was the second multi-sectoral and multi- disciplinary workshop for medical insurance players that aims to develop initiatives aimed at upskilling industry practitioners, addressing the identified regulatory challenges and identify areas of collaboration for technology and innovation. AKI and ZEP Re will review the issues raised and provide a way forward.