• By Raymond Momanyi

Domestic Package Insurance Kenya | Owners, Landlords & Tenants

Compare domestic package insurance in Kenya for buildings, contents, burglary, portable electronics, liability and domestic employees.

Domestic Package Insurance Kenya: Homeowners, Landlords and Tenants Guide

A house is more than concrete, roofing and paint.

Inside it are furniture, appliances, electronics, clothing, personal documents and possessions collected over many years. For a landlord, the building may also represent rental income, debt obligations and a long-term investment.

Fire, flooding, burglary, storms, electrical faults and accidental damage can turn that security upside down within minutes.

Domestic Package Insurance, commonly called Home Insurance, combines several types of household protection under one policy. Depending on the sections selected, it may protect the residential building, household contents, portable valuables, occupants, visitors and domestic employees.

This authority guide explains how home insurance works in Kenya, who needs it, what each section covers, how premiums are calculated and what to do after a fire, flood or burglary.

Compare home insurance quotations: https://imanainsurance.com

What Is Domestic Package Insurance?

Domestic Package Insurance is a combined policy designed for residential property.

Instead of purchasing separate policies for the building, contents, portable valuables and household liabilities, a client can select the relevant sections under one package.

A domestic package may include:

• Residential building insurance
• Household contents insurance
• Burglary and theft protection
• All-risks cover for portable valuables
• Owner’s liability
• Occupier’s personal liability
• Domestic employees’ injury protection
• Loss of rent or alternative accommodation
• Personal accident benefits
• Additional extensions selected by the policyholder

The policy is modular. A homeowner, landlord and tenant will not necessarily select the same sections.

Who Needs Home Insurance in Kenya?

Domestic Package Insurance may be suitable for:

• Owner-occupiers
• Apartment owners
• Landlords
• Tenants
• Families living in rented houses
• Mortgage holders
• Holiday-home owners
• Airbnb and short-term rental hosts
• Property investors
• People owning high-value electronics
• People employing housekeepers, gardeners, cooks or residential guards
• Kenyans living abroad with residential property in Kenya

A tenant may not own the building, but may own everything inside it. A landlord may insure the structure without needing to insure a tenant’s furniture. The proposal must reflect each party’s actual financial interest.

1. Residential Buildings Insurance

The buildings section protects the physical residential structure against specified insured events.

Depending on the policy, the insured property may include:

• Main residential building
• Permanent fixtures
• Walls
• Roof
• Floors
• Ceilings
• Built-in wardrobes
• Fitted kitchen units
• Garages
• Gates and fences
• Domestic outbuildings
• Water tanks
• Permanent electrical installations
• Plumbing systems
• Swimming pools, where declared
• Other structures shown in the schedule

Events That May Be Covered

Subject to the policy wording, cover may apply to damage caused by:

• Fire
• Lightning
• Explosion
• Storm
• Flood
• Earthquake
• Impact
• Falling trees
• Aircraft or aerial devices
• Burst water pipes
• Malicious damage
• Riots or strikes where included
• Other specified perils

Not every policy automatically includes every event. Flood, earthquake, subsidence, political violence and terrorism may require specific confirmation or an additional premium.

How Much Should a Building Be Insured For?

The building should generally be insured for its full reinstatement value, not its market price or the amount originally paid.

Reinstatement value is the estimated cost of rebuilding the property using similar materials and standards. It may include:

• Construction costs
• Demolition
• Debris removal
• Professional fees
• Statutory charges
• Associated reinstatement expenses

The value of land is not normally included because the land remains after a fire.

Why Market Value Can Be Misleading

A property’s market price may include:

• Land value
• Location
• Demand
• Neighbourhood
• Rental potential
• Expected capital appreciation

These factors do not necessarily represent the cost of reconstructing the building.

An owner should consider obtaining a professional reinstatement valuation, especially for high-value, unusual or older properties.

Underinsurance and the Average Clause

Underinsurance occurs when property is insured for less than its proper replacement value.

If a building should have been insured for KES 20 million but is insured for only KES 10 million, it is insured for approximately half its value.

Under an average clause, the insurer may pay only a corresponding portion of a partial claim.

This means underinsurance can affect even a small loss.

Property values should therefore be reviewed regularly to reflect inflation, renovations, extensions and rising construction costs.

2. Household Contents Insurance

The contents section protects movable household property kept inside the residence.

It may include:

• Furniture
• Televisions
• Refrigerators
• Cookers
• Washing machines
• Household appliances
• Curtains and carpets
• Clothing
• Kitchenware
• Beds and mattresses
• Home-office furniture
• Entertainment equipment
• Other personal belongings

Cover may apply to loss or damage caused by insured events such as fire, flood or burglary.

How Should Contents Be Valued?

Prepare a room-by-room inventory.

Walk through:

• Sitting room
• Bedrooms
• Kitchen
• Dining room
• Home office
• Store
• Garage
• Servants’ quarters
• Other occupied areas

Estimate the current replacement cost of every item rather than relying on memory.

Most people underestimate the combined value of their contents because they focus only on expensive electronics and forget clothing, furniture, cookware, bedding and smaller household items.

Proof of Ownership

Proof of ownership can be important during a claim.

Useful records include:

• Purchase receipts
• Photographs
• Videos
• Warranty documents
• Serial numbers
• Bank or M-Pesa transaction records
• Valuation certificates
• Delivery notes
• Import documents
• User manuals
• Previous insurance schedules

Store digital copies away from the insured home so the records are not lost in the same fire or burglary.

3. Burglary and Theft Cover

A domestic package may cover household contents stolen during a burglary involving forcible or violent entry into or exit from the insured premises.

This wording matters.

A simple disappearance may not qualify as burglary. Theft committed without evidence of forcible entry may also be restricted or excluded.

Burglary Claims May Involve

• Broken doors
• Damaged locks
• Forced windows
• Stolen appliances
• Stolen electronics
• Damaged furniture
• Malicious property damage
• Security-system damage

Common Burglary Exclusions

Depending on the policy, cover may exclude or restrict:

• Unexplained disappearance
• Theft without forcible entry
• Theft by household members
• Theft by employees
• Property left in the open
• Unoccupied premises beyond an allowed period
• Undeclared high-value items
• Business stock kept at home
• Money and documents
• Loss discovered long after the event

The police should be notified promptly, and the occurrence-book or abstract details retained.

4. All-Risks Cover for Portable Electronics and Valuables

Ordinary contents insurance mainly protects items while they are inside the insured residence.

Portable items taken outside the home may require All-Risks Insurance.

This section may cover accidental loss or damage to specifically listed items such as:

• Laptops
• Mobile phones
• Tablets
• Cameras
• Watches
• Jewellery
• Musical instruments
• Portable medical devices
• Other personal equipment

Why Items Must Be Specified

Portable valuables should ordinarily be declared individually with:

• Description
• Make and model
• Serial number or IMEI
• Replacement value
• Receipt
• Photograph
• Valuation where required

An insurer may apply separate limits, excesses or territorial restrictions.

What “All Risks” Does Not Mean

All-risks insurance is broad, but it does not cover literally everything.

Common exclusions may include:

• Wear and tear
• Mechanical breakdown
• Gradual deterioration
• Software problems
• Scratching or cosmetic damage
• Unexplained disappearance
• Items left unattended
• Theft from an unlocked vehicle
• Deliberate damage
• Fraud
• Illegal use
• Confiscation
• Loss outside the territorial limit

Read the policy conditions before assuming that every broken or missing phone will be covered.

5. Owner’s Liability

A property owner may face a legal claim where a building defect or ownership-related risk causes accidental bodily injury or third-party property damage.

Possible scenarios include:

• A loose roof tile injuring a visitor
• A defective gate damaging a neighbour’s vehicle
• Part of a wall collapsing
• Water escaping and damaging an adjoining property
• A dangerous structural defect causing injury

The buildings section may include owner’s liability, subject to the policy limit and wording.

Landlords should check whether the cover applies to tenanted property and whether all buildings, common areas and activities are accurately declared.

6. Occupier’s Personal Liability

An owner or tenant occupying a home may face a legal claim if a visitor is injured or another person’s property is damaged.

Examples could include:

• A visitor slipping on an unsafe floor
• A guest being injured by defective furniture
• A household activity damaging neighbouring property
• A pet causing injury, where not excluded
• A child accidentally damaging another person’s property

Kenya’s Occupiers’ Liability Act addresses the duty of care owed by occupiers of premises to visitors.

Occupier’s liability under a domestic package can help meet eligible legal defence costs and compensation, subject to the insurer establishing that the policy responds.

It does not remove the duty to maintain safe premises.

7. Domestic Employees and WIBA

People employed within a household may include:

• Housekeepers
• Nannies
• Cooks
• Gardeners
• Caregivers
• Residential watchmen
• Drivers
• Other domestic employees

Kenya’s Work Injury Benefits Act requires employers to obtain and maintain insurance for their liability arising from occupational injury and disease.

A domestic package may include a section for domestic employees. However, the wording and benefit basis must be checked to ensure it provides the required protection.

Homeowners should disclose:

• Number of domestic employees
• Nature of their duties
• Estimated annual earnings
• Whether employees live at the premises
• Whether any employee drives
• Use of machinery or hazardous equipment

Domestic employees’ protection should not be confused with occupier’s liability. Employees and visitors create different insurance exposures.

8. Loss of Rent and Alternative Accommodation

A serious insured event may make a home temporarily uninhabitable.

Depending on the policy:

• A landlord may claim insured loss of rental income.
• An owner-occupier may receive reasonable alternative-accommodation expenses.
• A tenant may receive specified additional living expenses.

The benefit is usually limited by time and amount.

The insurer may require confirmation that the property cannot reasonably be occupied while covered repairs are completed.

Home Insurance for Owner-Occupiers

An owner living in the insured home may need:

• Buildings insurance
• Contents insurance
• Burglary cover
• Portable valuables cover
• Owner’s liability
• Occupier’s liability
• Domestic employees’ protection
• Alternative accommodation
• Personal accident benefits

A combined package may be simpler than arranging each section separately.

Landlord Insurance in Kenya

Landlords face risks that ordinary owner-occupied home insurance may not fully address.

Relevant protection may include:

• Residential building cover
• Landlord’s fixtures and fittings
• Loss of rent
• Property-owner’s liability
• Damage to common areas
• Domestic or maintenance employees
• Malicious damage, where available
• Legal-liability extensions
• Machinery or equipment serving the building

What Landlord Insurance Does Not Automatically Cover

A landlord’s building policy will not ordinarily insure a tenant’s:

• Furniture
• Clothing
• Electronics
• Personal valuables
• Business stock

Tenants should arrange their own contents insurance.

Tenant Contents Insurance

A tenant may assume that a landlord’s insurance protects everything inside the house.

Usually, it does not.

The landlord may insure the structure, while the tenant remains responsible for:

• Furniture
• Appliances
• Electronics
• Clothing
• Personal belongings
• Portable valuables
• Tenant improvements
• Personal liability
• Domestic employees

Tenant contents insurance can be arranged without insuring the building.

Airbnb and Short-Term Rental Insurance

An ordinary domestic policy may be designed for private residential occupation—not commercial short-term accommodation.

Airbnb and furnished-rental hosts should disclose:

• Short-term letting activity
• Average occupancy
• Number of units
• Property location
• Contents and furnishings
• Guest liability
• Employees
• Security measures
• Swimming pools
• Cooking facilities
• Events or parties
• Previous claims

Failure to disclose commercial use can create claim problems.

Hosts may require a specialised hospitality, commercial-property or short-term rental policy rather than a standard domestic package.

Platform protections should not automatically be treated as a replacement for locally arranged insurance.

Does Home Insurance Cover Fire?

Fire is normally a core insured peril under the buildings and contents sections, subject to the policy terms.

A valid fire claim may involve:

• Burnt building sections
• Smoke damage
• Water damage caused during firefighting
• Damaged household contents
• Debris removal
• Professional fees
• Alternative accommodation
• Loss of rent

Possible problems include:

• Underinsurance
• Undeclared commercial activity
• Arson or deliberate conduct
• Unoccupied premises
• Poor maintenance
• Excluded electrical or mechanical causes
• Lack of proof of ownership
• Alterations not disclosed to the insurer

Electrical faults should be investigated professionally, and damaged property preserved until the insurer authorises disposal.

Does Home Insurance Cover Flooding?

Flood cover may apply where it is included under the insured perils.

It may protect against sudden physical damage to the building or contents caused by flooding.

However, insurers may distinguish between:

• External flooding
• Storm water
• Burst pipes
• Gradual seepage
• Rising damp
• Poor drainage
• Maintenance defects
• Groundwater
• Coastal flooding

Gradual water damage, damp, defective waterproofing and poor maintenance may be excluded.

Homes in flood-prone areas should be disclosed accurately. The insurer may request additional information, impose an excess or apply special terms.

Does Home Insurance Cover Burglary?

Burglary cover may respond when household property is stolen following forcible or violent entry or exit.

The policy may not cover:

• Simple theft
• Mysterious disappearance
• Theft by a household member
• Theft by an employee
• Property left outdoors
• Unoccupied homes
• Undeclared valuables
• Loss without police evidence

Security requirements appearing in the quotation or policy must be followed.

What Home Insurance Does Not Usually Cover

Common exclusions or limitations may include:

• Wear and tear
• Gradual deterioration
• Poor maintenance
• Termite or vermin damage
• Rot, rust or corrosion
• Defective design or workmanship
• Mechanical or electrical breakdown
• Deliberate damage
• Fraud
• War
• Nuclear risks
• Political violence or terrorism unless included
• Business activity not declared
• Unoccupied premises beyond the permitted period
• Property used for commercial purposes
• Unexplained disappearance
• Money, documents and data
• Items exceeding policy sublimits
• Land
• Pre-existing damage
• Illegal structures
• Loss outside the insured territory

The schedule and endorsements take priority over general marketing descriptions.

Does Home Insurance Cover Mobile Phones and Laptops?

It can—but the correct section matters.

A laptop damaged by an insured fire inside the house may fall under contents insurance.

A laptop accidentally damaged or stolen away from home may require All-Risks cover.

For suitable portable-device protection:

1. Declare the item.
2. Provide its make and model.
3. Record the serial number or IMEI.
4. Use the current replacement value.
5. Keep proof of ownership.
6. Confirm the territorial limit.
7. Understand the excess.
8. Follow security conditions.

How Much Does Home Insurance Cost in Kenya?

There is no universal premium.

The cost may depend on:

• Building reinstatement value
• Total contents value
• Location
• Construction materials
• Property use
• Security protections
• Claims history
• Flood exposure
• Occupancy
• Number of domestic employees
• Value of portable items
• Liability limits
• Selected extensions
• Applicable excess
• Whether the property is owner-occupied or rented
• Whether short-term letting occurs

Many insurers rate buildings and contents as a percentage of the sums insured. Minimum premiums and policy charges may apply.

The cheapest quotation may exclude an important risk such as flooding, portable electronics, accidental damage or domestic employees.

Information Required for a Home Insurance Quote

Prepare:

• Full name
• National ID or passport
• KRA PIN
• Property address
• Ownership or tenancy status
• Building use
• Building reinstatement value
• Contents value
• Portable items schedule
• Construction details
• Security protections
• Flood exposure
• Occupancy details
• Number of domestic employees
• Previous claims
• Existing insurance
• Mortgagee or lender details
• Short-term rental activity
• Selected extensions

Accurate information helps the insurer price the correct risk and reduces future disputes.

How to Compare Home Insurance Quotations

Do not compare only the final premium.

Check:

• Buildings sum insured
• Contents sum insured
• Covered perils
• Flood inclusion
• Burglary definition
• All-risks section
• Portable-item limits
• Domestic employees’ cover
• Owner’s liability
• Occupier’s liability
• Loss-of-rent benefit
• Alternative accommodation
• Excesses
• Unoccupancy conditions
• Security warranties
• Average clause
• Replacement or indemnity basis
• Claim-notification requirements
• Major exclusions

A low premium is not a saving if the policy excludes the reason it was purchased.

Compare insurance quotations through: https://imanainsurance.com

Home Insurance Quotation

Reques quotation: https://imana.co.ke/other-quote

How to Make a Home Insurance Claim

After a fire, flood, burglary or other insured event:

1. Protect people from immediate danger.
2. Contact emergency services where necessary.
3. Take reasonable steps to prevent further damage.
4. Report criminal activity to the police.
5. Notify the insurer or intermediary promptly.
6. Photograph and record the damage.
7. Preserve damaged items.
8. Prepare an inventory of lost or damaged property.
9. Collect receipts, valuations and ownership evidence.
10. Cooperate with the loss assessor or investigator.
11. Obtain approval before major repairs or disposal.
12. Submit the required claim documents.

Emergency measures to prevent further loss may be necessary, but permanent repairs should not begin before the insurer has inspected or authorised them unless safety requires immediate action.

Home Insurance Claims Guide

Create a supporting article:

How to File a Home Insurance Claim in Kenya
Recommended slug: /blog/home-insurance-claims-process-kenya

It should cover:

• Fire claims
• Flood claims
• Burglary claims
• Buildings claims
• Contents claims
• Portable-item claims
• Domestic employee claims
• Liability claims
• Claim documents
• Assessment
• Repair and replacement
• Common delays and declinatures

Documents Commonly Required for a Claim

Depending on the loss, documents may include:

• Completed claim form
• Policy schedule
• National ID
• KRA PIN
• Police abstract
• Fire brigade report
• Incident report
• Photographs and videos
• Purchase receipts
• Valuation certificates
• Repair quotations
• Contractor estimates
• Building plans
• Land or ownership documents
• Tenancy agreement
• Bank or M-Pesa records
• Witness statements
• Inventory of damaged property
• Domestic employee records
• Medical documents
• Demand letters for liability claims

The insurer may request additional documents based on the circumstances.

Common Reasons Home Insurance Claims Become Difficult

A claim may be delayed, reduced or rejected because:

• The premium was unpaid
• The policy had expired
• The relevant section was not selected
• The property was underinsured
• The claimed item was not declared
• The event is excluded
• The premises were used commercially without disclosure
• Unoccupancy conditions were breached
• Required security protections were absent
• The damage resulted from wear and tear
• Proof of ownership is unavailable
• Reporting was unreasonably delayed
• Damaged evidence was discarded
• Repairs began before inspection
• False or exaggerated information was submitted

A claim should be accurate, documented and reported promptly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is home insurance compulsory in Kenya?

Home insurance is not universally compulsory for every homeowner or tenant. However, a mortgage lender may require the financed building to remain insured.

Does a landlord’s policy cover a tenant’s property?

Not ordinarily. A landlord may insure the building and landlord-owned fixtures, while the tenant arranges separate contents cover.

Can a tenant buy home insurance?

Yes. A tenant can insure household contents, portable valuables, personal liability and domestic employees without insuring the building.

Does home insurance cover phones?

Phones may be insured under an All-Risks section if they are properly declared and the claim falls within the policy terms.

Does home insurance cover theft without forced entry?

Not always. Many burglary sections require evidence of forcible or violent entry or exit. The exact definition should be checked.

Does home insurance cover flooding?

Flooding may be covered where included as an insured peril. Gradual seepage, damp and maintenance-related water damage may be excluded.

Are domestic employees covered?

A domestic-employees section may be included, but the homeowner should confirm that it satisfies the relevant WIBA requirements.

Can an Airbnb be insured under a normal domestic policy?

Not automatically. Short-term letting is a material use that must be disclosed. A specialised or commercial policy may be necessary.

Does home insurance cover accidental damage?

Only where accidental damage is included under the selected section or extension.

How often should insured values be reviewed?

Review them at least annually and after renovations, major purchases or significant increases in rebuilding costs.

Is land included in the building value?

Land is not normally insured under a domestic building policy. The sum insured should reflect reinstatement costs rather than total market value.

Existing Imana Home Insurance Resources

This new authority page should link to the existing resources rather than replace them:

Home or Domestic Package Insurance in Kenya:
https://imana.co.ke/blog/home-or-domestic-package-insurance-in-kenya

Home and Property Insurance Complete Guide:
https://imana.co.ke/blog/home-property-insurance-in-kenya-the-complete-guide-to-domestic-packages-flood-cover-and-protecting-what-you-love

Existing Home Insurance Page:
https://imana.co.ke/home-insurance

Add a contextual link from each older article back to this new authority page using varied anchor text such as:

• Domestic Package Insurance Kenya
• Complete home insurance guide
• Home insurance for owners, landlords and tenants

Get a Home Insurance Quote in Kenya

A home policy should reflect who owns the building, who owns the contents, how the property is occupied and which possessions leave the premises.

Imana Insurance Agency Kenya Ltd is a Westlands-based insurance intermediary helping individuals, families and businesses compare insurance quotations from licensed Kenyan insurers across Motor, Medical, WIBA, PSV, Travel, Motorcycle, Cyber, SME/Corporate and other insurance classes.

Compare home insurance quotations: https://imanainsurance.com

Existing home-insurance page: https://imana.co.ke/home-insurance

Insurance authority and information centre: https://imana.co.ke

Travel and insurance solutions: https://mykava.co.ke

Request another insurance quotation: https://imana.co.ke/other-quote

Office:
Imana Insurance Agency Kenya Ltd
4th Floor, Krishna Centre
Woodvale Grove, Westlands
Nairobi, Kenya

Call/WhatsApp: +254 745 218 460

Terms, conditions, exclusions, excesses, warranties and underwriting requirements apply. The insurer determines whether to accept the risk and whether a claim is covered.

Author: Raymond Momanyi
Founder & CEO, Imana Insurance Agency Kenya Ltd

Raymond Momanyi is an insurance professional specialising in motor insurance, medical insurance, WIBA, PSV insurance comparison, claims support and business-risk solutions in Kenya.