Photo: Chapelle musa, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0Insurance in Uganda
Insurance in Uganda: the rules, the insurers, your rights
Short answerChecked 23 September 2026
Insurance in Uganda is regulated by the Insurance Regulatory Authority of Uganda (IRA), which lists 9 life, 19 non-life and 4 micro-insurers in August 2026. Motor third-party insurance is compulsory under the Motor Vehicle Insurance (Third Party Risks) Act, 1989. Insurance was only 0.87% of GDP in 2024 (UGX 1,763.99 billion of premiums). A national health insurance scheme is proposed but not yet law.
The Ugandan insurance market in figures
From IRA's 2024 Annual Insurance Market Report:
| Indicator (2024) | Figure |
|---|---|
| Gross written premium | UGX 1,763.99 billion (+10% on 2023) |
| Non-life premiums | UGX 986.48 billion |
| Life premiums | UGX 702.25 billion |
| Health membership organisations | UGX 69.89 billion (+23.98%) |
| Insurance penetration | 0.870% of GDP |
| Premium per person | UGX 38,431 (USD 10.44) |
For 2026, IRA licensed 144 players in all, including 49 brokers and 22 bancassurance agents (IRA).
Rules every policyholder should know
- Local risks must be insured locally: all risks and persons in Uganda, including imports, must be insured with insurers licensed in Uganda (Insurance Act, section 8(3), as summarised in IRA's 2024 report).
- Training levy: 0.5% of each premium is charged to the client.
- Compulsory covers: motor third-party and workers' compensation.
Guides for Uganda
Vehicles
- Motor insurance in Uganda: third-party cover and its limitsThe 1989 Act, its UGX 1 million / 10 million limits, the penalty, digital stickers and the COMESA yellow card.
- Third-party vs comprehensive car insurance in UgandaIRA's three motor covers side by side: third party, accident fire & theft, comprehensive.
- How to check a motor third-party sticker in Uganda (digital sticker)Digital stickers since 1 October 2025: buy and check by MTN or Airtel USSD, verify by QR code.
- Boda boda insurance in Uganda: third-party cover, premiums and risksPassengers are covered, premiums are set by regulation by engine size, and riders are half of road deaths.
- Taxi, bus and commercial vehicle insurance in UgandaRegulated premiums per passenger seat, the offence of using a vehicle without the right cover, and the coming reform.
Health and life
- Health insurance in Uganda: private cover while the national scheme waitsNo national scheme in law yet: how private medical cover and HMOs work, and what to compare.
- Life insurance in Uganda: policies, insurers and cooling-offThe 9 licensed life insurers, cooling-off periods and what happens when a policy lapses.
Home, business and travel
- Home and property insurance in UgandaOptional: what property insurance covers per IRA, and the deadlines insurers must meet to pay.
- Business insurance in Uganda: workers' compensation and propertyEmployers must insure under the Workers Compensation Act; property cover and IRA's claim deadlines.
- Driving abroad from Uganda: the COMESA yellow cardThe yellow card for cross-border driving, the Uganda Re bureau and the free *284*8070# check.
Your rights
- Largest insurance companies in Uganda (2025), comparedEvery insurer ranked by premium, with claims ratios — from the regulator's 2025 figures.
- Insurance complaints by company in UgandaComplaints filed against each insurer, compared with its size.
- Compare two insurers in UgandaPick two insurers and see them side by side: size, claims ratio, complaints.
- Licensed insurance companies in Uganda (2026 list)IRA's August 2026 list: 9 life, 19 non-life, 4 micro-insurers, 1 takaful operator and 1 HMO.
- IRA Uganda: what it does and how to complain about an insurerWhat IRA Uganda does, how to file on iracomplaints.go.ug, the Bureau's timelines, claim deadlines and appeals.
Frequently asked questions
Is car insurance compulsory in Uganda?
Yes. Section 2 of the Motor Vehicle Insurance (Third Party Risks) Act, 1989 forbids using a vehicle on a road without a third-party policy. See motor insurance in Uganda.
Does Uganda have national health insurance?
Not yet. A National Health Insurance Scheme bill passed by Parliament in 2021 was not signed into law; IRA's 2024 report still describes the scheme as proposed.
How many insurance companies are licensed in Uganda?
IRA's August 2026 list has 9 life, 19 non-life and 4 micro-insurers, plus one takaful operator and one authorised HMO.