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.
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.