Britam General Insurance has launched Kenya’s first-ever Pilot Loss of Licence Cover, a groundbreaking policy designed to protect pilots and aviation trainees from financial loss if they lose their medical clearance and can no longer fly.
The new product is the first of its kind in the country and provides both temporary and permanent coverage to pilots registered with the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) and under the age of 65.
“A pilot’s career is a significant investment, and the loss of their licence, even temporarily, can have serious financial consequences,” Britam General Insurance CEO James Mbithi said.
The new cover addresses one of the most critical risks in aviation, loss of income caused by illness or injury that renders a pilot medically unfit to fly.
In Kenya, pilots undergo regular medical examinations as part of their licensing requirements. When a pilot fails these medical assessments, their licence can be suspended or revoked, leaving them unable to work and often without financial security.
Under the new policy, Britam offers two types of protection: temporary and permanent.
The temporary cover pays pilots a monthly benefit equivalent to 2 per cent of the insured amount if they are grounded due to physical illness or injury, and 0.5 per cent for psychological illness.
These payments can continue for up to 12 months while the pilot recovers and works toward regaining medical clearance.
The permanent cover, on the other hand, applies when a pilot’s medical condition is permanent and prevents them from ever flying again.
In this case, Britam pays out 100 per cent of the insured sum for total physical disability and 25 per cent for psychological illness. The total insured amount is capped at five times the pilot’s annual income up to retirement.
Britam explained that the policy covers both work-related and non-work-related incidents. However, it excludes loss of licence resulting from criminal acts, negligence, war, terrorism, or undeclared pre-existing conditions.
Pilots who are currently training or flying for Kenyan-registered carriers can qualify for the policy, provided they meet the eligibility and medical requirements.
According to Britam, the product was developed after identifying a long-standing gap in Kenya’s insurance market. Many pilots face significant financial challenges when they lose their medical fitness, yet traditional insurance products rarely cover such specific professional risks.
The new cover, therefore, offers peace of mind to pilots who have invested heavily in training, licensing, and flight hours.
Kenya’s aviation industry has been expanding steadily, with local pilots increasingly joining both domestic and international airlines.
As flight operations grow and new flight schools open across the country, the need for specialised insurance solutions has become more apparent. Britam’s new policy aligns with this growth by offering a product tailored to the unique demands and risks of the aviation profession.
Globally, loss of licence insurance is a common feature in mature aviation markets such as the UK, UAE, and South Africa, where airlines and regulators recognise the need to protect pilots’ financial well-being.
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