Second annual ‘business unusual sales conference’—fundamental issue discussed
“Together with our partners, we’re keen and committed to re-calibrating and re-navigating the insurance sector in Kenya and wider east Africa after experiencing volatility, uncertainty, some ambiguity and complexity in the insurance sector over the years,” explained Mr Justine Kosgei, the AAR Insurance Kenya Group CEO and principle Officer at the company’s 2nd annual Business Unusual Conference hosted at the Safari Park hostel on May 25th & 26th, 2026. Mr Kosgei regretted that insurance penetration rate has always oscillated between 2.7 per cent and 3 per cent leaving millions of people in the country uninsured despite glaring life risks. Consequently only about 2 million Kenya have private insurance covers.
“We’ve to keep improving on how we deal with risks and aim for more compliance and resilience in our operations and our conference theme this year ‘Code of Trust Driving Growth through Resilience, Technology & Compliance’ is indicative of our desire to promote and boost compliance and trust in the sector,” Mr Kosgei added. According to him compliance and resilience are partners that can enhance growth of the industry and better operations especially now that ICT and AI and other technologies are available.
With a major focus on providing health insurance and driving its growth, AAR is glad that SHA (government’s social health authority) will boost health insurance uptake given that about 31 million (M) Kenyans have registered so far though only about 6 M are making active and regular payments. AAR urges other partners to help in bridging the gap. Nevertheless, Kenya’s less that 3 per cent penetration is still commendable given that some countries in the east Africa region have penetration rates that are about 0.3 per cent.
Mr Kosgei encouraged others in the industry including partner agents to embrace compliance seriously given that the regulatory environment is progressing very fast. “We’re happy with the regulatory among other efforts being adopted by the IRA (insurance regulatory Authority), RBA (retirement Benefits Authority, SHA (social health authority), KNCCI (Kenya national Chamber of commerce & industry), Sandbox and ODPC (office of the data protection commissioner) among others. We appeal to all our partners to regard compliance as a strategic business growth measure,” Mr Kosgei further observed. According to him, successful roll out of SHA will lead to transformation of healthcare in the country and better universal health care for more citizens. “Let’s cooperate and play our supplementary roles better,” he urged partners.
On its part AAR has embraced technology and innovation for better services and reach for its customers. With its SHWAARI medical cover, for instance, it is bridging gaps in health insurance and taking note of feedback from its clientele. Innovation is helping AAR to embrace proactive wellness, especially with regards to NCDs (non-communicable diseases) (which are now associated with about 39 per cent of deaths in the country), as opposed to reactive healthcare.
“Our aim is to empower businesses with technology and innovations and ecosystems including conferences and workshops for better business skills exposure. We also champion the MSMEs sector given the myriad challenges faced including low insurance awareness and coverage. We’re innovating to design MSMEs friendly insurance covers working with our partners including Sandbox and KNCCI,” Mr Kosgei expounded. For instance, AAR’s MyWakalaar solution (now in use for over 3 years) enables paperless transactions for its intermediaries. The company has initiatives that embed intelligent and affordable financing solutions to stop MSMEs cash flow depletion with several financial partners including the NCBA bank among others.
On his part James Kamau../.
1 (L-R): SNBX CEO Joram Mwinamo, Flywheel Advisory Founder and Executive Director Grace Mburu and AAR Insurance CEO & Principal Officer Justine Kosgei during the AAR Sales Conference-Business Unusual 2026 edition.
Photos-https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/17jtNiFmOQ8BRQdX-DS5MSEYSOqYUIhH7
AAR Insurance champions digital agility and proactive wellness at the 2026 Sales Conference
Nairobi, May 25th, 2026 …In a market where national insurance penetration remains stubbornly below 3 per cent, AAR Insurance is today convening leaders, partners, and stakeholders from across the sales ecosystem at its annual International Sales Conference to reflect on market trends, share perspectives, and align on strategies that will shape the sector’s future growth.
Taking place today and tomorrow at the Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi, the 2026 edition is being held under the theme “Code of trust: Driving growth through resilience, technology and compliance.” The two-day summit reflects the central role of governance, data protection, and ethical business practices in enabling sustainable growth within the insurance sector. The forum brings together financial regulators, tech pioneers, and intermediaries to examine the role of digital innovation, cybersecurity, and resilient systems in supporting secure growth across all lines of protection, from medical and motor to home, travel, and commercial risk.
AAR Insurance CEO and Principal Officer, Justine Kosgei, emphasised the urgent need for the industry to move beyond traditional models to unlock the market and build enduring consumer trust.” We must fundamentally shift our approach from reactive care to proactive wellness.With Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) now responsible for 39 per cent of all deaths in Kenya, we can no longer be an industry that only provides support when someone falls ill. Through our partnerships and integrated wellness programmes, we work with our clients to proactively manage their physical and mental health from day one.”
A major focal point of the ongoing conference is the protection of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). These businesses, acknowledged as the backbone of Kenya’s economy, face heightened exposure to supply chain shocks, property damage, and liability risks, yet remain critically underinsured.
James Kamau, Group Head of Distribution at AAR Insurance, noted that addressing the cash-flow realities of these businesses is essential to closing the protection gap.”We understand the cash flow challenges that modern businesses face. To address this, we have partnered with financial institutions such as NCBA and Fincredit to help SMEs build stronger protection frameworks. Our goal is to enable their long-term growth and development while safeguarding them against potential risks. By integrating Insurance Premium Financing (IPF) at the point of sale, we empower our intermediaries to eliminate the upfront affordability barrier to comprehensive coverage. Ultimately, we want to ensure that pricing never stands in the way of a well-protected business.”
During the forum, Mr. Kosgei also challenged agents to leverage rigorous regulatory compliance as a commercial asset in a highly digitised world. Highlighting AAR Insurance’s recent triumph at the National Data Privacy Conference, where the underwriter scooped three major accolades, including the Data Protection Compliance Award,the Data Protection Complaints Handling Award, and the Data Protection Awareness Initiative Award, he urged intermediaries to use data security as a definitive tool to build customer trust and confidence.
As the industry undergoes rapid digital disruption, the “Business Unusual 2026” conference aims to set a new, definitive standard. By aligning technological agility, proactive risk advisory, and compliance, AAR Insurance is spearheading a bold movement to secure the health, wealth, and resilience of Kenyan consumers and enterprises.
ENDS
For more information, please contact:
Sheila Owiti, Head of Brand, Marketing and Communication
Tel: +254 703 063 000/ +254 730 633 000
For further information, go to https://aar-insurance.com/ke/
Issued by Africa Practice On behalf of AAR Insurance
About AAR Insurance Kenya
AAR Insurance Kenya is a leading medical and general insurance company that provides innovative underwriting solutions to individuals, families, and businesses.
We currently serve over 100,000 customers in Kenya. Our current strategic focus entails growing our market strength via digital innovation while aggressively pursuing emerging opportunities in underserved segments like SME and micro insurance.
As the insurance industry undergoes digital disruption, affecting how insurers engage with customers, we have re-aligned our products and services to meet emerging consumer trends and expectations in a rapidly digitised business environment.
We recently rolled out a Cloud infrastructure as part of our goal to be a fully digital insurance company. In addition, AAR Insurance is keen on forging partnerships to improve operational efficiency in claims management. To deliver a delightful customer experience, we are enhancing service delivery via the AAR Insurance Mobile App and Online interactive portals. AAR Insurance is also actively growing in the counties.
As a responsible business, we have consistently invested in the well-being of people, communities and the Planet as part of our sustainability agenda.
