Jubilee partners with global firm Boltech to expand health insurance reach

The partnership will allow customers to access health insurance through services they already use, including digital payments, fuel purchases, travel bookings and other online platforms, eliminating the need to purchase cover through traditional insurance channels.

The move comes as insurers explore alternative distribution models to address Kenya's low health insurance penetration and reduce reliance on out-of-pocket healthcare spending, which continues to expose many households to financial hardship.

Jubilee Health Insurance Chief Executive Officer and Principal Officer Njeri Jomo said the embedded insurance model is intended to make health cover more accessible by integrating it into consumers' daily activities.

"Our focus is to ensure insurance becomes part of everyday life rather than something people only think about when they need medical care. By embedding insurance into existing customer journeys, we can significantly expand access to affordable health protection," she said.

Jomo said the insurer also aims to support Kenya's universal health coverage agenda by reaching uninsured consumers through partnerships with businesses that already serve large customer bases.

She noted that many Kenyans still rely on direct payments to meet medical expenses, leaving families vulnerable to unexpected healthcare costs. Jubilee is therefore developing products tailored to different customer segments while leveraging digital technology to simplify access to insurance.

According to the insurer, more than one million Kenyans experience catastrophic health expenditure annually, underscoring the need for wider insurance coverage and improved financial protection.

Under the partnership, Jubilee will leverage customer insights from ecosystem partners to integrate existing insurance products into digital platforms and co-develop new products based on consumer needs.

Among the first offerings expected under the initiative is HospiCash, a hospital cash benefit that provides financial support during hospitalisation. The insurer also plans to introduce embedded personal accident and funeral benefits through partner platforms, with pilot programmes expected in the coming months.

The initiative will initially target underserved segments, including retail consumers and gig economy workers, as Jubilee seeks to grow health insurance uptake in Kenya and the wider East African region.

Boltech Africa General Manager Bente Krogmann said embedded insurance allows consumers to purchase protection at the point of need while using services they already interact with.

"Our role is to ensure insurance becomes available within the services people are already using. Whether someone is buying a flight ticket, a bus ticket or making other digital transactions, protection should be available with just a click," she said.

Krogmann said experience from markets in Southeast Asia shows that simple and relevant embedded insurance products can significantly improve uptake. She added that Boltech's technology enables businesses to integrate insurance products through application programming interfaces (APIs) within weeks, allowing insurers to distribute products through existing digital ecosystems.

The partnership combines Jubilee's underwriting capabilities with Boltech's embedded insurance technology as insurers increasingly look to digital ecosystems to broaden insurance penetration across the region.