A recent release of the approved garage list for a local insurance company linked to a major banking group has sparked questions about the representation of different garage owners due to the noticeable scarcity of African-owned repair shops.
The list released by GA Insurance, a local insurer affiliated with I&M Bank, is intended to guide customers on where they can have their vehicle repairs covered under insurance claims but appears to feature mostly garages owned by one community.
Out of over 70 listed garages, only a handful appear to be operated by Black Kenyan proprietors but features a considerable number of establishments with South Asian ownership.
This composition has led to discussions within the automotive repair community about the selection criteria employed by GA Insurance and whether it excludes many capable African-owned garages.
Some stakeholders who reached out to this publication under the request of anonymity argue that such a narrow list limits options for vehicle owners and raises questions about transparency and inclusivity in the insurance claims process.
Calls are now growing for GA Insurance and its banking partner to review their policies and ensure a more balanced and fair representation that reflects the diversity of Nairobi’s automotive repair sector.
“Hi Nyakundi. I just saw the approved garage list from GA Insurance. It caught my attention because there are very few African-owned garages on it, while many are owned by South Asian businesses. I am not sure how the selection was made, but this seems unusual given the number of capable local garages around. It might be worth looking into whether this list truly reflects the broader market or if some groups are being left out. Just thought I should share this for your awareness.”
