The clock is ticking for thousands of Kenyans who held insurance policies with Trident Insurance Company Limited. The Policyholders Compensation Fund (PCF) officially opened compensation claims on Tuesday, April 14, 2025, but it came with a brutal warning—miss the two-year deadline and you forfeit every shilling you are owed.
With payouts capped at Ksh500,000 and an online portal as the only gateway, cash-trapped Trident Insurance policyholders must act now or walk away empty-handed.
PCF Opens the Door — But Only for Two Years
The PCF moved quickly after regulators shut down Trident Insurance, announcing that it has commenced payment of compensation to affected policyholders and claimants. The fund made this clear in an official notice published on April 14, directing all affected customers to submit their claims through the PCF online portal at www.pcf.go.ke.
However, the fund attached a hard condition to this relief. Any policyholder or claimant who fails to file a claim within two years from the date of this notice will automatically lose their right to compensation — permanently. The PCF did not leave room for exceptions or extensions.
“A policyholder or claimant who does not make a claim for compensation within two years from the date of publication of this notice shall not be entitled to claim any compensation,” the fund stated bluntly.
This deadline transforms what appears to be a lifeline into a time-pressured race. Many policyholders — some of whom may not even know Trident Insurance has collapsed — now risk losing compensation simply because they missed a notice buried in official communications.
Regulators Collapsed Trident Insurance in March — Leaving Policyholders in Limbo
The PCF’s intervention follows a dramatic regulatory move in March. On March 10, the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA) placed Trident Insurance Company under statutory management after the company ran into serious financial difficulties.
The moment the IRA made that call, every existing Trident Insurance policy became invalid. Motorists who believed they had active motor covers suddenly found themselves uninsured. The IRA issued urgent warnings urging road users and stakeholders to avoid transacting with Trident Insurance immediately.
Trident was not the only casualty. In the same announcement, the IRA placed KUSCCO Mutual Assurance Limited and Corporate Insurance Company Ltd under statutory management—a rare triple collapse that sent shockwaves through Kenya’s insurance sector.
“The Insurance Regulatory Authority has placed Trident Insurance Company, KUSCCO Mutual Assurance Limited, and Corporate Insurance Company under statutory management in accordance with the provisions of Section 67C(2)(i) of the Insurance Act,” the IRA announced.
The triple shutdown exposed deep structural weaknesses in the industry and left thousands of policyholders scrambling for answers about their coverage and pending claims.
The Ksh500,000 Cap—A Hard Ceiling That May Not Cover Your Loss
While the PCF’s compensation scheme offers some relief, it comes with a ceiling that will frustrate many claimants. The fund caps compensation at a maximum of Ksh500,000 per claim, regardless of what the original policy covered or how much an outstanding claim was worth.
For policyholders who held comprehensive motor insurance policies, commercial vehicle covers, or large-value property policies, Ksh500,000 may represent only a fraction of their actual loss. The fund’s framework does not allow for exceptions—the cap applies universally.
This hard ceiling means that policyholders who suffered larger losses must absorb the difference themselves, with no legal avenue to recover the balance from the now-defunct insurer.
How to File Your Claim Before the Deadline Closes
The PCF has set up an online claims portal as the primary channel for submissions. Claimants must follow these steps to secure their compensation before time runs out:
Visit the official PCF website at www.pcf.go.ke, navigate to Online Services, and click on the Claims Portal. Register for an account by following the on-screen instructions, then check your email for a confirmation message. Log in, fill out the claim form accurately, attach all required supporting documents, and submit your application. The system will generate a claim number via email for tracking purposes.
The portal opened on April 14 for Trident Insurance policyholders and claimants. Every day of delay narrows the window — and the two-year countdown has already started.
