Which seven categories of insurance are compulsory in Burundi?

The evidenced compulsory categories are motor-vehicle third-party liability, transport of goods and imported freight, professional liability for doctors, professional liability for lawyers, fire and explosion liability for commercial-building operators, fire and explosion cover for administrative buildings, and construction-risk insurance.

How do employees qualify for INSS pension and occupational-risk insurance in Burundi?

Employers register covered workers with the Institut National de Sécurité Sociale (INSS), including employees covered by the Labour Code, public-contract workers, military personnel, local-authority workers, trainees and apprentices. INSS provides occupational-risk cover and pensions; an old-age pension generally requires age 60, at least 15 years of insurance and at least 60 months of insurance during the previous 10 years.

How should a customer challenge a delayed or rejected private insurance claim in Burundi?

The customer should first submit a written complaint and supporting documents to the insurer or intermediary. If the refusal, delay or dispute remains unresolved, the customer can contact ARCA at arca@arca.bi or +257 22 27 63 46/47, at 51 Boulevard du Japon, Ministry of Finance building, second floor, Bujumbura.

What should a customer check before taking out private insurance in Burundi?

The customer should verify the current licence and status of the insurer, broker, agent général or authorised bancassurance channel, because public lists can contain provisional entries and website information may lag. The policy should be issued in the policyholder’s name, the approved tariff should be displayed, and the customer should keep the policy, attestation, premium receipts and claim instructions.

Insurance in Burundi

Insurance in Burundi includes statutory social-security cover and private contracts for people, property, vehicles, liability and income-related risks. The Institut National de Sécurité Sociale (INSS) covers occupational risks and pensions, while private insurers offer Vie and Non Vie products. Third-party motor liability insurance is compulsory, and access, premiums, claims and cancellation depend on the relevant scheme and policy.

Tip

In Burundi, secure compulsory motor liability and statutory INSS obligations before adding optional private cover. Choose private insurance only after checking the provider’s current licence, the exact protection for your risk and the written claims procedure. Do not assume that commercial-building insurance protects your own property or that a policy renews or transfers automatically.

byNadine&Arnaud

Burundi has an established formal insurance market alongside statutory social-security systems. The Agence de Régulation et de Contrôle des Assurances (ARCA) supervises insurers and intermediaries, while the Commission de Supervision et de Régulation des Assurances (CSRA) decides on authorisations after ARCA review. The ministry responsible for insurance, the communes and the Ministry of Interior also have specific administrative responsibilities. ASSUR, the Association des Assureurs du Burundi, represents insurers. ARCA reported 12 Non Vie insurers, 11 Vie insurers, 29 brokerage companies, five financial establishments and three microfinance institutions offering bancassurance, with 568 insurer employees and turnover of 138.4 billion FBU in 2024. Insurance penetration was 0.97%, consisting of 0.61% for Non Vie and 0.36% for Vie, so private cover exists but remains less widely used than compulsory and statutory schemes. The reported global claims ratio was 51.40%, solvency was 497.5% and coverage of commitments was 129.2%.