Sh1,000 NIC cover offers passengers Shs10m accident protection

What the report says

NIC Life Assurance Company Limited has introduced a new passenger micro-life insurance product called Route Cover for travellers on participating long-distance buses in Uganda. According to The Independent Uganda, the cover was launched in Kampala at Skyz Hotel in Naguru, with Apollo Kashanku, Assistant Commissioner for Transport Regulation and Safety at the Ministry of Works and Transport, attending as chief guest.

The product is designed to be bought alongside a bus ticket for Shs1,000 and is tied to a specific journey rather than an annual policy. The reported benefits include Shs10 million for death, Shs10 million for total permanent disability and Shs50,000 in hospital cash per day for up to 20 days after an insured accident. NIC Life says the aim is to help passengers and their families cope with medical bills, lost income and funeral costs after road crashes.

Company chief executive Allen Amoko said the initiative is meant to make insurance more accessible and useful to ordinary passengers. Kashanku said passenger protection should include financial support when accidents happen, not just road safety measures that focus on prevention.

The insurer is now working with Uganda Bus Owners Association members and other stakeholders on registration, premium collection, pilot arrangements and a wider rollout. The broader context is Uganda’s continuing struggle with the human and financial impact of road crashes, which can leave families vulnerable even after an accident ends.