MPs fault police employer, insurer over delays in compensating officers who died at work

MPs have faulted the National Police Service (NPS) and its contracted insurer, Britam Insurance, over delays in paying claims to families of officers who died in the line of duty.

The National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) raised concerns after it merged that the insurer is yet to settle up to Sh220 million claims.

The revelations are captured in the 2022/23 audit report.

According to Auditor General Nancy Gathungu, the claims have breached the timelines stated in the contract.

Appearing before the committee chaired by Butere MP Tindi Mwale, NPS team led by Bernice Sialaal Lemedeket admitted the delays, but told lawmakers that progress have since been made in settling the claims following sustained pressure from Parliament.

“It is true that the time of audit (November 2023) , Britam had not yet paid Sh220 in respect to group Life Sum Assured. Out of these 96 cases amounting to Sh205 million have been fully settled, three cases amounting to Sh6 million are in the processing stage,” Lemedeket told the committee.

Another two cases amounting to Sh3.4 million were settled by KRA since the officers were on secondment at the time of death.

MPs however dismissed the explanation saying the figures did not address the deeper problem of delays.

According to the Committee, the delays had caused unnecessary suffering to bereaved families.

Aldai MP Maryanne Kitany questioned why settlement was taking years, yet premiums are expected to be paid promptly once contracts are awarded.

“Families have been devastated. The loss alone is devastating, more so when the police officer died in the line of duty. Yet settlement is taking too long, while premiums were paid,” she said.

Mathioya MP Edwin Mugo was particularly critical of the explanation that some cases were still under processing, citing examples where the date of loss was in 2023 but payments were being made as late as 2025.

“What do you mean by processing? Three years is far too long. This money can help the family educate children and deal with other needs,” he told the NPS team.

Committee members demanded to know whether the insurer was complying with the service level agreement (SLA), and why claims were not being settled within the timelines provided for in the contract.

Teso South MP Mary Emase said while it was commendable that most of the flagged amount had been paid, the Auditor-General’s figure could represent only a fraction of what officers’ families were still owed.

She warned that there could be additional pending claims running into hundreds of millions of shillings beyond what the audit captured.

“My worry is how we can get it right on time. Assuming your dad was a police officer, died in line of duty, then you start being taken in circles for three or five years, that’s when you are paid,” she said.

In their response, the NPS team said delays were sometimes caused by funding constraints, citing exchequer challenges that affect timely payment of insurance premiums.

Lemedeket told the committee that the police service requires stronger budgetary support to ensure insurance obligations are paid on time, arguing that when premiums delay, insurers are unable to release claims promptly.

She also said the NPS was reviewing internal processes to improve efficiency and ensure officers or families submit documentation promptly, noting that some claimants do not respond when required to finalise processing.

Britam Manager Benard Murage, who appeared alongside NPS officials, acknowledged that premium payments were central to efficient operations, describing insurance as a “cash-and-carry” business model where claims are easier to settle when premiums are up to date.

However, MPs insisted that delays had also been worsened by what they described as an insurance industry culture of dragging claims, even for ordinary citizens.

Mwale argued that insurers often withhold payments even in private policies such as comprehensive motor vehicle insurance, leaving clients frustrated and financially strained.

“That habit is also an insurance companies’ culture delaying, holding claims — and trading with the money,” he  said, adding that without parliamentary summons, many claims would likely remain unpaid.

The committee further urged NPS and Britam to adopt innovations to help officers submit and track claims faster, including mobile-based systems, digital uploads and user-friendly platforms.