Britam General Insurance has unveiled a drive-through claims facility powered by artificial intelligence that processes and pays motor insurance claims within two hours, cutting sharply from the industry standard of five working days.
The Britam AI Motor Assessment Service, based at Britam Centre in Nairobi, targets comprehensive motor insurance policyholders whose vehicles have sustained minor damage. Vehicles are photographed and assessed by AI in about 15 minutes, after which a digital claim form is sent to the customer’s phone. Claims are reviewed internally within 30 minutes, with settlement via bank transfer, M-Pesa, or a repair order from Britam’s panel of garages completing the process within an hour.
James Mbithi, CEO of Britam General Insurance, said the service represents a fundamental shift in how the company delivers its insurance promise.
“Five working days is no longer acceptable. Our AI platform assesses vehicles and settles claims within two hours. We aim to enable customers to complete the process at the scene of an accident in the future,” he said.
The AI system uses three integrated models: a vehicle object detection model to validate images, a damage detection model using computer vision to classify type and severity of damage, and a price discovery engine that aggregates real-time data from suppliers and repairers to generate cost estimates.
Fraud has long challenged the Kenyan motor insurance sector. Data from the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA) shows insurers rejected 22,364 claims worth Ksh 658.9 million in the first quarter of 2025, some due to suspected fraud or improper documentation.
Britam said the platform reduces the risk of manipulated photos, inflated repair quotes, and inconsistent assessments, building on a five-year data-driven framework tracking parts prices. Currently, the service is limited to driveable vehicles with minor damage and is available only to holders of comprehensive motor policies.