The Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) is designed to pool resources for healthcare services and offer affordable health insurance to Kenyans. It is established under the Social Health Insurance Act, and registration is compulsory for all employers, both in the private and public sectors. Employers and employees are required to register by 30th September 2024.
All employers who operate businesses in Kenya and have employees on their payroll must register for SHIF. This includes Public and private sector companies, Non-governmental organizations (NGOs), Government agencies and Self-employed individuals.
Employers can begin the registration process by either visiting the SHIF online portal or visiting any SHIF office across the country. The online platform allows for easier, faster, and paperless registration. Employers will need the following documents to complete the online registration process:
- Certificate of Incorporation for companies and Business Registration for sole proprietors and partnerships.
- KRA Personal Identification Number (PIN) Certificate
- Business details, including postal address, physical address, email address and contact information
- List of employees, including their names, national identification numbers and Social Health Insurance Fund numbers if already registered.
The registration form captures the employer’s details, including; Company name, Nature of business, Number of employees and Contact information (email, phone number, and physical address). This form can be filled in online via the SHIF portal or manually at a SHIF office. Once SHIF processes the registration, employers will receive a confirmation email with details of their registration. This will include a unique employer number, which will be used for all future transactions with SHIF.
Employers are required to remit monthly contributions on behalf of their employees. The contribution shall be a standard contribution at a rate of 2.75% of the gross monthly salary but subject to a minimum of Kshs 300 per month.