The COMESA Yellow Card is the third-party motor vehicle insurance certificate required for all self-drive hire vehicles crossing international borders within the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) member countries — covering Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and 17 other African states in a single insurance instrument. Without a valid East Africa cross-border COMESA Yellow Card, a hire vehicle that crosses from Kenya into Tanzania or Uganda is uninsured for third-party liability (injury to other people or damage to other vehicles) under the destination country’s road traffic laws. Every reputable East Africa hire company provides the COMESA Yellow Card as part of the cross-border documentation package — this guide explains what the card covers, what it costs, and the specific scenarios where East Africa police check and enforce it.
What the COMESA Yellow Card Covers
- Third-party bodily injury: Compensates other people injured in an accident involving the hire vehicle, in the foreign country where the accident occurred. This is the core function — medical costs for injured third parties are covered up to the policy limit.
- Third-party property damage: Compensates other vehicles or property damaged by the hire vehicle in the foreign country.
- Does NOT cover: The hire vehicle itself (vehicle damage is covered by the hire company’s CDW policy, not the Yellow Card); the driver or passengers (personal accident cover is a separate policy).
COMESA Yellow Card Cost and Who Provides It
- Who issues it: The COMESA Yellow Card is issued by licensed insurance underwriters in each member country — in Kenya, through APA Insurance, Jubilee, and others; in Uganda, through UAP, Jubilee, and others. The hire company arranges the Yellow Card on the hirer’s behalf as part of the cross-border documentation package.
- Cost: USD 35 to 55 per country per month (varies by country pair and underwriter). For a hire vehicle crossing from Kenya into Tanzania for 14 days, the Yellow Card for Tanzania would be approximately USD 45 to 55. For Uganda into Rwanda, USD 35 to 45.
- Duration: Yellow Cards are issued for 1 month minimum or longer — a 10-day Tanzania visit requires at least a 1-month Tanzania Yellow Card.
- Number of cards: Each country requires its own Yellow Card endorsement. A 3-country circuit (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda) requires 3 separate Yellow Card country entries, usually consolidated on one document.
When Police Check the COMESA Yellow Card
- At every East Africa border crossing: The immigration and customs officer checks the Yellow Card as part of the vehicle entry documentation (along with the log book and authorisation letter). An expired or missing Yellow Card will prevent entry.
- At police roadblocks: Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania police roadblocks (common on main highways, particularly near towns) check vehicle documents including the Yellow Card.
- After an accident: The Yellow Card is presented to the destination country’s police officer attending a collision as proof of third-party insurance coverage.
Carrying the Yellow Card: Physical vs Digital
The COMESA Yellow Card must be carried as a physical printed document in the vehicle — digital copies on a phone are not accepted at East Africa borders or roadblocks. Ensure the hire company provides the physical card at vehicle collection, and keep it in the vehicle glovebox alongside the log book and authorisation letter throughout the trip.
