Insurance claim deadline calculator
When must a Tanzanian insurer pay?
TIRA's maximum times, checked 28 October 2026. They are limits, not promises: a simple claim is often faster.
| Step | Time | Latest date |
|---|---|---|
| You: Notify the insurer in writing (letter, e-mail…); a phone call within 24 hours is allowed first | 7 days | Wed, 4 Nov 2026 |
| Insurer: Acknowledge in writing and give you the claim form and the list of documents (48 hours) | 2 days | Fri, 6 Nov 2026 |
| You: Return the completed claim form with the documents | 7 days | Fri, 13 Nov 2026 |
| Insurer: Contact any other insurer involved (72 hours, where applicable) | 3 days | Mon, 16 Nov 2026 |
| Insurer: Admit the claim and issue the discharge voucher — or refuse in writing, with reasons | 7 days | Mon, 23 Nov 2026 |
| You: Sign (execute) the discharge voucher and return it | 7 days | Mon, 30 Nov 2026 |
| Insurer: Pay the claim (Insurance Act s.131(1)) | 45 days | Thu, 14 Jan 2027 |
| Step | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Complain to the insurer's complaints desk the day after | Fri, 15 Jan 2027 |
| Insurer must resolve it (14 working days) | Thu, 4 Feb 2027 — the Commissioner may extend by at most 14 days |
| No reply? Complain to TIRA (after 21 working days) | From Mon, 15 Feb 2027; or within 30 days of the insurer's decision |
Working days skip weekends but not public holidays. Your policy may set its own notice period; the insurer's written decision and TIRA decide your case.
What next: How to complain to TIRA · Check a cover on TIRAMIS
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How the calculator works
It chains the turnaround times of TIRA's Insurance Claims Management Guidelines (July 2025), assuming each party uses its full time, and ends with the 45-day payment rule of section 131 of the Insurance Act:
| Step | Time allowed | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Written notice of the loss (verbal first within 24 hours) | 7 days | Guidelines item 13 |
| Insurer acknowledges and gives the claim form and document list | 48 hours | Item 14(1)(i)-(ii) |
| You return the form and documents | 7 days | Item 14(1)(iv) |
| Insurer contacts other insurers involved | 72 hours | Item 14(1)(v) |
| Assessor appointed / report / re-assessment (only if needed) | 14 / 30 / 14 days | Items 14(1)(vi), 16 |
| Discharge voucher issued, or refusal in writing with reasons | 7 days | Items 15, 17 |
| You sign the discharge voucher | 7 days | Appendix 1 |
| Payment | 45 days from receipt of the signed voucher (+ at most 45 on extension) | Insurance Act s.131 |
TIRA's own summary puts the total at 78–92 days without assessment and 120–136 days with one. If you already signed the discharge voucher, enter the date the insurer received it: the calculator then counts the 45 days from that date.
Worked example
Juma's car is hit in Dar es Salaam on 3 November 2026 and the damage needs an assessor. If every step uses its full time: written notice by 10 November, claim form by 12 November, documents back by 19 November, other insurer contacted by 22 November, assessor appointed by 6 December, report by 5 January 2027, discharge voucher by 12 January, signed by 19 January, and payment by 5 March 2027 (122 days). If the insurer gets an extension from the Commissioner, the absolute limit becomes 19 April 2027.
If the insurer is late
- Write to the insurer's complaints desk: it must resolve your complaint within 14 working days; the Commissioner may give it at most 14 more days (Complaints Guidelines item 14).
- If there is no answer after 21 working days, or you disagree with the decision, complain to TIRA — within 30 days of the insurer's decision (item 15).
- Failing to pay a signed discharge voucher within 45 days is one of the complaints TIRA's guidelines name, and the Act treats it as a bad faith claim, which exposes the insurer to the penalties of section 167.
Step by step: how to complain about an insurer in Tanzania. To check that a motor cover was valid on the day, use TIRAMIS.
Limits of this calculator
These are maximum times set by the regulator, not a forecast of your claim; your policy may ask for faster notice, and a claim the insurer refuses follows the complaint route instead. Working days skip weekends but not public holidays. Third-party claims for injury or death need extra documents (police forms PF 3, 90, 93 and 115, medical or post-mortem reports), which can take longer to collect.
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Frequently asked questions
How long does an insurance company take to pay a claim in Tanzania?
At most 45 days after it receives your signed discharge voucher (Insurance Act s.131), extendable once by up to 45 days by the Commissioner. From the loss itself, TIRA's guidelines add up to 78–92 days without assessment and 120–136 days with one.
What is a discharge voucher?
The document in which the insurer offers a settlement amount; once you sign it, the 45-day payment period starts. The insurer must issue it within 7 days of your final documents or of the assessment report.
How soon must I report an accident to my insurer?
Verbally within 24 hours if you can, and in writing within 7 days, giving the date, time, place and circumstances of the loss (TIRA guidelines item 13).
What if the insurer does not pay within 45 days?
It becomes a bad faith claim under section 131 unless the Commissioner extended the time. Complain to the insurer's complaints desk, then to TIRA after 21 working days without an answer.
Muda wa kulipwa madai ya bima ni siku ngapi?
Kampuni ya bima inapaswa kulipa ndani ya siku 45 tangu kupokea hati ya kuridhia malipo iliyosainiwa (Kifungu cha 131); Kamishna anaweza kuongeza hadi siku 45.