Masai Mara, 11 May 2024
In recent weeks, Kenya has experienced unusually heavy rainfall, and few areas have felt the effects as severely as the Masai Mara National Reserve. Two of my colleagues and I have been on-site conducting assessments across affected safari lodges and camps.
The Masai Mara — a 1,510-square-kilometre expanse of rolling savanna plains — remains one of the world’s most iconic wildlife destinations, bordering Serengeti National Park to the south. The reserve is traversed by two major rivers: the Mara River, which flows 395 km from the Kenyan highlands through the Mara into Lake Victoria, and the Talek River, one of its five key tributaries. Together with the Sand, Tabora, Tigite, and Somonche rivers, these waterways sustain both the Mara’s ecosystem and the many safari lodges that line their banks.
The recent rains caused the Mara, Talek, and Sand Rivers to overflow and burst their banks, flooding several tented safari lodges and camps situated along their courses. The resulting damage has included structural losses, business interruption, and logistical disruptions — all requiring timely assessment and coordinated claims response.
Preparedness in Catastrophe Claims
For practitioners in loss adjusting and claims management, such incidents highlight the importance of readiness. Catastrophe-related losses, particularly in ecologically sensitive or tourism-dependent regions, demand both technical precision and environmental awareness.
Understanding how natural features — such as river gradients, soil absorption, and floodplain proximity — contribute to risk is crucial for accurate damage evaluation and recovery planning. The Masai Mara floods also underline the growing urgency for insurance stakeholders to invest in risk mapping, early warning systems, and post-event claims coordination frameworks that can withstand the increasing frequency of weather-driven losses.
Training & Capacity Building
At Specialty Claims Academy (SCA), such events reinforce why continuous technical development within the insurance ecosystem is vital. Catastrophe claims require not only prompt attendance but also disciplined investigation, clear documentation, and sound quantification practices — skills that must be strengthened across markets.
SCA remains committed to supporting insurers, adjusters, and other professionals through specialized training programmes in catastrophe assessment, loss documentation, and claims management for weather-related and special risks.
Organizations seeking to enhance their technical readiness in this area are encouraged to reach out for tailored training and development solutions.
📧 training@specialtyclaims.co.ke
🌐 www.specialtyclaims.co.ke
Author:
Fredrick A. Oloo
BCom (Ins.), Dip CII, Dip CILA
Lead Trainer & Director – Specialty Claims Academy (SCA)
( Also: Managing Director – Niche Loss Adjusters & Marine Surveyors Ltd
Council Member – Institute of Loss Adjusters & Risk Surveyors (IARS – Kenya)
Committee Member – Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters (CILA – UK)’s Future Focus Special Interest Group
