In DR Congo, no takaful operator or Islamic window has been identified so far. The market, supervised by ARCA under Law No. 15/005 of 2015, remains conventional, and residents are prohibited from buying a policy directly from an insurer abroad.
ARCA, the watchdog of the Congolese sector
The Insurance Regulatory and Supervisory Authority, known as ARCA, licenses insurers and brokers in DR Congo. It enforces the Insurance Code, which stems from Law No. 15/005 of 17 March 2015, and issues circulars and public notices to the market.
Kinshasa outside the CIMA zone
Unlike Brazzaville, Kinshasa has not joined the CIMA Treaty, which brings together fourteen African states. Regional rules on microinsurance or licensing therefore do not apply, and Congolese law alone governs the contracts sold to residents of the country.
No dedicated takaful legislation
The sources reviewed show no takaful regulation, no Islamic licence category and no sharia board requirement in ARCA rules. An investor hoping to launch a participants' fund would therefore have to negotiate a framework case by case with the regulator.
Who insures the Congolese today
In 2024 the non-life market included Rawsur, SFA, Sonas, Activa, Mayfair, GPA and SUNU, alongside three life insurers and two reinsurers. AFRISSUR SA received its licence in 2020. None of these companies advertises a takaful product.
A market worth 378 million dollars
According to Atlas Magazine, premiums reached about USD 378 million in 2024, of which 342.8 million came from non-life and 35.1 million from life. The ARCA director general had cited roughly USD 320 million for 2023, a sign of rapid growth.
Why a foreign takaful policy is a problem
In a notice issued in November 2020, ARCA prohibited anyone living in DR Congo from taking out insurance directly with a foreign company. A takaful contract bought online in Dubai or Malaysia is therefore not a lawful alternative for a resident.
Reading a conventional contract through a sharia lens
Without an Islamic offer, believers can scrutinise the savings element of a life policy, often backed by interest-bearing investments, and favour pure risk cover. Understanding gharar and contractual uncertainty helps spot the problematic clauses in a policy.
Community solidarity as a stopgap
In the Muslim communities of Kinshasa, Kisangani and Maniema, mutual aid funds sometimes pay for funerals or medical care. These schemes resemble a mutual, yet they are neither licensed nor supervised by ARCA, as our comparison of takaful and mutual insurance explains.
Hajj, Umrah and repatriation from Kinshasa
Congolese pilgrims must check the health cover required by the Saudi authorities and the cover included in their travel package. For the diaspora living in Europe, Islamic-compliant repatriation of remains bought in the country of residence remains perfectly lawful.
Motor third-party liability: no exemption
Third-party liability insurance for vehicles on the road remains compulsory in DR Congo. No religious consideration allows anyone to drive without a certificate, and the lack of a takaful motor product means using ARCA-licensed insurers for now.
Which model for a future operator
A launch in DR Congo could draw on the wakala model, in which the operator earns a fixed fee and returns any surplus to participants. Neighbouring Congo-Brazzaville, a CIMA member offers another regulatory point of comparison for policymakers.
Signals worth watching
An ARCA licence mentioning an Islamic window, a circular on sharia-compliant products or the arrival of an Islamic bank in the Congolese market would be the first indicators. Nothing of the kind had been identified in the sources checked in 2026.
How a Congolese resident can look for ethical insurance
- Check ARCA's list of licensed companies to confirm that the insurer or broker you contact is authorised to operate in DR Congo.
- Ask the insurer in writing whether it has an Islamic product, a sharia board or an interest-free investment policy.
- Favour pure risk cover such as liability or fire rather than life policies with an interest-bearing savings component.
- Compare the exclusions, deductibles and claim settlement times of two or three licensed companies before signing.
- Members of the diaspora should buy repatriation cover in their country of residence from an insurer lawfully established there.
What drives the price of a policy in DR Congo
| Item | ARCA-licensed conventional contract | Equivalent in a takaful model |
|---|---|---|
| Premium or contribution | Commercial premium set by the insurer according to risk | Contribution paid into the participants' fund (tabarru) |
| Company remuneration | Margin built into the premium, linked to claims experience | Wakala fee disclosed in advance |
| Underwriting result | Kept by the shareholder | Surplus possibly redistributed to participants |
| Investments | Unrestricted, often interest-bearing bonds | Sharia-compliant assets approved by a board |
| Deductible | Depends on the cover and the vehicle or property | Same logic, set out in the contract |
Documents a Congolese insurer usually asks for
- Voter card, passport or other valid identity document
- Proof of address in Kinshasa or in the provinces
- Vehicle registration card and driving licence for motor insurance
- Title deed or lease for a home or business premises
- Medical questionnaire for health or death cover
- Trade register entry (RCCM) and national identification number for a business
Common mistakes in DR Congo
- Buying a takaful policy online from a foreign company, even though ARCA bars residents from direct insurance outside the country.
- Trusting an intermediary who promises a halal product but cannot show an ARCA licence or a sharia board fatwa.
- Skipping compulsory motor insurance because no Islamic product exists, which exposes you to penalties and unlimited personal liability after an accident.
- Treating a neighbourhood mutual aid fund as if it were insurance, although nothing legally obliges it to pay out.
- Overlooking the interest-bearing savings component of a conventional life policy before signing up.
Your questions on Islamic insurance in Congo-Kinshasa
Is there a licensed takaful company in DR Congo?
No. The sources consulted in 2026 mention no takaful operator and no Islamic window among the insurers licensed by ARCA, whether Sonas, Rawsur, Activa, SUNU or any of the other companies active in the market.
Can I buy a takaful policy in Dubai while living in Kinshasa?
ARCA's November 2020 notice prohibits people residing in DR Congo from taking out insurance directly abroad. Such a contract would be irregular and might not be recognised locally in the event of a claim or a dispute.
Does DR Congo apply the CIMA Code?
No. DR Congo is not one of the fourteen CIMA member states. Its market is governed by Law No. 15/005 of 17 March 2015 establishing the Insurance Code and is supervised by ARCA.
What should I do while waiting for a sharia-compliant offer?
Comply with compulsory insurance, favour pure risk cover, avoid interest-bearing savings and consult a trusted scholar. Opinions supporting cooperative takaful do not automatically validate a conventional contract, so the assessment remains a personal one.