SHA Shares Conditions for Keeping Children Over 18 as Dependants [FULL DETAILS]

The Social Health Authority (SHA) has clarified that children under the age of eighteen can continue to benefit as dependants under their parents’ or guardians’ health insurance.

In a public notice by SHA dated July 28 2026, SHA says students who are above eighteen years but are still enrolled in high school or college are still eligible for dependent coverage until they turn 21.

According to SHA, the first requirement is that the child should be registered individually as a SHA member before they can be added as a dependent on another person’s account.

“Are they above 18 and they’re still in school and under 21? They remain eligible,” SHA stated in the notice.

SHA Requirements

After they register, their parent or guardian can now add them as a dependant to their own SHA account.

However, SHA noted that the registration will only be complete once the parent uploads documentation confirming if the dependant is actually enrolled in school.

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Documents are to be used in the process of verification before the dependant is approved into the SHA cover.

This clarification on this matter comes as SHA continues to educate Kenyans on eligibility and registration and how the system works.

Families To Benefit

Families with children above 18 but below 21 are expected to benefit from this because they may have been unsure of whether SHA will cover their health matters.

Back then, Kenyans usually associated dependent coverage with only children below 18 years. Now those above 18 but below 21 can also benefit.

Parents To Ensure Verification

This notice addresses questions from families who seek to retain their children as dependants on their SHA after they reach adulthood.

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Parents and guardians have been urged by SHA to ensure their children who are eligible are registered properly to avoid delays in services.

SHA has been issuing regular public advisories to help Kenyans understand various aspects of the Social Health Insurance system, including member registration, dependant eligibility, benefit access and compliance requirements.

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