The government is undertaking public consultations on a proposed Road Accident Fund (RAF) Bill. The objective is to provide timely medical care to accident victims, cover funeral expenses and offer compensation to the injured and families of the deceased.
The proposed Bill sets out a diversified funding base for the fund, including the reallocation of 35% of all motor third-party insurance premiums directly into the fund.
At the same time, the Government is considering imposing levies on vehicle imports to fund accident recovery services.
Other proposed sources of funding include duties on alcohol and cigarettes, and a share of traffic fines.
Feedback received during the consultation will be used to refine the final version of the Bill before it is presented to Parliament.
The proposed law would replace the country’s mandatory fault-based third-party motor insurance system with a no-fault compensation model allowing road traffic accident victims to access benefits without having to prove liability.
The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development says that a road traffic accident occurs every 15 minutes in Zimbabwe, resulting in more than 1,800 deaths and over 10,000 injuries annually.
The RAF Bill was approved by the Cabinet in mid-2025.
A Cabinet statement issued then said, “The Road Accident Fund Bill seeks to address the current post-accident management framework, with the existing insurance packages lacking provisions for immediate evacuation of accident survivors to medical facilities. Emergency services providers are reluctant to provide medical services in instances when payment for service is not guaranteed.”
The insurance industry has indicated that the implementation of the Fund would result in a loss of business and income generated from motor insurance.