Nairobi, Sept. 14 -- When a fire reportedly destroyed more than 50 vehicles at a garage, many Kenyans understandably focused on one question: who will pay for the loss? That question matters.

But as the Association of Kenya Insurers, we believe the incident should also prompt a broader conversation about preparedness, responsibility and the role of insurance as a tool for resilience for both customers and garage businesses.

Insurance works best when the coverage is understood before disaster strikes. Yet too often, the policy is only examined after the unfortunate incident has occurred. At that point, individuals and businesses face losses that are difficult to absorb without the right protection in place.

For vehicle owners, the first...