In this second podcast of our four-part series "Life behind the numbers", in partnership with Discovery Life, we look at how you can use life cover not only to provide for the unexpected, but also to save towards your child’s education. I have two...
In this first podcast of our four-part series “Life behind the numbers”, in partnership with Discovery Life, we look at the data to understand how our lifestyle choices influence the outcomes of disease and mortality risk. What can we all do today...
Deshni Subbiah, chair of the Short-term Insurance Committee of the Actuarial Society of South Africa (ASSA) explains that homeowners may have building cover without even realising it. If you are repaying a home loan but didn’t take out...
With many South Africans unable to afford medical schemes, medical insurance is filling in the gap. But you need to be aware of its limitations. Medical schemes are becoming increasingly unaffordable for the average South African household....
The flooding across KZN has caused major damage to property. The good news is that most short-term insurance contracts will provide cover for weather-related incidents, which includes flood damage. According to Fanus Coetzee, Head of Claims at...
The Association of Savings and Investment South Africa (ASISA) recently released death claims figures which left no doubt as to the true impact of Covid-19 when it comes to mortality rates. Industry-wide figures from South African life insurers...
Ernest North, co-founder of Naked Insurance, recommends that before you decide to buy a car, you take into account all of the costs that come along with owning a vehicle. Buying a car is exciting, whether it’s a brand new model or a preowned beauty...
Many financial advisers are using life products to supplement medical costs. While current legislation does not allow for cover like critical illness insurance to be marketed as a product to cover medical costs, for most policyholders, that is...
Medical schemes remain unaffordable for many working South Africans. According to Gary Allen, chief executive at Sanlam Health, an individual should not be spending more than 10% of their income on health cover. Considering that a basic hospital...
Filing an insurance claim can feel like a complicated and confusing undertaking. Karabo Kopeka, Head of Claims at MiWay Insurance, provides tips on how to avoid some common pitfalls. Claiming from your insurance can often be a challenging task,...
When fraudsters access your personal information, they can use this information to take out a funeral policy in your name, and then claim benefits on the policy using a fake death certificate and other supporting documentation. “Finding out you are the victim of a...
Clyde Parsons, Actuarial Executive at BrightRock, explains why regular users of e-cigarettes are charged smoker rates by life insurers, and what you can do about it. For decades now, we’ve known that smoking is bad for our health – the research has conclusively shown...
When applying for a home loan, the bank will insist that you take out home loan insurance to cover the repayments in the event of death, disability, or retrenchment. Evelyn Doubell, Private Wealth Manager at NFB Wealth Management finds that it’s usually cheaper to...
Ernest North, co-founder of AI-driven insurtech Naked, looks at some of the steps to follow before committing to a used car purchase. Numbers from TransUnion show that South Africans financed around 79 000 used vehicles in the first three months of 2021, with lenders...
The global shutdown in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic is testing the clauses of insurance policies – specifically business interruption insurance – with claimants and insurers across the world fighting it out in court. The Western Cape High Court recently issued a...
The summer rainy season is in full swing in Gauteng. The province has already seen heavy rain, flash floods and hail, and authorities have warned that more extreme weather is on the way. It is not surprising that this is the time of year that property damage due...
So you've finally found your dream home and are ready to put in an offer. Before you dive in, be sure that you conduct a home inspection. This is according to Marius Steyn, Personal Lines Underwriting Manager at Santam. Steyn suggests including a clause in your offer...
Whether you’ve recently made property upgrades or added a few new items to your home, it is time to spring clean your insurance policies to check that you are adequately covered. Your short-term insurance policy is automatically renewed almost every year but it is up...
An unexpected side-effect of lockdown has been smaller-than-usual annual medical aid premium increases. Despite fears that the outbreak of COVID-19 would result in high claims from medical scheme members, and a resultant increase in the cost of healthcare, the...
It is important to understand how your life policy works and what your options are if you find that you are no longer able to afford your premiums. While the outbreak of COVID-19 raised awareness around the need for life cover, especially for those with financial...