Zuko Komisa

- South African life insurers paid out R39.5 billion in death and funeral benefits in 2024, settling 95.6% of claims.
- A total of 914 258 claims were processed by ASISA members, with 873,825 being successfully paid.
- The 40,433 claims that were declined were mainly due to dishonesty, fraud, or contractual exclusions like suicide within the first two years.
Life insurers in South Africa, represented by the Association for Savings and Investment South Africa (ASISA), paid out a staggering R39.5 billion in death and funeral benefits last year.
The figures, released in ASISA’s 2024 annual report, reveal that the industry settled 95.6% of all claims received.
The data shows that ASISA members processed a total of 914 258 claims across various policy types, including individual life, credit life, funeral, and universal life policies.
Of these, 873 825 claims were successfully paid to beneficiaries.
However, a total of 40 433 claims were declined.
According to ASISA, the primary reasons for these rejections included instances of dishonesty and fraud, as well as contractual exclusions. A common exclusion is suicide, particularly if it occurs within the first two years of a policy being in effect.
Kaya Biz with Gugulethu Mfuphi spoke to Gareth Friedlander, a member of the ASISA Life and Risk Board Committee about these figures.
Listen to the full conversation here:
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