A funeral cover is a very important aspect of funeral planning and choosing the right funeral cover is essential. It is an insurance policy that provides financial protection for the family of the deceased. It helps pay for expenses incurred during the funeral service.
Funeral covers are designed to pay out a lump sum upon the death of the insured or the covered family members. They come in handy as they offer financial help at the most crucial time.
Funeral insurance premiums vary as the amount you pay is dependent on the cover amount option you select, who you cover, and the benefits of the plan you want.
In this article, we provide a list of the top funeral covers available in South Africa.
1. African Bank Funeral Cover
African Bank offers funeral plans that are affordable and easy to apply. You do not need to have an active bank account with African Bank to apply for a funeral cover with them.
From paying as little as R22 monthly you can add up to 8 members and may receive a cover of up to R100 000.
Their claiming process is quick as it can be done online by submitting the following certified documents:
· Main member’s South African Identity Document.
· Beneficiary’s South African Identity Document (if not the main member).
· Beneficiary’s most recent bank statement.
· The deceased’s South African Identity Document (or birth certificate for minors).
· The deceased’s death certificate.
Some of the key benefits include:
· Limited waiting period – 4 months for the natural death of an immediate family member and 6 months for extended family members.
· There is no waiting period for accidental death.
· No medical examination.
· They also offer a new-born premium waiver and new-born cover for the first 30 days from the date of birth.
Apply for an African Bank Funeral Cover online.
2. Clientèle Funeral Cover
Clientele values the importance of planning and knowing where you stand financially in the unfortunate event of death.
They offer affordable funeral plans (Funeral Dignity Plan and Ultimate Dignity Plan) that start from R270 p/m and pay up to R100,000.
Both covers come with the following basic benefits:
· Cover up to 13 people on 1 plan.
· Pays out within just 24 hours.
· R200 airtime when you claim.
· Includes a grocery, transport, and unveiling benefit.
The Clientèle Ultimate Dignity Plan is the Funeral plan that will pay back all your premiums in cash in addition to your cover amount.
You may apply for a Clientèle funeral cover online or by contacting their office to be assisted by the agent.
3. Hollard Funeral Cover
Hollard also offers flexible funeral covers that pay out in the unfortunate event of a death of a loved one. Any person between the ages of 18 -75 qualifies to take out a policy with Hollard.
The policyholder can cover their partner, children, and parents-in-law and will be insured for:
· Telephone legal assistance
· Burial
· R250 airtime benefit
4. Assupol Funeral Cover
Assupol has made it easier for everyone to plan through their funeral cover products that provide all the financial and practical help that one would need during a difficult time.
They have 4 funeral products that include unique benefits:
· Instant Funeral – An online funeral cover that can be applied for within 10 minutes and will only start paying premiums the following month after applying. This plan covers accidental death, Assupol on-call, family income, premium waivers, and cashback.
· Face-to-face (Excellence Family Funeral Plan) – Recommended for people that prefer to be assisted by experienced, professional, and accredited brokers. From paying as little as R70 per month, you and your loved one will be assured of a dignified funeral, pay out of R100 000 for the policyholder and spouse R75 000 for all other dependants.
· Telephone (Absolute Advantage Funeral Plan) – Allows people to do financial planning from the comfort of their home and it covers much more than just funeral benefits.
· Government Grant (Cornerstone Pensioner Plan) – A funeral cover specially made for government grant recipients. It has no age limit and medical examination is not required; premiums get deducted directly from the state grant.
Click here to get an Assupol Funeral Cover Quote
5. Sanlam Funeral Cover
Sanlam remains committed to offering financial assistance through their simple and affordable funeral plans. They have different plans that are made to fit the needs of each individual, this is Value Funeral Plans, Value Family Funeral Plans, My Choice Enhanced Funeral Plans, and My Choice Enhanced Family Funeral Plans.
All these plans provide a pay out of up to R100 000 and you can cover your spouse, children, parents, and wider/extended family.
You may also want to check out the following funeral covers:
In conclusion, it is all up to you to choose the perfect plan to cover you and your loved ones. For your peace of mind, if you don’t have an active funeral cover, it is time to start thinking about it.
You can’t start by contacting a few reputable funeral cover providers to compare the premiums and benefits.
Note the important stuff like when will the cover come into effect as some have waiting periods.
Also, ask who their underwriter is because if for example you open two funeral covers from different providers and it happens that both providers use the same underwriter you will only receive a pay out from one cover instead of two.