Sanlam online Family Funeral Plan Insurance FAQ

Q: Who receives the funeral cover amount in the event of death of a covered person?

• In the case of the death of an Additional Covered Person, the Primary Covered Person is the automatic beneficiary of the funeral policy.
• In the case of the death of the Primary Cover Person, the Primary Covered Person’s nominated beneficiary will receive the cover amount of the Family Funeral Plan.
• It is the responsibility of the Primary Covered Person to nominate the beneficiary of their funeral insurance policy. In order to nominate a beneficiary for your funeral cover, simply click here, or call The Sanlam Contact Centre team on Sharecall 0860 426 837 (0860 icover).

Q: Can I cancel my Family Funeral Plan??

If you are the Primary Covered Person on your Funeral Plan, you may cancel your policy by giving one month’s notice to Sanlam. In order to do so, simply call The Sanlam Contact Centre team on Sharecall 0860 426 837 (0860 icover). Your cancellation will take place with immediate effect, and you, along with any family members on your funeral plan, will no longer be covered by funeral insurance. Please note that unless you cancel your Family Funeral Plan within the cooling-off period, you will not qualify for a refund on any premiums already paid.  

Q: Can changes be made to my Sanlam online Family Funeral Plan?

Yes! Please note, however, that only the Primary Covered Person can make changes to the Family Funeral Plan, which might include, for example: the addition of a spouse/partner or new family member to the plan, an increase in the amount of funeral cover, or the nomination of a new beneficiary.

The addition and removal of Covered Persons to and from the Family Funeral Plan is permitted, however any changes will only come into effect on the monthly anniversary of the plan. If, for example, the commencement date of your plan is 15 June 2012, then your monthly anniversary will fall on the 15th of each month. Your premiums will therefore be due on 15 July, 15 August, and so on. Any changes to your funeral plan that have a direct bearing on your monthly funeral insurance premium (such as the addition or removal of Covered Persons) will therefore only come into effect on the monthly anniversary of your plan.

Every time a new Additional Covered Person is added to your Family Funeral Plan, the 12-month waiting period on claims relating to death by natural causes will apply, with the exception of minor children who become adult children, and are added to the plan as Additional Covered Persons immediately upon turning 21.

Q: How do I go about making a funeral insurance claim with Sanlam?

In the event of the death of a Covered Person on your Family Funeral Plan, you, or your nominated beneficiary in the case of your own death, can begin the claims process either by visiting the Claims section on the website, or by calling The Sanlam Contact Centre on Sharecall 0860 426 837 (0860 icover). Please note that you will need to provide documentation such a death certificate and certified copy of your ID, in order for your funeral cover claim to be processed. 

Q: How long does it take for a claim to be paid?

Successful funeral insurance claims are usually paid within 48 hours, once all required documents (e.g. death certificate) have been received and verified by Sanlam.

Q: In which currency is payment of the claim made?

All payments under the Sanlam Family Funeral Plan are made in South Africa, and are paid to beneficiaries in South African Rand (ZAR).

Q: Who do I speak to if I am dissatisfied with the Sanlam online Family Funeral Plan I have bought or the service I have received from Sanlam?

Sanlam is committed to service excellence and fully subscribes to the aims and conditions of the Policy Protection Rules (PPR) published under the Long-Term Insurance Act and the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act (FAIS). Should you ever have a complaint concerning your Family Funeral Plan, or any customer service you may have received, please contact us on Sharecall 0860 426 837 (0860 icover) or email us at icover@sanlam.co.za and we will do our best to resolve your concerns as quickly and efficiently as possible.

If you feel that your complaint has not been resolved to your satisfaction, kindly contact our complaints management team at internalcomplaints@sanlamsky.co.za.

Alternatively if you are still not satisfied, you may contact:

1. The Ombudsman for Long-Term Insurance (for product or service-related complaints).

Write to:
The Ombudsman
Private Bag X45
Claremont
7735
Tel: 021 657 5000 or Sharecall: 0860 103 236
Fax: 021 674 0951
Email: info@ombud.co.za

2. The FAIS Ombudsman (for purchase-related complaints)

Sharecall: 0860 103 236 (0860FAISOM)
Fax: 012 348 3447
Email: info@faisombud.co.za

Q: Does the Sanlam online Family Funeral Plan offer a 'cooling-off' period?

Yes it does. As one of the most convenient and affordable insurance policies in South Africa, Sanlam offers the Primary Covered Person the option of cancelling their Sanlam online Family Funeral Plan within one month of the commencement date. Should you choose to make use of this one-month cooling-off period, simply call us on Sharecall >0860 426 837< (0860 icover) to inform us of your cancellation. Once you do so, Sanlam will refund all premiums already paid, minus any expenses or costs incurred in respect of your plan up to its cancellation.

Q: Once I purchase a Family Funeral Plan, when will my cover begin?

As one of the top insurance policies in South Africa, the Sanlam online Family Funeral Plan will begin to cover you and any family members on your plan as of the exact date and time your first monthly premium is paid. For your convenience, an official Schedule of Benefits, detailing all of the members on your plan and the benefits they qualify for, will be sent to you via the email address you provide during the online purchase process.

Q: What type of funeral cover am I buying?

The purpose of the Sanlam online Family Funeral Plan is to take care of any costs that may arise in the event of the death of the Primary Covered Persons or Additional Covered Persons on the plan. These could include (but are not limited to) the costs of a funeral and any other related expenses.

Q: Why is there a 12-month waiting period on cover relating to death by natural causes?

While you and the members on your Family Funeral Plan will instantly be covered against accidental death upon the purchase of your funeral policy, your death by natural causes cover will only begin 12 months from the commencement date of your plan. In this way, Sanlam is able to keep its rates as low as possible, offering consistently cheaper insurance premiums than other funeral policies in South Africa.

Q: What is the maximum amount of funeral cover a Covered Person may have?

Any person may only be covered under a maximum of 2 (two) funeral policies with Sanlam.

Q: Who can buy a Sanlam online Family Funeral Plan?

Any person who is between the ages of 18 and 64 years at the commencement date, and who has a valid South African identity number, may purchase a Sanlam online Family Funeral Plan.

Q: In whose name will the Sanlam online Family Funeral Plan be registered?

If you purchase a Sanlam online Family Funeral Plan on www.icover.co.za, you will be registered as the Primary Covered Person and the Plan will be registered in your name. Alternatively if another member of your family purchases the funeral plan, they will be registered as the policyholder.

Q: Who is eligible for cover under the Sanlam online Family Funeral Plan?

In order to include other members of your family in your Sanlam online Family Funeral Plan, you will need to first ensure that they are South African citizens with valid South African identity numbers. If the Plan is registered in your name, you will be known as the Primary Covered Person, and any minor children you may have will be registered automatically. In addition, you may also cover additional family members under your funeral plan, including your:

• Spouse/partner (older than 18 years)
• Parent/s and parent/s-in-law (provided your spouse is also covered)
• Adult siblings
• Adult children
• Any children born or adopted after the commencement date of the plan.

Q: Can Wider Family members, someone with an illness or medical condition be covered under the Family Funeral Plan?

Yes. Unlike other funeral policies in South Africa, the Family Funeral Plan will cover you regardless of any medical condition you may have - there are no medical tests needed, and no medical questions to be answered. Please note, however, that there is a 12 (twelve) month waiting period on death by natural causes; this is in order to keep your monthly premiums as affordable as possible.

Q: Am I able to include my minor brother and sister on my Family Funeral Plan?

If you are the legal guardian of your minor siblings, or they are your common-law children, they will be covered by your funeral policy automatically.

Q: Will all my children be covered under the Family Funeral Plan?

If you have any minor children, they will be covered under your Family Funeral Plan automatically until the age of 21. The maximum amount of children that can be covered under your plan is twenty (20). As soon as your children turn 21, they will be classified as adult children, and will need to be registered as Additional Covered Persons in order to benefit from your funeral insurance policy. For more information on the cover levels for minor and adult children, please refer to your Schedule of Benefits.

Q: Will any children born or adopted into my family after the commencement date of my plan also be covered?

If any children are born or adopted into your family following the commencement date of your Family Funeral Plan, they will automatically be covered for accidental death from the date that they are added. After a 12-month waiting period, they will be covered for death by natural causes as well, giving them full cover from month 13 onwards. Please note that regrettably Sanlam does not cover stillborn children in the first 28 weeks of pregnancy.

Q: I am financially responsible for my 12-year-old niece as her mother died some years ago. Can I add her to my Family Funeral Plan?

Yes. Your niece is your common-law child in the eyes of the law and therefore will be treated (legally) as one of your own children until she is 21 years old. As such, she will be covered automatically under your Family Funeral Plan, as soon as you purchase it.

Q: What happens when minor children turn 21 years old?

Once your minor children reach the age of 21, they will be classified as adult children going forward, and their automatic coverage under your Family Funeral Plan will come to an end. In order to continue their funeral insurance with Sanlam, you, as the Primary Covered Person, will need to notify us immediately so that we can add your adult children to your policy as Additional Covered Persons. As soon as we do so, we will also adjust your monthly premium in order to reflect this change. Should you follow this procedure, your adult children will not be subject to the usual 12-month waiting period on death by natural causes. If, however, you add your adult children to your Family Funeral Plan after they reach the age of 21, they will be subject to the standard 12-month waiting period on death by natural causes, from the date that they are registered under your plan.

Q: What amount will be paid out in the event of a Covered Person dying in an accident, or due to natural causes?

The cover amount paid out in the event of a funeral insurance claim will be determined by the level of cover selected at the time of the policy's purchase. Details of this amount can be found on the Family Funeral Plan Schedule of Benefits. Should you choose to cover your spouse as an Additional Covered Person, their level of cover will be the same as yours, while your children's cover will be set at various percentages of your own cover level, according to their ages. The Schedule of Benefits will indicate this.

Q: How long will my funeral cover last?

As one of the leading funeral policies in South Africa, the Sanlam online Family Funeral Plan provides lifelong cover for all persons insured under the plan from the commencement date onwards, or for as long as the Primary Covered Person continues to pay the monthly premiums, or until the death of the Primary Covered Person. Should an Additional Covered Person on the plan die, the Family Funeral Plan will continue to cover all other members, provided that all Terms and Conditions are met. However, in the event of the death of the Primary Covered Person dies, the claim will be paid to their beneficiary and the Sanlam online Family Funeral Plan will be terminated.

Q: What are the exclusions and excluded activities on the Sanlam online Family Funeral Plan?

Please note that the Family Funeral Plan will not pay out claims in the case of:

• Suicide within the first 24 (twenty-four) months from the commencement date of the plan.
• Intentional, self-inflicted injuries or deliberate exposure of the Covered Person to unnecessary danger.
• War, invasion, act of a foreign enemy, hostilities (whether war be declared or not), terrorism, civil war, rebellion, revolution or any occurrence incidental to or arising from any of the aforementioned or any attempt at any of the aforementioned.
• Radioactivity or nuclear explosion.
• Any act or omission by the Covered Person which is in violation of any law.
• Death by natural causes within the first 12 (twelve) months of the commencement date of the Sanlam online Family Funeral Plan. All Covered Persons are covered for Accidental Death for the first 12 (twelve) months from the commencement date of the Plan; thereafter all causes of death, including natural, will be covered.
• Death by natural causes within the first 12 (twelve) months of an Additional Covered Person being added to the plan by the Primary Covered Person. This exclusion however, does not apply in the event of a minor child turning 21 and immediately being added as an Additional Covered Person on the plan by the Primary Covered Person.

Q: What happens in the case of fraud?

If any Covered Person or beneficiary commits fraud, or attempts to commit fraud against Sanlam when claiming benefits under the Family Funeral Plan, or submitting information to Sanlam, then Sanlam icover has the right to cancel the funeral plan by giving written notice to the Primary Covered Person. No premiums will be refunded. Please note that Sanlam is entitled to investigate all claims for possible fraud.

Q: Is there a grace period for paying premiums?

Yes, Sanlam offers all policyholders a grace period of one month in order to catch up on any missed funeral insurance premiums. Please note, however, that should you fail to pay during this period, your cover under the Sanlam online Family Funeral Plan will automatically come to an end. Should your monthly premium not be paid by the due date, you will receive notification from Sanlam alerting you to this fact.

Q: What happens if I miss a premium payment?

Should you be unable to pay your Family Funeral Plan premium for any reason, you will be given one month's grace in order to catch up on the outstanding amount. Please note that you and your family will not be covered if you miss a premium payment a second time; should you miss a second premium payment in succession, your plan will be cancelled automatically.

Q: When is my monthly premium due?

Your Membership Certificate will contain details of your monthly premium payment date - make sure to check this and ensure that you pay your premium either on or before this day every month. You may pay your premiums in advance at any time, however please note that this will not reduce the 12-month waiting period on death cover for natural causes.

Q: Can I pay my premiums in cash in a retail store?

Please note that as the Sanlam online Family Funeral Plan is only available for purchase online at >www.icover.co.za<, your premiums cannot be paid in cash in a retail store. Your premiums are automatically paid via bank debit order every month, eliminating the need for manual payments, and reducing the risk of unintentionally skipping a payment.

Q: Will my monthly premiums increase over time?

Due to the different premium rates within the age bands of the Covered Persons on the Family Funeral Plan, the premiums will increase as the Covered Persons move through the various age bands, e.g. when a minor child becomes an adult child. As the Primary Covered Person, you will be notified of any premium increases at least 30 days in advance of the change taking place.

Q: Can I pay my premiums in advance?

As the Primary Covered Person, you may pay any number of premiums in advance for your convenience, however please be aware that this will not affect the waiting period for death by natural causes.

Q: What will happen if I stop paying my premiums?

If you fail to pay your monthly premium after the one-month grace period has expired, your cover under the Sanlam online Family Funeral Plan will be cancelled automatically. Once the cancellation has taken place, your beneficiary will no longer be eligible to claim any money in the event of your detah to put towards funeral costs and other related expenses.

Q: How do I purchase the Sanlam online Family Funeral Plan?

A first for funeral policies in South Africa, the Sanlam online Family Funeral Plan is conveniently available for purchase online at www.icover.co.za and www.sanlam.co.za.

Q: Can I surrender my Sanlam online Family Funeral Plan?

No. Your Family Funeral Plan may not be surrendered for cash; ceded to another person or institution; exchanged for another type of policy, and no loans may be made against it.