FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS.
Here are some answers to common funeral plan questions.
We do not need a lot of information to arrange your quote. All we need is the ages and relationships for everybody you want to cover. We can then chop and change cover amounts until you are satisfied with the premium.
Once you are happy with the quote, we will need a copy of your ID, pay slip and the dates of birth or ID numbers for everybody on the policy. Remember, you need to assign a beneficiary. This is the person who will handle the claim. It can be a family member or friend you trust.
It’s VERY easy. All you need to do is complete a contact form on our website. We will contact you and explain everything to you. Once we know what you need, we will do a free quote. Once you are happy with the cover amounts and cost, we can arrange the policy at no additional cost. You do not even have to leave your home. We have a national call center and can arrange everything on your behalf. We make the process quickly and hassle free. Our agents are well trained and will take very good care of you.
Most providers range from around R5000 to R50 000. However, Discovery offers up to R60 000 cover. The amount is for a single person and not everybody on the policy. For example, a husband and wife can each get R50 000. This makes the total value of the policy R100 000. The amount of cover sometimes depends on the relationship with the person. Each provider is different when it comes to adding extended family members.
Firstly, you can cover your direct family. This will mean your spouse, children and parents. By spouse, we mean, husband, wife, partner, girlfriend, boyfriend etc. Secondly, you can cover up to 6 extended family members. An extended family member will be uncles, brothers, aunts, grandparents, etc. It means you can cover a lot of people on your policy. On most policies, you can cover all your dependent children. If a child is over the age of 21, they can still be covered under the extended family section if they are not dependent anymore.
It does not matter how old you are, there will be some options. Most standard policies will cover in the rage of 18 to 76. However, if you are older, there are still some options. Most providers have some form of protection for the elderly. We always suggest that you contact us and let us speak to you. We can help find the best solution for your needs.
Funeral cover usually has a 6 month waiting period. This is not to trick the policy holder or cheat them out of money. Remember, there are no medical examinations required. The provider does not know your medical position. They give you the benefit of the doubt. To prevent people from abusing the system, they have to use a 6 month waiting period. This waiting period is only for natural causes. Accidental death will be covered from the very first premium. Most providers give you double cover if you die because of an accident. Is short, most great funeral plans have some form of accidental death cover included.
The short answer is everybody. Dying is not optional. Everybody will die. Making sure that you do not leave your family and friends with extra stress is important. It does not matter how old you are. Remember, people die in accidental deaths every single day. Illness does not ask your age either. Dying is a part of life. Making sure you prepare for this event is the right thing to do. The younger you are, the less it will cost. We understand that lots of South African families have a single breadwinner. The breadwinner can cover direct and in-direct family on the same policy.
It’s important to look at the benefits. Be very careful, some providers use filler benefits that have no importance. For example, some providers will give you discounts on movie tickets. This can be great to get some living benefits from the policy. Unfortunately, you often pay for those benefits indirectly. We always suggest you look at the benefits. Make sure they improve the product. Some providers will give you a small amount of extra cash for groceries and airtime. Airtime can help you get hold of family and make arrangements. Groceries can help you get food in the house during this traumatic time. AVBOB for example gives you a free burial up to R9600. This is a perfect example of a value adding benefit. They are willing to do a free basic burial. This is over and above your cash payout. Make sure you look at every single benefit when you compare funeral plans.
Typically, a funeral policy will cover an insured person up to R50 000. However, some providers like Discovery will allow cover up to R60 000. Each person you cover can have their own amount. For example, you can cover your spouse for R50 000 and your Parents for R10 000. At the end of the quote, all the premiums are combined into a single monthly premium.
The older the person is, the more you will have to pay. For example, the later you wait to cover your parents, the more it will cost for every R1000 cover.
A funeral plan is an insurance product. This type of cover pays out a lump sum when an insured person dies. This is the basics of a funeral policy. You choose who you want to cover under your plan. When a person on the policy dies, money will be available to arrange a burial. The idea of the payout is not to cover debt and other expenses. The main aim of the policy is to arrange a burial. Most quality funeral plans will pay within 48 hours. Unlike life cover, funeral insurance makes money available as quickly as possible. This will help prevent avoidable delays in the process. Most providers will have additional benefits to make their product more attractive. Some providers like AVBOB will go as far as arranging the entire burial for you. It all depends on your needs and preferences.