Plain answers.
Before you need them.
The questions people ask us in a first meeting, answered in full — with the legislation and regulators each answer rests on.
What a body corporate must insure in South Africa
A body corporate is legally obliged to insure the buildings and improvements to common property for their full replacement value, and to keep that…
Medical aid, hospital plan and gap cover — what each one covers
A medical aid is a scheme that pays towards your healthcare. A hospital plan is a medical aid option that covers in-hospital treatment and little…
How underinsurance works, and what it costs at claim time
If you insure something for less than it costs to replace and your policy has an average condition, your insurer can reduce a claim by the same…
What business interruption insurance actually covers
Business interruption insurance covers the income a business loses while it recovers from damage its policy covers — not the damage itself. It pays…
How to claim after a burst geyser in Cape Town
Put safety first, stop the water if you can reach it safely, and tell your insurer before you have anything permanently repaired. Many household…
Sectional title vs homeowner’s insurance — who insures what
If you own a freehold house, one policy covers the building and another covers what is in it, and both are yours. If you own a sectional title unit,…
How much life cover do you actually need?
The honest answer is the amount that settles your debts, replaces the income your dependants rely on for as long as they rely on it, and pays the…
Beneficiary nomination vs your will — which one decides
For a life policy with a nominated beneficiary, the nomination generally decides — not your will. The proceeds go to the nominated person directly,…
Executor’s fees in South Africa, explained
Unless the will fixes it, an executor’s remuneration is assessed under the tariff prescribed under the Administration of Estates Act — 3.5% of the…
Late-joiner penalties on medical aid, explained
If you join a medical scheme at 35 or older and cannot show enough previous scheme membership, the scheme may add a late-joiner penalty to your…
Insurance and financial terms, explained in plain English
The terms you will see on a schedule, a quote, a scheme’s rules or a will, each explained in a sentence or two. Every definition here is the one our…
How we check what these guides say
Every guide on this site opens with the answer, cites the Act, regulator or ombud it relies on, and is general information rather than advice. This…
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