Funeral cover
The papers every insurer asks for, who issues each one, and the two things that hold an otherwise straightforward claim up for weeks.
Telephone the insurer on the first day, ask exactly what they need, and send it all at once. Most insurers pay within 24 to 48 hours of receiving a complete claim — but the clock starts when the last document arrives. Claims that take weeks are almost always claims that went in incomplete.
If you are reading this in the days after a death, you do not have to manage it alone. Telephone us on 082 49 49 852 at any hour and we will walk through it with you — we obtain the death certificate as part of our care, and we speak to insurers on behalf of the families we serve every week.
The list varies slightly, but these seven items cover almost every funeral claim in South Africa.
An incomplete submission. This is the overwhelming majority of slow claims. The family sends four of the six documents, hears nothing for a week, telephones, and discovers the file has been waiting on a bank confirmation letter nobody mentioned. Ask for the full list on day one and send it in one envelope.
An unnatural death. Where a death is sudden, unexplained or unnatural, the insurer will usually wait for the police or post-mortem documentation before assessing. This is not obstruction and it is not aimed at your family; it is a legal requirement. It does take longer, and knowing that in advance spares a good deal of anxiety.
Ask for the reason in writing. A verbal refusal from a call centre is not the end of the matter, and the written reason is what everything afterwards depends on.
Then use the insurer’s internal complaints process, which is free and which insurers are obliged to have. If that does not resolve it, take the complaint to the National Financial Ombud Scheme South Africa, which considers complaints against insurers at no cost to you and can make a binding determination. Keep every document and every reference number.
Refusals are usually for one of four reasons: the death occurred during the waiting period, the cause was excluded, the premiums had lapsed, or something material was misstated when the policy was taken out. If none of those applies to your situation, say so plainly and in writing.
This is the point families most need to hear. You can arrange the funeral before the claim is settled. Speak to us at the outset and we will tell you honestly what the policy is likely to pay and when — and where the insurer allows a cession, we take the payment directly from them rather than asking your family to fund it and claim it back.
Last reviewed August 2026. W. S. Engledoe & Sons is a funeral home, not a financial services provider. We do not sell funeral policies, earn commission on them or recommend one insurer over another. This is general information to help you read your own policy; it is not financial advice. Product terms change often, so confirm the current wording with your insurer before you act on it.
Frequently asked
Most insurers undertake to pay within 24 to 48 hours of receiving a complete claim. That word does the work: the clock effectively starts when the last document arrives, not when the death occurred. A claim submitted complete on the first day is generally paid before the funeral.
The family submits the claim, because the insurer needs the claimant's identity and bank details. We help: we obtain the death certificate, we can call the insurer with you to confirm what they need, and where a cession is agreed we deal with the insurer directly for the portion paid to us.
Telephone the insurer with the deceased's identity number — they can usually trace it. If you do not know the insurer, check bank statements for the monthly debit order, which almost always identifies them by name. Do this before assuming there was no cover.
Yes, and it usually does. Speak to us at the outset. Where a cession is possible we arrange for the insurer to pay us directly, so your family does not have to find the covered amount upfront. Using an existing policy explains how.
Ask for the reason in writing, then use the insurer's internal complaints process, which is free. If that does not resolve it, the National Financial Ombud Scheme South Africa considers complaints against insurers at no cost to you. Do not accept a verbal refusal as the end of the matter.
Keep reading
These pages deal with what is in front of you now, rather than with policies in the abstract.
Whatever the hour
Our family has read a great many funeral policies. Send us yours and we will explain the benefit, the waiting period and what your family would still have to fund — before you need it.