Am I covered for coronavirus (COVID-19)?

This is how we handle coronavirus on each of our products.‍

Funeral Cover

There is a 6-month waiting period for natural death, which means that if an insured person dies of coronavirus in the first 6 months of being added to a policy, we won’t pay out. 

If the person dies of coronavirus after the 6-month waiting period is over, then their death is covered. That means we will pay out as long as the claim is not fraudulent and doesn’t exceed the R100,000 limit that applies across Sanlam Life benefits.

The usual exclusions (such as excluded countries) will still apply.

Life insurance

If you bought a policy before this all started, you’re covered.

For comprehensive life insurance, there is no waiting period for natural death or illness. That means that if, when you bought cover, you hadn’t yet been diagnosed with coronavirus, or hadn’t yet made an appointment to check out some coronavirus-like symptoms, then you would be covered for death or disability by coronavirus from the day your policy is issued.

If you apply for life insurance, you’ll be asked specifically about your coronavirus history. We rely on our clients to be honest with us when they take out a policy. Depending on your answers in the application process, we might decline to offer you comprehensive cover and will offer you accidental-only cover and funeral cover instead of comprehensive cover.

Sanlam requires new policyholders to be vaccinated

We require new policyholders to be vaccinated for COVID-19 from the date you apply for your policy, and may ask you to submit proof of vaccination. If you are required to submit proof of vaccination, we will let you know how to go about it.

The usual exclusions (such as excluded countries) will still apply. Please always check your policy schedule for specific details that apply to your own policy.

If you were honest during your application and bought comprehensive cover, then this is how it works per benefit:

Life Cover + Quick Payout and Death Income Protection

You're covered for death by coronavirus.

Critical Illness Cover

If you get so sick that you end up in the ICU for over a week, you would be able to claim for 50% of your cover amount.

Our “catch-all” clause covers you for 100% of your payout amount if you need frail care or home care. So if you became so ill from a coronavirus complication that you were left permanently bedridden, you would be covered.

Income Protection, Disability Cover 

If you get sick or become disabled and can’t go to work, we will cover you if you are so sick that you can’t earn an income for 21 days or more. 

Also, we would consider your claim if you were in contact with someone with COVID-19 and were then advised by a doctor or government to go into quarantine, and lost income as a result, for more than 21 days. In that case, we will require that doctor to complete a special COVID-19 form in addition to the usual claims forms.