Johannesburg - Hollard funeral policyholder Nonkululeko Kubheka says she has been struggling for the past two years to have a R10000 funeral cover claim paid out by the insurer.
Kubheka said Hollard would not pay out her claim because the insurer insists she must produce a “computerised” death certificate, which she doesn’t have because Home Affairs issued her with only a handwritten certificate.
Kubheka, who lives in Zakariyya Park, south of Joburg, said her trouble with one of the country’s biggest insurers - with about 11% of market share - started in November 2017 when her brother, David Moiloa, died.
“I went to submit the funeral policy claim at the Southgate Mall (branch of Hollard). I submitted his death certificate, burial order and a document from the undertakers. He (David) was one the eight dependants which the funeral policy covered for R10000 per beneficiary.
“I was dejected and surprised when my claim was rejected as my premiums were up to date.”
Kubheka said Home Affairs had issued her with a letter confirming Moiloa’s death, but Hollard still refused to settle her claim.
A Home Affairs letter dated November 22, 2017, which The Sunday Independent has seen, declared Moila deceased.
It read: “According to DHA (Department of Home Affairs) the above-mentioned person has been declared as deceased.
“Due to possible duplication of identity number, (the) department is currently unable to issue a computerised death certificate as a result thereof. Meanwhile, the department has issued a handwritten death certificate dated 22/11/2017. Original death registration forms together with supporting documents have been forwarded to head office and upon finalisation of the enquiry and probe a computerised death certificate may be issued, on request.”
Kubheka said she struggled to find the money to bury David. She had to borrow money in order to give him a decent funeral.
“I ended up getting into a huge debt in order to bury him. When I took out this policy, I was told that the payout takes less than 48 hours, but now it has been more than two years. Now all I want is to have my premiums paid back.”
Hollard’s spokesperson Warwick Bloom said: “We are extremely sympathetic to the plight of Ms Kubheka and it appears that she is caught up in an administrative nightmare. Unfortunately, just like Ms Kubheka, we are completely at the mercy of the Department of Home Affairs in this case. As things stand, official records indicate that the insured person, Mr Moiloa, is still alive (because those records are based on an ID number). I am sure that you and your readers will understand that we cannot pay a death benefit in respect of someone who is officially still alive.
“We understand that this must be traumatic for Ms. Kubheka, but our hands really are tied until the Home Affairs investigation is complete. We will have no hesitation in paying the claim once it can be verified that Mr Moiloa is indeed deceased.”