Funeral policies accounted for the bulk of complaints dealt with by the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services (FAIS) Ombud in the 2023/2024 financial year.
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In general, many people venerate the deceased, a belief that is founded on love and respect for the departed. In some cultures, this belief refers to the idea that the dead still exist and can influence the fortunes of the living.
When people abandon long-standing cultural practices, it's important to question why.
Two incidents seven years apart highlight a concerning trend in South African society, particularly in the treatment of the deceased. The most recent incident occurred in Stanger, KwaZulu-Natal, where two family members allegedly abandoned a relative's body inside a Capitec bank branch. This bizarre incident was allegedly sparked by the insurer's inability to pay the funeral insurance payout.
In the wake of the incident, the women were charged with extortion, disturbance, and intimidation—crimes that serve as a clear reminder of the extent to which people will go in times of crisis.
This incident is similar to another disturbing occurrence in 2019, when two women were caught on camera transporting a corpse in a bag to an Old Mutual official in KwaZulu-Natal. Their shocking display was a desperate attempt to show proof of death, despite claims that the company had refused payment due to insufficient documentation. Old Mutual eventually settled the claim with the bereaved family.
The question remains: what motivates families to take such extreme measures? Desperation, according to cultural experts and psychologists, is the most powerful driver. Both incidents seem to stem from a communication breakdown with insurance providers, leaving families feeling powerless and compelled to provide undeniable proof of death after frustratingly long verification processes.
Though there is no justification for these families' extreme behavior, this serves as a wake-up call to insurers. Industry experts urge funeral insurance companies to reconsider their client communication strategies and operational protocols, with the goal of providing better service that does not push grieving families to such extremes.
It is imperative that funeral insurance practices weave in both cultural sensitivity and proper grievance management to ensure families are never left in such dire straits again.
THE STAR