South Africa’s insurance industry again recorded the highest consumer sentiment among major local service sectors in 2025, according to DataEQ’s South African Insurance Sentiment Index.
The findings show that insurers continue to achieve strong reputational performance, aided by campaigns, brand activity, and structured review management, while underlying operational weaknesses remain visible across claims handling, responsiveness, billing, and customer vulnerability.
The annual Index analysed 901 404 unsolicited consumer conversations drawn from social media, review platforms, and other public channels. DataEQ categorised this content into operational and reputational conversation, and into priority levels that reflect customer urgency and required responses.
The methodology includes sentiment analysis, channel analysis, and theme classification relating to product performance, service delivery, billing, claims, conduct, governance, and customer vulnerability.
The analysis period ran from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 and included 15 short-term and long-term insurers, such as OUTsurance, Discovery, Hollard, Sanlam, Old Mutual, Momentum, King Price, MiWay, Dialdirect, Auto & General, Budget Insurance, 1Life, Absa Insurance, Liberty, and 1st for Women.
Unlike in previous years, the 2025 Index did not name the insurer with the highest Net Sentiment score or which insurers performed above the aggregate Net Sentiment. DataEQ said it was testing doing a broader industry view and based on feedback from insurers, will decide whether to retain this approach or revert to naming brands.
Industry performance
According to the Index, the insurance sector achieved an overall Net Sentiment of +35%, placing it ahead of both the banking sector (+20%) and the telecoms sector (–25%). This performance was supported by sustained marketing activity, customer engagement initiatives, and positive feedback on Hellopeter.
Campaigns played a significant role in lifting sentiment. Reputational Net Sentiment increased to 41% when campaign content was included but fell to 16% when campaign material was excluded. Similarly, Hellopeter reviews had a substantial impact on operational sentiment. Operational Net Sentiment reached +30% with Hellopeter included but dropped to –27% when these reviews were excluded.
Although reputational sentiment remained strong, the report notes that these positive drivers masked weaknesses in day-to-day service delivery. Operational conversation disclosed persistent frustration with delays, poor responsiveness, billing issues, and claims-handling.
Customer service
Customer service received an overall Net Sentiment score of 32% and remained the industry’s most critical operational pressure point.
Forty-one percent of all conversation analysed was “high priority”, meaning that customers were actively seeking assistance or resolution. However, 35% of high-priority queries went unanswered.
Different service channels produced different sentiment outcomes:
- Email generated the most negative sentiment, with –82% Net Sentiment, largely because of backlogs and slow responses.
- Call centres attracted the highest volume of conversation and recorded –27% Net Sentiment.
- Mobile apps generated lower conversation volumes but were the most positively rated channel, with –3% Net Sentiment, the least negative of the three.
The main drivers of service frustration were turnaround time delays, inconsistent feedback, a lack of follow-up on issues, staffing competency concerns, and unresolved queries. Customers frequently reported silence or no responses to their requests for assistance.
Short-term and long-term Insurance
Both short-term insurance and long-term insurance segments recorded positive overall sentiment. However, the nature of that positivity differed significantly between reputational and operational conversation.
Short-term insurance achieved 32% overall Net Sentiment, supported strongly by reputational conversation. Customers responded positively to:
- Affordability
- App-based access
- Straightforward onboarding
- Emergency accommodation and aid
- Panic buttons, roadside assistance, and other safety features
However, operational weaknesses persisted. Negative sentiment stemmed from:
- Claims disputes
- Delayed settlements
- Inefficiencies in service and support processes
- Limited benefit availability in some product areas
Vehicle insurance recorded +35%, home insurance +41%, and emergency services and roadside assistance +88% Net Sentiment, the latter driven by positive experiences during emergencies.
Long-term insurance produced 6% overall Net Sentiment, supported mainly by reputational conversation, such as product promotions. Customers praised:
- Flexibility in cover
- Cash-back benefits
- Supportive consultants
- Empathetic staff
- Quick payments when processes worked correctly
- Added benefits, such as groceries, tombstones, transport, and double-payout features
Operational performance remained significantly negative at –50%, indicating a gap between product marketing and actual delivery. Negative drivers included:
- Delays or refusals to pay
- Hidden exclusions
- Rising premiums
- Misleading sales practices
- Unauthorised changes to policies
- Delays during periods of grief in funeral claims
Funeral cover recorded +11% Net Sentiment, with positive experiences counterbalanced by delays, disputes, and service failures.
Premium collection and payments
Premium collection emerged as a substantial area of dissatisfaction. Customers expressed frustration with:
- Unauthorised debits
- Post-cancellation debits
- Billing errors and incorrect amounts
- Refunds that were promised but not actioned
- Difficulty switching payment methods
Despite debit orders being the most common payment method, sentiment for debit-order-based collection was strongly negative, with –72% Net Sentiment. Customers want greater transparency, reliability, and flexibility in premium payment options.
Claims-handling
Claims were the single largest operational weakness across the sector. Customers described long delays, limited updates, and unclear processes. Key findings include:
- 67% of claims-related complaints concerned the status of a claim and lack of communication. Customers frequently reported waiting weeks or months for updates.
- 30% related to claim rejections, often described as unfair or unexplained.
- 20% related to assessors and investigators, who were criticised for adding bureaucracy without resolving issues.
Governance and conduct
Governance and conduct concerns were prominent across the Index. More than 40% of the industry conversation referred to conduct standards. Key drivers included:
- Accusations of unethical behaviour (73%)
- Policy disputes (36%)
- Perceived non-performance or downtime (6%)
“Governance failures are strongly linked to claims and service fairness. Perceptions of unethical behaviour and disputes over payout remain the biggest conduct risks,” the Report said.
Vulnerability
Vulnerable customers experienced disproportionately negative outcomes in 2025, recording –48% Net Sentiment. Conversation relating to vulnerability focused on situations where delays, poor communication or wrongful deductions caused financial or personal hardship.
Customers with financial, health, or mobility constraints were particularly affected when claims were delayed, or premium deductions were disputed.
Finfluencers
Finfluencers had a visible presence in the insurance conversation, amplifying both promotional content and consumer complaints. However, the Index identifies several compliance concerns:
- Fewer than 1% of influencer posts disclosed paid partnerships and complied with the Advertising Regulatory Board’s regulations.
- Only 2% indicated any form of accreditation to provide advice.
The Index found that influencer complaints were more visible and were shared more widely than those of ordinary customers. A single negative influencer post could outweigh several positive promotional messages.
Influencer-related content fell into three categories: promotional posts, personal experiences, and general advice. Promotional content (57% of volume) recorded +85% Net Sentiment, personal experiences (35%) recorded –61% Net Sentiment, and general advice (6%) recorded +33%.
