
Santam names head for new India reinsurance business
The GIFT City operation, together with the Lloyd’s syndicate and Avatar acquisition, is part of the group’s move to broaden its risk base and underwriting capabilities.

The GIFT City operation, together with the Lloyd’s syndicate and Avatar acquisition, is part of the group’s move to broaden its risk base and underwriting capabilities.

Santam’s Fanus Coetzee says the real value of an intermediary is not at sale, but when a client needs clarity, reassurance, and help after a loss.

The insurer says reinsurance protection has increased significantly, and it has secured full reinsurance for 2026/27 for the first time in three years.

After a near five-year absence following the 2021 unrest, Sasria relaunches its wrap cover as a R500 million excess layer above the standard coupon.

Guidance under development signals stricter application of existing rules to sustainability claims and disclosures.

Rare but complex EV fire incidents are forcing insurers to rethink pricing, claims, and underwriting models.

Strong market performance lifts assets to record highs, but lapses and protection gaps persist beneath the surface.

Discussion paper weighs regulation, codes and hybrid options as data quality and governance risks come into focus.

Motor insurance data shows most rejected claims are still driven by preventable driver behaviour, with direct implications for underwriting, advice and client risk.

Sanlam and Momentum outline how they are managing workforce, operations, and risk as the Bonitas transition proceeds despite an unresolved court challenge.

The group plans to combine healthcare and financial data to refine risk assessment and product pricing.

The third phase of the Retiree Repurposing Programme expands efforts to address technical skills shortages through structured mentorship and knowledge transfer.

With only 16% of South Africans financially healthy, insurers are being pushed to prove that products deliver real value when customers need them most.

An interconnected conflict environment is driving risks, with local insurers advised to review policy wording, reinsurance arrangements, and portfolio concentrations.

A breakdown of the results shows how the group’s main business clusters performed as it continues repositioning for growth across South Africa, Africa, and India.

Sanlam reported record new business volumes and strong client inflows in 2025, but several weaker headline indicators drew investor attention following the results release.

Currency movements, bond market distortions, reinsurance losses, and strategic investment spending combined to weigh on Sanlam’s reported results.