Fintech is booming – but regulation, risk, and trust will decide who wins
Rapid growth in South Africa’s fintech sector is giving way to a tougher phase shaped by regulation, competition, and the race for customer trust.
#riskmanagement
Audit quality strained by weak judgement and rising tech risks, IRBA finds
Inspections highlight persistent gaps in professional scepticism and the growing challenges of integrating technology into audits.
CPD deadline looms – make the final hours count where it matters
With 31 May approaching, advisers face a tighter window and higher stakes – choosing CPD that delivers practical value, not just compliance.
FSCA to sharpen ESG disclosure rules as scrutiny shifts to conduct
Guidance under development signals stricter application of existing rules to sustainability claims and disclosures.
EV fire risk: low probability, high impact – and rising relevance for insurers
Rare but complex EV fire incidents are forcing insurers to rethink pricing, claims, and underwriting models.
FIC tightens crypto rules: ‘no data, no transfer’ standard emerges
New guidance forces CASPs to verify and transmit transaction data in real time – or halt the transfer.
High Court rules construction guarantees fall under insurance law
Judgment confirms that such guarantees require licensing under the Insurance Act, resolving a long-running classification dispute.
FSCA tests global ESG rating models as oversight debate sharpens
Discussion paper weighs regulation, codes and hybrid options as data quality and governance risks come into focus.
Directive 11 takes effect as FIC opens detailed RCR guidance for comment
The FIC is inviting industry comment on draft guidance that sets out how institutions must complete and submit their 2026 risk and compliance returns before the April deadline.
Rejected claims expose behavioural risk in motor insurance
Motor insurance data shows most rejected claims are still driven by preventable driver behaviour, with direct implications for underwriting, advice and client risk.
Funds on the hook as Adjudicator flags failures in benefit payments
Rulings show weak controls can force retirement funds to repay benefits years later, with interest.
PAIA deadline opens as Regulator tightens oversight on information access
Missed submissions could trigger enforcement as the Regulator scrutinises how firms handle access to information requests.
Bonitas transition proceeds as administrators outline plans amid legal uncertainty
Sanlam and Momentum outline how they are managing workforce, operations, and risk as the Bonitas transition proceeds despite an unresolved court challenge.
Sanlam links health and wealth in advice model shift
The group plans to combine healthcare and financial data to refine risk assessment and product pricing.
Geopolitical conflict | South African insurers urged to reassess exposure
An interconnected conflict environment is driving risks, with local insurers advised to review policy wording, reinsurance arrangements, and portfolio concentrations.
Living benefits overtake death claims as Discovery Life payouts shift
Discovery Life’s 2025 statistics show 65% of payouts go to living benefits – advisers must rethink risk, product design, and client conversations.
Geopolitical conflict raises questions about war exclusions in insurance policies
Businesses and travellers should review how war exclusions, sanctions clauses, and territorial limits may affect cover, says PSG.
