Is climate volatility making some risks uninsurable?
Brokers’ local knowledge and risk-prevention advice could help keep more properties and businesses insurable as weather-related losses mount.
Underwriting
Santam strengthens Syndicate 1918 team as Lloyd’s operation scales up
Hina Shavdia joins as COO as Santam increases Lloyd’s capacity and expects a larger loss before the business reaches break-even.
Santam’s Lloyd’s bet faces R550m loss as revenue lags costs
Santam’s new Lloyd’s syndicate is expected to post a loss of up to R550m in 2026, even as group earnings and international premium growth remain strong.
South Africa’s rail revival opens a new insurance market
As private operators, financiers, and rolling-stock owners enter a rail system long dominated by the state, a specialist insurance market is developing alongside the infrastructure reforms.
It may be claim number 49. It’s their worst day.
A routine interaction for an insurance professional can be a crisis for the person on the other side, making empathy a practical part of the job.
Can AARTO make better drivers – and smarter underwriting?
Old Mutual Insure says demerit points could eventually influence underwriting, but only if they prove to be a reliable predictor of insurance risk.
Could AARTO eventually affect your insurance premium?
SAIA says international precedent exists, but insurers will need years of reliable data before drawing any conclusions.
ASISA insurers pay out 94% of death claims in 2025
Beneficiaries received R44.2 billion last year, with most declines linked to non-disclosure, fraud, unpaid premiums or policy exclusions.
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.
Trust is an insurance broker’s ‘moat’ in the digital era
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.
Investment performance drives PPS member payouts to record levels
The mutual insurer reports R5.56bn in investment returns compared with R1.32bn in operating profit, while higher claims put pressure on underwriting performance.
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.
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.
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.
Santam underwriting surge lifts profitability well above targets
Lower weather-related claims and disciplined pricing helped lift underwriting profitability in 2025, pushing margins above the insurer’s long-term target range.
Medical scheme vs medical insurance: the risk conversation advisers can’t avoid
In this edition of Cover to Cover, we unpack the structural, regulatory, and underwriting differences that advisers must clarify before recommending either healthcare funding option.
How the HCSTI shapes confident, career-ready brokers
MBSE top achievers share how the HCSTI turns ambition and experience into long-term growth in short-term insurance.
