More Storms Mean More Insurance Claims, But Theyre Not Always Paid Out - Heres Why

With more storms hitting South African communities there are more short-term insurance claims for damage to homes. While it puts your mind at rest to know you are insured, claiming for storm damage and having your claim accepted, is not always that easy.

This is especially clear if you consider the case studies from the latest report of the Ombudsman for Short-term Insurance OSTI for 2023. In 2023 the second highest number of complaints, around 25, related to homeowners claims declined on the basis of policy exclusions.

The majority of these claims related to damage caused by acts of nature but were declined on the basis of gradual deterioration, lack of maintenance and wear and tear, followed by defects in design or construction.

Looking at why these claims were rejected or accepted can teach us how to ensure that our claims are accepted when it comes to our time to claim.

The consumer complained after the insurer declined a claim for his collapsed boundary wall that he said collapsed due to extreme winds in April 2023. The insurer rejected his claim on the basis that the damage was caused by gradual deterioration.