There is no separate funeral policy ombudsman. A funeral policy is life insurance, so a complaint about one goes to the National Financial Ombud Scheme South Africa, which handles life insurance complaints alongside non-life, banking and credit. One important qualification follows below, because not everything sold as funeral cover is actually an insurance policy.
Official contact channels
- Share-call: 0860 800 900
- Telephone: 076 574 8055
- Email: [email protected]
- Media enquiries: [email protected]
- Online complaint form and complaint tracking: nfosa.co.za
Services and responsibilities
The National Financial Ombud resolves complaints from consumers against financial institutions that participate in the scheme, across four areas: life insurance, non-life insurance, banking and credit. Funeral cover underwritten by a licensed life insurer falls into the life insurance area. The service is free to consumers. Its site publishes a complaints process and a process flowchart, an online complaint form, an application for assistance, a facility to track a complaint you have already lodged, published rulings and case studies, and a dedicated route for service complaints against the ombud itself. It also publishes guidance for vulnerable consumers.
Office and address information
The Johannesburg office is at 110 Oxford Road, Houghton Estate, Johannesburg, 2198, with the parking entrance at 19 9th Street, Houghton Estate, Illovo, 2198. The Cape Town office is at 6th Floor, Claremont Central Building, 6 Vineyard Road, Claremont, Cape Town, 7708. The enquiry form asks you to choose an area of assistance, so select the one matching your complaint rather than a general option, because the areas are handled by different teams.
Applications and escalation
Complain to the insurer first and get a final response or a reference, because an ombud will normally ask what the institution said before it takes the matter on. Then lodge with the ombud using the online form, attaching the policy document, the claim decision and your correspondence. Here is the qualification that matters: not all funeral cover is underwritten by a licensed insurer. Some funeral plans are sold by undertakers, burial societies or agents that are not licensed insurers, and in that case the ombud may have no jurisdiction. Check whether your policy names a licensed insurer, and if it does not, the Financial Sector Conduct Authority is the body to ask about licensing while a complaint about the service or the money paid can go to the National Consumer Commission. If your complaint is about the advice you were given when the policy was sold, that is the FAIS Ombud on 012 762 5000.
Sources
- National Financial Ombud contact page with numbers, mailboxes and both office addresses: nfosa.co.za/contact-us/
- National Financial Ombud complaints process, online complaint form and participant listings: nfosa.co.za