11/11/2025
💡 Short-Term Insurance: Let’s Talk Real-World Numbers
In the last 24–36 months, South African insurers have seen clear trends across key claim categories:
🏠Buildings
• Weather-related claims (hail, wind, storm, flood) have increased across most provinces.
• Average repair costs have risen by ±30% due to building material inflation.
• Roof repairs, walls, ceilings and waterproofing now cost significantly more than they did just a few years ago.
🛋 Home Contents
• Burglary and theft claims remain high, especially where alarm systems aren’t active.
• Accidental damage claims (TVs, appliances, furniture) have also increased.
• Average burglary claim values are up ±18%, meaning people are often under-insured without realizing it.
🎒 All Risk / Portable Items
• Cellphones, laptops, smartwatches and jewellery are now some of the most frequently claimed items in the industry.
• These items must be specified to be covered properly, especially outside the home.
đźš— Motor
• Repair parts shortages have increased repair times by 25–40%.
• Labor and part costs are higher, so even smaller accidents result in larger claim values.
• Write-offs have also increased because repair costs sometimes exceed vehicle value.
Now Here’s the Important Part: Replacement Value & Under-Insurance
Most policies work on the principle of Replacement Value.
This means: Your items should be insured for what it costs to replace them today, not what you paid originally.
If your home contents are insured for R300,000, but the actual replacement value is R450,000, you are under-insured.
This activates the Average Clause.
Example:
You are insured for R300,000, but you should have been insured for R450,000.
That means you are 33% under-insured.
So even if you claim R30,000, the insurer will only pay ±R20,000.
You carry the shortfall.
Under-insurance = You pay more out-of-pocket at claim stage.
And unfortunately, many people only discover this the day they claim.
If you’d like me to review your current cover and make sure everything is correctly insured and up to date, I’m here to assist.
Consult