Severe Illness Cover

We understand that submitting a claim often happens during a difficult time, so we’ve made the process as simple and stress-free as possible. You can submit your claim online in just a few easy steps — and if you need help, a Sanlam Financial Planner will guide you every step of the way.

Submit a credit claim

Underwriting may sound complicated, but it is essentially the process your insurance provider uses to determine your risk status. This in turn affects your cover amount and monthly premiums and establishes whether any special terms and conditions apply to your policy.

To help our underwriters calculate your status, you’ll be asked to supply information relating to your health, medical history, occupation and financial situation as well as details about where plan to travel and any potentially dangerous activities you participate in. You may also be required to complete a medical test.

Sanlam’s underwriting process is designed to ensure that you pay a fair premium for the full term of your cover and that your beneficiaries are able to claim confidently when the time comes. As carrying more risk for our clients forms part of our underwriting philosophy, your policy will remain unaffected should you change your occupation or smoking habits or take up risky activities after it has been issued.

Your cover can be automatically adjusted every year for inflation. Doing so ensures that should you need to submit a claim against your policy several years from now, your cover will still carry the same relative value as it does the day you took it out.

It is important that you regularly pay your premium to keep your cover intact. Should you be unable to pay your premium, it may have an impact on you being covered. It is very important to contact us immediately should you skip premiums, to discuss options of how to keep your valuable cover in place, and stay protected.

Sanlam has created two valuable benefits that reward you for keeping your cover in place. As a Sanlam client with a qualifying product, you have the option of adding our Cashback benefit to any qualifying new or existing risk plan. It rewards you for keeping your cover intact and pays out after 15 years of continued contributions to your policy. A set additional payment of 35% is charged for the Cashback benefit on a specific cover layer. This payment falls away after 15 years – even if the Cashback amount is left to further accumulate – ensuring great value for money.

Put the payout towards your children’s education, home renovations, unexpected expenses or even your retirement. Alternatively, you can choose to leave your lump sum to grow until you need it. You can also look forward to benefiting from Wealth Bonus® – a portion of your contribution that’s invested in a Money Market fund until you turn 70, ensuring that your money keeps making money. Wealth Bonus unlocks every 5 years; a portion of your Wealth Bonus® is made available to you to withdraw or leave invested.

Sanlam Reality is a lifestyle and rewards programme available to all Sanlam and Santam clients as well as members of Bonitas Medical Fund, Fedhealth Medical Aid, Barloworld Medical Scheme and Nedgroup Medical Aid Scheme.

As a member, you qualify for special offers on selected Sanlam products, including Sanlam Life Insurance, where you could save as much as 30% on the cost of your monthly premium. You’ll also save money on wellness, travel and entertainment, and earn tier points for financially responsible behaviour.

The more points you earn, the better your status and the bigger your discounts on certain benefits. Plus, if you apply for a Sanlam Money Saver credit card and use it at any of our national partners, which include Adidas, up to 5% of your spend goes towards your Cashback bonus.

Because we understand that severe illness insurance claims are submitted under very difficult and distressing circumstances, Sanlam has kept the process as simple and straightforward as possible. All claims can be submitted online in a few easy steps, and we’re here to help you every step of the way

Underwriting may sound complicated, but it is essentially the process your insurance provider uses to determine your risk status. This in turn affects your cover amount and monthly premiums, and establishes whether any special terms and conditions apply to your policy.

To help Sanlam’s underwriters calculate your status, you’ll be asked to supply information relating to your health, medical history, occupation and financial situation as well as details about where plan to travel and any potentially dangerous activities you participate in. You may also be required to complete a medical test.

Sanlam’s underwriting process is designed to ensure that you pay a fair premium for the full term of your cover and that your beneficiaries are able to claim confidently when the time comes. As carrying more risk for our clients forms part of our underwriting philosophy, your policy will remain unaffected should you change your occupation or smoking habits or take up risky activities after it has been issued.

It is important that you regularly pay your premium to keep your cover intact. Should you be unable to pay your premium, it may have an impact on you being covered. It is very important to contact us immediately should you skip premiums, to discuss options of how to keep your valuable cover in place, and stay protected.

Sanlam has created two valuable benefits that reward you for keeping your cover in place. As a Sanlam client with a qualifying product, you have the option of adding our Cashback benefit to any qualifying new or existing risk plan. It rewards you for keeping your cover intact, and pays out after 15 years of continued contributions to your policy. A set additional payment of 35% is charged for the Cashback benefit on a specific cover layer. This payment falls away after 15 years – even if the Cashback amount is left to further accumulate – ensuring great value for money.

Put the payout towards your children’s education, home renovations, unexpected expenses or even your retirement. Alternatively, you can choose to leave your lump sum to grow until you need it. You can also look forward to benefiting from Wealth Bonus® – a portion of your contribution that’s invested in a Money Market fund until you turn 70, ensuring that your money keeps making money. Wealth Bonus unlocks every 5 years, a portion of your Wealth Bonus® is made available to you to withdraw or leave invested.