Built-in Benefits
Funeral benefit
The Funeral benefit can be used to pay for expenses associated with a funeral when an insured life passes away.
If an insured life passes away from natural causes during the waiting period, the Funeral benefit will not be paid. If an insured life passes away due to an accident during the waiting period, the Funeral benefit will be paid. The waiting period applicable to each insured life is contained in your plan summary.
The waiting period is a period in which insured lives are not covered for some or all events, even though premiums are being paid.
Waiting periods can apply when you:
- First start your plan.
- Change your cover levels.
- Add an insured life to your plan.
- Add a new optional benefit to your plan.
Payment Protection benefit on the plan owner reaching age 85
The funeral cover for insured lives continues after you, the plan owner, turn 85. No further premiums will be payable and all insured lives on the plan will continue to enjoy funeral cover. If you, the plan owner, pass away before reaching age 85, anybody that can be insured on this plan can become the new plan owner and continue with the plan. The premiums will still be payable up to the date that the original plan owner would have turned age 85.
The Repatriation benefit will continue for all insured lives until no more premiums are payable. When no more premiums are payable, the Repatriation benefit and CashBack benefit will end.
An insured life’s funeral cover is “paid-up” when Metropolitan does not require any more premiums to be paid. The insured life on your plan will continue to enjoy cover.
Tell someone you trust about your plan. If you have the Payment Protection benefit on death, your family needs to know that they are still covered when you pass away.
If this benefit was selected, please refer to your plan summary to see your selected retirement age.
Repatriation benefit
Repatriation is transporting the deceased person’s body to the place of burial in South Africa. Metropolitan will cover the cost of repatriation. This benefit is available to all insured lives covered on this plan. It is available 24 hours a day and 365 days a year.
If an insured life passes away from natural causes during the Funeral benefit waiting period, the Repatriation benefit cannot be used. If an insured life passes away due to an accident during the Funeral benefit waiting period, the Repatriation benefit can be used. The Funeral benefit waiting period applicable to each insured life is contained in your plan summary.
The deceased must have been living in South Africa. However, you can still use this service if the deceased died in any of the following countries: South Africa, Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, Swaziland, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Religious customs are taken into consideration when making arrangements.
We help with:
- referrals for an autopsy;
- embalming;
- getting a death certificate; and
- getting the necessary documents to move the deceased person’s body across the border.
This benefit ends when no further premiums are payable for any life insured.
You can only claim once for each event, even if you have more than one Metropolitan plan. Metropolitan is not liable for any damages that you may suffer when you use this benefit. Metropolitan may at any time remove or make reasonable changes to this benefit. We will notify you when this happens.
Repatriation is expensive and our benefit can save you money.
You can call us on 0861 666 111 when an insured life passes away.
Optional add-on benefits
These optional, add-on benefits are available on the Metropolitan Funeral plan and can be added to your plan at any time after you have made your online purchase.
Memorial benefit
The Memorial benefit can be used to pay for the tombstone and other costs of the memorial ceremony when an insured life passes away. You can choose this optional benefit for any insured life that is covered under the Funeral benefit on this plan.
A lump sum is paid when the insured life passes away. The lump sum can be paid on any date within 18 months of the insured life passing away. You can choose the date when Metropolitan should pay the lump sum. If you do not claim your money immediately, we will hold it for you until you claim it. We will not deduct any administration charges. We will also not add any interest to this amount. This date can be changed up to three times.
If an insured life passes away from natural causes during the waiting period, the Memorial benefit will not be paid. If an insured life passes away due to an accident during the waiting period, the Memorial benefit will be paid. The waiting period applicable to each insured life is contained in your plan summary.
If you add this benefit to your plan, please refer to your plan summary to see which insured lives the benefit was chosen for.
As with a funeral, a memorial service can be expensive, and you may not have the money available for it after you have already paid for a funeral. The memorial costs may include:
- Unveiling of the tombstone
- Flowers
- Catering
- Transportation and accommodation of mourners, etcetera.
Monthly Essentials benefit
The Monthly Essentials benefit can be used to cover household costs and other essential items when an insured life passes away. This temporarily helps to cover some expenses when you or a loved one who has contributed to the household are no longer there. You can choose this add-on benefit for any insured life who is 18 years or older and covered under the Funeral benefit on this plan.
You must choose the monthly payout and the payout period. When the insured life passes away, the monthly payout is payable for the number of months chosen.
If an insured life passes away from natural causes during the waiting period, the Monthly Essentials benefit will not be paid.If an insured life passes away due to an accident during the waiting period, the Monthly Essentials benefit will be paid. The waiting period applicable to each insured life is contained in your plan summary.
Please refer to your plan summary to see which insured lives the benefit was chosen for.
You can use the money from the Monthly Essentials benefit to cover household costs. This may include:
- Food
- Electricity
- Water bills
- Rent
- Airtime
- Basic healthcare etcetera.
Payment Protection benefit on the death or disability of the plan owner
The Payment Protection benefit covers both death and disability. You can choose this benefit for any insured life covered on this plan.
Payment Protection benefit on the death of the plan owner
The cover under the Funeral, Memorial and Monthly Essentials benefits for insured lives will continue after you, the plan owner, pass away and someone else becomes the plan owner. No further premiums will be payable for the insured lives covered by this benefit and they will continue to enjoy funeral cover.
Premiums will still be payable for those insured lives who do not have this benefit. If you have chosen the Value Protection benefit it will continue to apply to the premiums that are still payable. The Repatriation benefit will continue for all insured lives until no more premiums are payable. When no more premiums are payable, the Repatriation benefit and CashBack benefit will end.
If you pass away from natural causes during your waiting period, the insured lives’ funeral cover will not become paid-up. Your plan summary tells you how long your waiting period is. The new plan owner will have to continue paying premiums for all benefits that were still in the waiting period when you passed away.
If you pass away due to an accident during the waiting period:
- The premiums payable for the insured lives with this benefit will become paid-up;
- The premiums payable for the insured lives who do not have this benefit will continue to be paid. If you have chosen the Value Protection benefit it will continue to apply to the premiums that are still payable.
Payment Protection benefit on disability of the plan owner
A person is disabled when they are completely and permanently unable to perform their own or any other similar occupation. Metropolitan will determine whether the disability is complete and permanent and what a similar occupation is.
The cover under the Funeral, Memorial and Monthly Essentials benefits for insured lives will continue after you, the plan owner, pass away and someone else becomes the plan owner. No further premiums will be payable. Premiums will still be payable for lives that do not have this benefit.
If you become disabled from natural causes during your waiting period, the insured lives’ funeral cover will not become paid-up. Your plan summary tells you how long your waiting period is. You will have to continue paying premiums for all benefits that were still in the waiting period when you passed away.
If you become disabled as a result of an accident during the waiting period:
- The premiums payable for the insured lives with this benefit will become paid-up;
- The premiums payable for the insured lives who do not have this benefit will continue to be paid. If you have chosen the Value Protection benefit it will continue to apply to the premiums that are still payable.
The Payment Protection benefit on disability ends when the plan owner reaches retirement age. Refer to your plan summary to see your selected retirement age.
The Repatriation benefit will continue for all insured lives until no more premiums are payable. When no more premiums are payable, the Repatriation benefit and the CashBack benefit will end.
The Payment Protection benefit on the death or disability of the plan owner is an optional benefit. Please refer to your plan summary to see which insured lives the benefit was chosen for.
An insured life’s funeral cover is “paid-up” when Metropolitan does not require any more premiums to be paid. The insured life on your plan will continue to enjoy cover.
Tell someone you trust about your plan. If you have the Payment Protection benefit on death, your family needs to know that they are still covered when you pass away.
If this benefit was selected, please refer to your plan summary to see your selected retirement age.
Payment Protection benefit on the plan owner reaching retirement age
The funeral cover for all insured lives may continue after you, the plan owner, reach retirement age. You can choose this benefit for any insured life covered on this plan. No further premiums will be payable for insured lives who have this benefit once you, the plan owner reach retirement age. Premiums will still be payable for those insured lives who do not have the benefit. Please refer to your plan summary to see your retirement age and insured lives who have the benefit. The amount of the cover may vary.
For each insured life, where you have been paying premiums for the Funeral, Memorial and Monthly Essential benefits for at least 10 years prior to you reaching retirement age, the full cover becomes paid-up provided the cover has remained unchanged. For example, Mr. Jones takes out R30 000 funeral cover at age 55. At age 65, his retirement age, Mr. Jones will be insured for R30 000.
For each insured life, where you have been paying premiums for the Funeral, Memorial and Monthly Essential benefits for less than 10 years prior to you reaching retirement age, a reduced amount of cover will become paid-up. The cover levels reduce according to the table below.
- When you reach retirement age and premiums have been paid for
- Less than 5 years
- 5 full years
- 6 full years
- 7 full years
- 8 full years
- 9 full years
- 10 full years or more
- Your cover level will be this percentage of your current cover amount
- Nil
- 50%
- 60%
- 70%
- 80%
- 90%
- 100%
If an insured life qualifies for a reduced amount of cover, we will continue to collect premiums until they qualify for the full cover amount. You must tell us if you want the reduced amount of cover to become paid-up. For example, Mr. Jones takes out R30 000 funeral cover at age 57. At age 65, his retirement age, Mr. Jones will be insured for 80% of his cover since he has only contributed premiums for 8 years. If Mr. Jones wants to qualify for the full cover amount, he has to continue paying premiums for another 2 years.
The premiums payable for the insured lives who do not have this benefit will have to continue to be paid. If you have chosen the Value Protection benefit, it will continue to apply to the premiums that are still payable. When no more premiums are payable, the Repatriation benefit and the CashBack benefit will end.
The Payment Protection benefit on retirement of the plan owner is an optional benefit. Please refer to your plan summary to see which insured lives the benefit was chosen for.
An insured life’s funeral cover is “paid-up” when Metropolitan does not require any more premiums to be paid. The insured life on your plan will continue to enjoy cover.
CashBack benefit
The CashBack benefit pays part of your premiums back to you. You can choose this benefit for any insured life covered on this plan.
HOW it works
- Metropolitan will pay two premiums back to you after 12 months, provided that your plan did not lapse during this 12 month period.
- Thereafter, Metropolitan will pay six premiums back to you after 36 months, provided that your plan did not lapse during this 36 month period.
Any premium skips used during the CashBack period, will not affect the value of your CashBack benefit. If you miss premiums (other than using your available premium skips) these will be deducted from your CashBack payment before it is paid out to you.
When this benefit ends
This benefit ends:
- when no more premiums are payable due to payment protection death, disability and/or retirement;
- your plan lapses;
- you cancel your plan; or
- all insured lives have passed away.
CashBack benefits apply to each life insured individually. A CashBack benefit is paid 12 and 36 months after the benefit was added to the individual life insured. CashBack benefits are therefore paid at different dates for different lives insured. If an insured life passes away, no further Cashback payments will be made for that life insured.
Metropolitan may remove the CashBack benefit from your plan on three months’ written notice. If this happens, you will be paid any CashBack benefit that you are entitled to.
Please refer to your plan summary to see which insured lives the CashBack benefit was chosen for.
What happens if you do not pay your premiums
If you:
- miss a premium;
- have no premium skip available; and
- become entitled to a CashBack benefit;
Metropolitan will deduct your unpaid premium from your CashBack benefit before it is paid to you.
If you:
- miss a premium;
- have no premium skip available; and
- have CashBack benefits which Metropolitan has been unable to pay to you;
Metropolitan will use the unpaid CashBack benefit to pay the premium that you have missed.
If you miss more premiums, we will continue to use your unpaid CashBack benefit to pay further missed premiums until we have used all the unpaid CashBack amounts. If you do not start paying premiums again, your plan may lapse.
If you:
- miss a premium;
- have no premium skip available; and
- have a Cashback benefit which Metropolitan has been unable to pay you;
Metropolitan will first use your premium skip to pay the premium that you have missed.
If you miss more premiums, we will continue to use your premium skips to pay missed premiums until we have used all the premium skips available. If you miss more premiums, we will use your unpaid CashBack benefit to pay further missed premiums until we have used all the unpaid CashBack amounts. If you do not start paying premiums again, your plan may lapse.
Claiming your cashback benefit
Cashback payments are automatic. When you become entitled to your CashBack benefit, Metropolitan will inform you of the value of your CashBack benefit. If we have your bank details, we automatically pay your CashBack into your bank account. If we are unable to do this, we will hold the CashBack benefit for you until you claim it or we use it to pay missed premiums. We will not deduct any administration charges from or add any interest to yourCashBack benefit.
Value Protection benefit
The Value Protection benefit automatically increases your premium and cover once every year on your plan anniversary. Your first plan anniversary date is 12 months from the beginning of the month in which you paid your first premium. The cover levels of all your benefits will automatically increase. This will help to protect your insurance cover against future increases in the cost of a funeral (inflation).
Inflation is the rise in the cost of living over time.
How the benefit works
When applying for the Metropolitan Funeral plan online, a six percent Value Protection benefit is included on application. Once your policy is issued, you can choose whether you want to keep or remove the benefit.
You can also change the percentage between the options below. For each option your premium and cover will increase by the percentage chosen.
Description of the Value Protection percentage
Premium increases by 6% and cover increases by 6%
Premium increases by 10% and cover increases by 10%
Changes you can make
You may make the following changes:
- add Value Protection at any time if you do not have it;
- change between Value Protection options; or
- cancel Value Protection.
You must notify Metropolitan if you want to make these changes.
You can skip the Value Protection increases as many times as you want. If you skip an increase, there will be no increase to your monthly premium and cover. You must tell Metropolitan if you want to skip Value Protection increases. Value Protection will not apply if your plan is paid-up. If your plan includes the Payment Protection on retirement benefit, then you must add the Value Protection benefit at least five years before you reach your retirement age. Please refer to your plan summary for your retirement age.
Metropolitan will remind you of your Value Protection increase three months prior to the increase. This increase will however not take place:
- if you choose to cancel Value Protection;
- if you asked us to skip the next Value Protection increase;
- if your stop order agency does not allow Value Protection increases;
- for new insured lives, added within three months of the plan anniversary;
- for existing insured lives where their cover was increased or add-on benefits were added within three months of the plan anniversary;
- if you are within five years of your scheme's retirement age, Value Protection increases for insured lives with the Payment Protection at retirement will not take place; or
- if you have reached the plan's retirement age.
- if the plan is paid-up.
Changes metropolitan may make
Metropolitan may need to review the percentages by which the cover or premium will increase or decrease. In this review, Metropolitan will look at the current economic environment and assess the appropriateness of the current rates for all Metropolitan Funeral Plans in protecting you against inflation. As a result of this review, the rates may increase or decrease.
Metropolitan will give you three months’ notice of any change. No additional waiting periods will apply to the increases in cover from Value Protection.
The Value Protection benefit is an optional benefit. If chosen, this benefit applies to all insured lives. Please refer to your plan summary to see the Value Protection increase percentage that you chose.