Terms and Conditions

Cover Overview

Family Cover

Family Cover provides a funeral service benefit in settlement of a death claim for the policyholder, spouse, eligible children, and extended family where applicable. Premiums remain payable up to the death of the policyholder. Family structures include Member Only, Member + Spouse, Member + Children, and Family. Extended family can also be added at an additional premium per person covered.

Maphutha Cover

Maphutha Cover provides a funeral service benefit for the policyholder, spouse, eligible children, and extended family where applicable. Premiums are payable until the death of the policyholder and the plan covers up to 9 family and extended family members.

Maphutha Plus Cover

Maphutha Plus Cover provides a funeral service benefit for the policyholder, spouse, eligible children, and extended family where applicable. Premiums are payable until the death of the policyholder and the plan covers up to 9 family and extended family members.

The covers provide funeral service benefits, and 50% cash will be provided if a member does not require the service. Cover amounts differ according to age and relationship to the principal member. Added benefits apply to the principal member, spouse, and children aged 6 to 21 years. Children aged 0 to 5 years and extended family members do not qualify for added benefits.

Definitions and Eligibility

Policyholder

A policyholder is any individual between 18 and 84 years of age who is economically active, has a current bank account that allows debit orders, meets all eligibility conditions, and is resident in South Africa. The maximum entry age for the policyholder, spouse, and dependants is 84 years.

Spouse

A spouse is a person deemed by Mahlako Royal Funerals, at its sole discretion, to qualify as a spouse after considering the circumstances of each case. This includes civil unions, customary marriages, marriages by Asian religion, same-gender marriages, and relationships after 6 months of cohabitation. A maximum of 2 spouses per policyholder will be payable during the life of the policy. A spouse may not exceed the maximum entry age of 84 years.

Child

A child is the natural or legally adopted child of the policyholder or spouse. A child is covered up to age 21 if unmarried, or up to age 25 if attending full-time education at a recognised institution. A child who became permanently disabled before age 21 and cannot care for themselves remains covered until death or until the policyholder ceases to qualify.

• If a child dies after the 26th week of pregnancy, the child is considered stillborn.
• Details of children of the spouse, illegitimate children, and stepchildren must be given at joining or within 1 month of becoming eligible.
• If this information is not provided, satisfactory proof may be required to support a claim.

Extended Family

Extended family members are those dependent on the policyholder for financial assistance towards funeral and related costs. This may include parents, parents-in-law, uncles, aunts, brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces, grandparents, and children of the policyholder over age 21. Dependants may not exceed the maximum entry age of 84 years.

• Up to 10 extended family members may be nominated for cover.
• Extended family members may be covered multiple times, provided the maximum cover limit is not exceeded.
• Under Family Cover, benefits for extended family must be less than or equal to the principal member's benefits.

Changes to Member Records

A new application form showing the dependants to be covered must be submitted to Mahlako Royal Funerals for approval at the start of the scheme. Once the principal member joins, the member record is created and may only be amended in two major life-changing events:

• When the principal member gets married.
• When the principal member has a newborn baby.

Marriage of a Principal Member

A new application form must be submitted for approval to include additional lives. These will only be considered for the spouse, in-laws, and stepchildren. Existing family members not added at the time the member joined will not be considered at this point. Added lives are subject to the available benefit type, maximum number of lives, and relevant waiting periods.

Divorce of a Principal Member

A new application form detailing the remaining lives to be covered must be submitted for approval.

Minor Children Ceasing to Qualify

Children who reach age 22, or age 26 for students, will no longer be covered under the Basic Funeral Benefit. They may then become self-standing members, be covered as extended family if benefits allow, or join applicable individual products where waiting periods may be waived if cover is taken up immediately.

Principal members may not replace deceased members, as cover is quoted on the total sum insured. All insured persons must be related to the principal member and/or policy payer, and there must be an insurable interest in all insured persons under the policy.

Exclusions

Benefits will not be paid if death is directly or indirectly caused by or attributable to:

• Terrorism or war, whether declared or not.
• Radioactive contamination, directly or indirectly.
• Illegal activities.
• Suicide during the first 12 months after cover begins for that individual.
• Divorced spouses at policy inception.
• Spouses who divorce during the policy term, whose cover ceases immediately on divorce.

Should a claim be lodged for a divorced spouse, a settlement agreement made an order of court will be required.

Waiting Periods

• A 6-month waiting period, or the unexpired part of a waiting period from a previous insurer, applies to the principal member, spouse, eligible children, wider children, and extended family for natural death claims.
• Claims for unnatural or accidental death have no waiting period.
• A 12-month waiting period applies to suicide from the date of inception.
• If a higher benefit is selected on an existing plan, waiting periods apply only to the increased portion of the benefit.
• No waiting period applies when transferring an up-to-date policy from another provider to Mahlako Royal Funerals, provided proof of cover is supplied.

Premium Payment

Premiums are payable monthly in advance by the policyholder at the rate specified in the schedule. Premiums must be received before or on the 7th day of each month. Premiums received after this date will be allocated to the following month.

Debit Order

Debit orders will be lodged on the date selected by the account holder. Members must ensure funds are available in the bank account on the chosen date. If not, they should contact the office immediately.

Grace Period, Lapse and Reinstatement

Grace Period

A premium is only treated as paid once payment is successfully received and not later reversed. If a premium is not paid on time, a 1-month grace period is allowed during which the premium must still be paid.

Lapse Period

If the premium is not paid after 2 months, the policy will lapse. No benefits are payable under a lapsed policy. The plan will lapse if two consecutive premiums are missed, including the grace period.

Reinstatement Period

The plan can only be reinstated two months after lapse, and the unexpired part of the waiting period will apply to extended members.

Cooling Off and Cancellation

Cooling Off Period

From the date Mahlako Royal Funerals receives the completed application form, the applicant has 31 days to cancel the policy. Cancellation must be made in writing. Any premiums deducted may be refunded, provided no death or claim occurred during that period.

• If cancellation is made within 31 days, premiums already paid will be refunded.
• Refunds may be less the cost of any risk cover or administration costs incurred.

Cancellation After Cooling Off

After the 31-day cooling-off period, both the policyholder and Mahlako Royal Funerals reserve the right to cancel the policy at any time by giving 1 month written notice.

Plan Review, Dissolution and Continuation

Plan Review

Mahlako Royal Funerals reserves the right to review the plan at any time. Policyholders will receive 3 months' notice after a review and may choose to:

• Accept and pay revised premium rates.
• Request a benefit reduction.
• Cancel the policy.

Dissolution

On dissolution of the plan, all liabilities towards existing and former principal members and dependants will cease from the date of the last premium received or the date of dissolution, whichever is later.

Continuation Option

If a principal member ceases to be a member of an existing fund, they may apply for a similar individual funeral policy within 1 month of leaving that fund, before retirement age. No waiting period will apply if the initial waiting period has already been completed.

Surrender Values and Loans

There are no surrender values under this plan. Benefits cannot be ceded or pledged in any way, and no loans are available under the plan.

Fraudulent Claims

If any fraudulent claim is made, Mahlako Royal Funerals will have no further obligation to pay that claim and may cancel the policy immediately at its discretion.

Joining Process and Incomplete Information

The joining process includes the following steps:

• Understand the available plans and choose the most suitable one.
• Complete the application form in full and select your chosen plan.
• Pay the once-off joining fee of R150 plus the selected premium.
• Initial each page and sign the application form.
• Complete the debit order mandate form if debit order is the chosen payment method.
• Submit the completed application form, proof of payment, and debit order mandate to any MRF office or email it to info@mahlakoroyalfunerals.com.