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Filter: Insurance
Do I have to tell my insurer about my lapa?

14 December 2015

I recently added a thatched lapa to my house. I have an open braai under the lapa. With the recent... bad winds some coals were blown into the thatch and started a fire. I lost the whole lapa and part of my house due to the fire. I lodged a claim correctly with my insurer who has now informed me that they are repudiating my claim because I never informed them of the lapa addition to my house. Can they do this?

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418
Article
Don’t let a lack of railings on your stairway be your downfall

08 September 2015

A plumber visited my new house to repair a water leak in my upstairs bathroom. He fell from the second... story of my house and claims that he fell because I did not have stair railings. I have not yet had my railings installed as they are quite expensive and I am still saving for this. We have however been using the house for a few months without the railings and without incident. The plumber is now threatening to sue me for damages. Can he do this?

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615
Article
Road Accident Fund claims: Must I pay back my medical scheme?

21 November 2014

You were in a motor vehicle accident and your medical aid scheme covered your medical costs. On advice of your... attorney you also submitted a claim to the Road Accident Fund for your medical expenses. The Road Accident Fund indicated it was prepared to pay out your claim but now your medical scheme insists that the medical costs it paid be recovered from the amounts paid out by the Road Accident Fund. Is this correct and must you pay back your medical insurer for your medical costs?

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489
Article
Big or small, all employers must register for Unemployment Insurance

24 August 2014

Many smaller businesses and low-level employers are under the assumption that the size of their business and/or the number of... their staff has a bearing on whether they are liable to contribute to the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) or not. This article conveys information on who is liable to register for UIF, how employers may register and with whom. We also address the monthly contributions to be made as well as the threshold to be considered when calculating monthly contributions. Lastly we look at the sanctions that can be imposed for non-complaince with UIF.

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407
Article
Laying the right foundation: Be wary of construction defects and rejected insurance claims

20 May 2013

Acquiring a home is often a major investment decision, yet ironically, sometimes also a decision resulting in great financial loss.... Homeowners frequently experience loss through theft or damage to their home, with damage generally arising from accidents or natural causes. It is for these reasons that it is critical for a homeowner to protect his interests, principally through obtaining homeowner’s insurance policies. These insurance policies help reduce your risk by moving the risk of loss or damage to the insurer in exchange for the payment of a premium. However, obtaining homeowner’s insurance does not mean you are covered for every eventuality. Is this protection absolute, or does it have exclusions and terms and conditions which may affect the extent of your protection? Knowing the terms of your insurance and understanding the implications thereof are important to ensuring that your primary asset is well protected against future loss or harm.

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437
Article
What is the relationship between you and your insurance broker?

27 September 2012

We all have insurance and we all have worked with an insurance broker at one point or another. The media... is also full of insurance advertisements that create the impression that the right insurance broker will cover you for all eventualities. But is this truly the case? And if not, where does the broker’s responsibility to ensure that you are sufficiently covered end and where does yours, as the insured person’s, start?

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362
Article

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