In May 2026, successive low-pressure systems brought destructive flooding, landslides and damaging winds to large parts of South Africa, and caused fatalities, widespread damage to buildings and major infrastructure disruption across long stretches of coastline and interior provinces.
Life insurance members of the Association for Savings and Investment South Africa (ASISA) settled 94.1% of death claims under individual life, credit life, funeral, and universal life policies in 2025, paying beneficiaries ZAR44.2bn ($2.7bn) in benefits. In 2024, 95.6% of death claims were paid to a value of ZAR39.5bn.
Sanlam Emerging Markets (Mauritius) (SEMM), part of Sanlam Group of South Africa, has received approval to acquire a stake in Shriram Life Insurance Company.
South African life and non-life insurers continue to navigate a challenging macroeconomic environment, says S&P Global Ratings (S&P).
Sanlam, a leading pan-African financial services group focused on emerging markets, delivered a strong performance in the first quarter of 2026, supported by resilient client activity, strong growth in new business and very strong net inflows from clients.
Price Forbes has announced the appointments of Mr Alvin Dye, Mr Kagiso Sephiphi and Mr Paul Jacobs to its newly formed construction team in South Africa. The appointments form part of a joint venture with Price Forbes' London construction team.
Eighty percent of South African households are underinsured by almost 50% of their assets' actual value, according to senior adjudicator Ms Janitra Hollenberg.
Santam, Africa's largest general insurer, and the South African Weather Service (SAWS) have formed a partnership aimed at strengthening the country's early warning and forecasting capabilities and to ensure communities are better prepared to deal with severe weather-related occurrences and disasters.
Motorists driving over speed limits in South Africa risk having insurance claims rejected in the case of accidents.
South Africa's health insurance inflation (medical scheme premium inflation) has consistently outpaced headline inflation, except during the COVID-19 period, according to the South African Reserve Bank (SARB).