Sanlam is the largest insurer listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and one of the most recognised financial brands in Africa. For funeral cover specifically, it pitches itself hard on speed — claiming most funeral claims are paid within four hours. That is the most ambitious public commitment in the South African market. This review examines whether the reality lives up to the marketing, what the products actually cost, and who Sanlam funeral cover genuinely suits in 2026.
Sanlam offers two distinct funeral product lines targeting very different segments of the South African market. The online iCover Family Funeral Plan is designed for quick, no-questions digital signup at entry-level premiums — ideal for younger, budget-conscious buyers. The MyChoice Funeral Plan range is a more comprehensive adviser-sold product with a richer set of benefits including burial repatriation, triple accidental payout, and a pregnancy and unemployment payment holiday of up to 12 months. Between these two product lines, Sanlam covers more bases than most of its competitors.
The honest caveat: Sanlam’s online iCover product uses a 12-month waiting period for natural death — double the standard six months common across the rest of the market. This is how they keep entry premiums as low as R25 per month, and you need to understand that trade-off before signing up.
Before diving into the detail, if you are comparing multiple providers, our full breakdown of the best funeral cover options in South Africa for 2026 ranks Sanlam against the full competitive field.
The Two Product Lines: iCover vs MyChoice
Sanlam’s funeral cover range splits into two clearly distinct product families. Understanding which line you are buying from matters — the terms, benefits, and waiting periods differ significantly.
Sanlam pays a tax-free lump sum to the nominated beneficiary. South African families typically use this for the coffin or casket, burial or cremation, catering, tombstone, church or traditional ceremonies, transport of the body, and mortuary fees. On the MyChoice plans, burial repatriation — transport of the deceased anywhere in South Africa, including a family member’s travel and overnight accommodation — is a built-in benefit rather than an optional extra. For a complete picture of what funeral insurance money can and cannot be used for, read our guide on what funeral cover actually pays for in South Africa.
Features That Set Sanlam Apart
Sanlam advertises that most funeral claims are paid within four hours — not 48 — once all documents are submitted. This is a more ambitious target than any other major South African provider publicly commits to. Independent claim experience varies, but for straightforward cases the speed is widely noted.
The MyChoice plans include transport of the deceased from any funeral home to any burial site in South Africa. Costs of a family member travelling with the body — including overnight accommodation — are also covered. For families split across provinces, this is a genuinely valuable benefit that other providers either exclude or charge extra for.
On qualifying MyChoice plans, an accidental death triggers a payout equal to three times the funeral cover amount — not just double. Given South Africa’s road fatality statistics, this is a meaningful distinction for any working adult who commutes or travels regularly.
If you become pregnant or lose your job, you can pause premium payments for up to 12 months without losing cover. This is notably more generous than Old Mutual’s six-month premium holiday and directly addresses the income volatility reality of many South African households.
On active MyChoice policies, a cashback payment is made at the end of every three-year period. This rewards loyal policyholders with a return of a portion of their premiums — structured as a standard plan feature rather than an optional add-on.
If you previously held a qualifying funeral plan with another insurer, Sanlam can cover you without a new waiting period from the moment your policy is accepted. This is a rare practical benefit for South Africans switching providers who don’t want to restart a waiting clock.
The Tribute and higher MyChoice plans pay R1,000 per month for six months towards groceries after the death of a breadwinner. A separate R10,000 memorial benefit is paid alongside the main funeral claim to help cover tombstone or commemoration costs.
On Priority and Tribute plans, if the principal life assured dies, is retrenched, retires, or suffers a defined physical impairment, Sanlam continues paying premiums for a specified period — keeping all other family members on the plan covered without any further contributions.
Pricing: What Does Sanlam Funeral Cover Cost?
Sanlam’s pricing differs sharply between its two product lines, which makes straight comparisons with other providers slightly misleading unless you are looking at like-for-like.
| Product | Entry Premium | Max Cover | Max Members | Waiting Period (Natural) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| iCover Family Funeral Plan | R25/month | R40,000 | Immediate + family | 12 months |
| MyChoice Traditional Plan | From R80/month | R100,000 | 22+ | 6 months |
| MyChoice Priority Plan | From R80/month | R100,000 | 22+ | 6 months |
| MyChoice Tribute Plan | From R80/month | R100,000 | 22+ | 6 months |
The iCover plan achieves its R25/month price point by extending the waiting period to 12 months — a clear trade-off, not a hidden catch. Pricing on the MyChoice range is age-banded: premiums adjust as you move into higher age brackets, though cover continues for life once the policy is in force.
Within the broader market, Sanlam’s iCover entry price is among the most competitive available. The MyChoice starting point of R80/month is more expensive than Old Mutual’s entry-level plans but reflects a substantially richer feature set. If you are comparing purely on cost at similar cover levels, see our full guide to the cheapest funeral cover in South Africa for 2026, which maps premium-to-cover ratios across the market.
The iCover R40,000 ceiling may be sufficient for some families but will fall short for others. South African funerals range from around R20,000 for a basic service to over R100,000 for a large traditional funeral. Our guide on how much funeral cover you really need in South Africa walks through a practical calculation based on your family’s situation and local costs.
The Waiting Period: Sanlam’s Critical Difference
This is the single most important thing to understand about Sanlam funeral cover before committing to any product.
Waiting period for natural death. Accidental death: day one. This is double the industry standard — the trade-off for the low R25/month entry premium.
Standard industry waiting period for natural death. Accidental death: day one. Transfers from qualifying prior plans: no waiting period at all.
The practical implication is direct: if you sign up for the iCover plan today and a family member dies from a natural cause in month 11, no funeral payout will be made. Sanlam refunds premiums paid for that person in that scenario. Only accidental deaths are paid from day one across both product lines.
For families with elderly parents or members with existing health conditions, the 12-month iCover waiting period is a serious consideration. The MyChoice adviser-sold plans — with their standard six-month waiting period and no-waiting-period transfer option — are the more appropriate product in those circumstances.
For an authoritative market-wide explanation of how waiting periods work across all providers — including what triggers immediate cover and where the exceptions lie — read our dedicated guide to funeral cover waiting periods in South Africa for 2026.
Pros and Cons: A Balanced Assessment
- ✓ Four-hour claims target — fastest public commitment of any major SA provider
- ✓ Triple accidental payout on MyChoice — not just double
- ✓ 12-month unemployment and pregnancy premium holiday — most generous in the market
- ✓ Burial repatriation included as standard on MyChoice plans
- ✓ Cover for 22+ family members including extended relatives on one policy
- ✓ No waiting period for qualifying transfers from existing plans
- ✓ JSE-listed, FSCA-regulated, over 100 years in South Africa
- ✓ iCover purchasable at Shoprite or Checkers Money Market — no bank account required
- ✗ iCover’s 12-month waiting period is double the SA industry standard
- ✗ iCover maximum R40,000 cover may not be sufficient for large traditional funerals
- ✗ MyChoice plans require a financial adviser — cannot be bought online directly
- ✗ MyChoice entry premium of R80/month is higher than some comparable competitor plans
- ✗ Customer service complaints — particularly call centre consistency — are documented across review platforms
- ✗ Some iCover customers report the 12-month waiting period was not clearly explained at point of sale
What Real Customers Say
Sanlam’s Hellopeter TrustIndex sits at 3.3 — below Old Mutual’s 4.4 — and its ComplaintsBoard rating averages around 1.6 stars from filed complaints. The Trustpilot picture for South African customers is also poor. However, the vast majority of Sanlam’s complaints relate to investments, retirement annuities, and loan products — not funeral cover specifically. This distinction matters when evaluating the funeral product in isolation.
Policyholders with straightforward, correctly documented claims frequently report same-day payouts — in some cases well within the four-hour target. The iCover product is praised for its simplicity and digital accessibility. The burial repatriation benefit receives specific positive mentions from families in rural areas. The unemployment payment holiday is cited as a valuable lifeline during income disruption.
Recurring complaints centre on call centre responsiveness and agents giving contradictory information. A notable pattern on Hellopeter involves iCover beneficiaries discovering the 12-month waiting period only at the point of making a claim — a disclosure failure rather than a product flaw, but a damaging one. Claim delays when documents are deemed incomplete are also consistently raised.
Sanlam responds to Hellopeter reviews and escalates unresolved complaints through a dedicated team. The overall picture is of a company that handles the majority of clean, correctly documented funeral claims quickly — but whose broader service infrastructure has identifiable weaknesses when claims deviate from the standard path.
How to Claim: Step by Step
Sanlam targets a four-hour payout for most funeral claims, provided all documentation is complete and correct at submission. Here is the full process.
Report the death at any Home Affairs office or through your funeral parlour. An abridged death certificate is issued free of charge on the day of registration. No claim can proceed without this document.
Required: Fully completed claim form; certified copy of the deceased’s ID and the claimant’s ID; certified copy of the death certificate; proof of banking details (bank-stamped statement) if payment is to an account other than the premium-paying account. For unnatural death: certified copy of the police report (BI-1663 or DHA-1663) is also required. All sections of every form must be fully completed.
For iCover: call Sharecall 0860 426 837 (0860 icover) or submit via the iCover website. For MyChoice: contact your Sanlam financial adviser or call 0861 235 434. Claims can also be submitted online through the Sanlam portal.
Sanlam targets four hours for most claims once documentation is verified and approved. A 48-hour backstop applies for more complex cases. Payments are made into the beneficiary’s South African bank account in Rand.
Sanlam vs the Competition
| Criteria | Sanlam iCover | Sanlam MyChoice | Old Mutual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry premium | R25/month | R80/month | R26/month |
| Max payout | R40,000 | R100,000 | R100,000 |
| Natural death waiting period | 12 months | 6 months | 6 months |
| Claim turnaround (target) | 4 hours | 4 hours | 48 hours |
| Accidental payout multiplier | Day-one cover | 3× payout | 2× (optional add-on) |
| Unemployment premium holiday | Not included | 12 months | 6 months |
| Burial repatriation | Not included | Standard benefit | Not standard |
Better than Old Mutual for: Claim speed target, triple accidental payout, burial repatriation, and unemployment premium holiday length. Worse than Old Mutual for: The iCover 12-month waiting period and MyChoice entry price. The honest summary: for a feature-loaded policy, MyChoice is stronger. For pure entry-level affordability with a standard waiting period, Old Mutual’s Care Plan has the edge.
It is also worth understanding where funeral cover ends and life insurance begins — the two products are often confused by South African buyers. Our guide to funeral cover vs life insurance in South Africa explains the critical distinctions in payout speed, purpose, and cost.
For a detailed head-to-head with Sanlam’s closest peer, read our Old Mutual funeral cover review which covers that provider’s plans, pricing, and claims experience in full.
Who Should Choose Sanlam Funeral Cover?
| Profile | Best Product | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Young adult wanting cheapest possible cover | iCover | Strong fit ✓ |
| Large family needing to cover extended relatives | MyChoice | Strong fit ✓ |
| Gig worker or informal earner with volatile income | MyChoice | Strong fit ✓ |
| Family split across provinces needing repatriation | MyChoice | Strong fit ✓ |
| Switching provider without wanting a new waiting period | MyChoice | Good fit ✓ |
| Covering elderly parents with existing health conditions | MyChoice only | Caution ⚠ |
| Anyone needing R40,000+ cover via online signup | iCover (not suitable) | Not recommended ✗ |
Frequently Asked Questions
🏦 Old Mutual Funeral Cover Review (2026): Is It Worth It?
Old Mutual is one of South Africa’s most trusted insurers, offering flexible funeral cover with fast payouts, customizable plans, and family coverage options. But how do the costs, waiting periods, and benefits compare in 2026?
- ✔ Payouts typically processed within 24–48 hours
- ✔ Cover ranges from R5,000 up to R70,000+
- ✔ ±6-month waiting period for natural death
- ✔ Immediate cover for accidental death
Sanlam Funeral Cover: Genuinely Competitive — If You Pick the Right Product
Sanlam is one of the strongest performers in South African funeral insurance when you evaluate the MyChoice range on its merits. The four-hour claim target is the most aggressive public payout commitment in the market. The triple accidental payout, burial repatriation, 12-month unemployment holiday, memorial benefit, and no-waiting-period transfer all deliver real, practical value that most competitors simply do not match.
The iCover online plan is a different story. At R25/month it is attractively priced, but the 12-month waiting period for natural death is a material risk that must be understood before signing up. For anyone covering elderly family members or those with existing health concerns, iCover is not the appropriate product — MyChoice is. Choosing the wrong Sanlam product for your situation is the single biggest mistake buyers make.
Our rating of 7.8 out of 10 reflects a product range that leads the market on features and claim speed, held back by a service quality gap and the iCover waiting period that trips up buyers who don’t read the fine print. To compare Sanlam against every major South African provider, see our full ranking of the best funeral cover in South Africa for 2026.
