Century-old life insurer Assupol has this month launched a revolutionary value-add benefit on its funeral and life products, called the On-Call Plus benefit.
On-Call Plus is an optional benefit that allows beneficiaries to spend on goods and services that are crucial in the days after a loved one has died, and includes four aspects: instantGroceries™, airtime, electricity, and transport.
The instantGroceries™ benefit is a real market first – an entire infrastructure was built behind it to truly deliver a seamless solution to clients. Within minutes after a valid claim has been registered, the instantGroceries™ benefit is paid to the beneficiary’s cellphone using USSD technology to deliver an electronic voucher, or wiCode. This voucher can be used at these participating retailers countrywide: Boxer, Checkers, Pick n Pay and Shoprite.
The airtime and electricity benefits work in a similar way, providing convenience because airtime across all mobile networks and pre-paid electricity meter vouchers are sent directly to the beneficiary’s cellphone.
The transport benefit allows for vehicle rental at discounted rates, and a credit card is not needed. Alternatively, it could be used to provide for the purchase of fuel, or bus, train or taxi fares – in which case cash will be paid into the beneficiary’s bank account.
The On-Call Plus benefit is very flexible, as any of the four benefits can be used in any combination, until the R2,500 benefit amount is depleted. The On-Call Plus benefit is available on new as well as existing Assupol funeral and life policies, costing only R10 per month per life insured.
“At Assupol we have the best interests of our clients at heart, and this new benefit is proof of that,” said Jurie Nel, Assupol’s Head of product development and actuarial support. “We strive to make the benefits we offer relevant, as well as our claims process as easy as possible, and this new benefit will definitely ease the pressure of an already traumatised and grieving client on the death of a loved one”, he continued.
The insurer is not new to innovation, having previously developed the “4Sure 100% Cashback” benefit for their life cover products in December 2010, which allowed for all premiums to be returned at the end of every 10 claim-free years. Other insurers have subsequently followed with similar benefits.
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